[SnS_12]

Unlike two strokes with a four stroke engine water will never enter the combustion chambers when the bike is not running unless the valves have a leak.

Now, since you have already ridden the bike with that contaminated oil it would be better to open the head and check the valves just to be sure there are no possibilities of a long term damage because of the contaminated oil or any debris which would have entered with the water.

[jomson13]

Quite an interesting Sunday I'd say Torino

I've had water ingress into the crankcase of my RX once and I remember that my mechanic just flushed the crankcase with petrol and then put in the new oil.
This was back in 2009 so my memory is a bit hazy but I don't remember multiple changes of oil.
I wouldn't recommend this on the 4 stroke, since petrol would be too thin for the oil pump to pump upto the head of the engine.

You are lucky that the water ingress did not cause any electrical problems - that would have been a tough one to check and fix away from home.
Glad to know that the bike runs fine.

A couple of recommendations -
1. Check the brake oil as well as the pads - they may need a thorough clean and sanding.
2. Battery and air box - There may be some water / sludge remaining in the nooks and crevices. I would dismantle these just to have a look and put it back.

[Torino]

Originally Posted by SnS_12

Now, since you have already ridden the bike with that contaminated oil it would be better to open the head and check the valves just to be sure there are no possibilities of a long term damage because of the contaminated oil or any debris which would have entered with the water.

Thanks for the advice. Will get the valves checked at the service center asap.

Originally Posted by jomson13

You are lucky that the water ingress did not cause any electrical problems -
A couple of recommendations

Lucky indeed, a short circuit was my first though when the bike died. I got the battery, relays, fuses and spark plugs removed, cleaned and dried at the incident site. Wiped the airbox clean during the first oil change.

By brake oil I believe you mean the rear since the rear reservoir was submerged, didn't think of this, will get this checked. Thanks!

Originally Posted by sukiwa

That's quite an ordeal and the way you handled it shows your technical competence, Kudos for that.
This incident is similar to RE Himalayan incident described by Nasirkaka (Triumph Scrambler 400 X Review)

Thanks!. Nasirkaka's post reflects my friend's comment during this incident, ''the simplicity of the bike's design that allows to be worked upon easily anywhere helped us''.

Luckily my friend's Meteor 350's stock tool kit had the sparkplug wrench tool which the Interceptor's lacks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xugMQkSLLc

[SnS_12]

Originally Posted by Torino

Thanks for the advice. Will get the valves checked at the service center asap.

Once the head cover is opened the first thing to be confirmed is that the oil and water mixture has not turned into a sludge and is deposited on the internals. If that is the case then the engine has to be dismantled and all the internals have to be cleaned/replaced wherever required. If you leave it like that it will just keep contaminating the new engine oil no matter how many flushes you do.

Hopefully the above scenario is not the case and then you would only need to confirm if the valves have a proper seal when shut with no leaks or bends. All the best.

[winsto_keny]

Originally Posted by Torino

I went ahead to cross the water on the bike. Soon after 10-15 feet of getting into the water I could see the water level reaching almost the fuel tank and the engine died. I was stuck with the water level well over the exhaust.

I remember when this happened to me and my bs3 himalayan when it was some 23k odd kms, I was shitting brix when i saw the oil colour turned whitish when i reached home. I called my mechanic home, he inspected the vehicle he took 4k cash and left, He then came home the next day with all the tools and spares, fresh engine oil and a big can of petrol. He removed the engine we carried it to my terrace, dismantled the entire thing part by part washed it with petrol and reassembled it after it dried, fit it back on bike, poured in a low quality oil in to the engine(just for test purpose).
We started the bike increased the idling to 2k ish rpm and left it for about half an hour in that gap went had couple of chai's and dhum's to release the pressure and stress, came back home took the bike for test ride and found everything normal, removed the engine oil and poured in new motul and the vehicle was good to go. Vehicle is now 75k odd kms and running strong.
Total amount I spent on the issue ~6.5k with the labour charge. We learn from our mistakes. From then I made sure even if I am doing a water body crossing the water level shouldnt be of the air filters level, If it is then i take a U-turn and go for a highway run or go home. Because sometimes you wont be lucky to get away with just this.

[Dr.Iyer]

Originally Posted by Torino

Initial thought was to go for Motul 7100 but Castrol Power1 Ultimate was available at an irresistible price of Rs575 per liter in Amazon.

What is your take on the Castrol engine oil? It's time for me to service my bike and was thinking of trying out Castrol. I am currently using Motul.

[Torino]

Originally Posted by Dr.Iyer

What is your take on the Castrol engine oil? It's time for me to service my bike and was thinking of trying out Castrol. I am currently using Motul.

Castrol should give you similar experience like Motul. Apart from the OE Liquid Gun I've also tried Total, Castrol and currently running on Motul for the first time and I for one did not find any significant difference in performance and heat management in any of these and I personally follow a 6000 kms oil change interval. I believe Motul, Castrol, Total and other reputed brands in this Rs 700 to 800 price range will offer similar performance. To experience significant difference we might have to check the Rs 1500 premium segment with the likes of Silkolene, Motorex, Liqui Moly etc.

Checking the prices for used Xpulse in OLX has become a daily habit as my search for a light weight trail/off-road motorcycle to stay alongside the Interceptor. Happen to pass by the RE showroom and dropped in for a quick first impressions on the new Himalayan. First off, the new Himalayan felt as heavy as the Interceptor to get off the side stand and to move. I happened to check the KTM ADV 390 earlier that day for my friend and the new Himalayan clearly felt comparatively larger and heavier. Quick conclusion was the new Himalayan isn't bike for someone like me who is trying to learn trail/off-road riding as a beginner for fun, size and weight is a significant factor. Also with its 40 bhp and lesser weight will offer similar levels of on-road performance as the Interceptor which might lead to a state of redundancy. The new Himalayan can make a strong case if I have to replace my Interceptor but that's not going to happen, the sweet 650cc twin is here to stay.

The usual weekend breakfast rides continue and as the year comes to an end I might as well plan to exhaust my leaves with some one-day rides.

[Dr.Iyer]

Originally Posted by Torino

Castrol should give you similar experience like Motul. Apart from the OE Liquid Gun I've also tried Total, Castrol and currently running on Motul for the first time and I for one did not find any significant difference in performance and heat management in any of these and I personally follow a 6000 kms oil change interval. I believe Motul, Castrol, Total and other reputed brands in this Rs 700 to 800 price range will offer similar performance. To experience significant difference we might have to check the Rs 1500 premium segment with the likes of Silkolene, Motorex, Liqui Moly etc.

Checking the prices for used Xpulse in OLX has become a daily habit as my search for a light weight trail/off-road motorcycle to stay alongside the Interceptor. Happen to pass by the RE showroom and dropped in for a quick first impressions on the new Himalayan. First off, the new Himalayan felt as heavy as the Interceptor to get off the side stand and to move. I happened to check the KTM ADV 390 earlier that day for my friend and the new Himalayan clearly felt comparatively larger and heavier. Quick conclusion was the new Himalayan isn't bike for someone like me who is trying to learn trail/off-road riding as a beginner for fun, size and weight is a significant factor. Also with its 40 bhp and lesser weight will offer similar levels of on-road performance as the Interceptor which might lead to a state of redundancy. The new Himalayan can make a strong case if I have to replace my Interceptor but that's not going to happen, the sweet 650cc twin is here to stay.

The usual weekend breakfast rides continue and as the year comes to an end I might as well plan to exhaust my leaves with some one-day rides.

Attachment 2536845

Attachment 2536844

Thank you for your response. I shall try out Castrol this time. My impressions about Motul has been good. Ofcourse, better than RE oil.

I am so tempted to book the Hanle Black himalayan

[Dr.Iyer]

Originally Posted by Torino

Whoa, thats a serious concern. Hope these guys do proper R&D and testing with those tubeless spoke rims before selling to anymore customers.
...

This Castrol is 10w50. Since 10w40 is recommended for the interceptor, any specific reason to use 10w50?

[adrift@life]

Originally Posted by Dr.Iyer

This Castrol is 10w50. Since 10w40 is recommended for the interceptor, any specific reason to use 10w50?

interceptor uses 10w50 too, at least my 2019 bs4 does.

[aargee]

Originally Posted by Dr.Iyer

This Castrol is 10w50. Since 10w40 is recommended for the interceptor, any specific reason to use 10w50?

From the owner's manual

[Torino]

Ride to Kalvarayan hills
Sometime last month my buddy and I made a one-day ride plan for Kalvarayan hills located ~270 kms away from Chennai. The plan was to start at 5am and return by 6pm on the same day. We picked a day in the middle of the 1st week of December week to avoid the mad weekend traffic on the GST road. We chose Kalvarayan hills cause neither of us have been there and it was the closest hill from Chennai after Jawadhu and Yelaghiri which is doable in a day ride. Earlier this week most part of Chennai witnessed the serious impact from the cyclone Michaung and thankfully we were less affected. After some quick decision on Tuesday evening, prepped the Interceptor with tank full petrol, set tyre pressure and some chain lube while my buddy got his Benelli Leoncino 500 ready.

We started the ride on Wednesday at 5.15am from Tambaram flyover. After some bad patches between Tambaram and Mahindra city toll plaza due to the recent rains, the GST road was smooth as usual. Great roads, perfect climate, low traffic and we maintained speeds close to 100kmph. After a quick tea stop near the Mahindra City toll plaza we made our breakfast stop at Ulundurpet A2B restaurant at 7.45am. After a 30 min breakfast stop and fuel we reached Komuki Dam located at the base of Kalvarayan hills at 9.30am. Stopped to admire the dam and the mountains surrounding it and started climbing, the entire ghat roads are well laid, curvy and smooth making for an amazing riding experience. What’s even better is the winding roads stretches for a massive ~60kms from the base at Komuki dam to all the way across the mountains and down to the other side. But the entire stretch is narrow, has hundreds of blind curves and the locals ride downhill with the engine turned off which demands one to be vigilant. The entire mountain range is massive and beautiful, gave me a mini Ooty feel looking at the mountain ranges. The entire mountain range is devoid of tourism so there is no proper restaurants or hotels. After a couple of small breaks inbetween we reached the plains on the other side at 12pm. From here we headed towards Tindivanam via Tiruvannamalai with a quick juice & fuel stop near Gingee fort. Reached Tindivanam at 2pm for lunch before the final stretch and reached back home at 4pm completing the ~550km ride.

The Interceptor performed flawlessly, those 17 inch wheels allowed me to enjoy those sweeping bends to the max and scrapping both the foot pegs on several corners. The magnetic tank bag came handy and in it I had my rain coat, umbrella, 1L water bottle, cap, sunglasses, gloves & purse in it. My bottom started to become sore while climbing down the hills. Although I’m amazed how my bottom lasted for that long on the stock seat, the need for getting the touring seat has become stronger. A week before this ride I ordered the Carbon Racing angled handlebar raiser hoping to get it before this ride and test it out but I’m yet to receive the shipment.

At the entrance of Kalvarayan hills.


The Komuki dam in front of the Kalvarayan hills.


At the first view point to get a better view of the dam water.


Quick photo stop at the Periyar falls.


Somewhere on the top. Such a beautiful place.

[advstreak]

Originally Posted by Torino

Ride to Kalvarayan hills
my buddy got his Benelli Leoncino 500 ready.

Sorry to digress but how is your buddy's experience on the Leoncino 500 and your comparison to the Interceptor incase you managed to ride it.

I would love if he is able to start an ownership review thread on the Leoncino 500.

[Torino]

Added the pull back aluminum handle bar raisers from Carbon Racing. Installation was pretty straight forward and requires rerouting of the accelerator cables which took me close to 30 mins. Clutch cable and brake line didn’t need rerouting and seem to appear and work fine. Apart from offering more comfortable riding triangle for my 5.7 ft frame, I really like how the now high set handle bar makes maneuvering so much light and easy during slow tight turns and filtering through traffic at slow speeds. Went for a 200km ride taking the Outer Ring Road to explore some trails near Tada in Andhra Pradesh. The more upright seating position felt much nicer during the ride and also riding standing up is now easier with the higher set handlebar.

Originally Posted by advstreak

Sorry to digress but how is your buddy's experience on the Leoncino 500 and your comparison to the Interceptor incase you managed to ride it. I would love if he is able to start an ownership review thread on the Leoncino 500.

I didn't ride the Benelli during this ride but had ridden it during a weekend short ride few months back. The Benelli Leoncino 500 is a fun little bike and the best part is its inline 4 like exhaust note. Performance and fuel efficiency are closely matched with the Interceptor since both the bikes were able to keep up with each other during overtakes, sudden burst of acceleration, getting up to cruising speed and they also had similar fuel intake at every refills during this ~550 km ride. The leoncino 500 attracted a lot of attention during the ride with its unique DLR and eye catching looks. During my short ride in the Leoncino 500 I could feel slight buzz starting in the foot pegs and then on the handlebar. Riding comfort, compact tank and easy handling was better compared to the Interceptor to ride in the city. The Leoncino is the latest addition to his garage which also includes 70's Rajdoot 175, 80's Ind-Suzuki AX100, 90's Yezdi Classic 250 and Jawa 42. He picked up this used Leoncino 500 in 2022 and added just over 10,000 kms in the ODO primarily from long distance riding. Have asked him to register in TBhp and share his ownership experience.

The pull back aluminum handle bar raisers from Carbon Racing


Rerouted the accelerator cables outside the suspension forks.


Explored this interesting trail and snapped some pics.

[Torino]

Got my first leather riding boots!
After using my ultra cheap multi utility ankle high canvas boots which I bought from Amazon almost 5 years ago when I bought the Interceptor, I finally got myself an entry level leather riding boots from Royal Enfield. The criteria for choosing were simple and straightforward- retro looks, all leather construction, basic safety features, light weight, can be worn as causals and affordable price. I got hooked on to leather riding boots from Royal Enfield and Trip Machine Company since both seemed to offer boots which matched most of my criteria. Amazon’s attractive discounts on RE boots during the new year simplified my choice further and shortlisted the RE Huntsman and RE Platoon. Finally chose the RE Platoon as it offered better features over the Huntsman like zipper for quick wear & removal, thicker soft padded inner ankle, better attention to details such as RE branding on the lace and better choice of colors for easier maintenance. The final price after discounts was Rs 3762. This is purely a heart over mind purchase just like my Interceptor and I didn’t dig deep into protection level, certification, material, brand etc.

First impressions are the shoes look properly retro, sturdy, well put together and worth the price I paid. The black and dark olive color combination looks classy and handles dust & dirt better than other lighter colors and compliments my olive color RE Panzer riding jacket. The boots offer snug fit-my size is 42/8, and feels light enough to walk and looks compact enough to be worn as casual attire if necessary. With the laces properly tied, the boots can be put on and removed with just the zipper which is pretty convenient while retaining the classic look of the laces. I initially ordered size 9 which was a bit loose so replaced with 8 which fits perfect. Tried walking inside the house and they felt good but stiff as they are new. Looking forward to try them on my next ride and let the leather to break-in. These boots will be primarily used for my short rides and occasionally to office.

The Royal Enfield Platoon riding boots.


Black & Dark Olive color combo


Color under direct sun light


Thicker padding in inner ankle