Royal Enfield Interceptor Issues?

[Burnt_out]

Hiya,

Does anyone on this forum own/ride a Royal Enfield Interceptor 650?

I have been drooling over the Interceptor for a couple of years now, its a classy looking bike.

I have seen lots of youtube videos with most singing the praises of the Interceptor but most of those same vidios are by people receiving sponsorship or payment of somekind.

What I would like to hear are the opinions from genuine owners of the bike and in particular, any bad-ponts that they feel need a mention.

Two problems that keep getting mentioned are that the front foot-pegs are badly positioned and in conjunction with the seating position results in ancles getting caught on the foot-pegs when tippy-toeing at the lights?

The other problem that gets mentioned quite a lot is that the bike is very top-heavy for its size.

Opinions, comments observations or heckles?

Regards,

Burnt_out

[to v or not to v]

test ride one and see what you think.
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current bike Yamaha Thunderace.
Moto Guzzi V7.

[stinkwheel]

The front suspension is a tad clunky and cheap feeling. That fits with it being cheap though.

If you're clunking your ankles on the footpegs at the lights, you are riding wrong. You stop, put your foot down. You start riding off and lift your foot up as the bike moves away, the bike shouldn't be moving and creeping about at the same time as your foot is on the ground.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Freddyfruitba...]

Ask the question on a dedicated Enfield forum?
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KC100->CB100N->CB250RS--------->DL650AL2->R1200RS->R1250RS

[Fat Angry Scotsman]

[Freddyfruitba...]

[Nobby the Bastard]

Its stupid to hold your right foot on the brake. As soon as you get rear ended your foot flies off defeating the object.
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trevor saxe-coburg-gotha:"Remember this simple rule - scooters are for men who like to feel the breeze on their huge, flapping cunt lips."
Triumph Sprint ST 1050

[stinkwheel]

[Nobby the Bastard]

And that generally why I don't hold either brake at the lights unless thers a gradient
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trevor saxe-coburg-gotha:"Remember this simple rule - scooters are for men who like to feel the breeze on their huge, flapping cunt lips."
Triumph Sprint ST 1050

[Shaft]

https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=332811

Foot pegs are absolutely not an issue and the only way I can imagine them to be top heavy, are if you seriously light weight and vertically challenged.

The suspension is shit, but you can live with it.

I don't like the seat, others don't have a problem with it.

A similar value Bonneville is probably a better bike, but it will also be a lot older - when I bought my RE, it was less than a year old and a new Bonnie was twice the price, but it isn't twice the bike.

At this point, I'm happy with my choice; yes, I will spend a few quid upgrading various things, but I think the basic bike is good enough to enjoy and I like the idea of having something I can tinker with over time, given that I'm quite old now and I doubt I will be buying another new bike again.
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Things get better with age; I'm close to being magnificent........
20 RE Interceptor, 83 Z1100A3, 83 GS650 Katana
WooHoo, I'm a Man Point Millionaire! https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=234035

[jonquirk]

If you’re buying new, and you want a parallel twin with 47bhp the Honda CB500F is lighter and £40 cheaper.

On the issue of the foot pegs: I rode a Zero on Sunday and when I sat on the bike with my foot on the ground the peg was touching my calf. This doesn’t happen on either of my own bikes so peg position can be an issue (I didn’t look to see if there was any adjustment possible).
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2021 Triumph Trident660
1978 BMW R60/7

[Fat Angry Scotsman]

[Zen Dog]

[Nobby the Bastard]

Front brake. I feel its more likely to end up under the rear ending vehicle if it hits hard enough than go end over end and leaves the option of just stepping away from the bike as well as being much more stable to hold it up in a low energy collision if you have both feet on the ground.
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trevor saxe-coburg-gotha:"Remember this simple rule - scooters are for men who like to feel the breeze on their huge, flapping cunt lips."
Triumph Sprint ST 1050

[Zen Dog]

I can see the logic. If I lived and rode somewhere where I was regularly at risk of getting rear ended (rather than regularly at risk of sliding backwards down a hill if the surface is less than perfect) I might well make the same choice.
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Current - '94 VFR750FR (Dead), '00 VFR800FI, 2011 CBF125 Previous - '10 Street Triple R, '92 MZ ETZ301, '05 TTR250, NSR125R, KMX125, "Honda" Win (chinese copy of an old Honda design with a C90 engine)
My bike trip around S.E. Asia 2010/2011

[stinkwheel]

Anyone who has owned a bike with a TLS drum brake knows there's no point using the front brake to stop on an upwards incline.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Burnt_out]

Hi again Folks,

Thanks for all the answers and comment. Looks like a test ride is in warented

I must confess to not yet having sat on theInterceptor and aside to chatting to an Interceptor owner regarding the nice sounding cans he had fitted I have no practical experience of the bike so that is what prompted my questions.

As a pensioner I will not be buying many new bikes in the future so I would like to get this purchase right

Regarding the tippy-toeing at the lights, I think this comment caused some confussion. Just to clarify, I dont condone tippy-toeing myself but was quoting the experience of RE owners in relation to a perceived foot-peg issue and "ankle catching" when moving forward.

Personally, I am a both feet down where possible man or left foot on the peg if traffic is moving slowly with right foot ready to drop-and-support if traffic stops.
But does it really matter? Whats most important is what works for you and whats safe for you!



Cheers,

Burtnt_out

[Freddyfruitba...]

[stinkwheel]

[Fat Angry Scotsman]