[surjaonwheelz]

Originally Posted by hiren.mistry

What I am not so keen about:
1. Exhaust - I am surprised about this, but the AEW's are pretty loud. Much louder than I anticipated. Fortunately, I got the stock exhausts, will put them back in shortly to see how they feel.
2. The rear suspension seems a bit too stiff for me - will need to check what setting it is on. The prev owner was on the heavier side, so may have changed the setting.
3. Heating - The engine seems to dissipate the heat towards the thighs, as a result the seats heats up and I can feel that in my nether regions Not sure if this is seen on all Interceptors.
4. Heavy steering - Man it feels heavy at slow speeds with a lot of steering efforts and inputs needed to steer this baby. Perhaps its just a matter of getting used to it

1. Make sure you get the gaskets/packing material which comes off when you take out the stock exhausts. Scout through this thread you'll find images of it.
2. The toolkit has the C-spanner required, it's a 2 minute job.
3. Change the engine oil at the first opportunity. RE oil is good enough till your next annual service. Though recommended interval is 10k kms, 6k km is ideal to change the engine oil + oil filter.
4. Check tyre pressure

What about the brakes, how did you like its response? Do practice braking on your new bike. It'll help you understand the weight of the bike under hard braking. It shouldn't be a surprise whenever it happens!

Enjoy your ride,
surjaonwheelz

[hiren.mistry]

Originally Posted by surjaonwheelz

1. Make sure you get the gaskets/packing material which comes off when you take out the stock exhausts. Scout through this thread you'll find images of it.
2. The toolkit has the C-spanner required, it's a 2 minute job.
3. Change the engine oil at the first opportunity. RE oil is good enough till your next annual service. Though recommended interval is 10k kms, 6k km is ideal to change the engine oil + oil filter.
4. Check tyre pressure

What about the brakes, how did you like its response? Do practice braking on your new bike. It'll help you understand the weight of the bike under hard braking. It shouldn't be a surprise whenever it happens!

Enjoy your ride,
surjaonwheelz

Thanks mate.
1. I've not yet had the chance to open up the box in which the stock exhausts are packed, will do it shortly.
2. Correct, the spanner is there in the toolkit, I was wondering if the prev owner has fiddled with the suspension setting. The answer to that question is NO. It is at stock setting.
3. The oil was changed to synthetic around 3.5K KMS back. The bike is due for its second service next month, will visit the service station. Will carry replacement oil with me. I have steadfastly stuck to the 3.5-4K oil change interval for my previous bikes. But the twins have a far better engine, might push this to 5K.
4. Tire pressure seems ok, 32 and 36 front and rear respectively. However, the bike has now done 7.5K KMS, so the Pirelli's might be nearing their end of life. I am very happy with the brakes, they bring the bike to halt without fuss, it is still early days and I am still getting to know the bike.

So far I am riding it in and around my colony considering the lockdown. Cant wait to explore more.

Cheers.

[Cyborg]

Originally Posted by hiren.mistry

I was wondering if the prev owner has fiddled with the suspension setting. The answer to that question is NO. It is at stock setting.
Tire pressure seems ok, 32 and 36 front and rear respectively.

Congratulations once again Hiren.

The AEW exhausts - has the previous owner removed the baffles? If so then replacing the baffles might bring the exhaust sound to acceptable levels or then you always have the option to change back to stock as you have mentioned.

Regarding the front end being hard to manoeuvre and rear suspension being stiff is very different to the common view that both ends are soft or comfortable at normal speeds. When I rode the Interceptor a few times I found the setup quite comfortable at both ends under normal riding.

Since both front and rear tyre pressures are at company specifications maybe they feel stiff because the bike has been lying unused for sometime and riding it for awhile might make a difference. Alternatively if/when you have the chance to ride another Interceptor you could see if it’s something to do with your bike or in general you feel the same. It could be worth checking out before making any changes.

Keep us updated and all the best with your ownership.

Cheers

[neil.jericho]

While doing some research on the 650 twins, I came across this very informative and helpful channel which lists a whole bunch of modifications to the 650 twins, along with the options from different manufacturers. The content is split into different videos and each topic is explained really well. Its an information goldmine to be honest!

I have only watched a couple, but Im sharing the videos here for the benefit of everyone.

1. Exhaust Systems

2. Air Filters

3. Camshafts

4. Tuning Part I

5. Tuning Part II

6. Big Bore Kits

7. CNC Cylinder Heads

8 Cam Timing

9. Clutches

[surjaonwheelz]

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

The content is split into different videos and each topic is explained really well. Its an information goldmine to be honest!

I have only watched a couple, but Im sharing the videos here for the benefit of everyone.

Mate,
Seems you've missed my post (Ridden: Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 & Continental GT 650 Twin)

Great content, they're backed by RE as they're the official sellers in Australia, I assume.

"You ain't having fun, you're doing it wrong!"

BTW, what were you researching?

Cheers,
surjaonwheelz

[Na_sh]

Originally Posted by hiren.mistry

Hello folks,
I was able to get the bike home over the weekend...

Congratulations on your new ride Hiren! Lovely choice.

Even I am drooling over its other sibling, the GT 650 in the newly launched Rocker Red color. Looks irresistible! Keep us posted with the ownership experience.

Ride and stay safe.

[Captain Slow]

Originally Posted by deepfreak15

What I ended up with, ain't pretty but Id prefer ugly on the outside than ugly on the inside. It doesn't look like much but the filter does not sit flush in the housing and the clamps just hold it in place and do not provide an airtight seal.

Why not just cut the air filter housing? Works out a lot cheaper and seals well.

[deepfreak15]

Originally Posted by surjaonwheelz

BTW, what were you researching?

We all had that friend in school right, that one person who kept whispering in your ear to get into trouble, Neil is that guy. He does all this research and then starts tempting current owners to spend a whole lot of money while he is still on the fence having a good laugh.

Originally Posted by Captain Slow

Why not just cut the air filter housing? Works out a lot cheaper and seals well.

Brilliant idea! Will buy a spare cover and cut open the other. Thanks for the suggestion.

[neil.jericho]

Originally Posted by surjaonwheelz

Great content, they're backed by RE as they're the official sellers in Australia, I assume.

"You ain't having fun, you're doing it wrong!"

BTW, what were you researching?

Cheers,
surjaonwheelz

Oops, my mistake. I didnt realize that it was shared already on the thread. I need to keep aside a few hours to binge watch this series from the start.

Im normally, ahem, investing my time in researching custom builds like this one. Currently Im loving the Scrambler builds that are popping up around the world.

RE

But I stumbled upon Revelrys channel while doing some genuine investigative research to sort out a big mystery. Its a long story, it will come out on this forum soon.

Originally Posted by deepfreak15

We all had that friend in school right, that one person who kept whispering in your ear to get into trouble, Neil is that guy. He does all this research and then starts tempting current owners to spend a whole lot of money while he is still on the fence having a good laugh.

Sounds about right

[whencut86]

On that note, this video with the list of parts and link to buy them in India also gives a good perspective on how to modify the Interceptor to a Scrambler. This sounds promising but one may have to shell out about 2 lakhs on top of the bike costs to convert this bike to a Scrambler. A very good project for someone interested in converting the RE650 to a scrambler.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnVfhW5msLc

[JayPrashanth]

Originally Posted by whencut86

On that note, this video with the list of parts and link to buy them in India also gives a good perspective on how to modify the Interceptor to a Scrambler. This sounds promising but one may have to shell out about 2 lakhs on top of the bike costs to convert this bike to a Scrambler. A very good project for someone interested in converting the RE650 to a scrambler.

https://www.Youtube.com/watch?v=CnVfhW5msLc

Such a conversion is more of an exercise in vanity. The interceptor is just too heavy for any serious dirt riding than going on mild trails. It needs a 40 kilo weight reduction for fun on the dirt.

Cheers,

Jay

[whencut86]

Originally Posted by JayPrashanth

Such a conversion is more of an exercise in vanity. The interceptor is just too heavy for any serious dirt riding than going on mild trails. It needs a 40 kilo weight reduction for fun on the dirt.

Cheers,

Jay

Agree, but I see people having fun on a Triumph Scrambler. There are some posts in the Triumph Scrambler unveil thread on this. So if someone can have fun on a more heavy Triumph Scrambler, then they can have fun on the Interceptor Scrambler project with all a weight reduction. That is like a solid 20-25 kgs less than the Triumph Scrambler. The Himalayan is too heavy for dirt riding as well but we see lot many people taking it and enjoying it off-road. So it all depends on the skills and mindset of the rider.



https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/super...d-edition.html (Triumph reveals 2021 Street Scrambler and Sandstorm Limited Edition)

[JayPrashanth]

Originally Posted by whencut86

Agree, but I see people having fun on a Triumph Scrambler. There are some posts in the Triumph Scrambler unveil thread on this. So if someone can have fun on a more heavy Triumph Scrambler, then they can have fun on the Interceptor Scrambler project with all a weight reduction. That is like a solid 20-25 kgs less than the Triumph Scrambler. The Himalayan is too heavy for dirt riding as well but we see lot many people taking it and enjoying it off-road. So it all depends on the skills and mindset of the rider.



https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/super...d-edition.html (Triumph reveals 2021 Street Scrambler and Sandstorm Limited Edition)

Yes, it depends on the rider. I ride an Interceptor mostly in the Western Ghats. I just shared what I felt on my off road rides. Initially, I also wanted to Scrambler-ize it but then decided against it given the sheer weight of the bike. Then you have rubbish suspension travel that will get maxed out/throw you off even on small ruts.

When you ride solo and get stuck somewhere, pulling a 200 Kg bike isn't easy, especially if the terrain is uneven. I've been in numerous such situations with my 650. And I ride solo 99 % of the time, and in places where help is many kilometers away. It's best enjoyed as a roadster imho, and it's in its element in this mode. Mild off-roading, any bike can do.

Also, the Himalayan is a totally different beast even though it's nearly as heavy as the Interceptor. The riding stance and the way the weight is distributed makes a massive difference. Also, the long travel suspension and bigger wheels help greatly. Saddling on the Interceptor isn't natural even with taller bars, grippier pegs but on the Himalayan, it feels so natural and ergonomic. It's designed for such riding. And off roading is mainly off saddle than on it.

These are some of the reasons why I think the Interceptor 650 is ill suited to be a scrambler. As an aside, I'm now considering an XPulse 200 for my off road jaunts. It's light, and 18 Bhp is more than enough for riding off the road.

My latest ride link for reference: https://www.instagram.com/p/CN2qasCgIxi/

Mods, kindly delete the link if it's against the forum rules.

Cheers,

Jay

[JayPrashanth]

Forgot to say this in my previous post:

Just to give you an idea where I'm coming from. Last Sunday, I took a shortcut to Om Beach in Gokarna. I kept riding higher and higher on a dirt track until I reached a point when the dirt track was simply closed off. Reason: They were constructing a road and didn't want traffic on the dirt track. Now, I was faced with a very tricky situation. I couldn't turn around as the track was very narrow, with drops on both sides. I had to gingerly reverse the bike, and the front wheel was just skidding away in the dirt as the speed was too low for ABS to even kick in.

Eventually, I found a wide enough point while reversing down the steep slope but it turned out that it wasn't wide enough for me to turn fully. The front wheel got stuck in a rut and my bike was precariously balanced. Luckily, I managed to place a stone under the left header and the entire bike was balanced on that stone for nearly 30 minutes. I had to walk back the slope to seek help as there was no way in the world that I could extricate the bike from the mess I'd put myself into.

I found two painters from Uttar Pradesh working on a construction site half a kilometer away. They were sweet, and agreed to come along for the recovery. And the 40 degree heat was baking me because I was still fully geared. Finally, we managed to huff and puff up the slope, and recover the bike. It took three of us to just pull the bike off the rut. All three of us were in good shape but because the rut was deep and the bike was in a very weird position, it made recovery hard. Needless to say, I don't have pics as I simply forgot about saving my stupidity for posterity. :-D And such situations are common when going off the road. Group riding helps during such times. And obviously, lighter bikes rock.

PS: Such situations also keep me from considering say the ADV 390 or bigger adventure bikes such as the Versys 650/Tiger 900 because they're just too tall. I am about 170 cm tall, and can comfortably flat foot on the Interceptor. But on the slope last weekend, I was really struggling to keep the bike upright as the terrain was really uneven. Now, add more seat height to the equation, and it gets a lot messier. Sometimes, dropping the bike is just not an option. It could mean the bike going down 20-30 feet. Recovering the bike from there will need a JCB. :-D Weight is one thing on the bigger ADVs but the sheer seat heights make them risky in tricky situations. While I understand that drops are inevitable while riding off the road, they're fine for bikes made in India. But imports are going to take a long, long time to fix if something breaks. And despite the best protection, things break. And 2-3 months downtime for parts to arrive is a waste of the already short lives we have.

Cheers,

Jay

[silentstorm]

Originally Posted by deepfreak15

You win some you lose some. Does this negate that dead spot when trying to Rev match? I found that sometimes when you blip the throttle nothing happens. Also does the booster plug serve the same purpose as your ICU? Not trying to rub it in but I'm on the fence,want something to free up the engine a bit, not hunting for extra horses or higher rpms.

The twins come running lean from the factory is what I gather (most likely to meet emission norms). Which is why so many people are considering the booster plug. If you find there's a lag in the engine response when you pull the throttle it's probably running lean for you too. The booster plug will free the engine up. It works by fooling the ECU into thinking that the ambient air temperature is colder and the EFI makes up for it by pushing in around 6% more fuel for burning. Try upgrading to a stage 2 air filter or just cut the stock housing as someone else suggested for best results. Do let us know if this worked for you.