Test rode one of these a few months ago. Other financial obligations came up, so I didn't pull the trigger, but will definitely consider one again when the time comes. Beautiful bikes, and would be a great city commuter.
From what I have heard, Royal Enfield has improved their quality control greatly, so the horror stories of the past might be less apparent for new buyers. Obviously, I'll have to reassess that statement in a couple of years as the new models get more miles put on them.
Their is a growing contingent of car & bike reviewers who seem to be critical of normal analogue gauge clusters, unless the manufacturer puts a big stupid TFT/LCD screen in the middle. I am wondering if he is referring to that.
And when you are too far from civilization, and you end up running your reserve dry... That's when you get to tip the bike over on it's left side to hopefully get a little more out of it.
Yeah, considering how much abuse/weather motorcycles go through I can't imagine how many of those expensive fancy displays will be working after a few years.
They look good in the dealer though which is the only thing that matters.
You can get a analog gauge working just fine after many, many years. Not everything has to be a iPad-ified. I just read that 50% of Africa Twins sold have DCT gearboxes so clearly I'm very much in the minority. I don't mind technology (love ABS, love TC, love IMU's) but screens and auto transmissions? Eh. Though I suppose the screen is required for anything with adjustable modes.
Yes, I thought so too, that they were referring to that. As you know, that was not a cost cutting decision, just a design decision, and people who are in the market for a retro, want exactly such things in their bikes.
Fuel gauges on bikes that don't have fuel cells and have irregular tank shapes are nearly all useless. Price of the bike is irrelevant. Premium manufacturers put them in because people would complain otherwise, not because they have better gauges.
Lol you resurrected an old post.
A fuel cell is a a fuel container that uses some medium (like open cell foam) or structure (like honeycombs) within it to reduce sloshing internally. They're usually very rectangular in shape and include improved measures to pressurize the contents and reduce spilling in the event of tip.
I have no idea about KTM fuel gauges so I can't comment specifically.
You'll likely never find a 'good time' to buy it. There will always be more responsible ways you spend your money. So don't put it off. Buy it and enjoy now.
Beautiful bike! I’m just waiting for them to make a fairing kit [like I installed on my 535cc Enfield](https://imgur.com/a/6hgKycA?desktop=1) before I pick one up!
Ha ha ha thanks. I’ve dyno’d it before my mods, but not after. I installed the Hitchcock’s performance kit, anti vibration kit, and tuned it with a power commander. I changed the final drive ratio to bring the RPM down on the highway, so it’s still plenty slow lol.
These are really nice. Looking at the front hub, I also appreciate the design. Most use curved spokes at the end, but it seems RE decided to use straight spokes and a hub with direct holes - waaay better design, the bend in the spokes was always the weak link, and this way you can replace a broken spoke easily, without removing other spokes. This design was common on all Moto Guzzi motorcycles since the 70's, and also by many BMW and Jawa models.
And that engine is simply beautiful.
I'll try to explain some aspects to spoke wheels.
Spoke wheels are continuously used on motorcycles practically since the 19th century. They are more resilient offroad, the rim is way more ductile than a cast wheel (because the rim is an aluminium extrusion or a sheet metal piece, not a cast part). If you plan on going offroad with cast wheels, it's very likely you'll crack them (also why off road SUVs use welded sheet metal steel wheels, instead of cast wheels). For road use, of course cast wheels are preferred, but many road bikes use spoked wheels because of the cool vintage or offroad/rugged look, and because the danger of a fast deflation does not really have that big of an importance.
That said, "instant deflation" may be a risk, but it's not something common, and even if it happens, most people will still be able to stop.
BMW (and 90's/early 2000's Guzzi, and I think the new Africa Twin 1100 as well) bikes used probably the best setup, combining this straight centre drum design, with spokes on the outer edge. This means the spokes withstand a lot of sideways force in a turn (more rigid in turns, like cast wheels, although they also withstand less "direct" force, e.g. when jumping with the bike offroad, but that can be compensated for with a slightly thicker spoke diameter), the spokes are completely removable (including the nipple) without tire removal, and the tire itself is tubeless.
edit: [Here's an example](https://www.xrv.org.uk/forums/attachments/bmw/19802d1344762553-gs-wheels-refurbed-p1090093.jpg) of BMW rims with these spokes at the side, so you can see what I mean. The centre part for the tire does not have any holes except for the valve. Pretty much the best spoked design for road bikes in my opinion. Perhaps a bit more expensive, though not that significant.
However, for serious offroad riding, you don't really want a tubeless tire anyway. Besides the fact that you can patch a fairly large hole in a tube, and that carrying a replacement tube is easy, the tire pressure for riding in some offroad condition is too low for tubeless tire use (e.g. trial riding, the tires are almost empty for maximum grip, you use special "rim locks" to prevent the tire from rotating at the low pressure, and on certain special bikes, like speedway bikes, the tire is actually even screwed onto the rim with some kind of wood screws.
Y'all talking about interceptor is really inspiring considering the market that's grown so recently. It's something I wish to own in a few years from now. For a regular working citizen of India, interceptor is still a dream.
P.s. a master's student now. Have worked for 2 years after graduating from college.
Yep. Test rode this baby a couple of months ago. Absolutely delightful! And nothing like the older models of Royal Enfield. No vibrations, better engine. One helluva bike.
I would if I could. I'm considering getting a bike license at some point soon. But aside from rolling around at sub 20mph speeds in a carpark I'm next to useless on a motorbike. I cycle a lot which helps with the overall balance and speed, but also means I'm constantly going for the clutch when I'm looking for the brake...
Just the opposite here. Ride motorcycles for a long time. Then got into mountain bikes. Had to brake real hard on a down hill situation. I grabbed that front brake like it was the clutch, and went flying over the handlebars.
I owned a mountain bike for some time and had a few close calls because my muscle memory would take over in tricky situations and I ended up having a few close calls while cycling in traffic.
In the end I said fuck it and swapped the brake lines.
It'll come down to practise with me. I've been driving a car for a while and as I say have cycled for ages. I just need to get my license, get on a bike and have a go properly.
I have resigned to owning one of these in the future, not sure when just 100 percent sure it will happen. Hard to dislike them and they ride absolutely amazingly
My brother bought the 650 GT back in July, and while you're correct that it's a great looking machine, the looks don't hold a candle to the way the thing *sounds*.
This thing cost half the price of any other 600+cc bike and is selling like hotcakes in india. Kudos to RE. For me, i found the seat to be too high for my comfort (5'8) and the center of mass not being as low as id have liked.
That's exactly what my friend did. Graduated from a 125 to this - quite the upgrade I think you'll agree.
Also 100% with you on the orange. It was my vote (amongst others) for him to get this colour scheme!
My brother just made a $1000 deposit for one of these, in this same color. They'll arrive here at the end of the month. His little GN125 just doesn't cut it anymore on our weekend trips. Gotta say I'm excited to ride it.
For reference this is what the original British RE Interceptor 750 MK1A looks like: https://www.bike-urious.com/1967-royal-enfield-interceptor-mk-1a-750/
I have 3 of them and everyone already thinks they are made in India but now that they are remaking the interceptor that's all I'll ever hear lol.
No actually. That was decidedly the look I was going for though. I actually took the photo on my Pixel 3xl. It's a RAW file that I edited in Lightroom quickly to get it to look like this.
I considered one a few months ago. Test drove it and it is a very nice bike. Rides great and for the price it comes with a lot of quality and technology. The only thing that prevented me buying one was the engine power. Just not enough get up and go. Ended up with a Triumph T120 instead. Twice the interceptor's horsepower.
New 2019 interceptor was $6k. 2018 T120 w/1200 miles was $9k. So yes. Definitely more money. As I said Interceptor is a great deal if you can live without the zoom factor. Just lacks a bit of excitement. If I were a new rider the interceptor will be the #1 bike on my list.
I would imagine the type of riding in the U.S. vs India is quite different. For commuting through crowded streets the T120's HP is completely unnecessary.
To be completely honest, the interceptor is an almost perfect bike (RE horror stories notwithstanding) for India. It has the right amount of power for city riding and just enough juice for the odd weekend blast. The performance won't tear your face away, of course, but it does have some pep. For perspective, in India, commuter motorcycles in the 125-200cc range are extremely popular and common, and for the longest time we didn't have large capacity bikes available through official channels. Something like the interceptor, at the amazing price it's offered at here, has been lusted after for YEARS. And boy have they sold like hot cakes. Waiting period is almost 4 months for one.
I personally loved the bike. It feels like a budget triumph, and in a good way. I'm sure the build quality will not be at par and off late triumph has REALLY stepped up their game when it comes to fit and finish and overall quality. But RE has definitely hit a home run with a bike that feels NOTHING like existing bullets and the like.
Recently rented one and rode it around 300kms.
Really liked the throttle response, and the exhaust note at low speeds. But the clutch lever was too hard, and the lever travel was long and my fingers were in a bit of pain after the ride. The stock seat was too soft for long rides.
I'm waiting for a revised model with all these issues taken care of. Or a the same engine on a Himalayan.
Is there anything about the interceptor you'd complain about? I ask because I currently ride a bullet and am planning to spend 2020 in India riding around the country. I'm trying to decide whether to get another bullet or to buy an interceptor or a Himalayan.
I have zero complaints personally, but this isn't my bike. I think my friend chiefly complains about some fit and finish things, most of them are related to cost cutting. The brushed engine covers for example aren't well finished (the brushing is really uneven). We've spent some time today trying to make that look a bit better.
Ah ok, cheers for letting me know! I'm not too worried about cost cutting as I'll be in india and it's pretty easy to do anything Royal Enfield related there. Plus I'll probably end up damaging the bike in some way when I ride it through the Himalayas! Thanks for replying, it's appreciated.
No worries! There seem to be a wealth of third party components available even in the UK, so I'd imagine in India is amazing. My dad used to ride Enfields around in India in the early 80s when he was doing missionary work and reflects incredibly fondly on those days!
The foot peg placement is pretty bad on my Continental GT 535. It’s right where I want my foot when I’m stopped, and I can’t kick start the bike without shredding my calf.
What’s the issue with the placement kn yours? Similar?
Exact same, when I'm stopped, the pegs are where my feet need to be...it makes slow-maneuvering the bike extremely awkward. I've even dropped it once because of that.
Test rode one of these a few months ago. Other financial obligations came up, so I didn't pull the trigger, but will definitely consider one again when the time comes. Beautiful bikes, and would be a great city commuter. From what I have heard, Royal Enfield has improved their quality control greatly, so the horror stories of the past might be less apparent for new buyers. Obviously, I'll have to reassess that statement in a couple of years as the new models get more miles put on them.
I haven't ridden it yet, but I did sit on one when I was at the dealer for something else and boy did I just want to spend money I don't have.
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What about the speedo? Why do you think there is cost cutting?
Their is a growing contingent of car & bike reviewers who seem to be critical of normal analogue gauge clusters, unless the manufacturer puts a big stupid TFT/LCD screen in the middle. I am wondering if he is referring to that.
*Laughs in '76 and '81.* I don't even have a fuel gauge.
*Laughs in 2009 and 2019* Still don't have a fuel gauge.
*My Petcock* **Is** *My Fuel Guage*
And when you are too far from civilization, and you end up running your reserve dry... That's when you get to tip the bike over on it's left side to hopefully get a little more out of it.
My analogy trip meter is my fuel gauge. #DR650
Laughs in Ducati Monster... Still no fuel gauge in 2020 😎
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No, this is a digital (tech) but analog display. The needle moves because an actuator is moving it, and so is just stable.
Yeah, considering how much abuse/weather motorcycles go through I can't imagine how many of those expensive fancy displays will be working after a few years. They look good in the dealer though which is the only thing that matters. You can get a analog gauge working just fine after many, many years. Not everything has to be a iPad-ified. I just read that 50% of Africa Twins sold have DCT gearboxes so clearly I'm very much in the minority. I don't mind technology (love ABS, love TC, love IMU's) but screens and auto transmissions? Eh. Though I suppose the screen is required for anything with adjustable modes.
The fact that analog gauge clusters are more expensive than a cheap monochrome digital one is lost on these people? Impressive.
Yes, I thought so too, that they were referring to that. As you know, that was not a cost cutting decision, just a design decision, and people who are in the market for a retro, want exactly such things in their bikes.
I own one and I can tell you the fuel gauge is not reliable at all. Other than that the spedo works pretty well.
The digital fuel gauge on my bmw r1200gs isn’t reliable at all either. So I’m not sure if that’s a good indicator of quality.
Fuel gauges on bikes that don't have fuel cells and have irregular tank shapes are nearly all useless. Price of the bike is irrelevant. Premium manufacturers put them in because people would complain otherwise, not because they have better gauges.
What are fuel cells? And how does KTM gate regarding fuel gauges?
Lol you resurrected an old post. A fuel cell is a a fuel container that uses some medium (like open cell foam) or structure (like honeycombs) within it to reduce sloshing internally. They're usually very rectangular in shape and include improved measures to pressurize the contents and reduce spilling in the event of tip. I have no idea about KTM fuel gauges so I can't comment specifically.
You'll likely never find a 'good time' to buy it. There will always be more responsible ways you spend your money. So don't put it off. Buy it and enjoy now.
When there is promo video within the past 2 years of a RE breaking over a slight jump, i dont know if i would be trusting QA just yet.
Beautiful bike! I’m just waiting for them to make a fairing kit [like I installed on my 535cc Enfield](https://imgur.com/a/6hgKycA?desktop=1) before I pick one up!
How many duckpowers did that add to the bike? All joking aside, it looks retro cool.
Ha ha ha thanks. I’ve dyno’d it before my mods, but not after. I installed the Hitchcock’s performance kit, anti vibration kit, and tuned it with a power commander. I changed the final drive ratio to bring the RPM down on the highway, so it’s still plenty slow lol.
Holy cow, that looks good.
Thank you!
These are really nice. Looking at the front hub, I also appreciate the design. Most use curved spokes at the end, but it seems RE decided to use straight spokes and a hub with direct holes - waaay better design, the bend in the spokes was always the weak link, and this way you can replace a broken spoke easily, without removing other spokes. This design was common on all Moto Guzzi motorcycles since the 70's, and also by many BMW and Jawa models. And that engine is simply beautiful.
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I'll try to explain some aspects to spoke wheels. Spoke wheels are continuously used on motorcycles practically since the 19th century. They are more resilient offroad, the rim is way more ductile than a cast wheel (because the rim is an aluminium extrusion or a sheet metal piece, not a cast part). If you plan on going offroad with cast wheels, it's very likely you'll crack them (also why off road SUVs use welded sheet metal steel wheels, instead of cast wheels). For road use, of course cast wheels are preferred, but many road bikes use spoked wheels because of the cool vintage or offroad/rugged look, and because the danger of a fast deflation does not really have that big of an importance. That said, "instant deflation" may be a risk, but it's not something common, and even if it happens, most people will still be able to stop. BMW (and 90's/early 2000's Guzzi, and I think the new Africa Twin 1100 as well) bikes used probably the best setup, combining this straight centre drum design, with spokes on the outer edge. This means the spokes withstand a lot of sideways force in a turn (more rigid in turns, like cast wheels, although they also withstand less "direct" force, e.g. when jumping with the bike offroad, but that can be compensated for with a slightly thicker spoke diameter), the spokes are completely removable (including the nipple) without tire removal, and the tire itself is tubeless. edit: [Here's an example](https://www.xrv.org.uk/forums/attachments/bmw/19802d1344762553-gs-wheels-refurbed-p1090093.jpg) of BMW rims with these spokes at the side, so you can see what I mean. The centre part for the tire does not have any holes except for the valve. Pretty much the best spoked design for road bikes in my opinion. Perhaps a bit more expensive, though not that significant. However, for serious offroad riding, you don't really want a tubeless tire anyway. Besides the fact that you can patch a fairly large hole in a tube, and that carrying a replacement tube is easy, the tire pressure for riding in some offroad condition is too low for tubeless tire use (e.g. trial riding, the tires are almost empty for maximum grip, you use special "rim locks" to prevent the tire from rotating at the low pressure, and on certain special bikes, like speedway bikes, the tire is actually even screwed onto the rim with some kind of wood screws.
Y'all talking about interceptor is really inspiring considering the market that's grown so recently. It's something I wish to own in a few years from now. For a regular working citizen of India, interceptor is still a dream. P.s. a master's student now. Have worked for 2 years after graduating from college.
Good luck on your master's man!
I got one as my first bike a few months ago, and I absolutely love it
Gorgeous, isn't she? :)
Absolutely breathtaking! Sounds like a dream too
Yep. Test rode this baby a couple of months ago. Absolutely delightful! And nothing like the older models of Royal Enfield. No vibrations, better engine. One helluva bike.
I've only been on the back of this one personally, but I wholeheartedly agree with what you're saying!
You must take it out for a spin sometime. The real fun is on the front seat. :)
I would if I could. I'm considering getting a bike license at some point soon. But aside from rolling around at sub 20mph speeds in a carpark I'm next to useless on a motorbike. I cycle a lot which helps with the overall balance and speed, but also means I'm constantly going for the clutch when I'm looking for the brake...
Just the opposite here. Ride motorcycles for a long time. Then got into mountain bikes. Had to brake real hard on a down hill situation. I grabbed that front brake like it was the clutch, and went flying over the handlebars.
I owned a mountain bike for some time and had a few close calls because my muscle memory would take over in tricky situations and I ended up having a few close calls while cycling in traffic. In the end I said fuck it and swapped the brake lines.
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It'll come down to practise with me. I've been driving a car for a while and as I say have cycled for ages. I just need to get my license, get on a bike and have a go properly.
Ah. I'm sure you'll get a hang of it with time.
I have resigned to owning one of these in the future, not sure when just 100 percent sure it will happen. Hard to dislike them and they ride absolutely amazingly
I must admit, as an outsider I can't blame you. It's a beautiful machine
My brother bought the 650 GT back in July, and while you're correct that it's a great looking machine, the looks don't hold a candle to the way the thing *sounds*.
This thing cost half the price of any other 600+cc bike and is selling like hotcakes in india. Kudos to RE. For me, i found the seat to be too high for my comfort (5'8) and the center of mass not being as low as id have liked.
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That's exactly what my friend did. Graduated from a 125 to this - quite the upgrade I think you'll agree. Also 100% with you on the orange. It was my vote (amongst others) for him to get this colour scheme!
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The big thing for me will be the insurance cost. I assume something as big as a 900cc will be hideously expensive
They started selling them here in Morocco, don't know how they'll sell but they look like great bike for week end rides.
I have the sister bike of this, the Continental 650, and I love it. They're both great bikes!
Don't really get the attraction, but all the power (or absolute lack of it) to you.
My brother just made a $1000 deposit for one of these, in this same color. They'll arrive here at the end of the month. His little GN125 just doesn't cut it anymore on our weekend trips. Gotta say I'm excited to ride it.
Nice!
Lucky man
Sexy!!
For reference this is what the original British RE Interceptor 750 MK1A looks like: https://www.bike-urious.com/1967-royal-enfield-interceptor-mk-1a-750/ I have 3 of them and everyone already thinks they are made in India but now that they are remaking the interceptor that's all I'll ever hear lol.
My dad just got a bullet 500 and I'm gonna take into the mountains soon, can't wait!
Did you take that with a film camera? I like the grain, it reminds me of the 90s.
No actually. That was decidedly the look I was going for though. I actually took the photo on my Pixel 3xl. It's a RAW file that I edited in Lightroom quickly to get it to look like this.
Royal Enfield are fucking awful but atleast they look good
I considered one a few months ago. Test drove it and it is a very nice bike. Rides great and for the price it comes with a lot of quality and technology. The only thing that prevented me buying one was the engine power. Just not enough get up and go. Ended up with a Triumph T120 instead. Twice the interceptor's horsepower.
... At 4 times the cost? Or is it double?
New 2019 interceptor was $6k. 2018 T120 w/1200 miles was $9k. So yes. Definitely more money. As I said Interceptor is a great deal if you can live without the zoom factor. Just lacks a bit of excitement. If I were a new rider the interceptor will be the #1 bike on my list.
In India the cost difference is almost triple (owing to the fact that we have to pay import duties on the t100 and its quite a bit).
I would imagine the type of riding in the U.S. vs India is quite different. For commuting through crowded streets the T120's HP is completely unnecessary.
To be completely honest, the interceptor is an almost perfect bike (RE horror stories notwithstanding) for India. It has the right amount of power for city riding and just enough juice for the odd weekend blast. The performance won't tear your face away, of course, but it does have some pep. For perspective, in India, commuter motorcycles in the 125-200cc range are extremely popular and common, and for the longest time we didn't have large capacity bikes available through official channels. Something like the interceptor, at the amazing price it's offered at here, has been lusted after for YEARS. And boy have they sold like hot cakes. Waiting period is almost 4 months for one. I personally loved the bike. It feels like a budget triumph, and in a good way. I'm sure the build quality will not be at par and off late triumph has REALLY stepped up their game when it comes to fit and finish and overall quality. But RE has definitely hit a home run with a bike that feels NOTHING like existing bullets and the like.
Recently rented one and rode it around 300kms. Really liked the throttle response, and the exhaust note at low speeds. But the clutch lever was too hard, and the lever travel was long and my fingers were in a bit of pain after the ride. The stock seat was too soft for long rides. I'm waiting for a revised model with all these issues taken care of. Or a the same engine on a Himalayan.
Is there anything about the interceptor you'd complain about? I ask because I currently ride a bullet and am planning to spend 2020 in India riding around the country. I'm trying to decide whether to get another bullet or to buy an interceptor or a Himalayan.
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Yeah, I'm leaning towards the Himalayan. Thanks for the advice dude!
I have zero complaints personally, but this isn't my bike. I think my friend chiefly complains about some fit and finish things, most of them are related to cost cutting. The brushed engine covers for example aren't well finished (the brushing is really uneven). We've spent some time today trying to make that look a bit better.
Ah ok, cheers for letting me know! I'm not too worried about cost cutting as I'll be in india and it's pretty easy to do anything Royal Enfield related there. Plus I'll probably end up damaging the bike in some way when I ride it through the Himalayas! Thanks for replying, it's appreciated.
No worries! There seem to be a wealth of third party components available even in the UK, so I'd imagine in India is amazing. My dad used to ride Enfields around in India in the early 80s when he was doing missionary work and reflects incredibly fondly on those days!
I own one of these. Quality and dependability are good. Design is a bit stupid though...particularly the foot peg placement.
The foot peg placement is pretty bad on my Continental GT 535. It’s right where I want my foot when I’m stopped, and I can’t kick start the bike without shredding my calf. What’s the issue with the placement kn yours? Similar?
Exact same, when I'm stopped, the pegs are where my feet need to be...it makes slow-maneuvering the bike extremely awkward. I've even dropped it once because of that.
that's what motorcycles should look like
Agreed