Royal Enfield Interceptor in 2022 - Is it still a good choice
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- čas přidán 20. 05. 2022
- The Royal Enfield 650 Twins have been on Aussie soil for quite a while now and continue to grow in popularity.
In this video I review the 2022 Royal Enfield Interceptor 650.
I look at all the features of the Interceptor and talk about if they are still relevant in 2022.
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Royal Enfield Australia royalenfield.com.au/
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![How Royal Enfield made the best [selling] retro motorcycle in the world](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/aDU50er5zGc/mqdefault.jpg)
**Note.... in this already has braided brake lines, in video I say I would upgrade to them. 🤙🤙
I was just about to ask if you had subtly told us this bike no longer had braided brake lines, glad to hear it still has. Thank you for a nice informative video.
It’s clearly a very well specified machine, I have one and the only thing I’ve done that was a genuine improvement was changing the rear shocks to Hagon
The braided lines are quite visible, btw........
In the UK, the Interceptor appeals to old codgers like me, who remember what bikes looked like in the 50s and 60s, in fact I had someone congratulate me on a fantastic restoration job and had to tell it was a brand new bike! Modern bikes do what they do very well but in my opinion they have all the aesthetic appeal of an electric drill!
I've had the same questions,"How long did it take to restore",which is fabulous for how good the bike looks.
I bought my RE Classic 500 new in 2018 & I've had similar experiences with people commenting that it's a great restoration & what year is it? Their looks of surprise when they see the "18" plate on the back are great!
The 650 Interceptor hadn't been released in UK in 2018 & I've yet to ride one. I'm tempted......but I *do* love the character of that 500 single. Maybe I should have the 500 *&* the 650....? I've just been touring in UK on the 500 & it never missed a beat. It's a bit outgunned on the Motorway (Freeway) so I keep to the A roads & byways. I'm not in *such* a big hurry.
Yeah, I'm 64.
Sold my Ducati Supersport and bought an Interceptor, which I am bit by bit making it mine.
Best thing I did for a long time, just as much fun to ride and the bike itself and running costs are minimal.
Pulls a crowd, just like thr Ducati did.
@@indidogg1215 Great bike they've nailed the look & tourqe delivery on the R.E Twins.
Asked by a cop if I had performed the restoration myself. 😅😅
Cant knock the Enfield at this price point nostalgic riding but with modern engineering and reliability.
A bike with real character.
I agree Lee
I have just bought a 650 Interceptor, stepping up from a 350 classic. I had the classic 3 1/2 years and did over 40 000 kilometers on it. the interceptor offers me more power and speed especially when encountering a long up hill and a head wind when fully loaded for touring. I have done 1700 Kilometers now and it has had its first service. so far so good, loving it (70 year old rider)
@Cedric T. Love the age revelation. Encouraging!
Congratulations, does it heat up much on the highway cruising speed between 90 n 120 kmph. Thanks
I havent experienced over heating issue, been riding a lot this summer, just home from a 1500K ride @@winnerscirclehorseracingin2518
Been riding bikes 40 plus years …. Lots of different bikes old / new … British Japanese etc . Took a test ride on a 650 continental GT and was hooked immediately so bought one . I’d say without doubt it’s the best bike I’ve owned so far (40 bikes give or take) absolutely love it . RE are onto a winner with both the interceptor and continental GT .
Glad you love it....and I agree 👍 💯
At first, I was reluctant to consider the Interceptor. I looked at and eliminated other bikes. Finally came down to Honda CB500F or RE 650. Pulled the trigger on the Interceptor - Took it for a test ride and the hook was set. Wondering why I took do long.
It's a cool looking ride, and looks to be good value for money. Explains why RE are selling plenty of them.
Absolutely Darren, thanks for watching
I have 2021 Interceptor fitted with CEAT tyres,they are great .10,000 klms and still going strong, good grip I ride hard and have scraped the peg’s on both sides.
I was filling up at fuel station my interceptor , a woman in her 50 ties walked up to me and said "what a beautiful stylish lovely old bike!
Great review! It just confirmed that I made the right decision a week ago and bought a 2020 Interceptor with a mere 391 miles on the clock ... not even fully run-in yet! I'm a Scot living in the north of Scotland and the roads are perfect for a bike of this type. I'm 71 and swapped my beloved BMW R1150GS for the RE, as I'll be able to pick the 650 up if I drop it (unlikely!), whereas the GS would be near impossible for me! My bike came with Pirelli Phantoms which work really well. Keep up the good work!
Thank you John, enjoy the ride mate, yes I;m sure it will be so much better to move around for you
Mine has Pirelli Phantoms also and they work well. I also upgraded to YYS Z series rear suspension and YSS front fork kit and the bike feels planted, giving me utmost confidence. The front fork dive under braking has gone and the suspension is now firmer and absorbs the bumps better. The bike handles really well.
Welcome to the RE family. My interceptor is a 2021. I changed the air box and put S&S exhaust mufflers on it. Tires are next.
@@randyolan1273 Randy, thanks 😊 I'm not completely new to RE, as I had a 2004 pre-unit Bullet 500 a few years ago. Back in the sixties, my wee brother had a 250 Crusader, which, on twisty back roads, would keep up with my 750 Norton Commando 😀
@@randyolan1273 Bridgestone Batlax BT46 are heaps better than Stock tyre's.
Great spill on the bike, told us everything we needed to know, big thumbs up.
Good review 👍 exactly what this bike is and exactly what i did last year - scrambler'ed it with various mods, offroad tyres and engine tuning, its a real blast! BigBore kit is the last thing left.
I test ride one yesterday at a bike event. I’ve had my eye on these for a while. I’m
one of those people stepping down from a sports bike, just sold my Street Triple. Just acquired a 76 Bonneville but looking for something a bit more modern that will eat up the miles. I was really impressed on my twenty minute test ride, felt like I could ride all day on it. Very comfortable, smooth power delivery and looks the business. Check out Tec Bike Parts scrambler build on one of these, really good!
Thanks for a great review. I am looking seriously at the 650 interceptor and mods that I can afford 🤩🤩🤩
Feel proud to own one of them. Bought Sunset Strip a week ago. Loved the bike
Absolutely loved the review, keep up the good work Rob.
Much Love from India. 😍
That's the best color one 😃.
I really like the Royal Enfield's. They are so reasonably priced for what you get. I like the retro aspect of it as well.
They are reasonably priced bevoz they r Indian bikes. If it was from UK or US or Japan the price would have been 2 times
@@pundalikwalke1590 nah if it was from US there would be an additional zero. HD prices are ridiculous.
All thanks to the low Indian labour cost
Thank you!!!! Planning on getting motorcycling sometime soon and this looks like the baby I'll be going for as a first LAMS bike! As something I'll be able to hold onto, modify and love for years to come, it looks *juuust* perfect. 🔥
I hope you enjoy it. I really love them
Great review! Great edit. Raising the bar which is what I've come to expect from this channel. It's impressive what is available in the aftermarket I wouldn't have guessed you could get a big bore kit. It would make a great cafe racer project among all the others you mentioned.
Spot on review 👍 These bikes are such a pleasure to own. So cheap to buy and to customise, and with some motor work they become a completely different machine. Do it! 😁
I love my new interceptor. Bought it back in December and have put damn near 2000 miles on it (granted I'm also riding my speedmaster too) so far. After I put on a DNA filter and S&S 2-1 exhaust it really came alive. I'm currently working on turning it into a scrambler.
How’s the scram coming?
@@AlmondAdgenda pretty well actually. Replaced the rear suspension and lowered the ride hight by 2in alsoadded adjustments to the front suspension. I've replaced the front sprocket with a 14 tooth and added Anakee Wilds tires front/rear. I also replaced the factory foot pegs with some aftermarket dirt bike ones after a few modifications. So far so good. It handles very well on the back dirt roads around here while still being rideable on the street. I really need to test it on some trails soon.
May I ask why you changed the DNA Filter? I am totally new and going to make my license next year? Greetings from Vienna ❤
Hi, Throttle Down under Channel & host, thanks for endorsing an Indian made iconic motorcycle Royal Enfield 650 Interceptor. A perfect bike for a relaxed cruising at vast, mostly empty Australian roads. It's very cool, not intimidating like super bikes with lots of electronic aids. For those who loves simple but very reliable bike, with it one can honed driving skills so comfortably whole day. Wow!
Very good review buddy ! Sounds like a great second bike for city rides. Thanks 🙏🏻 for reviewing it ! Cheers, Eddie
Lovely review, Rob. The interceptors sure are beautiful - loved hearing your perspective on them.
Thank you Spencer
Thanks for the content. I love the look of that bike. And I love the standard riding position. I’m going to go test ride one.
I absolutely loved your presentation
I recently built in the fuelx pro from Race dynamics, based in India. There's an immediate, positive response in performance. I love it 😍
did you consider the booster plug ..im thinking of either ?
Thoughtful/great review. Thank you.
Very good review mate. Plenty of relevant info for a potential buyer.
Love the colour, love the look! ✌️
thank you mate 😀
Great video thanks for sharing 👍
Thanks mate...ridden one here in the UK, and I wouldn't disagree with any of what you said!
Another great review mate. Royal Enfields are one of the best bangs for the buck on the motorcycle market. I can see you adding one to your stable! Keep up the great content. Eric
Thank you Eric
Thankyou for the info,much appreciated. 👍
Good point about the tyres . Good tyres AND tubes transforms these bikes, same for the Kwaka W-series . They build them all to a Price-point that doesnt seem to include good 'rubber' and it's like night-and-day how it improves the bikes and rider-confidence . Dave NZ
Sweet machine , I love my ' Orange Crush ' Interceptor ! , I also own a 1966 Triumph 650 ' Saint ' and the RE is worlds ahead in build and safety . Yes the Saint is lighter , just a fast but these are ' Fragile ' not the RE , well made and strong .
I also are an older rider that has owned , loved and rode the Norton Commando 750 , BSA 650 Thunderbolt , 650 Bonnies over the years and many others , my Interceptor is to me my favorite !
Thanks for the straight up truth .
Top review mate. Brilliant bike. One of my all time favourites. I had a deposit down for one but it fell through before anything happened at all.
Thanks Stef
Excellent review, just love the styling of the bike. Never ridden one but would love to if the opportunity presented itself.
Thanks mate, yes I love retro
Loved the look of the Continental. Jumped on one in the showroom and realised 57 is not the new 25. I do like the interceptor as well. RE is producing good looking products imo
I sold my Triumph Rocket 111 2300cc Cruiser to finance my Interceptor MK2. The best purchase decision I ever made. The Rocket only ever made sense on Motorways and fast dual carriageways where as the Interceptor is tremendously capable and fun for every road I ride on. I also used to worry about prospective high bills should anything go wrong engine wise on the Rocket. The interceptor is so simple to maintain that I will be maintaining this bike myself into my old age. Simply brilliant.
Great review, thanks mate. Even if it seems that you guys seem to have much more open space down under than we in Europe to call a 650 a city or commuter bike :-D Otherwise completely agree on everything. Was just recently test riding one. Love the relaxed seating position from the first meters (am about 180cm), the handling feels light and easy while the engine still gives a decent punch for every day crusing. Love the classic look and the plain setup, without too much electronic gimmicks. Would completely agree, great bike for almost everyone for awesome price. Considering getting one, stepping down from a bigger engine. Thanks again!
Still catching up videos from when I was on hols. I thought about getting an interceptor for a while I like them a lot. I wanted something chilled and more relaxed - ended up with the Sport Glide of course but probably the interceptor would have kept me just as happy and richer lol
Nice work Rob, great review, agree with all of your conclusions on this one
Thanks Ross, the ride along footage was the best 😀
Fantastic review big fella, like I said before, would love to throw a leg over one and see how they go for myself. They certainly look the part
Thanks Easy, worth a ride
Certainly a good option now, with the availability of the 750 and 865 kits quite cheaply from various sources. AFIK S&S is the originator and other outfits are offering cams and throttle mapping tech. Even my 1982 750 Bonneville is still pretty quick off the lights. I like the look of these. Those Pirellis also come out on the new Triumph classics and they’re pretty ordinary. Avon AM26’s would be a game changer.
Great vid mate it's a little beauty!👍💥
Thanks Deano
I'm an old codger looking at "downsizing" from the litre class sports tourer. Love my Triumph Sprint but the Bonneville is way out of my price range. Your review is really making me itch to go test ride one of these.
I own the exact same color .. I love it so much.. ♥♥♥
First good look at a Canyon Red. Love it! That's the worst thing about this bike, trying to decide on color. Uuuugh.......top 3.
Yeah, I know it's a killer
Just subbed your channel. Very professional presentation. Your a natural! Thanks for your input. I’m torn between a classic 350 and the interceptor.
Thanks James. It purely depends on your use. The 350 is fantastic but if you will be doing regular highway travel I would recommend the 650
Hard to go wrong with that price!! You know, I think I've only ever seen one Royal Enfield in my state! Not that popular here.
Good review Rob!!
Thank you KG
I love the Dune boots on 3:40
C'est une super bécane, je roule avec depuis 4 ans et ce n'est que du bonheur !
Nice work mate, solid review. Great looking ride for a budget bike. Must get me a ride on one and check them out. 😎👍🏼
Thanks for watching Bert
nice review man. Just got a subscribe from a fellow Aussie who has just bought one. ( yet to pick it up)
Awesome mate thanks for the message. Good luck with it
I was considering buying one till I sat on one yesterday Nov 4th '23 and kept hitting my shins on the pegs so I tested the Super Meteor 650 and was instantly hooked and I put a deposit on an Astral Green one which should be here either late December or early January.'24. 😎
Just bought one today. Sunset Strip color
good filming. Iagree with the points
Great video mate. Am about to get myself one of these too. So what tyres would you recommend for improved handling and grip on those fast sweeping bends?
Really thorough review, thank you. I have a Himalayan and absolutely love the styling, but there's no getting around the fact it's underpowered. Interceptor looks to be the solution for me 🙂
Good review! What do you think of the seat for a bit longer ride? Does it “thin out” quickly?
Which tired would you suggest for the bike? I’ve had mine for close to a year and loving it. Great video!
Brilliant review mate.
Thanks Chewie
CEAT tyre’s give them time to bed in great grip.
I have been riding for over 50 years, have a collection of bikes Yamaha XS650, BSA 650, Enfield cast iron 350 bsa 350 and Triumph Street Triple, just recently bought an interceptor because its more comfortable to ride it goes as good as the triumph, the only negative is the position of the footpegs particularly the gear change, You can't adjust it too much.
Hello, I have owned an INTERCEPTOR since 07/2022 in the €5 version, I have never had a quality issues with the paint, the rusting frame, the engine, the electronics and also no electrical failure, nothing at all that...but the horror was when the garage of the R.E dealership where I bought my new motorcycle failed to adjust the valves at the first 500km, making a huge noise...so I had to do it again myself.
☆ equipped with
FuelXPro
Cannon Tec pipes
36T
Great review mate, keen to put royal enfield in the shed. One day
Thanks Al
Bridgestone Batlax BT46 tyre's are great & if you go hard in the twisties Yss fork upgrade is great & is adjustable for Preload & improves handling heaps.I done a heap of mods definitely right about customizing.I keep up with Harley Davidson's & smoke them in the real twisty stuff & I only done slip on's but gana do 2-2 big bore headers from Reverlry next to improve low-mid range to help with when Harley's put 25meters on me pulling out of intersections & following them out of corners.Harley slower than R.E650 into corners & if behind have to adjust riding style & brake earlier than normal otherwise run up beside them really slows your exit speed that's where 2-2headers be great.Harley guys don't like you in front of them or passing them & pass you back if you pass them but in the real twisty stuff they can't & drop way back.When I pulled up they said "Will it keep up" they got shock that 650 Modern Classic kep't up no problem.
Good review 👌👍🥳
Planning to buy allow wheel version.
It reminds me of Honda CB 750-4 K2 which is awesome!
The original British Interceptor was a great bike too, always underestimated IMHO.I decent set of tyres would be good too. If I were in the market for a new bike, I think I'd go for one.
I'd love one as a second bike
I actually bought the Continental Mr.Clean. Still not run in yet but love the bike. Spent £1300 so far on mods. Indicators and lights still need to be done. My biggest issue is the back break or lack of. Might get a proper Brembo. Like the Interceptor but I wanted the Cafe Racer style.
Had my Interceptor for 2 months now and absolutely love it, flickable and quick. Smooth and dependable... Also, didnt expect to get so many compliments on it every time I take it out.
Colour??
@@KrishnaPrasad-hg2ip it’s the Baker Express colour…. White and red tank. People always say “what an amazing restoration you did…” I have to laugh and tell them it’s a new bike…
I have 1977 Triumph T140 Bonneville 750, 2015 Royal Enfield Continental GT 535 and just recently 2022 Royal Enfield Interceptor 650. The Triumph is for classic bike shows and parades, the 535 for short trips around town but the 650 is the go to bike for 80% of my riding. If I had to chose only one bike it would be the 650. Sometimes you don't want to ride the old Triumph any further than you can walk home from as they were dodgy even when new. I'm good on the 535 for about 45 minutes before my body starts to ache but it does get the most comments. I could ride the 650 anywhere all day long.
Greg that's why I'm thinking of the 650 as a second bike, I love my Harley but its too big for every day knocking around
Affordable 650 twins in the world. Built to last, RE ❤️
I love Royal Enfield’s. Would love to own one if I was living in a town.
I think they are a great city bike
Great review mate. I totally agree with your modification list. These bikes sound amazing with an aftermarket exhaust. I have test ridden a stock and a modded one and would definitely add the modification items to the budget.
Absolutely, thanks Matty
I just bought one a couple of days ago- love it! And... I now own three bikes :/
Awesome mate congratulations 🤙🤙
If any company would give me a bike like this for 2 weeks, I would say just aaaaall the best best nice things about it too. By the way it is one of my dream bike even if it's not that good as you say. 😊 All the best
Keep riding 👍
I actually looked up the price of one of these to a Harley-Davidson Sportster and the sportster, for a previously owned model is about $10,000 more than a brand new Royal Enfield Interceptor 650, which was priced at $4000
650 is a beauty
For the moment this bike has no competitor . I bougt a 2022 euro 5 interceptor 650 few days ago( was still in factory crate). Only thing that comes near is the t100 from triumph but here un germany is about double the price ( got mine for 6995eur/ T100 is 11545eur). They are all basically sold out here for 2022. Is a honest bike for the price.
Great review buddy. RE isn’t the only one to supply just average tyres as original fitment, but if you’re a new rider getting your first new bike, replacing new tyres with ones that’ll probably keep you upright is a bit of an ask.
Cool style bike and hopefully we get to see some more customised ones getting around.
Thanks for watching mate
Excellent video, thank you 👍 as a 50 years old beginners, i really consider this beauty as my first bike!! Dis you try duo? If you did, your thoughts about duo, thanx. Greetings from Serbia ✌️🇷🇸
What do you think about the Interceptor 650 from Royal Enfield?
It looks awesome.
It’s a great bike and if I had room in the shed I’d have one!
@@upnorthrider 🤟
@@hachewie 🤙😎👊
Want one!
What tires would you recommend for wet city/country riding in Thailand? I use Michelin city grips now
As a 70 year old rider, i just like a good all round bike that i dont have to give my first born for. Royal Enfield delivers
I bought one! Only changes will be 1" bar risers and a windscreen.
Good idea
Great review mate, they are great bikes, lots of fun! If I had one I’d do the mods you outlined for sure. This bike would be a great addition even for us seasoned veterans, so yeah, I’d definitely buy one 😎
I need to catch up on your Himi vid, next on the list
You can 865cc bike for the road & be legal here in NZ.
Great review Rob, she's a stunning machine for a general run about but I'd love to see one set up as a scrambler, knobbies and all! Awesome vid indeed!
Thanks Brett, I hope you are feeling better mate
@@ThrottleDownunder About 85% which is good enough to go riding. Haven't taken the twin down the Old Pac, might do that this week 👍
@@ADVBrett Hi Brett, sorry to hear you are not at 100%. Interceptor knobblies try my mate Dorman Diaries on CZcams. See ya.
@@mototakahe836 I'll look him up for sure!
Why would you put knobbies on anything but a dirt bike ?? A hipster styling exercise.
nice video, for which group of people is this bike intended? live in NL, is not a big city here like London, but there is a lot of highway here
It’s not so much tires as it is the suspension. That makes a world of a difference too
The question I have is maintenance schedule? How often? Average cost? When are the big maintenance intervals? Also, here’s the thing with bikes in this price point. The dealer fees tacked on make them prohibitive. Dealers are also right off the bat tacking on fees above MSRP. This leads me to the used market. By the way, everyone changes the stock tires to another brand.
I was very interested in the Interceptor only to find out that the first service is $400 ! I then asked my local motorcycle shop if they could service it and they said no as Royal Enfield refuse to supply to any other motorcycle dealer or qualified mechanic parts in other words RE dealers can charge what they want if you want to keep their warranty.
Nice one Rob, the Interceptor is a great bike
Thanks Franky
Great review . Any tyre suggestions?
G'day David, there are recommendations for Pirelli or Michellin Pilots or Bridgstones, however I don't have experience with any of them, the RE Owners groups on Facebook would be super helpful though
I have the same color 😍
It's an amazing bike and for the money, nothing else comes even close. Basically, it's a no brainer.
All we need now is the 50hp version, please
I don't usually by a bike and plan on spending money to start upgrading it.
But the RE INTERCEPTOR definitely needs better suspension. You get what you pay for. Otherwise it's a fun little 2nd bike to ride.
Das Einzige was nicht klassisch ist, ist der Druckausgleichbehälter am Stoßdämpfer! Ansonsten bin ich sehr zufrieden mit der Interceptor. Könnte bisschen höher sein, bei 1.80m Körpergröße wegen dem Beinwinkel...
Had one for 2.5 years. What tyres are you thinking? I just put on Avon Roadrider Mk II.
Own a 'Baker Express' and have faced the same issues with triple digit speed. Which pair of tyres do you recommend?
I had a new one when they were first out in 2019. I got rid of it. Not a bad bike but I got rid of it because I just bored of it I found it a bit gutless after a while. I also hated the peg position. Sounded decent though.
Great review on a great bike!!! I've had my chrome 650 Interceptor for almost 3 years, never missed a beat and it gets so many admiring views. I put a new rear tire on about a year ago and went with a Shinko 150/60/18. The 150 wide tire is the max the rim will take and coupled with the profile of 60% of the tire width you end up with an overall diameter of 1mm less than stock but it looks so much better and handles like a dream. many have made the mistake of putting on a 150/70 which will give you a profile height of 105mm compared to 91mm for the stock tire or 90mm for the Shinko 150/60. PS it also means you can use the stock tire tubes!
What would you put on the front to match ?
@@stevebrayshaw7228 I still have the stock tire on the front and it will need replacing in a few months, I will stick with the stock size on the front as it looks good to me, I will probably go with a BT46
Thanks for that info George, exactly what I was looking for.
I plan to buy a new bike in the spring, and I've looked at everything in the naked or sport touring category in the 650 to 850 range; MT07/09, Triumph Tiger Sport, CBR650, 700CL/X, SV650, even up to the Tracer 9. Then one day the INT650 came into my scope and honestly I love the looks and the simplicity. Almost certain at this point it's going to be my choice even though I have the budget for a more expensive bike.
I can't blame you. It's a truly versatile bike with more than enough power for anything you through at it
@@ThrottleDownunder I really don't have any interest in going fast, I just love being on two wheels. I think the RE is perfect for just wandering and touring.