[neil.jericho]

Originally Posted by arpanjha

I rode my INT for about 150kms, I felt my arms being a bit stretched. My shoulders were getting pained. Initially I thought it was because of my backpack, but later even without the backpack, the strain remains. I came home, tilted the handlebars by around 15Deg, went out again. The position is now sportier and slightly more comfortable, but now the wrist is getting strained, especially throttle wrist. If I ride without a finger on the brake lever, it’s ok, but with 1 or 2 fingers on the brake lever, it strains the wrist. I ride for about 1.5hrs one side each day, I better get a handlebar riser. Just need to decide which one, given I am really not keen to stretch wirings and throttle or clutch cabling. I hope the bikenbiker one is a no fuss direct fit part which will be a plain Jane height riser. I do feel the indimotard one is better but I can do with just the simple riser by bikenbiker. Anyone has used the ones sold by bikenbiker?

arpanjha, congratulations on your new Interceptor 650. Before opting for a handlebar riser, do try adjusting the angle of the levers to suit your wrists and seating position. This video from Dave Moss should help explain what exactly needs to be done, just jump ahead to when he is talking about the wrist position for the rider on the Yamaha in the second half of the video.

Dave Moss

This simple change should help reduce the pain you feel on your wrists and make things a lot more comfortable. In my experience, obviously YMMV, getting a perfect position on my bike throws the angle of the rear view mirrors out of whack (maybe because of my height, Im 5"11'), so I have tried finding a better compromise position than before, which allows me visibility out of the RVMs. Of course you can also change the RVMs and pick your best position. Or get mirror extenders (I have one from Adv Tribe) or maybe bar end mirrors. But finding this right combination takes some time in the saddle, to find just the right formula.

Also, with riding a bigger capacity motorcycle like the Interceptor 650, do try using your core and grabbing the tank while braking. This will reduce a lot of the pressure that you feel on your wrists and make riding quite comfortable.

If all this fails, then a handlebar riser should be the next option for a more comfortable riding experience.

[damanbir]

I am faced with a very unexpected situation. The image below is of my Rear Tyre.



Surprising part is that this condition prevails at 6k Kms only. I have been very punctual with getting my tyre monitored at every fuel up, which is once a week. Roads in Chandigarh are extremely smooth and well paved, i was expecting the opposite and have a slightly longer life at about 13-15k.

Ive heard of people getting between 12k-18k on an average, and in extreme cases even extracted 25k from the stock pair. I feel like raising a complaint with RE to look into the matter, will it be of any use because 6k life is completely unacceptable for a medium compound tyre.

[Red Liner]

Originally Posted by damanbir

I am faced with a very unexpected situation. The image below is of my Rear Tyre.

You may have inadvertently been running the bike with over filled tyre pressure in hot conditions exacerbating center line wear off on the tyre.

[dinu2506]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

You may have inadvertently been running the bike with over filled tyre pressure in hot conditions exacerbating center line wear off on the tyre.

Curious why it is only at one point, the center line seems to have a reasonable depth all around the visible portion of the photo. Is there a wear indicator on the tyre and is that where the flat portion is?

[arpanjha]

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

arpanjha, congratulations on your new Interceptor 650. Before opting for a handlebar riser, do try adjusting the angle of the levers to suit your wrists and seating position. This video from Dave Moss should help explain what exactly needs to be done, just jump ahead to when he is talking about the wrist position for the rider on the Yamaha in the second half of the video.

This simple change should help reduce the pain you feel on your wrists and make things a lot more comfortable. In my experience, obviously YMMV, getting a perfect position on my bike throws the angle of the rear view mirrors out of whack (maybe because of my height, Im 5"11'), so I have tried finding a better compromise position than before, which allows me visibility out of the RVMs. Of course you can also change the RVMs and pick your best position. Or get mirror extenders (I have one from Adv Tribe) or maybe bar end mirrors. But finding this right combination takes some time in the saddle, to find just the right formula.

Also, with riding a bigger capacity motorcycle like the Interceptor 650, do try using your core and grabbing the tank while braking. This will reduce a lot of the pressure that you feel on your wrists and make riding quite comfortable.

If all this fails, then a handlebar riser should be the next option for a more comfortable riding experience.

Thanks Jericho, I had been trying all your advised tricks & tips. The wrist position improved significantly by adjust the lever positions. But the strain on the wrist and shoulders remained when riding with a backpack which is my usual routine.
Finally I made up my mind to go for a pair of risers. I didn’t want to wait for the deliveries from an online source since Durga Puja is beginning in Kolkata and it will take more than 10 days for any courier to deliver, I decided to visit Wellington square in Kolkata, the trusted biker aftermarket zone. Got hold of a pair of simple 1inch raisers by a company called MIG. Cost me 650/- including the studs which looked good quality anodised ones. After fitment, now I have a commanding hold on the handlebar and am much at ease. I don’t know it changes the original posture much or not, but for me it works. I feel much relaxed now.
Next are the seats, because really it’s a P.I.A. for ride time anything nearing an hour or more. I am confused whether to go for the GT seats, Safari seat, use an air cushion like fego or modify the existing seat at a local seat guy.

[Red Liner]

Originally Posted by dinu2506

Curious why it is only at one point, the center line seems to have a reasonable depth all around the visible portion of the photo. Is there a wear indicator on the tyre and is that where the flat portion is?

Thats correct. Zoom in and you should be able to see the tab that looks like a wear indicator on the center line.

[damanbir]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

You may have inadvertently been running the bike with over filled tyre pressure in hot conditions exacerbating center line wear off on the tyre.

I have been maintaining a consistent 32 and 36 PSI front and rear respectively, as per Spec at every Fuel fill.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by damanbir

I have been maintaining a consistent 32 and 36 PSI front and rear respectively, as per Spec at every Fuel fill.

There can be many reasons. Chief among them, no tyre is perfectly round and even minute differences in the seating of a tyre on the rim will cause uneven wear. Assuming first off that the rim is perfectly round. Uneven acceleration. Uneven hard sudden braking. All of this causes uneven wear. And all of this becomes stark as the tyre reaches the end of its life. For instance when the rear Metz on my 390 went, the wire carcass started showing at a few spots dead center. Not evenly all the way around. That's what will happen to your tyre eventually as you keep running it.

I don't see how you can blame a manufacturer for tyre wear. No more than you can blame him for brake pad wear. They are both consumables and wholly dependent on your upkeep and use.

Cheers, Doc

[surjaonwheelz]

Originally Posted by arpanjha

Next are the seats, because really it’s a P.I.A. for ride time anything nearing an hour or more. I am confused whether to go for the GT seats, Safari seat, use an air cushion like fego or modify the existing seat at a local seat guy.

I would suggest to modify the existing seat at a local seat guy. You can get it done at Wellington market itself. There's a guy called Mr. Bapi Guha 8282848553. Please call him and check. They mostly build over your stock seat. I'm referring this

YouTube video

My seat is still stock!

Happy riding and happy Durga Puja!
/surjaonwheelz

[ishan12]

I was looking at tubeless conversion options for my Inty. Currently there is Outex and way2speed tubeless kit in the market, but these kits feel more like a jugaad and thus not very keen to go ahead. Nor do we have official alloys from RE. So during my search YouTube brought this to my recommendations. From the looks of it, seems like a brilliant idea, but not sure on the reliability. Language barrier also makes it difficult to know how good this holds long term.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZ5X...st=WL&index=29

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S16D...st=WL&index=30

What they basically do is cut a regular tube from the middle and use it as liner, it works as a seal between the tyre and the rim, covering the spoke nipples effectively forming an air tight seal. From the videos, I guess it a common thing in South East Asia for enduro owners.
Apparently there is also a specific product in the market in Thailand called AirLock from a company called ND Rubber. I am quite keen to try this out. Expert opinions welcome!

[neil.jericho]

While everyone has been waiting patiently for Royal Enfield to come out with its scramblers, some of their dealers are busy churning out customized bikes. Here is some goodness from their French dealer Tendance Roadster (FB link) and (store link). I've been a big fan of their work for a long time now, their custom Continental GT 535's were delicious and the quality of their work and styling has gone up with the 650 twins.

[akshaymahajan]

I bought my Baker Express exactly 13 months back. It has done only 2500 kms till date and has been due for the second service for a month now.

I have been wary about going to the SVC but was wondering whether RE will refuse to honour warrantly claims if any going forward? I dam thinking of getting it serviced in the next few days - will the SVC still treat this as a free second service?

SVC in question is the Teknik Motors in Indiranagar.

[neil.jericho]

Originally Posted by akshaymahajan

I have been wary about going to the SVC but was wondering whether RE will refuse to honour warrantly claims if any going forward? I dam thinking of getting it serviced in the next few days - will the SVC still treat this as a free second service?

SVC in question is the Teknik Motors in Indiranagar.

Royal Enfield had extended the service period and warranties for those bikes impacted during the initial lockdown. Im not sure about the current status of service flexibility.

Based on a lot of feedback from Bangalore riders, Teknik is not the most favoured Royal Enfield SVC. You would be better off dealing with the Koramangala SVC or the Madiwala one, which is the company SVC and the biggest one in Bangalore. I always preferred to take my bike to the Madiwala SVC though the Koramangala one is also good.

[surjaonwheelz]

Originally Posted by akshaymahajan

I bought my Baker Express exactly 13 months back. It has done only 2500 kms till date and has been due for the second service for a month now.

I have been wary about going to the SVC but was wondering whether RE will refuse to honour warrantly claims if any going forward? I dam thinking of getting it serviced in the next few days - will the SVC still treat this as a free second service?

SVC in question is the Teknik Motors in Indiranagar.

Talk to the SVC, so far they're very co-operative due to the Covid-19 situation, one month is nothing to be worried of. Why don't you opt for the service on wheels option? Get it serviced at the comfort of your parking space. But I don't think they'll do complex work like valve clearance checks at your doorstep. As your bike has not covered much kms, you can probably skip that and get the regular service done.

- Oil change with oil filter
- Air filter change
- Brakes check
- Clutch adjust
- Chain adjust
- Battery check
- Your complaints with the bike?

Happy riding!
/surjaonwheelz

[akshaymahajan]

Thanks!

Completely agreed about Teknik - its avoidable but since this is a simple second service and i have no complaints, dont know if I want to go further off (This is walking distance from me so no need for an Uber/Ola)

I forgot about the Service on Wheels - the app doesnt show it so will check if its available in BLR. If it is,will opt for that.

Have dropped an email to RE as well. Will let you know if I hear back.