Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 long term review, second report
Our Interceptor has kept its promises, and it’s only just begun.
Published on May 23, 2019 06:00:00 AM
40,735 Views
Follow us on![Autocar India Google News](https://cdni.autocarindia.com/aci/prod-new/images/google-news-icon-min.png)
![Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 long term review, second report Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 long term review, second report](https://cdni.autocarindia.com/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://cdni.autocarindia.com/ExtraImages/20190430044432_20190124_150312.jpg&w=700&c=1)
![Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 long term review, second report Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 long term review, second report](https://cdni.autocarindia.com/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://cdni.autocarindia.com/ExtraImages/20190430045621_DSC_1130.jpg&w=700&c=1)
TORQUE IS CHEAP: Creamy torque spread is an absolute highway delight.
![Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 long term review, second report Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 long term review, second report](https://cdni.autocarindia.com/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://cdni.autocarindia.com/ExtraImages/20190430045621_DSC_1131.jpg&w=700&c=1)
SEAT IT RIGHT: Accessory ‘touring’ seat still not comfy for too-long riding days.
Egged on by the Interceptor’s simplistic appeal, I’d announced all of my ambitious plans with it the last time it was featured on this page. Then, a week passed by without a trace of activity and I began to worry. Thankfully – and to continue with my uncalled-for discourse on great motorcycles from the last time – coming up with a ruse to justify an unreasonably long absence from the office came to me rather naturally. The first such instance saw me cram a clean 2,700km in a matter of four riding days, with a three-day track event wedged in between.
![](https://cdni.autocarindia.com/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://cdni.autocarindia.com/Reviews/DSC_1127.jpg&c=0&w=700)
The Interceptor’s character makes you forget it’s a cut-price twin-cylinder motorcycle (perhaps the cheapest of its sort anywhere in the reasonable world), and its abilities turn even a string of tightly packed, long-distance riding days into an easy-going feature film. And because riding it is so comfortable, I found myself feeling rested and refreshed even on the go, stopping only for fuel or to take a photograph of the bike against something agreeable.
![](https://cdni.autocarindia.com/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://cdni.autocarindia.com/Reviews/DSC_1124.jpg&c=0&w=700)
Alright, so to call that ride ‘perfect’ would be inaccurate because I have discovered the Interceptor’s Achilles heel – the tyre configuration. Before you misinterpret that, let me assure you that the Pirelli rubber it runs is absolutely ample (although it holds a liberal view on small powerslides over concrete roads). The problem is regarding the ease of tyre removal in case of a puncture. At present, given the rim design, the only way to effectively remove the tyre is with the help of a pneumatic machine – which, as many of you would know, isn’t exactly commonplace in India. In the two instances I picked up (a total of five) punctures, I spent a few hours each time just to access the tube – and then another hour or so re-mounting the tyre. It’s frustrating, no doubt, but in a place with negligible assistance, it can mean deep trouble. Now Royal Enfield was kind enough to loan me a new set of tubes, but in the long run, it’s probably advisable to switch to alloys with suitable tubeless tyres; Royal Enfield is going to offer such a setup as an accessory fitment in the time to come, and as much as it takes away from the bike’s classical aesthetics, it’s worth all the trouble you’ll have saved.
I have bigger trouble at hand now, though. While I was daydreaming about yet another ride, Hormazd helped himself to the Interceptor’s keys (erm, along with the motorcycle); and if his enthusiastic weekend plans are anything to go by, I suppose my time with this lovely motorcycle is up. So long, then!
Also see:
Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 long term review, first report
Fact File | Petrol |
---|---|
Distance covered | 5,725km |
Price when new | Rs 2.50 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) |
Maintenance costs | Rs 500 (punctures) |
Faults | None |
Previous Report | February 2019 |
Copyright (c) Autocar India. All rights reserved.
Comments
Member Login
Personal Details
No comments yet. Be the first to comment.