Custom Royal Enfields to debut at the 2024 Festival of Speed

The first and arguably the star of the show, will be the Continental GT – no, not that Continental GT. This custom machine is a collaboration between Royal Enfield and Top Gear, to create a GT 650 with a livery inspired by Alexander Calder’s 1975 BMW 3.0 CSL Le Mans racer. 

The spec is fairly sturdy, with a Malle pannier, a BAAK exhaust, a custom Tom Hurley seat, and Central Wheel Components wheels. There’s a custom fairing and aluminium yokes, while the clip-ons and rear sets come from Harris Performance. Completing the package is a set of adjustable shocks from Nitron.

Second lining up as part of First Glance is this custom Super Meteor 650, dubbed ‘Cherry’s Company Challenger’. This one is the brainchild of Kaichiroh Kurosu-san of Cherry’s Company in Tokyo, Japan. This show bike cruiser comes complete with a handmade sidecar.

The stock chassis already lending to the slammed look, the bike features ‘50s inspired forks and Koni shocks. The neck has been customised, while the engine has been moved left with a change to the backbone and rear suspension pivot point. The metalwork is sublime, from the custom fuel tank, to the alloy seat pan and headlight.

The final machine in the trio is a Shotgun 650 called “Izi’s Ride” and is a prop in a dystopian Netflix movie called The Kitchen. This sci-fi-inspired, brutalist, Cyberpunk-esque machine is otherworldly. It’s also very much fitting for the setting of the film, with wear from the world it inhabits deftly applied.

“The ‘dirt’ is actually a series of aerosol sprays that are specially designed to replicate different looks of dirt,” said Adrian Sellers, head of Royal Enfield’s custom program. 

“So, this is exactly how the bike appeared in the movie – loved but used daily by the main character.”

It’s so refreshing to see what is a bona fide OEM embracing custom culture to this extent. It is the Royal Enfield way and it’s so cool to see. There will be a fourth bike from Royal Enfield – another custom machine, but it’s set to be a global reveal. You’ll have to wait and see what’s in store, when it’s revealed at the 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed on 11-14 July.

The 2024 Festival of Speed takes place on 11th-14th July. Only Thursday general admission tickets remain, with Friday, Saturday, and Sunday tickets now sold out, although a limited number of hospitality packages for all days are still available. Tickets and packages can be purchased from £70.