Is The Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 More Expensive Than The BSA Gold Star 650?

On Independence Day, the BSA Gold Star 650 will go on sale. We examine the potential cost differences between it and the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650.

On August 15, Classic Legends will introduce the venerable British brand BSA Motorcycles to India. The Gold Star 650, a retro-styled bike that wouldn’t look out of place in a hipster cafe or next to some original BSAs, will mark the brand’s resurrection. For the reasons listed below, we believe its ex-showroom price to be around Rs 3.5 lakh.

650 BSA Gold Star: Designed in India

First things first: the Gold Star 650 was created in the United Kingdom and is presently being produced in India for exportation to the United Kingdom, where it is sold for approximately Rs 6.8 lakh. That alone ought to serve as a clue as to what its anticipated Indian price will be, since it won’t include the costs of international shipping, import taxes, or other expenses incurred in the UK.

In the next section, we will discuss how Classic Legends established the production line in India over two years ago. It should be a well-established manufacturing setup with all of the early teething problems resolved. This should make it much simpler for BSA to streamline the supply chain for the home market than if they were to start from scratch.

Gold Star 650: A Unique Engine

A 652cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder engine with two overhead camshafts powers the BSA Gold Star 650.
Large single-cylinder engines will naturally heat up quickly, and the only way to overcome this engineering difficulty is to use liquid cooling to regulate the engine’s temperature. Additionally, it will guarantee that the engine runs at peak efficiency for long stretches of time. This gives the engine a suitably upscale appearance, especially when combined with the engine case’s design, which mimics the appearance of an air-cooled unit complete with cooling fins. The cost of creating such an engine would be high, but not unaffordable.

Indian Price of BSA Gold Star 650

In terms of market share, BSA would be advised to stick close to the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650’s pricing if they hope to gain traction. Aside from its sentimental appeal to certain grandparents, BSA isn’t a particularly unique brand, thus the Gold Star pricing is fairly steep.

At Rs 3,31,000 (ex-showroom, Delhi), it will be little more expensive than the top-tier Interceptor 650. Additionally, it ought to enable Classic Legends to set themselves apart from Yezdi and Jawa, its sister brands. We believe that the Gold Star 650 should retail for approximately Rs 3.5 lakh (ex-showroom) in India, taking into account all of these factors. Nevertheless, Classic Legends might still surprise us by pulling a rabbit out of a hat.