Written by Martin Hodgson
When everything that’s old is new again, don’t throw away the past, just make it infinitely better and a hell of a lot more fun. The Royal Enfield single cylinder might be one of the most instantly recognisable engines in all of motorcycling history but it has a new sibling that joins the thunderous thump with a roaring rumble. To show off the new parallel twin nestled in the 2018 Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 the company commissioned the best of British, Old Empire Motorcycles. What they deliver is a stunning stripped down ‘Ceptor, that’s classic custom cool in signature Empire style.

It’s been a busy time for both companies with OEM in their sixth year, ?Rafe deals with content, I deal with the bikes and we help each other out a little with both sides of things when needed… creating some nice bits and bobs to sell on our web store and our electric brand, English Electric Motor Co,? explains Alec. While Royal Enfield is now a billion dollar business under bike mad CEO Siddhartha Lal who moved to the UK to be near the Indian company’s R&D Tech Centre in Leicestershire while the new engine was developed.
It’s not every day that a global company comes knocking on your door, but as Alec explains what was required of Old Empire was right up their alley, ?the brief was to create something that enhanced what was originally there without going too mad, and making sure the focal piece was the new twin ...