Royal Enfield Continental GT Racer LTD Is Better Than Stock in Just About Every Way

Of course, motorcycles like the Triumph Bonneville or BMW R nineT are perfectly suited for BAAK’s styling approach, as they already possess the vintage cosmetic traits sought by Remi and his team. Then there are the 650cc offerings from Royal Enfield, and it’s the charming Continental GT that’ll be taking the spotlight today. In 2022, the Frenchmen revealed plans to produce a limited run of custom GTs like the one shown in these photos.

We’re not told how many of these bad boys will be put together at their shop, but what we can tell you is that they come in two different flavors: Racer and Racer LTD. Whereas the former trim is mostly a visual affair, the latter (pictured above) takes Royal Enfield’s cafe racer to greater heights on both a cosmetic and mechanical level.

BAAK will only provide the pricing details upon request, though, so interested parties ought to contact them directly for more information regarding costs. At first, the project started as a regular commission from a client, but the guys saw its potential as a limited-series endeavor and turned it into what we now call the Racer LTD. Among all the upgrades, the powertrain mods are the most significant.

After stripping the Continental GT down, Remi’s specialists turned to S&S Cycle in search of more power. Unsatisfied with the 47 ponies produced by the 648cc parallel-twin, they sourced a big bore kit to take its performance to a whole new level. The S&S paraphernalia increases the engine’s capacity to 865cc by way of a larger bore – 90 as opposed to 78 millimeters in stock form.

Domed pistons raise the motor’s compression ratio from 9.5:1 to a much healthier 11:1, and they’re accompanied by a new camshaft and a sturdier clutch. Moreover, individual pod filters replace the Continental GT’s factory airbox, while the slender mufflers attached to its exhaust headers came from BAAK’s proprietary aftermarket catalog.

With these goodies and a Power Commander V controller installed, the twin-cylinder mill can muster up to 70 hp at the crank. You’ll spot a handmade electronics tray where the original airbox had once been, encasing a compact lithium-ion battery from Solise. A bit further ahead, there are tiny aluminum covers partially concealing the air filters.

The French shop had the motorcycle’s subframe shortened and looped, subsequently topping it off with a two-up saddle wrapped in black leather. We still find the OEM fuel tank on the Racer LTD, but it’s been repainted in a glossy two-tone color scheme combining black and orange. The Royal Enfield logos gave way to BAAK graphics, ensuring no one will ever mistake this for a stock Continental GT.

At the front end, the bike wears a small, yet effective fender, as well as a retro-looking headlamp that’s been pieced together in-house. Its bucket is also home to a multi-function Daytona gauge up top, and the instrumentation is accompanied by several aftermarket parts in the cockpit. BAAK fitted clip-on handlebars from LSL, topping them off with Beringer control levers, stylish switches, and a single bar-end mirror on the left-hand side.

Some radical changes were experienced by the Enfield’s chassis, as well, with its suspension now employing a full suite of Ohlins hardware. The forks are conventional telescopic units chosen for the sake of old-school authenticity, and they’re held in place via bespoke triple clamps.

At six o’clock, suspension duties are the responsibility of piggyback shock absorbers with progressive springs. Aside from the aforementioned control levers, Beringer also supplied premium brake discs and calipers on both ends. These are worn by a fresh pair of laced 17-inch hoops, whose rims are enveloped in SportSmart TT rubber from Dunlop’s range.

Lastly, the Racer LTD’s lighting package is completed by dual-function LEDs at the back, sitting in close proximity to the upper shock mounts. For future orders, BAAK’s specialists will leave much of the detailing up to the customers, including aspects such as the type of leather, color scheme, and tire choice. This will make each individual build a genuine one-off distinct from those that came before.

With its beefed-up brakes, Ohlins suspension, and 70 horses on tap, the reworked Continental GT from BAAK Motocyclettes is extraordinary in just about every way! It has all the qualities that made us fall in love with their work in the first place, while retaining the elegant cafe racer allure of the stock model and dialing it all the way up to eleven.