I own a Suzuki
GSX-1250FA sports/tourer and a Triumph Speed Triple RS sports roadster
and both motorbikes are a blast to ride. Recently, I became interested
in typical 1960s 'Classic
Style' motorcycles and the
Royal Enfield Interceptor Motorcycle
is one I am considering. Its a bike that can be retro fitted with
numerous accessories and a choice of optional tank paint schemes to make it
your own.
I am in my 70s and the idea of
taking it easy on country lanes to the next cafe,
appeals to me - I do love a bacon roll, or two, with a mug of tea. Most times,
when I get off my sports motorbike (at home) after a country blast, I think, "what a rush, time for a beer." Yep, perhaps a 1960s retro styled
classic would make for a nice
(occasional) change of pace with a throaty exhaust burbling behind me, as I ride
along. The other day I sat on the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 at Saltire
Motorcycles in Edinburgh and the motorbike is nicer in the flesh than
its internet images.
I committed to a great deal of research on the Interceptor and the
Unofficial Royal Enfield Forum is
well worth a visit. Another site worth a visit is
Stuart Fillingham
who owns and posts videos relating to his ownership of the Royal Enfield
Interceptor 650 and the Royal Enfield Continental GT.
Contents:
The Heritage
The Heritage of
the current 2021 Royal Enfield Interceptor stretches all the way back to
1960 and the bikes remain very similar in looks; both have air cooled
parallel twin engines. The image below is the 1960 Royal Enfield
Interceptor which had a 750cc Parallel twin engine. The picture was taken by
Jamie Aaron
-
The Orange Crush, shown above, is my final choice; the wheel rims match
the original 1960 bike. I must admit, I like the 'old world' styling of
the 1960 original with its slimmer tank and heavy mudguards; and it had
a kickstarter - nice.
Mudguard Extensions
I notice from the Interceptor images below
and on the Royal Enfield Website, that the 2021 model seems to have
those horrible mudguard extensions removed. The rear mudguard extension
which stuck out under the number plate was particularly horrible and the
one on the rear of the front mudguard was no better - the bike is much
more neater and aesthetically pleasing without them. However, as shown
in one of the video reviews below, the front and rear mudguard
extensions can easily be removed. Then, all that is
required is a (very slightly) smaller rear number plate from
Fancy Plates.
The Glory Days of British Motorbikes
The Interceptor harks back to the 1960s and to a certain extent has kept
true to the 'classic' tradition of a 1960s motorcycle, albeit the kick
starter which has been replaced by an electric start. Hopefully, one day the kick
starter will make a comeback on 'classic' retro styled motorbikes.
Technical Data
The
Technical Data includes a nice 805mm seat height and a wet weight of
217Kg. The performance from its 648cc air cooled twin cylinder
engine delivers 34.9 kW (109 hp) at 7,150 rpm and 52.3 Nm of torque at 5,500 rpm.
I am thinking that 648cc is enough for an easy ride through the
countryside and to enjoy the burble of the exhaust note.
Servicing
Some video reviews have wrongly stated the service interval is every
3,000 miles - this is incorrect. The service interval is every 6,000
miles or 12 Months, whatever comes first. The valve clearances or
tappets required checked every 6,000 miles and adjusted if necessary.
Royal Enfield recommend a pre-ride check 3,000 miles after a
service but most owners do a pre-ride check before they go out on the
bike.
If you wish to do your own servicing, Hitchcocks supply a
Service Kit
for the bike and all you require to add to the kit is the 3.1litres of
oil from a local supplier
or purchase a 4 litre container of
Silkolene Pro 4 10W-50
from Hitchcocks.
Check out the following video which covers top 5 complaints on the
Interceptor and includes information on the 6,000 servicing intervals -
Stuart Fillingham has produced videos on cleaning his Royal Enfield
Interceptor motorbike -
I would like a very basic 'Classic' motorcycle without all the bells and
whistles. I want to feel that the riding limits are decided by me and
not governed by electronics. Of all the 'Classical Style' motorcycles that I have looked at, the
Interceptor has maintained the original visual appeal coupled with a
basic build. It is not perfect
but a modern frame which offers better handling is not a bad thing.
I like the upright handlebars and the long seat with the grab rail at
the back. The stock exhaust sound is great and not too loud, so longer
trips should be quite pleasant. See the video below.
The Interceptor is devoid of traction control and is a
'bare bones' motorcycle with no rider aids, other than ABS which in
today's traffic is essential, especially on wet roads. It comes as
standard with a side and centre stand which is great for getting the
rear wheel up and oiling the chain.
Its a motorbike that I could service myself, perhaps not in the warranty
period but certainly thereafter.
A video of the stock exhaust sound -
Stuart Fillingham has produced videos on installing the above shocks -
I think if I purchased the Interceptor, I would start with just a couple
of accessories. I certainly would consider changing the
stock mirrors for the
I think a pair of Royal Enfield pannier rails and bags would prove ideal
and save using a backpack -
Suspension
From some of the reviews, the stock rear suspension is more than
adequate for the speeds I would be doing on the Interceptor but if
necessary, I could change the stock rear suspension from the
Interceptor parts section at
Wemoto Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 and purchase
Rear YSS G-Series Twin Shocks (AG9368).
Wemoto have other parts for the Interceptor, so their parts list is
worth exploring.
Halcyon Stainless Bar End
Mirrors Video -
Accessory Links & Bike Cover
Numerous accessories
are available
from
Royal Enfield Accessories Page and the Interceptor could be classed as a bargain, considering just how
inexpensive it is, compared to other 'classic' motorcycles.
For winter storage in my garage, I would purchases an
Oxford Indoor Cover in black. Other
colours tend to show up any oil marks which are almost unavoidable when
putting on the cover, especially down at the chain.
R&G
also supply a list of Interceptor accessories.
Shoei & Bell Open Face Helmets & Halcyon Goggles
One item that I will definitely consider is a open face helmet and
Shoei J-O Helmets
are probably the best ones on the market and they come with a flip down
visor. There is also the
Shoei RJ-Platinum-R
style that has a top fitting small sun visor peak that
can be removed to allow you to fit a standard 5-snap GT visor design to stay compatible with other
aftermarket compatible visors and shields. Of course you can stay with
the stock top sun visor peak and opt to wear goggles or ballistic lens
sunglasses.
Bell
is another helmet manufacturer which provides a great range of open face
helmets and is worth considering. Their
Bell Custom 500
range as well as their
Bell Scout Air
range is worth checking.
Halcyon probably make the best range of quality goggles and
they can be purchased from
Halcyon Classic Parts.
See the videos on Shoei and Bell helmets below -
A video on the Shoei J-O Helmets -
A video on the Shoei RJ-Platinum R Helmets -
A video on the Bell Scout Air Helmets -
A video on the Bell Custom 500 Helmets -
Scorpion Red Power Exhausts
Perhaps at a later date, a pair of stainless steel Scorpion Red Power Exhausts
from
Manhattan Bikes or
MotoGB would improve
the performance -
Another motorcycle which I was considering is the Triumph T120 Bonneville
and this 2019 comparison video vs the Royal Enfield Interceptor is
illuminating and well worth watching to the end -
A few 2019 videos
on the Royal
Enfield
Interceptor
but well
worth
watching -
Richard
Lawrence
Scotland
United
Kingdom
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