Benelli 502C vs Royal Enfield Interceptor 650: Real-world Performance Compared

Acceleration

Speed	Benelli 502C	Royal Enfield Interceptor 650
0-60kmph	3.14s	3s
0-80kmph	4.82s	4.49s
0-100kmph	7.24s	6.47s

There are a few contributing factors that make the Interceptor 650 quicker than the 502C. While both are parallel-twin engines, the RE puts out 6Nm more, peak torque kicks in at 750rpm earlier and the 270-degree crank means you have phenomenal low- and mid-range performance. Plus, it is 14kg lighter. Thanks to this, the Interceptor was over 0.7 seconds faster to reach 100kmph in our V-BOX acceleration runs.

Roll-on

Both motorcycles are very closely matched in terms of in-gear acceleration as both put identical 30-70kmph times. But the 502C claws back a little lost ground and is marginally faster than the Interceptor from 40-80kmph. The difference is quite small, though, and shouldn’t be a deal-breaker by any means.

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Fuel-efficiency

In times of sky-rocketing fuel prices, fuel efficiency is a key concern for most people and the Interceptor aces this test as it is a massive 7.3kmpl more efficient than the 502C at highway speeds. But even though the Interceptor returns better efficiency, the 502C has a massive 21 litre fuel tank which corresponds to an impressive 520km range (on the highway), meaning less fuel stops. In turn, the Interceptor’s 13.7 litre tank is only good for about 450kms even with its better mileage.

The tables further turn in favour of the 502C as it returns 1.2kmpl more in the city than the BS6 Interceptor 650.

Braking

The Benelli 502C is 14kg heavier than the RE Interceptor 650, which should make it harder to stop, right? Well, not really. To counter the extra heft, Benelli has thrown in twin 280mm discs up front, which compared to the Interceptor’s single 320mm disc, stop it in a slightly shorter distance at sub-100kmph speeds. Surprisingly, though, when braking from 100kmph, the Benelli takes over 8m longer to come to a halt, compared to the Interceptor, as it carries much more momentum thanks to its weight.

So, which one of these should you take home? Well, we’d say get the Interceptor 650. This is because it is quite closely matched with the 502C in all aspects and even outperforms it in some. And when you couple this with the fact that the RE undercuts the Benelli by a massive Rs 2 lakh, the Interceptor becomes a no brainer.