[Pkumarblore]

Congrats & a great review. I wish you a happy and safe riding.

I have myself booked one at HSR - Lalbagh Road sometime when it was launched. Every time I take a test ride to convince myself, I come back unimpressed with the slightly lean forward seating position and backward set foot pegs - not to my liking, and not to mention the pillion riders sitting posture. I can probably replace the short handle bar with something aftermarket to suit my upright seating position, but is there anything you could do with foot pegs. Does RE or aftermarket offer any modification assembly to move the foot pegs a little forward(like the HD bikes). I am perfectly seated on my RE CL500. Cant change that now.

Keep writing more about your ownership experience.

[a4anurag]

Originally Posted by Pkumarblore

I can probably replace the short handle bar with something aftermarket to suit my upright seating position, but is there anything you could do with foot pegs. Does RE or aftermarket offer any modification assembly to move the foot pegs a little forward(like the HD bikes).

Check this link - IndiMotard Interceptor 650 Touring Footpegs. They are out of stock as of now. Contact them and they should be available to help you out.

[kkstile]

Excellent Review of the Interceptor. It's really a well priced motorcycle. Many congratulations on the purchase Karthik

[timuseravan]

Congratulations on the bike and what a fantastic review!
Probably last word on the bike - don't think there is anything else to be said

Originally Posted by KarthikK

What I didn't like:

• The stock suspension setup is more tuned for comfort-oriented riding than towards enthusiast-oriented spirited riding. The front is too soft and the rear is a bit better, but while this bike is definitely a lot of fun to throw around at low or moderate speeds, this mismatched setup does ruin the outright enthusiast pleasure and the ride quality as you start to push harder into high speed territory.

The suspension and alloy wheels are the only two things which can be improved on the bike. I wish RE come up with better parts soon.

[Zen Av8r]

Wow. What a review KarthikK. Amazing eye for details and wonderfully put across. Your prologue was exactly what I am thinking. My thought process now has tilted towards the Interceptor after reading this. Thank you.

[MadTiger]

Are you an automotive journalist? Yes? Heck even the famous ones don't go down to this level of detail! Not A journalist? No way you gotta be kidding me! This is some serious top notch review that goes mile ahead of some of the reviews that I have read with my limited knowledge! This is some professional grade write up! Simply outstanding, crisp and exhaustive detailing! Keep revving and ride safe Mate!

Here's my bakers express!

[V.Narayan]

I never read through bike reviews. Maybe a cursory glance at the most. My interest in bikes passed away 3 decades ago. Yet the way you opened your essay made it compelling reading. This must be one of the most well written reviews on our forum be it for a car or a bike -- you let the photos do the talking and kept your points succinct and easy to read. Rated it a well deserved 5 stars. Happy miles, safe miles.

[KarthikK]

Originally Posted by GTO

Thank you for the deadly review! Shortly going to our homepage . I am not even a bike guy, but am still reading parts of your thread with interest. Love your story-telling style and your obvious attention-to-detail.

Ride safe, brother .

Thanks a lot for the kind words GTO, glad you liked it

Originally Posted by rrsteer

That first post felt like the presentation that the product guys would have delivered to the management to convince them to invest in this motorcycle.
Great ownership report.

Thank you, that was a nice analogy, lol!

Originally Posted by amods

Barring the negatives, this review could very well serve as official advertisement for RE Great stuff. Being a biker myself, I look forward to detailed reviews. Thanks for sharing.

The Interceptor 650 had tempted me to switch to RE again from my Dominar(Had a Thunderbird before this). I have good experience of RE after sales, and was quite satisfied with ownership. If it was not for highway crawl speeds of TB, I wouldn't have switched at the first place - the thing is way too slow.

The only deal breaker for me in the 650 was the bench seats and lack of back support for pillion. I am more of a log distance tourer and would travel with a pillion most of the time. The rider seat of TB was way too good, sigh.

Only if RE launches a tourer spec of 650 before my next bike, I would be the first one to switch again.

Thanks a lot amods!
Yes, you're right. The seating is one of the sore points for very long distance touring. I'm not sure what is the scene on their Himalayan 650, which might fix the needs you're talking about.

Originally Posted by 1.2TSI7DSG

Salivating Review! & what a prologue

I wish they lauch a Thunderbird version of the 650!!! I will be up for such a bike. I loved the thunderbird 500, couldn't get it before it was discontinued. Have been drooling over the 650 twins for quiet some time but I like a much relaxed mile muching position on a bike.

Thanks a lot 1.2TSI7DSG. Now that their engine is proven to be trouble-free, they should indeed think of using it in many more products to make this performance more reachable, as you said. Thunderbird always had its cult following, hope they carry forward that line with worthy updates as you mentioned.

Originally Posted by kamilharis

Excellent review and such a lovely beautiful prologue that was!!

That prologue itself can get a few more Interceptor 650 customers for RE from this forum.

Wish you an awesome ownership experience. Keep this thread updated !!

Thanks for your kind words!

Originally Posted by ast.ggn

When I was reading that N1000 review sometime back, I was wondering that why don't I have it parked in my garage? Now I am wondering why don't I have an Interceptor parked there?

Jokes apart, fantastic review man and excellent pics. It is due to these kind of reviews, the forum holds a special place.

Thanks a lot ast.ggn for the kind words. Glad you liked going through it

Originally Posted by landcruiser123

Hi KarthikK,
This is such a brilliant review, rating it 5*. Talk about having the cake and eating it too.

It Looks like the perfect motorcycle to have fun and still can be ridden by the husband/son to the neighbourhood store to buy milk when asked (ordered? ) by his wife/mother.

Wish you many years & miles of safe and happy riding. Stay healthy.

Thank you! I agree, this is a product which can feel just as much as home in the city doing home-bound errands as it can burning rubber on the open roads.

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

My goodness, what a fabulously detailed and informative review once again by you, KarthikK saar. You are raising the standards of motorcycle ownership reviews on this to forum to levels that only you can reach!

Thanks for your kind words Neil!

The 650 twins are really great motorcycles, with the Interceptor easily outselling the GT, and it seems they have successfully turned around the perception of Royal Enfield in the minds of enthusiasts in India and abroad. The Himalayan was supposed to be that game changer but the initial missteps meant that it had a long and laborious road to redemption and eventually only furthered the perception that RE wasnt ready for the big time. With the BS6 version though, the company seems to have wronged all its past sins with the Himalayan platform and it should be a big success everywhere. Im sure some ownership reviews of the BS6 Himalayan will eventually pop up on the forum, hopefully the members writing them can succeed in matching the quality of this one!

Completely agree on all these views. Very well summarized on RE's recent advancements.

Honestly, if I were buying the Interceptor 650, I would just invest in a pair of aftermarket shocks like YSS, maybe just the rear at first and change the fork oil up front. Then if required, I would upgrade the front as well. Owners abroad who have gone for suspension upgrades on the 650s say that it has completely changed the handling characteristics of the bike and that it is a must do.

I agree, if one is intent on pushing and extracting much more from this bike. it does make sense investing in one of these aftermarket shocks like YSS. I believe Ohlins also has a retrofit kit available but it is a lot pricier too.

A bigger windscreen would do wonders for your highway rides. I use a Givi one on my Continental GT 535 and it makes a lot of difference when the roads open up. With your tall frame, your body gets enough windblast as it is! Just think about the Himalayan windscreen if you want a more OEM look. Even that Indian made one that other Interceptor owners have talked about on the 650 twins thread looks to be a very good option.

Thank you for this information Neil. I'll PM you if and when I decide to get a Rhinoceros horn, lol!
I don't know man, somehow every visor ruins the round light look for me. Just a mind block of course. I have seen a few Interceptors with the Himalayan windshield. I'm sure they must be very effective at controlling wind blast.

If you ever want to give away these chrome mirrors and switch to the touring mirrors full time, please let me know. I will take them for sure.

No way, lol!

A lot of parts on the 650 twins are taken from the forgotten Continental GT 535. So over time, maybe some of the GT 535's eccentricities might pass on down to the 650 twins. On the GT 535, the rear tail light has been known to conk off without warning. So only while braking, it will light up but not otherwise.

Thanks for this information. Didn't know this at all about the parts sharing, I'll keep a tab on the taillight as you have suggested.

Out of curiosity, if you happen to buy another bike, will you have a third set of riding gear

Never say never, *wink*

Originally Posted by Slushmaster

Hey Karthikk, Congratulations for the new bike! Everything so well written, I really enjoyed every bit of it. Good to see that you have spent a fortune on riding gear, something people avoid even after spending lakhs on their bikes.

Thank you so much Slushmaster!
Yeah, after a dislocated elbow I'm a bit more paranoid on getting good riding gear to save me from further pains, haha!

For India, I think RE is the best bet if you want to see the lengths of our beautiful country on a bike. For RE (not sure about interceptor and Himalayan), you will find a mechanic even in the remotest places. As a biker, I have mapped almost all the remote places of north India on my Desert Storm, a feat that I don't want to do on my Tiger.

Very well said, given their rugged and simple nature and easy availability of support all the way in remote places as well. It is very nice to learn that you have toured extensively on your RE. Do share the travelogue sometime for us to enjoy.

Originally Posted by ManasN95

Lovely review Sir, I almost contemplated going over to the Royal Enfield showroom by the time I finished reading this.

Which color will you have, sir? Just kidding!

Off went my hand in the key drawer, and there lay my CBR250R keys, reminding that I have to do justice with her before upgrading. I was very close to the purchase of the Interceptor had the baby CBR had not been standing.

That is one hell of a highway tourer as well. I have ridden that bike a lot and loved every bit of its all rounder capabilities.

That being said, is it too much to wish that Royal Enfield develop a Himalayan 650 over the next year? Now that would disrupt the market like an earthquake.

Absolutely, a Himalayan 650 would cause an earthquake in the budget adventure tourer segment. IMO they could have launched it immediately after the 650 twins for maximum impact.

Originally Posted by rahul4321

Hi Karthik,

Lovely review - absolutely top notch

The first paragraph which started off with visual descriptions of how you zeroe'd in onto the RE Interceptor vis-a-vis the other choices in the market was really too good. I had so much fun reading through those comparisons and I could identify exactly what you are talking about and I could relate to it a 100%

Thank you for your kind words rahul4321! Just created a bit of analogy timepass to enliven the thread, lol!

I tour extensively (I do not use my motorcycles for city riding and prefer to use a car instead) and I have in my garage 2nd generation Duke 390 for touring on the highways and cities plotted on the major highways and a RE Himalayan for touring to places which are not plotted on the major highways.

I rode my friend's Interceptor for 50 kilometres on a Sunday Ride and I can definitely say - the brakes on the Interceptor outshine most motorcycles in the market today in the same price range (and definitely ALL other motorcycles from the RE stable)

Completely agree with you. Lovely setup you have, with two weapons one for bad roads and one for good roads. Here's wishing you many more miles on it and the Himalayan

Originally Posted by Pkumarblore

Congrats & a great review. I wish you a happy and safe riding.

I have myself booked one at HSR - Lalbagh Road sometime when it was launched. Every time I take a test ride to convince myself, I come back unimpressed with the slightly lean forward seating position and backward set foot pegs - not to my liking, and not to mention the pillion riders sitting posture. I can probably replace the short handle bar with something aftermarket to suit my upright seating position, but is there anything you could do with foot pegs. Does RE or aftermarket offer any modification assembly to move the foot pegs a little forward(like the HD bikes). I am perfectly seated on my RE CL500. Cant change that now.

Thank you for your wishes Pkumarblore. As you said, the completely upright ergonomics is something a Classic rider will miss in the 650 twins. There are some modifications for these in the aftermarket space, a notable one which has been pointed by A4Anurag in his suggestion. You could check that out as a workaround in case you liked everything else about this bike.

Originally Posted by kkstile

Excellent Review of the Interceptor. It's really a well priced motorcycle. Many congratulations on the purchase Karthik

Thanks a lot Karthik!

Originally Posted by timuseravan

Congratulations on the bike and what a fantastic review!
Probably last word on the bike - don't think there is anything else to be said


The suspension and alloy wheels are the only two things which can be improved on the bike. I wish RE come up with better parts soon.

Thanks a lot timuserevan!
I agree, but maybe this appeals to the larger junta at large who prefer low speed maturity of the bike rather than razor sharp dynamics. I agree that they should have affordable aftermarket options now that they created an affordable bike, lol!

Originally Posted by Zen Av8r

Wow. What a review KarthikK. Amazing eye for details and wonderfully put across. Your prologue was exactly what I am thinking. My thought process now has tilted towards the Interceptor after reading this. Thank you.

Thank you so much Zen Av8r. I am glad you liked it.

Originally Posted by MadTiger

Are you an automotive journalist? Yes? Heck even the famous ones don't go down to this level of detail! Not A journalist? No way you gotta be kidding me! This is some serious top notch review that goes mile ahead of some of the reviews that I have read with my limited knowledge! This is some professional grade write up! Simply outstanding, crisp and exhaustive detailing! Keep revving and ride safe Mate!

Here's my bakers express!

You are too kind MadTiger, thanks a lot for your wishes and I'm glad you enjoyed going through it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

I never read through bike reviews. Maybe a cursory glance at the most. My interest in bikes passed away 3 decades ago. Yet the way you opened your essay made it compelling reading. This must be one of the most well written reviews on our forum be it for a car or a bike -- you let the photos do the talking and kept your points succinct and easy to read. Rated it a well deserved 5 stars. Happy miles, safe miles.

Thank you so much for your kind words V.Narayan sir! Now that I got your attention onto the bike section, maybe we could see you getting more active here on the other interesting threads, lol!

[Torino]

Originally Posted by KarthikK

Obviously it works fine and does what it is supposed to do, but for the past 6 months or so there has been an annoying screeching sound which only surfaces under light and gradual braking (not under heavy and liberal use of the rear brake), which just refuses to go away no matter what I do.

Amazing review! and a great list of riding gear and accessories you got there. Sintered brake pads are generally noisy in nature due to its high metallic content. And the ones in the Interceptor always 'hiss' loudly and sometimes squeel under gradual braking. I dont think the noise will go away but yes they do a great job in braking.

Originally Posted by Pkumarblore

Does RE or aftermarket offer any modification assembly to move the foot pegs a little forward(like the HD bikes). I am perfectly seated on my RE CL500. Cant change that now.

You can also take a look at the touring peg mounts from way2speed performance https://www.instagram.com/p/CDv-0tyJ..._web_copy_link.

[tchsvy]

IMHO, this has to be among the top three motorcycle ownership reviews on tbhp, along with CrAzYdRiVeR's 'Black Panther' thread and mobike008's 'Dark Knight' thread. A true five star review here.

I currently ride a CBR 250R and 650F was the bike I wanted to upgrade to via preowned route. After going through this review, my thoughts are 'when I can have a brand new bike that can do everything I can ever need at half the price of an used CBR, why should I spend more on a used bike?'. If anyone from RE is reading this, that prologue is all you need to promote the twins!

[Kuldeep31]

Thoroughly enjoyed your style of writing and the sheer substance of it. If T-Bhp had an official bike review this would be it.
Your observations are spot on. The only two aspects that kept me away from this machine are it's weight and pillion incompatibility. Wishing you happy, unlimited mile munching with this beautiful machine.
Regards

[Slushmaster]

Originally Posted by KarthikK

It is very nice to learn that you have toured extensively on your RE. Do share the travelogue sometime for us to enjoy.

I am not a very good writer, but will definitely share pics from different trips. Also, good riding gear makes the difference of life and death and its better to be safe than sorry. Check Helite Airbag jackets, they are something very different and promising(future purchase ).

Ride Safe,
Slushmaster

[GT145]

Well deserved review for an excellent bike. I have been saying this to everyone who is looking to purchase a new bike, if you have 3 lakhs budget then put your money on Interceptor. It's such a value for money product in my opinion, we are lucky that this is manufactured in India and we get such a good engine and all rounder bike for around 3 lakhs. I have a Street Twin with me but I will still recommend Interceptor because all the quality issues or small niggles can be fixed with high quality after market parts which are available, altogether it will still won't costs as much as an ST, and will ride as good as an ST. And, the good thing is you won't burn your pocket for regular service or a failed part, and have easy access to service centers anywhere in India.

I badly want to buy an Interceptor, though I just can't live with the excess chrome, really hope they roll out a black edition in near future, don't want to go and dismantle a new bike to paint everything black.

[r_nairtvm]

Originally Posted by KarthikK

Did you ever fancy a retro-styled bike in your garage but got turned off by the lack of power and highway manners?


With that I introduce to you my two-wheeled Swiss army knife - the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650.

Nice Review Karthik. May be 1st of sorts - a "Pictorial-review" . Many USPs of the Interceptor 650 has been well brought out.

Best Regards & Ride Safe

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Brilliant stuff KK.

Although the bar was set really high with the Ninja review, this one has taken it one step further still! Interceptor 650 is truly a brilliant motorcycle and makes for a perfect garage-mate with the Ninja 1000.

Originally Posted by tchsvy

IMHO, this has to be among the top three motorcycle ownership reviews on tbhp, along with CrAzYdRiVeR's 'Black Panther' thread and mobike008's 'Dark Knight' thread. A true five star review here.

Thanks for the mention, but I guess the Versys threads were demolished long back by Karthik's own Ninja report - https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/super...ip-review.html