As part of the press unveiling of the Royal Enfield 650 Twins, the company announced its intention to collaborate closely with customizers in 2019. They have indeed fulfilled their commitment. Until now, the partners have successfully co-created 12 tailored projects, integrating their expertise in workshops and collaborating with aftermarket manufacturers. Amongst them is an S&S efficiency recording breaking land velocity racer and a Continental GT 650 drag bike that’s participating within the Sultans of Dash race collection. As part of a strategic partnership with long-time ally Harris Efficiency, this latest mission was conceptualized and developed in collaboration with Enfield’s trusted partner. By leveraging their comprehensive, racing-validated statistics, Harris has developed a unique interpretation of a Royal Enfield 650 café racer.
Upon witnessing the unveiling of this innovative concept at the 2019 Bike Shed Show in London, I reached out to Adrian Sellers, a key player in the Royal Enfield customization team, to gain further insight.
We’re thrilled to share with you the story behind the Harris 650 Cafe Racer, affectionately known as ‘Nought Tea GT650.’
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As a Group Supervisor in Royal Enfield’s Industrial Design division, I am responsible for overseeing the creative vision and design execution of our products. Together, we collaborate with innovative builders worldwide to unleash the creative possibilities of Royal Enfield motorcycles. We also conduct in-house manufacturing unit builds that challenge and enhance the capabilities of our motors. At the end of the day, what’s most important is that people are able to discover a variety of ways to have fun on our bikes.
Royal Enfield acquired Harris Performance Products several years ago, leveraging their expertise in chassis development to bring our motorcycle designs to fruition. With their significant contributions to our drag bike and Bonneville projects, among others, we sought to understand the tangible impact of Harris Efficiency’s involvement. We decided to partner on a retro-style racing bike that incorporates all Harris Performance components. As a subsidiary of Royal Enfield, Harris leverages its expertise to design and market its proprietary range of efficiency solutions, making the partnership with Royal Enfield a natural fit.
Our goal was to transform a Continental GT 650 Twin into an exceptional café racer, pushing its limits to its full potential, before embarking on a thrilling adventure in classic racing.
Collaborative. As we collaborate closely with Harris daily, exchanging ideas becomes a seamless process. With a remarkable 40+ years of experience in chassis enhancement, they are genuine authorities on the subject. They will soon receive suggestions on the viability of our proposal, including recommendations for potential improvements.
At Bike Shed, we unveiled a special edition GT, essentially an enhanced version of our iconic Nought Tea design. Excess has been taken to new heights for an added measure of enjoyment. The prototype was designed to experiment with various ideas, not necessarily grounded in reality, which were floating around at the time. We are currently working on a Model 2.0 that is expected to be specifically tailored for the monitor.
The most striking transformation on the Nought Tea GT is indeed its sleek new fairing. We specifically engineered this product to cater exclusively to the Continental GT 650, making it a bespoke solution rather than simply a modified off-the-shelf item. All identical mounts safely secure each one in its respective position. To enhance the tailored charm, we replaced the air vent with two harmonious consumption pipes mirroring the custom exhaust design crafted for this unique build, while the subframe loop was precision-crafted to seamlessly integrate with the revised seat cowl, complemented by a sleekly integrated tail lamp. A hand-stitched seat and a customized three-tone paint job bring the look to life. To unequivocally showcase the bikes’ athletic prowess.
The Ohlins suspension, specially designed for the bike by Harris, features upgraded components at both the front and rear, while Brembo brakes provide unparalleled stopping power, ensuring the motorcycle’s performance is matched only by its ability to slow down with precision. Customized Harris-style yokes have been integrated to reduce weight, while the tank has been adapted to accommodate a recessed Harris filler cap. Lastly, the engine has been bored out and a 750cc S&S massive bore equipment put in.
One of our junior designers originally conceived this idea last year as a proposal for our Lock Inventory drag bike project. We ultimately pursued an alternative approach, but as we arrived at the stage of delivering the graphic for Nought Tea, our minds turned back to this idea and we believed it had potential.
Identifying the strategy for placing all triangles with distinct colours was an endeavor that required meticulous planning. Fortunately, our team has a skilled painter on site, and one of our designers demonstrated exceptional dedication by investing hours in meticulously masking every area.
What’s on our radar? Including fairing adjustments significantly alters the dynamics of the bike quite noticeably.
Our test rider has stated that the bike is a dream to ride. The supplementary power generated by the larger-diameter equipment proves particularly beneficial on the straights, while the modifications to the Harris chassis enable seamless handling.
We’re preparing to unleash our track-ready Model 2.0 on the classic racing circuit this summer, with specific event dates yet to be confirmed, but rest assured we’ll be making an appearance at several iconic events.
Sure. In a remarkably short period of time, I must warn you: pay close attention to this region.
With an eager eye, enthusiasts will readily notice a few distinct customization options available for the Nought Tea 650. The interior design boasts a fresh makeover, with Rizoma’s innovative LED accents replacing traditional manufacturing unit indicators, elevating the overall ambiance. At the front of the vehicle, bar-style trim pieces are fitted, while at the rear, identical emblems sit atop the shock absorbers. Positioned discreetly within the redesigned rear spoiler is a sleek LED brake light, while the cutting-edge headlight assembly also incorporates a striking LED halo feature. By adjusting the clip-on, fork-mounted handlebars and placing the aftermarket foot controls further rearward, Harris successfully repositions the rider to an optimally precise racing stance. The Daytona-taught instrument cluster has been condensed into a solitary, high-performance-focused tachometer. The entire engine has finally succumbed to the ravages of time and neglect, its once-mighty components now reduced to a state of disrepair. Perhaps echoing Triumph’s flair for iconic styles, black variants of the 650 twins are bound to follow suit eventually. I definitely hope so.
Because of Adrian and Vimal, in particular.
