[Sebring]

Let me recount a chapter from my life. I had sworn off anything Tata after we burned our fingers on the first gen Indica. But then when the Nexon was launched, it made all the right noises and - deep in my heart, I knew this is 'the one'. What happens is that - there is a certain connect we feel the first time around, and more often than not, it turns out to be the right choice. Don't ward off this feeling, it's a higher calling


The RE Twins are a revolution in Indian motorcycling. The shape is a 'classic bike', just how it should look. The new engine is 'sweet', just how a bike engine should be. Pricing is 'spot on'. They got the basics right. Rest can be managed.

Originally Posted by adises

I swore I would never buy an RE again after burning my hands with a first batch Classic 500 but the reviews on the twins are really making me reconsider.

[Hammer & Anvil]

First service down in about 3 hours, after cooling down the bike for about an hour.
Oil change done, oil filter too and the torqued every nut/ bolt the mechanic could see or reach.
Average in city improved by 1. From 23kmpl to 24. So much for that. Highway riding remains restricted to Ghatkopar-Thane- what joy that is.
So apart from the cost of the service - INR 2600, there doesn't seem to be any difference in the running of the bike. It's still smooth. The next oil change will be at 5000, followed by 10,000 and the. Direct 20,000km.



Among the first two things that strike any new rider on the Interceptor and the GT, one being the smooth engine and the second was the braking quality. I could not let go of that and I just about hounded everyone in the company and the general public attached to the bikes public writings asking only one question, how come the brakes are this good? The secret seems partly connected to this-



These are floating disc type brakes. The aluminum spider (the part that attaches to the rotor) has got play where it is riveted to the rotor (the part that the calipers grip to reduce the speed). This plays a significant role in heat reduction and the internet is full of why it should be used and on and on. Anyone further interested can Google this into 2019.
My curiosity- is sated, knowing that the brakes are better than the ones on almost all other Indian bikes and that is precisely why even after those mad runs outside Goa University, the brake continued to impress. How cone I did not read about this anywhere is another mystery, anyway.

Maybe other Indian bikes have it ,I don't know, and I would welcome if anyone could update us on this aspect.

With the year end schedule packed, I think the next big update will be only after 10th or January.

[ianuoui]

Thanks for sharing the details of the first service! Was looking forward to it actually.

All things considered, a lower basic cost of service with a 10k interval (post the 2nd service) is the icing on the cake! I see the oil used was of the grade 10W50, any hints on the brand of oil used? Motul rebranded for RE? (speculating here)

[zenx]

How many kms have you done so far? What's the part quality, fuel efficiency been like thus far? I'm expecting mine in Feb - just curious how the early batches are doing on the road with real riders.

[Vignesh_N/A]

Originally Posted by Hammer & Anvil

Attachment 1830493

The bill says "Oil-50 LTRS". What does it mean? Whats the quantity ?

[sukiwa]

Originally Posted by Vignesh_N/A

The bill says "Oil-50 LTRS". What does it mean?

Don't go by description, check quantity column. Most likely that service center gets a barrel of 50 litres & same gets entered in their inventory/billing system. It should have been 1 Litre in description & quantity as 3.

Whats the quantity?

Refill oil capacity is 3 litres; 10W50 API SL, JASO MA2, Synthetic oil.

[Vignesh_N/A]

Originally Posted by sukiwa

Refill oil capacity is 3 litres; 10W50 API SL, JASO MA2, Synthetic oil.

I am guessing what oil they use. For instance, Motul 10W50 1.5L retails for 1140rs on Amazon

[raghu_gg]

Folks who have had their bike serviced. Did you see the oil filter, Is there a magnet inside of it on 650's as well. Just curious.

I remember the old 500 and 350 classic's where an oil filter used to take off metal powder with a magnet attached to the filter, Is it the same with twins too. I shall have my bike serviced in a week. I shall check that too.

Has anyone tried any Headlight changes on interceptor, Any suggestions for LED's?

Would that be a headlight assembly change or just the holder and bulb please suggest.

The stock ones are a no-no for me, and in day time when its on continuously, It looks even worse.

[zenx]

Originally Posted by Hammer & Anvil

These are floating disc type brakes. The aluminum spider (the part that attaches to the rotor) has got play where it is riveted to the rotor (the part that the calipers grip to reduce the speed). This plays a significant role in heat reduction and the internet is full of why it should be used and on and on. Anyone further interested can Google this into 2019.
My curiosity- is sated, knowing that the brakes are better than the ones on almost all other Indian bikes and that is precisely why even after those mad runs outside Goa University, the brake continued to impress. How cone I did not read about this anywhere is another mystery, anyway.

Maybe other Indian bikes have it ,I don't know, and I would welcome if anyone could update us on this aspect.

With the year end schedule packed, I think the next big update will be only after 10th or January.

Thanks for a detailed update!

Someone on an FB group was mentioning a sound from the stem/fork, and thought it might be a t-stem issue, but someone else commented it could be because of the floating discs. Have you observed it, under sudden/hard braking?

[neil.jericho]

Originally Posted by zenx

Thanks for a detailed update!

Someone on an FB group was mentioning a sound from the stem/fork, and thought it might be a t-stem issue, but someone else commented it could be because of the floating discs. Have you observed it, under sudden/hard braking?

Without hearing the sound, it is nearly impossible to identify the cause but the Continental GT 535 had a cicada sound from the front brakes that appeared only under braking. This could be the same.

[Hammer & Anvil]

1500Km + done, and this would be the second chapter in my reviews of my 650. I will cover the good and then attack the bad.

The bike did its first outing with my Harley friends and as expected, we maintained a good distance while outbound to Igatpuri and we were comfortable doing between 70-80 in the morning chill. Weather indicators showed 13C, and that had absolutely no effect on the starting- well, 13C is hardly a number for a bike to be worried about, but with our 90%+ humidity, for the riders, the chill was in strength.

The strength of the engine was evident from the word Go, where the bike was always first off the block against all the bigger bikes and had no problem keeping up with them all the way to the 80s mark. the straight line speed was thena reflection of the power/ or lack thereof, when the momentum of the bigger bikes would carry them over the bridges and flyovers while we would need to build up speed or drop to 5th to maintain the speed. Do remember this is not a comparison to the other bikes, but to use them as a reference point.
To elaborate, a CBR650 from Honda would whoop the big boys and stay ahead- to do the same here, you would have to flog the RE.
The first long uphill of almost 10-12Km from Latifwadi had sparse traffic, not to mention two super bike casualties just the previous weekend and hence power with caution on the way up. The RE performed very well, and I was extremely happy with the 'pick and run' at the drop of a gear to move ahead of slow moving trucks and the odd spirited weekend warrior in some i20 or a white Fortuner with black as asphalt tinted glasses. Zero problem keeping up with the herd and every step of the way, the brakes just kept inspiring more and more confidence in the ride. So while powering around the bends, you could come in wide watching around the corner and be sure that if there was a kasara-taxi with 15 people in a EECO, you could haul the bike down, correct the exit route and continue with the pick.
The ghats were consistent from 3500 to 4500rpm, and that afforded just enough power at all times to make the whole ascend a good first uphill.
The stability, engine smoothness and all other performance points- brakes, feedback, rear wheel chatter over rough patches- all ok.
Downhill was the next game. Though the foot pegs have the scrapers at the end to indicate possible 'end of lean ablility' I couldnt bring the bike to lean that much and we felt, that we had enough speed and lean to keep up with the reference crowd. A dear friend M Dubey, has two clips and the links are shared below of two sections in the ghats. You may notice that the lean angles are quite shallow, but we were at 80+ and I was absolutely comfortable holding my position between two bikes, one of whom can be seen scraping his pegs. A more aggressive rider on the 650 could power his way thru them by leaning much much more, am sure so that should bring delight to the few among you that want to see this bike really rock.
We held the bike tight between 3rd and 4th most of the time and the bike was simply in its element. WE were firmly planted in a chain of bikes and we were the confident little 650 and there was no issue that we can keep up with almost anyone south of some aggressive sports bikes- and as a bike from teh RE lineage, we are good to go.
The earlier review was a 23KMPL average and that remained steady across 4 odd fuel tanks where we kept refilling between 9 and 9.6L of fuel making a city range of about 220-odd Km. So what did we run on the highway?
We averaged 80-90-100 on the way out and then the return was almost 100+ at all times, with a consistent 115 being the sweet spot in 6th. Beyond 115, till 120 we could kind of slip up and down depending on the terrain, but above 120- you always felt that the bike could go and climb but ypou felt as if you were thrashing it now. Zero vibrations in the engine all across this 3500-5000 rpm and if you were to drop a gear to prep for an overtake, you would just be sure that the engine was ready, and you just had to focus on your line. What an amazing ride.
The fuel average for the full ride was an astonishing 273Km in 10.6L. I would hazard a guess that should anyone have held 100@ 4000, the bike could easily get you about a range of 300-odd. Its a good guess.

https://youtu.be/pZzS62dx2Og

https://youtu.be/8yM8SBU-x4Q

We remain impressed with the brakes, the engine and the stability and now the highway average.
With the Fatboy and the TB350 in the garage (the son has the Himalayan now), we badly needed a bike for the city commute, the usual weekend 110-150km radius trips, basically something quick and for 3L- this is simply brilliant.
No noises , no squeaks, nothing coming loose. The clunking in the front seems to be part fork and part brake rotor. its kind of difficult to isolate to where or who could be making that sound- BUT, that is evident if you keep getting into an OCD situation with it and at every signal you stop, jam the brakes and keep trying to find where the sound by rocking the bike and pushing on the front steering by standing on it- in regular riding from 2kmph to 120 kmph, there is no sound, or sensation of a broken bearing or play in the stem. It was something that was evident in the Himalayan, so trust me, I will keep a close watch on it given that the same guys are building this bike too. Should there be a change in this area, I will update you folks.
NOW the BAD.
This is nothing but a Conti 535 chassis. So what has RE done for 3 years with this bike? Probably only the engine and the tooling and metallurgy of the parts and sourcing- took them three years. In some earlier post, probably after the RE2017 when the bike was first showcased on some Team BHP thread i commented that this was nothing but an old chassis from RE and some people pounded me- giving me an education on half cradle full duplex, trellis and spine and the whole chassis lexicon- humbug I tell you. Take a Conti 535 friend and make him sit on the bike- and the first thing he will grimace about is the absolutely idiotic rider footpeg location. The need of the hour has always been a powerful bike that could ride the highways and cover distances with ease. The company managed one half of that need with this engine but have really murdered the ergonomics by not taking into account any feedback from the Conti owners about the footpegs. The location is bad and now the infernal scraper pegs - everything is wrong. Riders will fall and hurt themselves by snagging their shoelaces and their pant cuffs in that ridiculous footpeg.



https://twitter.com/thereallyslimkd/...14012135124992

(Not sure if tweet links work, hence adding an image )



This bike is the cafe racer with a handle bar for an Interceptor. That is all that there is to it. The reason to be super annoyed is what follows. My wife who has done Rajasthan and Sikkim+ Bhutan along with RE Rides community refused to sit on the bike on its maiden double-seat ride after 22km. I was like 'what the hell?' and she said, you try and see if you fit- the seat ends 3 or 4: before the end bar, eating up whats precious comfort seating space and the end drops off like a cliff and is soft as jello, making the pillion sink into that gap beween the end of the seat and the rounded end bar.

Ridiculous that they did testing for 3 years and no one told them that this is a messed up design. I spoke to one of their design staff and TOLD him, " You have never sat pillion on this bike, na? I know because you wont fit on it. So how did you approve this crap?" The pillion foot pegs are even more ridiculous as the ankles of the pillion as so far behind and so high that one would have to be a gymnast to survive a 100km plus ride with your legs placed as they are on the bike.
My wife and I have been to the last 4 Rider Mania events and 2 RE Rides (rajasthan and Bhutan) and what a shame that I would have to borrow the Himalayan back from my son for the next ride, whether to Goa or to Coastal India. Anyone wanting to do pillion riding- you should be warned- a) you cannot b) your pillion is young and more flexible than a contortionist.

What was RE thinking when they made this bike? Many told, actually chastised my for buying this bike so early, but i was reasonably assured that it was a 'good one to buy' and so I did. Now i find myself in this soup, where none of what i thought I could acheive with the bike can be done.
3 day joy ride to Goa and back. Same day Pune and back. Both NO. I am possibly lucky that I have the need for a quick city bike coming from the weekend with the Harley, that I would retain this bike- and as soon as this week ends I will start a R&D function- seat upgrade/modify to lengthen and raise to allow some modicum of comfort to the pillion, and more tech-challenged footpeg relocation solution like the Motowerk ones on the Ninja 650 (as an example).

The engine and performance I love, the ergonomics I detest, to put it mildly. So my feel is that the company is still so far removed from reality, that just like giving owners manuals 12 days after bike delivery, they are going to bring out a Himalayan 650 or a Classic 650 in a year of two and are going to do it, but just shoe-horning the engine into whatever kind of chassis is lying around the factory. Sustained 6th gear riding in the UK offices being poorly geared bikes for Indian roads and then the poor employees in the India offices dont dare critique the big office boys, and then nonsense like this comes out in th final product.
I cannot believe there is a single person in the RE company whos legs dont get caught in the pegs. So either they are 6'2" or they ride in shorts.
Skinny legs Himalayan with a poor side stand design that even today remains unaltered, this is the DNA of RE, and the footpegs are a living example of this. The brilliant engine is a sign of their change. God knows, this is a battle and in the absence of a competitor with a good x-country bike, this Interceptor will rule.

Footpegs and Pillion Seat- anyone who did not give this feedback should be sacked. If it wasnt accepted, that is another story.

[shijinpr]

Originally Posted by Hammer & Anvil

The earlier review was a 23KMPL average and that remained steady across 4 odd fuel tanks where we kept refilling between 9 and 9.6L of fuel making a city range of about 220-odd Km. So what did we run on the highway?
We averaged 80-90-100 on the way out and then the return was almost 100+ at all times, with a consistent 115 being the sweet spot in 6th. Beyond 115, till 120 we could kind of slip up and down depending on the terrain, but above 120- you always felt that the bike could go and climb but ypou felt as if you were thrashing it now. Zero vibrations in the engine all across this 3500-5000 rpm and if you were to drop a gear to prep for an overtake, you would just be sure that the engine was ready, and you just had to focus on your line. What an amazing ride.

Thanks for the detailed post.

Are you not maintaining the first 2000 km speed limit. I am religiously maintaining its and its quite painful. My bike has completed 700 km and I am sticking to 85 KMPH, with an occasional burst to 100 KMPH.

[raghu_gg]

Originally Posted by Hammer & Anvil

Footpegs and Pillion Seat- anyone who did not give this feedback should be sacked. If it wasnt accepted, that is another story.

Well said, I completely agree to the seat and the foot pegs, The very 1st test ride I had on the Interceptor and I was wondering why are the foot pegs here. It was so good on a Classic.

Annoyance is they have a touring seat which is a little more cushioned as an accessory. Not sure why was that not a default on the bike. This would have saved many a few thousand from going to the new seat.

[ku69rd]

Originally Posted by shijinpr

My bike has completed 700 km and I am sticking to 85 KMPH, with an occasional burst to 100 KMPH.

Thought maintaining the 4K RPM is good enough instead of the speed since this bike can do 85 in second gear itself?

On another note, running in discussion... Each to their perception but as long as there is no constant throttle maintained at the same rpm for a long duration should be good enough for the engine.

[r0ckstar.1]

Originally Posted by Hammer & Anvil

Footpegs and Pillion Seat- anyone who did not give this feedback should be sacked. If it wasnt accepted, that is another story.

Thanks for the updated review and I understand your frustration with the ergo design. Do you think replacing the INT650 stock seat with the optional touring seat (which is stock for CGT650) will work for the seating issue? or we need a whole new design for having a comfortable ride for the pillon rider?

I have booked a CGT650 and right now, my mind was looking at only upgrading the headlights to good LED options. Looks like a seat upgrade also needs to be considered.