Royal Enfield INT650 Interceptor- Best Modern Classic Motorcycle on the Market? (First Impressions)
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- Опубліковано 6 вер 2024
- We ride the Royal Enfield INT650 Interceptor, and give our first week impressions of this nostalgia-invoking motorcycle. Is this the new standard for the "modern classic" category? Will they sell well in North America? We share our insights and give our suggestions for why you should consider this for your next motorcycle purchase.
#RoyalEnfield #modernclassic #oldschoolmotorcycles
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The butter smooth engine and superb frame (by Harris performance) was entirely developed in England from scratch with the home mechanic in mind, i.e. screw tappets and a simple screw off canister oil filter, and I am glad to point out that that the suspension (Gabriel) is made in the USA. Good for the Indians who have produced an authentic bike that is an alternative to the big multi national conglomerates.
Britishshooter Agreed!
Got rid of those terrible shocks asap, replaced with Ohlins. Upgraded the forks with yss kit with custom springs and cartridge emulators. Changed oil to Maxima 10wt and the bike is transformed. The suspension was killing me - I found the stock shocks and fork setup just so body jarring. I switched the foot peg setup from the Continental GT found pegs terribly situated - oem's were always in the way when stopping. Converted the rims to tubeless using 3m marine adhesive with Bridgestone tires. They maintain pressure better than the originals. He didn't mention the 3yr warranty and roadside assistance - unheard of in the motorcycle industry. Also, no twitchy throttle - I traded my 2021 tiger 900 in on the '22 Interceptor who's throttle was annoyingly twitch (silky smooth fuelling by Bosch, like the abs). Way more fun than the Tiger, int 650 always feels like I'm going fast, the Tiger? I couldn't go fast enough - deadly. To top it off it's easy to work on yourself and that doesn't void the warranty. Tiger was waaaaay over- engineered , like so many modern bikes. My 22nd motorcycle and I couldn't be more satisfied
This bike is the real deal. I live in Thailand and they can't keep them in stock. Triumph here is living a Royal Enfield nightmare with no quick solution in sight. Have owned all of the usual suspects excellent BMWs and Guzzis and I am impressed. It reminds me of my favorite of all time, a 66 T120, but with great brakes, electronic ignition, and zero vibration and maintenance issues. As for the crank, I prefer the sound of a 270.
Hi Russel, still happy with it. I’m interested in getting a gt but also thinking of a v7. Thoughts on quality and performance after a year? Thanks!
It was a good deal before 2022 :(
Brakes from Italy
Suspension from USA
ABS from Germany
Designed & Developed in UK
Made in India
A well-built modern classic.
United Colors of Benetton
This guy tells it like it is. Bought mine in June. 5400 miles later it's just MARVELOUS.
Everyone should test ride one and see for themselves.
Got mine in November and I got about 800 miles on mine, love it.
Yes I’ll get one looks good
@@John-pe7ru 6700 miles.
Still marvelous.
Theyre selling it here in Alaska for pretty cheap. Was wondering if I should give it a try. Looks like a simple model, but for some reason I'm drawn to it.
@@vealatiume455 the simplicity and the elegance were what attracted me to it. Went in looking for a T100/T120 Bonnie and rode out with the INT. No regrets. 2000 miles in 2 months...... loving it. Great product by RE. Not so sure about the OEM tires in Alaska weather. May want to upgrade.
Have an interceptor. Absolutely love it. Love the ‘grind’ of the engine when accelerating. Thanks for the vid…
My dad who is 87 bought a RE 500 twin new in 1951. Now all these years later i have bought a RE 650. Great bike and thanks for your impressions. From Australia stay safe!
Ian W Good on ya! Hope you enjoy that bike for many years.
Hey mate would you recommend the RE 650 for a new rider - melbourne Australia - thanks
@@TheChivasRegal yes i would. Its easy to ride and not too powerful for a new rider.
Own a glitter and dust almost a year now, I love the look, the ride, the price, and as a beginner this bike has power but not overpower me.
Ida Bagus Putu Mahardika And I’m just the opposite- I’ve been riding for most of my life, and I love this bike!
Same here in Thailand, same model, just stunning, a real head-turner .
India is doing a great job with the RE and other brands.Can’t wait to test ride the Interceptor and Himalayan!
Brian We’re working on getting a Himalayan next to eval. Great motorcycle brand, for sure.
Micheal Spencer
That’s a shame.I was hoping they would live up to the name of what was once,a fine motorcycle.
Micheal Spencer
I that case,I hope I last another 30 or 40 years!😂
Micheal Spencer
I’m in grand shape for the shape I’m in.😂
Micheal Spencer
Cheers!🍺
An awesome bike to ride ! When I took one for a test ride I got back to the dealer's and told them "It's the most fun you can have with your pants on ! " I ordered one after that first ride. It's been a dream to own and ride.
@@genegoodwin8925
That's sad, I am saving up for my RE GT 650 right now. You should go up & check out some other dealership, maybe they let you test ride one.
@@genegoodwin8925 That's odd. I test rode almost 6-7 times before finalising my purchase and the RE dealer was glad to let me ride the bike every single time. For reference, I am from India.
😀😀👍
Just bought one today in the red and white. I collect it in 2 weeks. Can't wait! Greetings from the UK.
Fantastic! Shoot us a pic of it when you can!
Red is the best man.love from indja
It's a great bike without more functions than a laptop and without a handlebar full of switches ,altitude, tyre level, bass & treble controls,bluetooth,automatic chain adjuster,headlight adjuster etc! it's as basic as a sledgehammer without all the high tech gear that costs a bloody fortune when something goes wrong and only 2 dealers have the analising software and you have to book up 3 wks to get it done! none of those worries it starts first time & gets you there all for £5000 or $8000 or so
Royal Enfields are all about nostalgia. I ride a single cylinder 500 cc Bullet. The only notable additions in the past 100 years are the electric start and disc brakes.
Uce engines
I just got myself the Interceptor 650 BS6...that surge of raw torque @2.5k rpm is just great.
I've owned a R1200GS (Still do) R12RT, UltraClassic, F800GT, Sportster and others. This is a good bike.Just fun to ride. Sounds good. Easy to maintain. Twisty back roads is the ideal environment.
Sounds nothing like an old brit bike, more like a muted Ducati. The engine is so smooth you forget it's petrol driven . You will not find a better value for money motorcycle in the UK.
Because of the emission restrictions maybe? There are several aftermarket exhausts available.
a muted Ducati? I drive my Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 in northern Italy where I live, plenty of Ducatis around here, I will keep my ears tuned ;)
I absolutely love my 650 Continental GT, all black and with a centre stand it is a pure joy to ride and a cinch to maintain. It is also a stunning machine that attracts lots of attention.
That’s a beautiful bike, for sure.
Brilliant bikes. I have had a GT for about 2 years. Still puts a smile on my face every time I get on. The frame was designed by Harris performance. The same company that designed frames for Barry Sheene back in the 70's and early 80's.
Yes indeed! Those bikes are quality designed and built, with quality components. Fine machines.
i m riding this bike (BS4 Model) for almost 8 months amazing bike i just cant get it till now that Royal Enfield made this bike very beautiful bike no leakage from anywhere amazing sound & engine but just lil bit probs here & there no big stuffs u gyes can enjoy her
Sourav Acharya It’s a great bike, and we’ve completely enjoyed it.
Not bit problems like ? Care to elaborate Sourav?
The older parallel twins were 360* cranks.
Much more busy sounding than the current 270* crank being used now.
William Moser here in youtube has videos comparing inline 360 270 and 4cyl like magna v65
btw they sound very similar idling.
I think the r and d incorporates harris frames in the uk who developed the frame funnily enough ; very popular in the UK nice bike
- RE utilises two R&D centers to develop their bikes. This bike was developed by both Indian and British team. RE bought Harris performance after the development of the 2nd gen Conti GT.
Reminds of the old Norton Commando I wanted, but never had.I love it!!!
We clearly loved it too! Pinch some pennies and buy you one!
Sadly,all I have is lint in my pocket.😫
This bike has ALOT to live up to.It's not going to make it on the look alone.If it can deliver(long term), as a modern bike that tips its hat to the old,with reliability that trumps a 60's/70's Norton/ Triumph, it will be a prayer answered.
@Prasanta Rajkumar
That's great to hear.👍👍
We are loving this little bike!
I hear the gear box is smooth as butter is that true?
@@thegodhoward8037 Yes.
Little 🤨
It reminds me of the old Norton Commandos which I always loved as a kid,and do to this day.
Old Brit bikes had 360 degree crank firing order - not 270.
A 270 does NOT sound like a 360.
On 360 degree crank both pistons fire simultaneously.
Pistons rise simultaneously but fire 360 apart 👍
Its not a brit bike .. its indian bike
@@marvincon1417 by golly yore right. I misrembered, that.
@@prathappoojary3618 it is designed in UK and has british heritage.. I am an Indian.. nothing wrong with speaking the truth bro..
The INT650/Interceptor is an awesome machine and great commuter.
As for the Continental GT, it should be faster. (The GT can do the ton, but it takes years.)
We agree. Fantastic bikes, both.
Dont worry for brakes. I have personally own Interceptor 650 BS-6 (Latest Pollution standard here in India) and ridden the bike at 170 kms on Highway. Bike is rock solid but one can feel little vibrations at this speed. Maintanance is not that expensive as well. But not sure in USA or other countries. Bike performed well in Leh & Ladhak as well in rainy season here in Mumbai.
Good to know, thanks Atul,
Royal Enfields are classic... the best value for the money bikes out there..
I’m new to motorcycling. I’m actually getting my license this winter. Question: Why do everyone seem to quote the MSRP of motorcycles but not discuss the relatively high costs paid for shipping and assembly? I had one of these quoted the other day, and those charges added another $1200 to the cost of the bike. That’s nearly 25% of the bike’s MSRP!
That’s a good question, and we’ve sent it to a friend we know at a local motorcycle dealership for some answers. We’ll post his reply as soon as we get it.
@@roaddirttv Cool. Thanks for considering my question. I’m simply trying to wade my way through a new potential sport/hobby and like everything, it has its idiosyncrasies. I’m also surprised to see a good bit of variation in the cost at retail vs MSRP. In most industries, the MSRP tends to be the max price point, but that doesn’t seem to hold true with motorcycles.
@@tockingwatches2377 in talking with friends who work at local dealerships, unlike the automotive industry where manufacturers are required by (U.S.) law to include shipping, dealer prep, etc. in their published costs, the same is not required of powersports manufacturers. Dealerships must purchase the machines, must pay their own shipping costs, freight fees, you name it, then pay employees to do any assembly/prep/servicing of the machines upon arrival in preparation for sale. The profit margins are tight, to say the least.
On top of all that, the pandemic, supply chain woes, fuel-shipping costs, etc. of the past few years have wreaked havoc on the industry, driving up costs even more. We know local dealerships that sank in recent years, and many others are struggling to stay open.
So those are the main reasons for the costs you see. Auto brands are required to include those in the published consumer costs, but powersports brands share them to show what they have to recoup in selling the machine.
Hope this helps! Let’s help keep our local shops open.
@@roaddirttv Thanks for the reply and due diligence. I own a manufacturing company, so it’s always interesting to hear how other industries standardize.
@@tockingwatches2377 are you an engineer by trade?
I am a big Royal Enfield fan but to be true those front forks and rear suspension are cheap and understandably so, as bike costs much lower than the competition. Surprisingly bonnies which are more expensive also come with similar quality suspension setup.
Mochan Mishra The suspension elements are most certainly not cheap. As stated in the video and article, RE contracted with Gabriel Suspension Systems to build these for the 650s. They are a respected name in automotive suspensions, so RE has a quality product here, like the Brembo- built brake system.
@@roaddirttv How do you asses quality? Is a component from a known big brand always of good quality? I meant by their behavior on road.
The rear suspension due to its close coiling on the bottom does not have a lot of travel and dampening is not firm enough, so under reasonably sized potholes, it is easily unsettled.
Front suspension is just underwhelming and way too soft for bike like this and dives under hard braking, even worse it flotes while cornering. The rebound is just not quick enough to keep the tyre stuck to the ground in all cases, which is also noticeable with rear suspension. This phenomenon is even more pronounced while you are riding the gt 650 as it begs you to corner, virtue of its superb chassis and clip on handlebar.
Now as I mentioned already I do understand thay they have to use a setup like this due to cost reasoons, but please it is not a quality component by any means.
Also only if you changed the suspension on these motorcycle, shall you understand the real potential they have.
Mochan Mishra You want that kind of performance, buy a Yamaha R6. This bike does everything well for its category and price point.
@@roaddirttv In India we don't have much choice, also I like the retro looks of GT 650
Mochan Mishra Yeah, the GT is beautiful, for sure. Very Classic Brit “Ace Cafe” looks. Best to you, thanks for discussion,
As someone with no riding experience at all, I'm considering picking up an interceptor for my 21st birthday. Yeah they aren't that fast or fancy, but I love the style and you seem to get more than you pay for with this bike. Seems like an excellent starter bike.
Yes the pegs are a problem. Very hard to get used to where they are positioned.
agreed
I have been enjoying mine a lot
You look so cool on this bike! love it’s manly vintage design💪🏻
Thanks! It’s the bike, not the man, lol
I just bought a Continental GT (same bike but with rear-set foot pegs and raised clip-ons). I've got short legs so I may have to go with TEC rear shocks that will lower the seat height a bit. So far I'm happy with the bike, I'll insure it today and take it out for my first ride on a public road on this bike. Thanks for the video.
Nicde video my friend, thank you for sharing your impressions on this beautiful motorcycle!
Luis Camacho We certainly enjoyed it. Thank you!
Great review of the RE Interceptor - cool dude who knows his stuff. IMO (ex T100 owner) it's a better retro bike than the Bonnys.
Thanks David! We certainly enjoyed it. As the owner of a Triumph Bonneville Street Cup (which I love), I'll have to admit you are correct- even more retro than the Bonneys.
@@roaddirttv The Kawasaki W800 is even more retro with a 360 degree crank and long stroke engine (like the classic Triumphs had) rather than the 270 degree crank and shorter stroke engine of the RE and modern Triumphs. The W800 also has a larger flywheel like the classic Brit. bikes but has a balance shaft to quell most of the vibes but keeps the, cylinders firing at the same time, throb. I would like to get your take on the W800 Classic or Street model. How does it compare to the classic Triumphs you grew up on? Talk Kawasaki into loaning you one.
Doug Fielding Thanks for the observations and comments. I haven’t had the chance to ride the W800 yet, but would certainly welcome the opportunity. I’ll have to look into that, indeed.
Doug Fielding RE hater
@@dougfielding8215 Hi Doug. I have ridden both. Nothing wrong with the W800 but it neither handles as well and vibrates a lot more than the RE. The RE also has a lot more character I think. Cheers
People keep saying....it has that 270 degree crank or firing interval....that sounds just like those old British twins. But Buddy, none of the British vertical twins has a 270 degree firing order, they are all 360 degree until the Meridian Triumph crowd made a few of their cruisers with 270 degrees and now their whole vertical twin line up. lease get that right. The 270 degree firing order is meant to emulate the firing order of a 90 degree "L" twin such as a Ducati or a Moto Guzzi. Thanks.
Big Red Yes, we are aware of the incorrect statement in the video. Been pointed out to us more than once. Thank you.
@@roaddirttv
I guess this is the problem with talking to all of us Aspergers viewers out here in youtube land. Anyway must go have to get back to watching my steam train videos. Bye for now.
I enjoy mine. It's a very capable motorcycle.
I wonder if anyone is doing anything with the old "Matchless" name? One of my favourites when I was a kid in the sixties.
Would love to see that name revived, for sure.
A bit late to comment but you forgot to mention that the frame is designed by Lester in the UK. A well known company for their race frames
Harris frames are responsible for the frames for the new Royal Enfield lineup.
They are the wizards of tubular frames for a long time.
@@viswasrujith8426 Lester Harris is the same UK company. Mr Lester Harris and Mr Steve Harris started the company in 1972. The company is now a part of Eicher motors(Royal Enfield)
Classic British twins always had a 360 degree crank which gives the distinctive even firing interval sound. 270 degree is technically better but sounds like a V-twin - lumpy and notably different to the classic parallel twin. It's the way all twins have gone these days, even Triumph, but we have lost something of the old school sound.
Rory McLoughlin True, my mistake in the video, but I disagree that they sound like a v-twin. Still, the sound and feel of the RE INT650 somewhat evokes the old Brit bikes of my father back in the 70s, at least as I remember them.
@@roaddirttv Forgive me being a bit geeky! The firing interval of a 270 degree parallel twin is the same as for a 90 degree V-twin (bang -270 degrees silence - bang - 450 degrees silence - bang - etc) and so the underlying engine sound will be the same. Harleys and other cruisers are often a narrower angle V such as 45, 50, or 60 degrees and so the two 'bangs' are closer spaced with a longer gap between each pair of bangs. The classic British sound is the equally-spaced bangs every 360 degrees, the difference is subtle but noticeable. Some smaller classic parallel twins - Honda etc had 180 degree cranks - this gives a very throaty sound.
I have one, the only problem is the clocks leak water badly had to replace them
Oh wow, I wonder if that’s been a problem others have experienced with that bike?
Great report and presentation with a great relaxed vibe. Enjoyed.
Thank you! Check out our Himalayan review as well. And please subscribe! Got some cool stuff coming this year. 👍🏻
2022 model has no ByBre brake calipsers anymore and goes with some ceat-tire-like product instead of tires.
He says it is a parallel twin engine, but its actually not. In a parallel twin the pistons run parallel to each other, hence the name. That is, they reach top dead center simultaneously and fire alternately. Also called a 360 degree crank. The RE has a 270 degree crank, which means that one piston is midways while the other reaches a dead center. It gives less vibration and an awesome sound. Something in between of a vertical and a parallel twin.
KapteinOpel However true your observation might be, RE designates their twins as “parallel”, even naming it as such on both side covers.
Maybe parallel means side by side not literally a movement!
@@karunakarpradhan9555 The original meaning was that the pistons go simultaneously up and down. The opposite is a vertical twin.
It's a parallel bud. The cylinders are parallel to one another regardless of when the piston hits TDC. It's just the cylinder configuration, not the crankshaft.
@@lindyfd1606 The term "parallel twin" originally referred to the crankshaft. The original meaning have since become lost (in english) and even manufacturers wrongfully label any straight-twin as "parallel twin" The opposite, when one piston is down while the other is up, is called a vertical twin.
Should I pick one of these Brand new or a second hand street twin 2017 for the same price? I love the looks of the st since it came out but a new one price is out of my league
That’s a tough call for me (Rob). I own a 2017 Triumph Street Cup, absolutely love it, but I see the value in a brand new Royal Enfield INT or GT 650. Warranty, first/only owner, the value for the money, hard to beat a new RE Interceptor 650.
Great leather jacket!!
Do you wear any Levi’s jeans in particular with your motorcycle jacket??
Leather chaps??
I wear armored jeans, Diamond Gusset brand, made all-American in Tenn. I have a pair of chaps for cold, but don’t often use them.
Bosch is a very well established company in Europe and very trusted
We already know the specs. We don't need you to tell us the specs. Tell us more about how it feels to ride, and other things we can't know from reading specs
I thought we did that, Falcon. We know you can get specs off brand sites. Some want to know, so we quickly share, but the crux of our reviews are always how the bikes feel to ride, and how they make us feel.
@@roaddirttv maybe i phrased my comment too harshly. But i do think it would be better to talk more about things like: how does the powerband feel, the suspension, the weight balance, how many hours could you ride it without having ergonomic problems, how does it feel at highway speed, how does the build quality seem, are there much vibrations? etc
@@JumpingWatermelons roaddirt.tv/riding-the-royal-enfield-int650-interceptor/
I cant find too much data on this but apparently Indian motorcycles used to rebadge Indian manufactured RE bikes for the American market back in the day!
We've never heard nor read that either.
@@roaddirttv www.indian-motorcycles.com/indian-enfield/
@@roaddirttv Also found this on the official Indian Motorcycles site - www.indianmotorcycle.com/en-us/history/tumultous-times/
@@romeldias Fascinating, thanks fo these!
@@roaddirttv Anytime :)
Glad you loved it man
Fabulous review 😍👏👏👍
Thank you! We certainly enjoyed the bike.
This is Nostalgia
I think it makes good base to make a killer cafe racer retro mod
Goddam, i love these RE bikes!
5:15 "They have returned to their roots" .. LOL...owned by EICHER group it's an Indian company now.
So what? We’re glad they’re building great bikes with a vintage Brit vibe.
@@roaddirttv Having a hard time saying "indian company"?.. I love the product as well .. cheers!!
Real Happy With That , Cool
Yes MADE IN INDIA world quality brand to the world from INDIA
With a little help from the Brits though.
@@timphillips9954 lots of it
aadi varaprasad bahut bolta hai tu
@@timphillips9954 wouldn't be possible without British design.
Best of both worlds
Hi, great review. Just for size comparison...what is your height and leg inseam? Cheers.
5’8”, 31’ inseam. Here’s our writeup on the bike last year-
roaddirt.tv/riding-the-royal-enfield-int650-interceptor/
@@roaddirttv Bought my Interceptor back in May 2021...no regrets:)
@@john.g5925 Fantastic! Ride on, John!
Great review of a great bike.
Does it have a gear indicator?
No, not that we can recall from our time with it.
What kind of MPG are you seeing?
Beauty
You forgot to tell us about the new ceramic muffler bearings....
MasterSpin77 Haha, yeah, sorry we neglected that,...
Awesome intro music
Which has more comfortable seat this or Bonneville?
We found them both quite similar in seating comfort and ride.
How about long ride comfort?
It’s been a bit over a year since, but as I remember, the bench seat was kind of hard, as is typical of stock seats, but I never got lower back pain riding all day on it.
@@roaddirttv Thank you 🙏🏻😊💐
Cool Review
Midhun Mathew Prasad Thank you! It’s a cool bike!
How is the bike?can it is better than triumph?
Subhansu Sekhar We love it! Simple in design, not as high tech as the Triumphs (Traction control, ride modes, etc.), its a fantastic motorcycle. Evokes the old Brit bikes from the 50s-70s, yet enough modern tech (ABS, EFI, advanced suspension elements) to contend with the modern bikes in this middle weight standard class.
Greetings from India
So in india for one Bonneville u can buy 3 interceptor . It's that cheap ☺️
Hey man what jacket are you wearing here?
Milwaukee Leather Classic Police Style Jacket. Had it for years.
@@roaddirttv Cool thanks. Great review by the way. Riding my INT650 in Thailand two years now
@@slimturnpike Thanks man! In Thailand- Ride on!
Don't bump the end of those pegs like being gored
Any vibration past 70-75mph?
Not that we detected. But not that we rode much above 75 mph locally with it when we had either.
@@roaddirttv Thanks man!
I've took mine up to the top speed of about 100 and it's silky smooth all the way ;)
@@richardflood3058 Wow! Nice!
Nice Dude
Old Brit bikes were 360° cranks. This 270° sounds nothing like them. The 2001-2015 Bonneville does as does the Kawasaki W800.
But the 270 crank has a large amount of anti vibe magic. Then the counter balancer removed the remaining vibration. There's basically zero vibration to be found.
Can u please help me with a best exhaust for RE INT 650
Try AEW, It seems good
Scorpion
S&S
Background music is too loud.
Which is the bike in the intro?
Some kind of classic BMW R model I believe.
Old Brit Bikes had 360 degree cranks not 270 degree.
What’s your high sir?
Is there any kinda pain in the back if u ride a lil' long?
No man...its a re..
@@maadhujovi9528 well thanks, bro...
what is your height sir ??
Abhishek Bhaskar 5’8”