‘IZI’s Ride’ – a unique Custom Shotgun 650 exclusively designed for Netflix’s new feature film ‘THE KITCHEN’

In late 2021 – Royal Enfield, the world’s oldest motorcycle manufacturer in continual production, was shared the script to a new Netflix film, about to start production; co-directed, co-written and co-produced by Oscar and Golden Globe winning Daniel Kaluuya, with Top Boy’s Kane Robinson, a.k.a Kano in the lead role.

A unique challenge was laid to Royal Enfield – to design a one-of-a-kind motorcycle to perfectly fit into the near-future world of ‘THE KITCHEN’. Set in a dystopian London where inequality is unchecked and social segregation based upon income and racial lines is endemic, Izi (played by Kano) and Benji (played by Jedaiah Bannerman, in his debut role) fight to navigate the world they find themselves in. As life-long residents of ‘The Kitchen’, a community existing in one of London’s last-remaining housing estates that refuses to succumb to demands of oppressive authoritarian forces, Izi and Benji face challenges and questions that will alter their futures forever.

The Royal Enfield custom build would play an integral part of the film’s narrative, as well as being a source of status, independence and identity to the life of Izi – Kano’s character. And so, in creative collaboration with London based multidisciplinary artist and musician Gaika Tavares (brother of the film’s co-director Kibwe Tavares), the in-house Custom Team at Royal Enfield’s UK Technology Centre began a creative process of conceptual ideation to develop a machine that would feel fully integrated into this unique landscape.

The boundaries of functionality, form and aesthetics were pushed to the nth degree with each of the multiple sub-designs that were brought to the creative table for consideration. Some designs were heavily inspired by iconic sci-fi references, some were more brutalist and neo-retro in their look and feel, and others played homage to certain aspects of cyber-punk film culture and nods to nostalgic street fashion. Through a process of creative refinement and amalgamation, taking cues and inspiration from the various directions – an anarchic custom ‘mutant’ was born.

Built upon the brand-new Shotgun 650 platform, ‘IZI’s Ride’ is a bold tribute to this very culture of customisation embedded into the DNA of the Royal Enfield brand and celebrates the unique sense of individuality that defines any custom build. Paying homage to its precursor, the SG650 Concept (shown for the first time at EICMA 2021) with its neo-dystopian design and radical aesthetics, ‘IZI’s Ride’ pushes the limits to what the customs of tomorrow could potentially look like.

Custom features developed for ‘IZI’s Ride’ include:

● Front and rear wheel hub covers – rapid prototype
● Monocoque tank & seat unit cover – rapid prototype and milled foam
● Integrated perspex and LED tail lamp
● New sub-frame – fabricated steel
● Replacement side covers – rapid prototype
● Front fork covers with integrated LED lighting – rapid prototyping and milling
● Swingarm covers – rapid prototyping
● Bespoke colour and graphics – paint and vinyl

Says Adrian Sellers, Head of Royal Enfield’s Custom & Motorsport programme; “We’re really excited to write another chapter in the rapidly evolving story of Royal Enfield design and customisation with ‘IZI’s Ride’. It’s been a real honour and certainly a first for us as a brand to be so prominently involved in a major Netflix film, and to take design inspiration and start the conceptualisation process quite literally from reading the pages of a major film script written by an Oscar winner. To have the opportunity to work with such a wide team of incredible creatives, actors, directors and designers all at the very top of their game was an experience we’ve relished.”

“It is always exciting to design for a ‘what if…’ scenario, to really push the bounds of convention and fulfil a creative brief that’s quite like no other that’s come our way before. The constructed world of ‘The Kitchen’ is so incredibly visceral, and so masterfully engineered by the production and directorial team, that to create a motorcycle that would feel utterly believable and at home within such a future-dystopian environment while at the same time be instantly recognizable in carrying Royal Enfield’s custom DNA was a real challenge. In fact, we ended up creating two identical motorcycles as there were a number of requirements in the script for the bike to be crashed, scraped and generally thrown about. The riding scenes and the stunt work in the film are very impressive, and the film certainly shines a light on various elements of underground bike subcultures which are largely misunderstood. The whole project was wonderfully collaborative and rewarding to develop, requiring the creative input of many different aspects of our internal design team – from Industrial Design to Color Trim and Graphics and CGI – as well as drawing upon the vision and creativity of such a renowned and respected artist as Gaika. Each member contributed their own piece to the puzzle in bringing this iconic build to life.”

Royal Enfield debuts the Shotgun 650 a motorcycle inspired by custom, for custom.

After a spectacular debut of a very special limited edition motorcycle at Motoverse 2023 – the Shotgun 650 Motoverse Edition – Royal Enfield today debuted the production version of the Shotgun 650. A stunning, one-of-its-kind custom inspired motorcycle, the Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 will be available in four unique colourways Stencil White, Plasma Blue, Green Drill and Sheetmetal Grey.

Siddhartha Lal, Managing Director & CEO of Eicher Motors Ltd., says “The Shotgun 650 is inspired by the work of our custom community and our years of work with them. It is a retro-futuristic interpretation of what a factory custom motorcycle with thoroughbred Royal Enfield DNA would look like. A shape-shifting machine that defies categorization, both in form and in spirit, the Shotgun 650 is something absolutely new and different. It is super fun to ride with confidence inspiring ride ergonomics and handles well in downtown city streets, through twisties and powers through straight highways. The Shotgun 650 is our attempt to bring niche and newer categories of motorcycles to growing enthusiasts of self-expression”.

Built on Royal Enfield’s globally proven 650-Twin platform, the Shotgun 650 is a tribute to the culture of customisation and a new chapter in design for Royal Enfield with an exciting vision of the future. With its retro-futuristic design the Shotgun 650 pays homage to its precursor, the SG650 Concept – showcased at EICMA 2021- and celebrates creativity, as a blank canvas for customization and personalisation for thousands of riders across the world.

Commenting about the ‘heart’ of the new motorcycle, its engine, B Govindarajan, CEO – Royal Enfield, says, “The Shotgun 650 is a very unique motorcycle within our portfolio, but at its heart is the same Royal Enfield pure motorcycling DNA. The 648cc parallel twin engine that powers this machine is a characterful and versatile platform that is capable of adapting to any kind of riding form and format. On the new mould-breaking Shotgun 650, this engine fuels an extremely engaging and joyful ride with power for real world usage, strong mid-ranges and with ample torque across the board. We’ve thoroughly enjoyed creating and riding the Shotgun 650, and are super happy to present this to the world of motorcycle expressionists”

In the true spirit of customization, the new Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 is a motorcycle defined by its rider. Its all new bodywork and stance is a blank canvas, defying traditional categorisation of motorcycling and taking on a personality of its rider. Its modular design enables it to switch between three modes—from single seater to double seater to luggage-carrying tourer, with ease. With the twist of a key, the pillion seat pops off, offering ultimate flexibility. For those seeking an engaging and aggressive ride, or for those looking for a more chilled out experience, the Shotgun 650 effortlessly obliges with its upright and confident riding position that encourages both, and adapts to the rider’s mood and style of riding.

Speaking about the design and development journey of the Shotgun 650, Mark Wells, Chief of Design, said, “The story of Royal Enfield is one of customization. Our customers have been taking our motorcycles and personalising them for decades. Looking to that rich creative culture for inspiration, we unleashed our designers to ideate in that same spirit of unfettered imagination. The resulting design is both fresh and respectful of our heritage and a future vision of what a custom Royal Enfield could look like years down the road.”

With the globally award-winning 650 Twin platform at its core, the Shotgun 650 is loaded with a double barrel of fun. It is ergonomically optimised, with mid-set foot position, a low 795mm seat height and an intuitive handlebar position that give the rider a commanding sense of presence and control, while the floating single seat is both retro and modern at the same time. The Shotgun’s specially tuned suspension with 43mm dia. separate function big piston Showa forks on the front, twin tube 5-step preload adjust RSU at the back, 1465mm wheelbase and a low centre of gravity come together to make riding in traffic, on highways and down twisty back roads equally fun, without compromising on comfort. Wide 18” front and 17” rear tubeless tyres, combined with 320mm and 300mm disc brakes, ensure a steady grip, keeping you engaged and in control at all speeds.

The Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 blends retro-futuristic design with modern features. An LED headlamp fitted in a gorgeous custom, neo-modern nacelle stays true to the neo-retro fusion aesthetic while offering improved visibility. The motorcycle has a digi-analogue instrument cluster, which comes equipped with the Tripper navigation system and is designed to deliver all the information you need as you head out. It also features a USB charging port to keep your devices charged on the go.

Continuing the concept of customization and personalization, a diverse range of 31 Genuine Motorcycle Accessories for the Shotgun 650, have been designed to further highlight the custom aesthetic, bar end mirrors, a sculpted solo seat and contrast-cut billet rims are available.

Test ride bookings and retail begins across Europe from the 1st February, with four unique colourways available; Stencil White, Plasma Blue, Green Drill and Sheetmetal Grey, starting from £6,699.

Pricing for the Shotgun 650:
Sheet Metal Grey – £6,699
Plasma Blue / Green Drill – £6,799
Stencil White – £6,899

Royal Enfield unveils the Shotgun 650 – a custom inspired neo-retro motorcycle.

After decades of inspiring as well as being inspired by custom culture, Royal Enfield has unveiled a stunning, one-of-its-kind, custom-inspired roadster.

The Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 made its global debut in Goa today, at Motoverse 2023. While the continuous production motorcycle itself will be launched early next year, the Shotgun 650 Motoverse Edition is a limited release, custom-designed colourway, only 25 of which will be available for reservation until 25th November at midnight. Available exclusively for the Motoverse community, nothing like these machines will ever be made again, making the event a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own this collectable motorcycle.

Built on Royal Enfield’s 650-Twin platform, the Shotgun 650 Motoverse Edition is a tribute to the culture of customisation. It pays homage to its precursor, the SG650 Concept, with its neo-destopian design and celebrates the possibilities offered by Royal Enfield motorcycles as a canvas for the most creative minds in motorcycling.

Speaking about the launch of this new motorcycle, Siddhartha Lal, Managing Director of Eicher Motors Ltd., said, “The Shotgun 650 is a drop-dead gorgeous, custom-inspired motorcycle that brings together more than a century of Royal Enfield’s pure motorcycling DNA with the renegade spirit of custom culture. The objective was to build this modular, shape-shifting machine that is almost like a mutant disguised as a motorcycle. Powered by our award-winning 650-Twin platform, and an absolute delight to ride on straights and the twisties, the Shotgun 650 is our attempt to bring niche and newer categories of motorcycles to growing enthusiasts of self-expression across the world”

The Motoverse edition of the Shotgun 650 takes inspiration from the motorcycles of the future. Its custom- designed, hand-painted body features a carefully crafted gradient and neon detailing that no factory can produce. Each of these 25 motorcycles have been customised over months, making it unlike any other Royal Enfield or unlike any other motorcycle on the road today.

Speaking about the inspiration and the design of the motorcycle, Mark Wells, Chief of Design at Royal Enfield, said, “Designing the Shotgun 650 Motoverse Edition was an exhilarating journey for the design team into the future of Royal Enfield. After we had shown the SG650 Concept at EICMA in 2021, it gathered huge interest from international custom builders and got heads turning, so much so that we decided to build it as a production motorcycle. The Shotgun 650 Motoverse Edition is built by the same team that designed the Concept and is therefore remarkably close to the concept – much more so than is usually possible. It retains the cast aluminium nascelle, chopped fenders, angular bodywork and that confident, aggressive stance. At the heart of this motorcycle is the simplicity of its form and the pure metal composition that is testament to its inspiration – custom culture. The Shotgun 650 offers a perfect canvas for experienced builders as well as for someone who is just starting on their journey of customization.”

The Shotgun 650 takes Royal Enfield’s legacy of customization further by offering a canvas that allows motorcyclists to make a statement without sacrificing the benefits of Royal Enfield’s dedicated after-sales service ecosystem. Conceived as a revolutionary neo-retro roadster, the intent of the Shotgun 650 was to break free from historical constraints while preserving the brand’s core DNA. The motorcycle represents a harmonious blend of tradition and progress, with meticulously made aluminium parts that seamlessly integrate classic aesthetics with modern graphics. Featuring a revolutionary modular design, the Shotgun 650 is capable of transforming from a classic single-seater to a dual-seater to a weekend tourer in minutes, inviting riders to embark on a journey of personalization like never before. Its tight proportions and low-slung silhouette allow for planted handling with optimum ergonomics.

The tank, closely matching that of the SG650 concept, represents a new direction while respecting Royal Enfield’s historical forms, as do the unique ten spoke wheel rims with integrated ABS. The front suspension features upside down forks and an integrated aluminium top yoke with low-rise extra-wide handlebars. At the rear, twin shocks are mounted to the iconic chassis loop, with a hand-stitched black leather floating solo seat that showcases contemporary craftsmanship with a nod to the past. The Shotgun 650 is built on the robust 650cc platform, celebrated for its impressive performance and adaptability. The engine, a blacked-out 650-Twin with all new gloss black engine covers, is paired with a custom exhaust system that heralds the aesthetics of the future, while simultaneously harking back to the joy of an aural experience that has long been the hallmark of Royal Enfield. The motorcycle comes preloaded with bespoke Royal Enfield Genuine motorcycle accessories such as bar end mirrors and LED black indicators. In addition to this, the limited edition motorcycle will be offered with extended warranty.

The exclusive, limited production Shotgun 650 Motoverse Edition embodies the spirit of originality and self- expression, guaranteeing its owners access to an exclusive club that owns a unique piece of the brand’s heritage. The always-on production motorcycle will be launched early next year across the world, starting with Europe and India.