Memorial Day ushers in the unofficial start of summer with beautiful weather, parades, concerts and commemorations. Shift up a gear for Memorial Day as Retro Rules are in the Royal Enfield house! With retro superbike-inspired bodywork, the new 2027 Royal Enfield Reload 650 showcases their 125th Anniversary in 2026! What do you think of the new Reload 650? Am I wrong to see the styles of 1980’s motorcycles like the Kawasaki Sceptre and Yamaha Midnight Special in there as well? Personally, I love this new retro look, it’s about time we see this black and gold style come back again, it’s always been so on point. Maybe it will entice older riders into a new bike too?
Nathan Kolbe of Royal Enfield North America said: “There’s real momentum right now for Royal Enfield as a brand, which is especially exciting in such a milestone year. We’ve had new products launched, we’ve got more customer events happening than ever before… We’re also super excited to be part of the global 125th year celebrations.”
I couldn’t agree more!
I think as you ride into the Royal Enfield guides on TMW, you’ll discover this brand is advancing rapidly over the past few years and I believe it won’t be long before RE is just as big of a brand in North America as it is in India (as anyone from India, it’s hugely popular there).
Check out the 650,000 pages of great motorcycle content on Total Motorcycle and our growing 2027 Motorcycle model guides as well as a nearly bursting full of motorcycle’s 2026 Motorcycle model guides next.
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ROYAL ENFIELD UNVEILS THE NEW RELOAD 650 BY RSD
The 2026 One Motorcycle Show hosted the unveiling of the latest in a successful line of bespoke custom Royal Enfield machinery, as Roland Sands unveiled the Reload 650.
Based on the production Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 model, Roland Sands has collaborated with Royal Enfield to produce a one-off Shotgun 650, built to inspire riders on their own customization journey.
With retro superbike-inspired bodywork, the tail unit was built to look cool, comfortable, and hark back to the golden-era of 80s AMA Superbike racing. The racing influence is shared across the Reload 650, with RSD race-inspired components including: 2-1 S&S race exhaust, upgraded front and rear suspension, RSD-designed five-spoke Morris wheels, shift levers and footpegs.
To further suit the retro aesthetic, selected engine parts feature a finned surface style, a nod to So-Cal hot rodding culture. A bar riser has been used to allow for straight fit, wide handlebars, and a unique front fender strut, created out of one-piece aluminum, doubles up as a front fender brace to improve rigidity.
The Reload 650 becomes the second bespoke Royal Enfield collaboration with RSD, following the acclaimed Super Meteor 650 Chopper, unveiled at Sturgis 2023.
Roland Sands commented: “Thanks to Royal Enfield for trusting me to build this bike, allowing me to work on all these different parts. I think we made a cool case for this machine and what this Royal Enfield 650 platform can become. This is just one iteration of an endless variety of ideas you could throw at this model.”
The Reload 650 will be making its way around numerous shows throughout 2026, allowing enthusiasts to take a closer look at, and inspire future Royal Enfield customizers.
125 Years in Motion – Royal Enfield North America Celebrating Milestone Anniversary All Year
As Royal Enfield celebrates its 125th Anniversary in 2026, the brand’s event program shifts up a gear heading into spring, with more events than ever scheduled across the U.S and Canada.
Fresh off the back of Daytona Bike Week where Royal Enfield North America launched the iconic Classic 650, with customer test rides taking place even before the bikes hit dealers, the brand’s ‘Open House’ event is now in full swing, with test rides now available on the range at dealers across the U.S and Canada.
As well as the upcoming Open House program, Royal Enfield made its debut at the renowned Biltwell 100 race in Ridgecrest, CA, last weekend, where the all-new Mana Black Himalayan was on display for the first time, while also making its competitive debut in the Mojave Desert too.
Back on the tarmac, the Build.Train.Race road race series hits the track on April 17 at Road Atlanta for another season, with the all-female racing series growing in popularity, boasting a grid of riders set to do battle on their own-built Continental GT Royal Enfields before the second round at Road America takes place from May 29 – 31.
Rolling into Ventura Raceway, CA on April 25, is the third round of the Build.Train.Race Flattrack series, where, like its sister road race series, a packed grid of female riders are set to go bar-to-bar once again on the dirt. Rounds 1 and 2 at Daytona saw Emma Gottsch take the flag on her INT650, with a strong field of riders looking set to make the rest of the season extra competitive.
Nathan Kolbe of Royal Enfield North America elaborated on the brand’s 125-year celebrations, commenting, “There’s real momentum right now for Royal Enfield as a brand, which is especially exciting in such a milestone year. We’ve had new products launched, we’ve got more customer events happening than ever before and our Build.Train.Race program grows in its impact each season.
“We’re also super excited to be part of the global 125th year celebrations. Many initiatives are in the pipeline or already activated, all aimed at making our ever-growing community more engaged and part of the Royal Enfield family. From our own Open House events at dealers across the U.S and Canada, to large-scale partnerships like the recent Rome Marathon, we’re determined to make 2026 the best year yet for every Royal Enfield fan.
As 2026 develops, so will the Royal Enfield North America events calendar. At the heart of Royal Enfield is its Riders Club of North America, a newly-formed community that offers riders across the U.S and Canada ride-out events and experiences with other like-minded enthusiasts. This free-to-join club for Royal Enfield owners is run through individual dealer branches, with events posted on the Riders Club webpage at https://www.royalenfield.com/us/en/rides-and-club/
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