Before we get started, I’d like to put this out there. This is not a review. Most of the “reviews” out there are not reviews either (no hard feelings). Most of them are all personal opinions. And this one is my personal opinion about the Royal Enfield (RE) Interceptor 650.
Image courtesy: Manhattan Bikes
So, why the RE Interceptor 650 you ask? Well, because I own one. It’s been a little over a month of owning the bike, and I have a pretty good opinion about it by now (though I haven’t ridden it as much as I’d hope to). Another important reason to talk about this bike is because of the impact the Interceptor 650, and the Continental GT 650, have had on not only the Indian Motorcycle market, but also the World Motorcycle market! RE, coming up with these two wonderful 650 CC parallel twin machines, have taken a huge leap in the industry. And what’s better is that they are taking their customers along.
Personally, I feel 47 PS of power is more than enough for Indian road conditions. It’s actually quite sufficient for any of the first world countries too. The only place you would want more power would be a proper race track and most riders don’t even know which is the closest one to them.
Long story short, I think the bikes are great! Would I want anything more for the price? Nope. I mean, look at it this way. No one can make a product that is perfect for everyone who might want to buy the product. Everyone would want the product to include or exclude something. It’s what makes us humans. We are all unique in our own ways and so are our needs, ideas, imaginations, desires, etc. Expecting a manufacturer to tap into millions of these ideas and satisfy each and every one of them in impossible. And that’s why I say these bikes are great. To me, they are perfect even. Why? Because it gives me a solid foundation to make the bike my own. Add my unique touches, customize it as per my liking. It’s easier when you know you don’t have to break the bank to do all the bits you want to do to the bike, because it’s an RE.
(A different perspective)
Yes, the suspension is not the best in the world. I know many want Upside Down forks (USDs) in the front and Mono shocks at the rear. Some are even considering using the older GT500’s Paioli rear shocks. Yes, the headlights are very old(-ish). Many have already upgraded to a full LED setup or have changed the headlight bulb to something that is brighter. And of course the seats are horrible. Many have changed their seats if not redone the cushioning to suit their bottoms better. The wheels are an odd size too. You don’t have much options of rubber for those wheel sizes, forget putting slightly wider tyres to change the appearance of the bike (and possibly the performance too). The exhaust pipes also poke out a bit much for anyones liking.
Oh, and let me not forget to mention the old-fashioned twin instrument cluster, the lack of a clock, a gear position indicator, and a lot of the other stuff that people “miss” in this bike. What people really need to remember is that they are riding a motorcycle. Your focus will be primarily on the road, and not on the instruments cluster, trying to figure out which gear you are in. You should instinctively know which gear you are in. Not rely on the instrument cluster for it.
(View from the cockpit)
But, that’s what makes these bikes great! The fact that we can think of upgrading the shocks on our own, whenever we can. We don’t need to do it immediately. We can still own and enjoy these bike before we do these upgrades. If RE provided these parts, you would have looked at a price hike of at least a lakh, or more. And that’s exactly the point I’m trying to make. For the amount you have invested, you are getting a solid 650 CC parallel twin cylinder motorcycle. You couldn’t even imagine getting one for that price before these bikes were launched.
That’s how important and amazing this bike is. Amazing enough to convert an RE hater, such as me, to an RE owner and lover.
The design of the Interceptor and the Continental GT 650s are perfect for the market they are in; Modern Retro Motorcycles. The design elements are iconic and almost period correct. These bikes look like they were made in the 80s, but have all the goodness of 2019.
Do I plan to modify the bike? Of course I do! But, they will all be cosmetic. And that’s how most people will mod their Interceptors and Continental GT 650s. Minor tweaks and mods to make it their own version of a wonderful bike, made by Royal Enfield.
greasybits 