[rohirrim]

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

Congratulations on your new purchase and welcome to the forum. Do share some pictures of your bike. I liked the suggestion from the gentleman to ride the bike for a few thousand kilometers before you start modding it.

Coming to the questions you mentioned
- Bar end mirrors : Dont get the cheap local ones that cost Rs 1,000 - 1,500. They wont last and will be useless within a few months. Get the RE ones, those seem to be of a high quality.
- Riding Gloves : RE has come out with some fantastic new pairs of CE certified gloves with Knox armour in the last few months. They cost around Rs 4,000.
- Riding Jacket : Depends on your usage. Will it be used in the city? Or only for weekend riding? Check the riding gear thread. If its only for weekend touring and riding, a textile jacket like the Nirvik makes a lot of sense. If its city + weekend riding, get something airy like the Streetwind V2 and upgrade the armours.
- Boots : Depends on your budget. If you can, get at least touring boots (like the A* SMX V6 or equivalents) or ankle length boots (like the A* SMX 1R or equivalents). At a lower budget, you get more real world friendly (but less protective) boots from RE. These are of a high quality, a few of us do own them.

Thank you neil.jericho!
I've bought the RE Bar End mirrors as suggested. Installing them was a bit of 'jugaad' on the interceptor. Will post photos and write-up on how I did it.

I looked up the RE gloves at the showroom but even the Knox one did not have plastic/hard sliders. All of them were soft so I bought the Rynox Urban X gloves from Store4Riders instead. Yet to be delivered, will post a review once I use it.

I got the Streetwind V2 for the jacket. It is amazing- light and airy as needed. Although the back has a soft material I will swap it out with D3O later.

Have looked up plenty boots but yet to find a one I like, until then my Puma weightlifting shoes have to do the job. Although the left one started scruffing near the gear area.

Originally Posted by a4anurag

Look for Carbon Racing handlebar risers (works with OEM cables, just need re-routing I guess).



Try using a windshield from Carbon Racing. Have heard good reviews and you find the same on the forum too in BHPian Torino's ownership review and also by BHPian surjaonwheelz.



What is the current odometer? I'll say give it a few days/kilometres till you get used to the riding feel and see if the situation improves or not. If not, you can install grip puppies or alter the handlebar position depending on your seating comfort.



Free play is set correctly?

Thank you a4anurag. I took another long drive this Sunday and I am completely in love with the performance of this bike. My family has 6 cars and 2 two-wheelers and none of them comes in even close to the driving pleasure of this one. The Odo currently is 350KM and I didn't feel the hand numbness as much in the recent 120KM ride, very mild.

The SS Moto 2x2s got delivered and it is a wait to cover another 150KM for the first service at 500KM to get them installed. I am also planning to get the DNA air filter- the bike is good at the top ends but I want it a bit more responsive.

I will wait for the first service the add the bar raisers and wind shield. Considering the to & fro I am doing from my farm- I want a few touring mods as well.

I am thinking of:
1. Good windshield like Carbon Racer
2. A more comfortable riding position with either risers or a new bar
3. A backrest for the pillion
4. Saddle Bags.

I want to make 1, 3 & 4 removable/re-installable in under 10 minutes. I prefer a naked bike for 6 days of the week and a tourer for Sunday. I know this is a lot to ask but I have a few ideas on plug and play touring mods. Let's see if Eimor Customs can pull it off, I've seen some of their touring mods and they seem to have experience to execute it.

Can't wait to be back on the road again. The visual stimuli that you get riding a good bike is so much better than driving. I spotted a thick black rat snake in the shrubs while I was riding which I would've totally missed in the car.

[rohirrim]

Installing the RE Bar-End Mirrors on the Int650:

The problems that come up when installing the RE Bar End Mirrors are:
1. The RE Bar-End Mirrors don't come with bar ends.
2. In order to use the existing bar ends of the Int650 you would need a longer screw and a thin washer. These are needed to avoid the accelerator getting jammed.

You have two solutions:
1. Buy a cheap INR500 or lower bar end mirror that has its own bar-ends. Use the bar-ends with the RE mirrors.
2. A slightly longer version:

-Procure a longer 5mm screw such as the dark one below. I've put it adjacent to the stock one on the Int650.


-Get a large but thin washer. Try to see if you can get one with a larger hole. I've added the washer pic below on the seat for scale . Unfortunately, didn't have anything else for scale.



The reason I suggested one with a larger hole is because of the itsy-bitsy protrusion on the handle that blocked a washer with a smaller hole from getting close. The protrusion is a lock for the stock bar end.



Perspective of the protrusion:


Because of the protrusion and my small hole washer- there is a slight gap on the right end post installing. Hardly noticeable but you know it is there.




Now, both the screw and washer are needed to create space between the accelerator and the mirror else the accelerator gets jammed. You cannot do away with the washer and it is incredibly difficult to buy it on your own. I must've visited 20 hardware stores before giving it up. The RE guys neither had the washer nor the longer screw. Fortunately, found a good mechanic close to my house and he procured both within a day. The installation was done by Rafique from Standard Bike- Kondapur.

There is also a slight challenge on the left bar with this jugaad pressing on the grip so it has slightly bulged a bit.



The closeness on the left side also led to the clutch scraping on the mirror and not closing completely.
Rafique got the clutch to move a centimeter to the right which solved the problem. He also noticed the hard clutch and fixed it as a4anurag suggested.


Finally had both the bar end mirrors functional and honestly they are much better than the stock ones both in aesthetics and function.



I am however waiting for the cheap mirrors from Amazon to get delivered on Tuesday so that I can use its bar ends as a potential solution. My only worry is that at INR500 it might not be durable and end up damaging my expensive RE bar end mirrors.

I will probably need to re-do this again when I get my grip puppies but this is fun so I don't mind it.

[adwaith]

The brake light on my bike doesn't light up when I depress the rear brake lever. It works absolutely fine when I apply the front brake. I checked the wiring and things seems intact but I think I'll have to get it checked at the service centre, but that seems like a long way away considering that the cases in Coimbatore are soaring. I won't riding until the lockdown here in TN lifts, but I'd like to get it sorted before it opens up so I can hit the road.

I also decided to try and remove the battery to get abetter look at the wiring, but it's rather tedious, especially unscrewing the negative terminal.

While I was looking for videos on how to remove the battery I came across this

video

today about how to get rid of fogging in the speedometer/tachometer console. It's kind of invasive and I'm not sure if it's legal to open the unit up but it looks like a fairly simple solution.

[rakesh_r]

Originally Posted by adwaith

The brake light on my bike doesn't light up when I depress the rear brake lever. It works absolutely fine when I apply the front brake.

The front and rear have independent brake switches, check the rear brake switch, most likely it might have conked off. If yes, get it replaced.

[adwaith]

Originally Posted by rakesh_r

The front and rear have independent brake switches, check the rear brake switch, most likely it might have conked off. If yes, get it replaced.

I'll do that. Thank you so much! Is it something I can do myself?

In the Widowmaker thread, which has been on the front page for the past couple of days, the Interceptor was mentioned (Dangerous vehicles that gained reputations as "widow-makers"), stating that it's power doesn't match the handling and that it's dangerous during fast turns.

While the bike does bounce around a bit while cornering, I've never felt that I have not been in control and I have found that I can take corners rather fast as well. I'd like to know if anyone else has found it dangerous.

[hiren.mistry]

Originally Posted by adwaith

I'll do that. Thank you so much! Is it something I can do myself?

In the Widowmaker thread, which has been on the front page for the past couple of days, the Interceptor was mentioned (Dangerous vehicles that gained reputations as "widow-makers"), stating that it's power doesn't match the handling and that it's dangerous during fast turns.

While the bike does bounce around a bit while cornering, I've never felt that I have not been in control and I have found that I can take corners rather fast as well. I'd like to know if anyone else has found it dangerous.

Not sure how this bike can be classified as widow-maker. In my rather limited running of the Interceptor, I've found it a pleasure to ride and the handling is pretty good too. Once we get the forks and rear shocks sorted, it will be one sweet ride.

[saikishor]

Originally Posted by rohirrim

Installing the RE Bar-End Mirrors on the Int650:

What about the bar end conversion kit which is offered for the meteor? Wont that work in a similar manner for the interceptor? AFAIK meteor requires a longer screw just like the interceptor.

[catkins]

Originally Posted by adwaith

While the bike does bounce around a bit while cornering, I've never felt that I have not been in control and I have found that I can take corners rather fast as well. I'd like to know if anyone else has found it dangerous.

Only as dangerous as any high performance vehicle and less than some. Cornering on a variety of surfaces at a variety of speeds is limited by my confidence rather than by the Interceptor's handling

Originally Posted by rahul_kej

... let down by its handling and the risk of pillion rider falling under hard acceleration

Agreed about the pillion because of uselessly low grab rail and footrests too near and too high

Originally Posted by hiren.mistry

Once we get the forks and rear shocks sorted, it will be one sweet ride.

Many posts in this thread have said so but I have no issue with them other than rear damper aesthetics

[silentstorm]

Originally Posted by rohirrim

Installing the RE Bar-End Mirrors on the Int650:

Thanks for the detailed process. The service center guys manage to fix the RE bar-end mirrors perfectly. But a lot of people face issues in DIY I've noticed.

[rohirrim]

I just had the toughest ride yet on the Interceptor 650.

Decided to ride out to the farm on Wednesday as it was a holiday in Telangana. It had rained overnight and since this was 630AM the roads were still wet. As soon as I moved from asphalt onto the final 100m stretch of the dirt-road- my front wheel jammed completely. It just skid without rotating and when I got down to check it out- a thick layer of mud was stuck between the mud-guard and the tyre. The tyre didn't even rotate a cm. I was surprised by this because this is not a deep track or even very wet mud. Just a frequently used slightly wet dirt road you sometimes find in cities too, this was not farmland.

The gap between the guard and wheel was so narrow that it was incredibly difficult trying to remove the mud and I was in middle of the stretch so couldn't exit easily in either direction. Trying to reverse the bike into the opposite direction itself took me 10 mins of pulling and pushing. I felt like a French knight at Agincourt with the bike stuck in mud and the sun beating down relentlessly.

With brute effort over the next 30 mins somehow dragged the bike to a gravel road. My palms were bruised with thin internal ruptures from the dragging- this bike is heavy and hard to push on foot, especially when its wheels don't rotate.

Used twigs to clean the wheels the best I could and the wheels started rotating. I noticed that the rear break lever was twisted into a circle with both ends under the foot peg. I mean it was so twisted I could scarcely believe a metal could bend like that from a light fall onto soft mud. Realized the need to install a crash guard with sliders ASAP. The rear wheel was slightly jammed because of the twisted lever engaging the break and I had to burn rubber to reach a mechanic about a KM away.

The mechanic straightened the break lever and power-washed the bike. Heaved a sigh of relief when it rode smoothly. Unfortunately didn't take any photos because I was so focused on getting out of the situation.

The Odo is at 450 but I will immediately give it for its first servicing to straighten out any issues to the bike from the experience it suffered.

Three functional things immediately needed before the aesthetic mods:
1. Need to raise the front mud-guard by at-least a couple of inches.
2. Crash guard. A large part of this bike is flimsy.
3. Urban/semi-scrambler type tyres for use on both asphalt and dirt. Don't know if these exist.

The list of mods I need on the bike keeps on increasing. But, it is still such a pleasure to ride. Happiness.

[deepfreak15]

At times like this I am extremely grateful for good health and my source of income staying largely untouched. I should have no reason to complain,however there is a bit of restlessness that creeps in when you just get your new motorcycle and the lockdown is announced 3 days later. So to scratch my riding itch I started watching all kinds of motorcycle channels on Youtube when I came across some cool leather stuff with "Tripmachine" branding. Most European and American vloggers seemed to go gaga over this brand and to my surprise found out it was a desi brand. Funny thing about social media and the internet these days is, if you show the faintest interest in something your feed gets bombarded with anything and everything related to the topic of interest.
I really liked the "hipster" look of this brand and decided to test the waters by ordering the mini pannier. The GT has absolutely no storage place even for your wallet or mobile and I hate riding with my pockets full. So I felt the mini pannier would serve the purpose without spoiling the aesthetics of the bike (luggage on a cafe racer is sacrilegious)

The product oozes of quality with no corners cut, however I have not yet tested it on a ride of any sorts so no way of knowing how useful it is. And then Tripmachine announces a pre launch deal on their messenger bags and again for no rhyme or reason I go ahead and order one. This is turning out to be a bad habit that I need to stop before I end up ordering everything on their catalogue. Again, pure class! The leather is soft and supple , looks and feels built to last.

Both products come with mounting straps and I believe can even mount them as tail bags. They are a bit fiddly to put on and take off but I think with time will get used to it. Its not as simple as snap on and snap off. Also I am not comfortable with the fact that side mounted it rests on the rear shock, only time will tell if it gets pinched or gets worn off rubbing against it. As per the tags it says the products are weather resistant but I guess its designed for people like me (wouldn't ride in the rain if my life depended on it) so I'm not overtly concerned.
Oh you can also wear them around as bags off the bike but I am not that hipster yet so thanks but these will be relegated only to motorcycle duties.
Whats more confidence inspiring is the product is shipped with a lot of thought and effort in the process with tags telling you stay home and tags telling you to get out and not go back home once the lockdown eases. . Sanitizer packed in the bag seemed wee bit too much for me but its the thought that counts and kudos to them.

I have no affiliation with this brand, but come on, how can you refuse to comply with such a beautifully handwritten note (must have been teacher's pet in school).

A parting shot, cant wait to ride again.

[sandeepmohan]

Originally Posted by deepfreak15

So to scratch my riding itch I started watching all kinds of motorcycle channels on Youtube when I came across some cool leather stuff with "Tripmachine" branding.

Very nice.

I discovered the brand via....

Stuart Fillingham's

...YouTube Channel. I did use his discount code and had it shipped over to New Zealand. It took just a week via Fed Ex.

I've struggled as well to be able to tour on this bike. My trips are generally short. When I do head out, if I feel like pulling over and staying at a motel, I am unprepared. Trip Machine's Military Duffel bag has solved that problem. Its old school, well made and serves up as a nice travel bag anyway (even off the bike, car). It can hold up to a weeks worth of clothes. The less said the better on the condition your clothes will be as you're going to cram in everything you can in to it. The bag is treated so water resistant but I've been advised to cover the bag with the provided rain cover if its a torrential down pour. I don't see myself riding in these conditions so that is less of an issue. There is a slight change in steering response with the bag mounted and any form of corner carving must be avoided when you have the bag fully loaded. As the bag isn't meant to be strapped tight, it does shift ever so slightly from side to side when you go hard on curves. I generally avoid aggressive riding when I have a payload at the back so this is less of an issue, for me. Most important, no modifications required on the bike to be able to mount this duffel bag. Highly recommended.

[deepfreak15]

Originally Posted by sandeepmohan

Very nice.

I discovered the brand via.... ]

Looks gorgeous on your bike and in keeping with the classic retro look. I had to stop myself from buying more stuff on their website. The only product that didn't catch my fancy are the leather grips.

[kaustubh_vaze]

Originally Posted by MadRasTan4986

How's the heat on the exhausts? I find mine running as hot as stock ones. It's not noticeable or radiating like the stock ones, only when you touch them. Is this normal?

Which set up are you running? Hows the long term use been?

You are right about the build quality and fit and finish, even though it's far lighter than stock, it's definitely good quality. I found it hard to believe these cost as much as they do.

The heat on the exhausts is not too much, obviously hot to touch but not as hot as the stock ones. I am running a setup without the extended tips but with the baffles.

Recently noticed a funny thing - the growler has some kind of a frequency which affects the dogs! I see stray dogs immediately on the alert and looking out for the source of the sound! No one has followed me yet but they do get annoyed!

[ninjatalli]

Has anyone faced the issue of the side stand sensor going faulty? I have been facing this lately since last week and the issue keeps coming and going without any set pattern. Ironically every time I decide to get the bike out to the service center, the sensor goes faulty.

RSA's solution is to only get a tow truck and take it to the nearest service center (~15 kms away) which I'm not comfortable. A mechanic close to my place says he can 'clean' the sensor but I'm not completely comfortable to give the bike to him.

Anyone faced this issue on their Interceptor/GT?


Edit: The faulty sensor disables the bike even when the side stand is up, so the bike just stops running when put in gear.