Royal Enfield Interceptor & Continental GT 650, TOP 5 complaints from owners!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 26 ส.ค. 2024
- There does seem to be a fair amount of disinformation floating around regarding these two bikes. Im asked questions regarding these issues daily so here's my attempt to answer once and for all!
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PATREON. / stuartfillingham
My only complaint about the interceptor is that I haven't got one. I hope to rectify that soon.
I will. 2nd March 2020
bs6 interceptors is coming already launced
Just got mine yesterday - Love it!
Same here...it would be the first thing that i will buy when i will have enough money
I second that!!!👍
Owning a bike is a lot more involved than some people realise, not just young people either.
Our modern plug and play or throw away type of mentality applies to many products.
All the checking, adjusting, cleaning and general maintenance of the bike is part of the hobby for me.
Even for people who rely on their bike solely because they haven't got a car you still have to put the time in.
I've been out on gritted roads on my Interceptor and there's no rust at all on it.
I wonder why.
"All the checking, adjusting, cleaning and general maintenance of the bike is part of the hobby for me."
Amen Paul!
@@patrickweaver1105 In the UK there's always the winter road salt that has to be washed off immediately, cables to lubricate, chain to be adjusted and lube, that's just a few things I could mention, I don't have to do any of that with my car's.
I don't have a lift either so the car's are regularly maintained at the dealership's.
The bike, well I do everything myself, it's part of the experience, I'm an experienced mechanic so not a problem.
honda ehm ehm honda ehm
Mr. Fillingham the videos created by you are not only great but is turning into an institution in their own merit. A distant salute from a man from Calcutta, India.🇮🇳🏴
I'm eagerly waiting for my interceptor. Got all the paperwork done. Was supposed to get the delivery a couple days back but that's exactly when the Corona lockdown started here. Watching your videos is like looking into my future memories and that helps calm my heart a bit. Thanks for the amazing content!
Hey mate - quality video as always. Love my Interceptor. I’ve installed the Union Jack pads, the micro blade and the brass bobbins from Motone Customs. I live in Australia and their customer service and delivery has been excellent. Safe riding!
Micro blade?
Joe Jason Cummings Motone’s small flyscreen. It’s excellent.
Some people just don’t realise what damage can be done with a high pressure hose. Most are a minimum 1500psi and some up-to 3000psi and beyond. Seals in most electrical component simply aren’t strong enough to withstand these pressures. Another cracking video Stuart.👍🏼
But what about getting caught in heavy rain for hours?
Pressure washer can nacker most things
"If you live in a house that receives post, they will get it to you" lol love it man.
Hi Stuart, I think it was a very good idea creating this vid, it's completely clear, and covers all the main concerns of this bike. Keep on producing the great, clear vid's/vlog's :-)
Lack of common sense is what drives me mad. The amount of people that don't seem to understand "the bleedin' obvious" is staggering!
They must be teachers😂
A good no nonsense vid.I hAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS AT ALL WITH MY interceptor,starts 1st time every time.A damned good straight forward motobike.
Agreed.I am constantly finding parts on the bike that express quality. eg, greased axle shafts inside the wheel hub to prevent rust where you can't see it, brackets inside the headlight pot to hold the wires back in place especially when attempting to stuff the headlight assembly back into place, braided brake lines to create precise brake action from master to brake slave, and, my favorite, hex key socket bolts instead of Phillips screws to fight with, along with a very sensible seat removing mechanism, and more. Oh yes the side stand and a center stand that most bikes have felt ju$tified to leave off. This makes lubricating the chain SO much easier. Thanks Royal Enfield for this one, Ronn
My father is receiving his INT 650 with same Orange crush colour this Sunday. Can't wait!
A great video, thank you.
A spot of advice I was given many years ago about spoke wheels; If you need to get a wheel trued up and don't fancy doing it yourself, taking it to a pedal cycle mechanic might be wiser than taking it to a motorcycle mechanic. Pedal cycle mechanics do that sort of thing every working day, but motorcycle mechanics do it once a month. The time saved in labour costs are the main benefit, as they should both achieve the same result.
I once had it said to me “a Tappy tappet is a happy tappet”. I have just bought a 2020 Continental GT650 and will be servicing it myself. Thanks for your series of self service videos.
I’ve been watching these videos to get some honest opinions of the interceptor as I’m considering buying one and these have given me great confidence knowing theses bike are definitely worth the money. Thank you
That video , or rather the comments has made my day ! The content was perfectly underlined by someone saying "where is your new suspension? " no wonder you get frustrated !
In one of your previous offerings you said "I'm not here to spoon feed you information" stick to your guns Stuart. if people can't watch and listen then they dont deserve to learn !
My Grandad a native Brummie who moved to Hull was often heard to say " I'm not here to wipe your a#$e too " would do his nut at today's needy generation . Great video as Usual ! 👍
Once again, cracking video, thanks for guiding me through selecting, purchasing and owning an interceptor. Total legend.
Here in America I used to hear the term "tappets" all the time!
But that was way back when I was just a kid back in the 50's and 60's!
Stuart, you mentioned how thin the rocker cover casting is and how it lets the sound resonate through. Some of the Japanese bikes I had in the eighties (think it was a Z650) had thin engine castings but the those cunning Japanese had put a thin layer of a noise absorbing material (it looked like cork) on the inside of the cases. This effectively acted as a muffler to damp down the sound and resonance from the cases.
Any resonance can be damped out. It sounds like there's a market here for a simple after-market part - or a DIY project. :-)
Thank you, Stuart! I purchased a new INT650 last fall. It is currently in storage. This and all your videos on the INT650 have been extraordinarily informative for a Royal Enfield neophyte such as myself. I have no regrets about making this purchase, and I haven't even ridden it yet! I pick her up on 1April and can't wait to ride it the hundred plus miles of serpentine backroads home. Thanks, again! Ride safely! OI'll see you soon!
In a previous video, you stated that the Interceptor came third in UK motorcycle sales 2019. It has been marketed as an ideal first big bike, second bike, retro bike, etc., so it's safe to assume a lot of owners are either pretty new to motorcycling, or are born-again bikers. Therefore it's not surprising that you're being bombarded with questions from inexperienced or out-of-touch owners.
Well done, Stuart. I’m delighted with my Interceptor, which has so far been 100% fault free. Ride safe.
Agree with it all. I washed my bandit well but emptied the dregs of my bucket at the bottom of the engine, missed, and got the side panel, where the main fuse is. Surprise, the fuse blew. I never got water near the fuse again and it never blew. Not bike fault. It was operator clumsiness! Good luck with the weather. I bought another bike last week and haven't had the weather to go anywhere near it yet!
Noisy tappets are and gives the rider clues on their adjustment , it is a gift unlike many other types of mechanical valve lifters that surprise you at the worst moment , this type of arrangement encourages you to service and take care of your ride rather than pay exorbitant dealer prices needed or not . More so travelling you are rarely stuck if you know how to repair your ride . A good rider knows how to care for his ride , the others are wannabe riders .
Good to hear from you thanks for the proper info on the service intervals it wasn't endearing me to purchase an Enfield but now I have been enriched and the accessories for the bike are great also performance and handling can make it a good to a great motorcycle thank you very much appreciate your help 👍🏍️
I like to think I have watched your videos from very early on and we have even talked a couple of days, granted this was in your much earlier days when the channel wasn’t a full time job !
What is getting more and more and absolutely obvious through all your videos is your frustration with answering questions that you have either already answered or don’t feel like you should. Just to be clear, for me this doesn’t take anything away from your videos, I actually find it quite funny as I am always expecting it now.
Having worked a few jobs with the general public (I don’t now, thank god) I can say as absolute fact, the general public on the main are absolute idiots and unless you deal with the general public on a daily basis you would be astonished at just how thick people generally are.
Anyway, keep up the great (hard) work mate 👍🏻
Stuart, firstly I would like to complement you on your channel and the videos that you submit.I love watching the videos and also your take on all things relating to motorcycling. I will be a returning motor cyclist in the coming months, having had a lay off for some 30 years. Having pondered for some time what bike to get and watched endless reviews on TH-cam, I have decided to go with the Interceptor, which is mostly down to you. I like the idea that I can carry out a lot of the maintenance myself,which I did previously. You’ve covered most aspects of the bike which is great. One thing that I have come across that you may be able to shed light on and perhaps do a video, is the relay system. I have seen quite a few vids that state the relay is poor and can result in cut outs. I’d love to hear your take on this.
Regards and again well done on the channel.
Robert
Aye... The weather has been a bit bad lately, had to wear my "big" coat to walk the dog last weekend!!
Another great video. Thanks for covering the 6000 mile service intervals. The low 3000 had actually put me off buying this bike. I'll be having a more serious look at this bike now 👍
Another great video. I had to smile about most Americans not knowing what tappets are. We "old school " gearheads do. People who didn't know " the sound " would listen to my old 650 and say its on its last legs because the tappets were "noisy. It ran perfect, and you can rev higher when they are adjusted a little looser then spec. As for wheel wobble, i have a hardtail janus halcyon with spokes, and you feel it more versus a bike with rear suspension. Totally normal.
As an engineering instructor for thirty three years I can tell you that people asking questions on the thing you have just fully explained is normal, deep breath and do it all again adapting and changing as required. As the person that knows it’s our job to get that information into the head of the person that doesn’t and often that is very frustrating. Just because we can see how it is doesn’t mean other can too, the skill is in making it so they can understand and you are doing it well. Keep up the great work.
I recognize each of the bad practices in me. My Zephyr 1100 and my previous Hornet 600, have suffered all kinds of abuse on my part, after watching your videos I feel a sincere shame. I will have to learn to solve them. Congratulations once again Mr. Fillingham for videos so carefully made and so didactic.
As ever Great practical and down to earth information, without any Bull.
Love the look of these and there simplicity.
Practical real world bike, giving real world speed enjoyment and ownership.
Would love one of these but would have to make room for it as well as afford it. Man i cant part with any bike it seams.
Great info on keeping the tin worm at bay.
When son starting out on Bikes got a Cheap Chinesse YBR clone, fully stripped panels including tank off.
ACF 50 treated it all zip tied push bike innertubes around electric blocks in headlight etc as well as protective spray. kept on top of cleaning looked and ran just as we bought it when sold two years later.
Keep up the public services with all your great content.
Love it. Bit baffled you saying you’ll screw your electronics if you spray water into it while showing you spraying water into the clocks. Shrug? Love your videos. Super useful. Thanks.
I think I was referring to the use of power washers. If the clocks are not waterproof how the hell would they cope when it rains?
I've done alot of wheels during the years. Spokes and rims, that is. The norm is to keep it true within 0.6mm. Which can be seen with the naked eye. I did a wheel, just for the sake of finding out, within 0,1mm and I was quite pleased with my self. The rim was all true! On with the tyre and the result surprised me. The tyre itself was more wobbely than the rim! So there's a reason the tolerance is 0,6! I had no complaints from anyone about those wheels. So no worries! Thank you for wellmade videos mr Fillingham.
Interesting! Was that run-out from side-to-side (axial) or in-and-out (radial)?
@@daveinwla6360 From side to side. The tyre was quite round. It's years from now. If I remember correctly it was an Avon tyre.
@@johnDukemaster - For a mounted tire, that sounds OK. I had thought that the run-out mentioned was for the rim. I'd still want to fit an after-market steering damper, though. The thought of a 90mph tank slapper has always scared me.
Tappets? Of course this Yank knows what they are! I still have the feeler gauges from using them in my motorcycles and autos in the late 60's and through the 70's. Brings back great memories.
Thanks very much for the clarification on the Tappets sound and wheel wobbling issue.
Other than that, I can say that at 4,000 km on my bike, I've had zero issues so far.
I know this is a relatively old post. I love your gift of tact. For the tappet noise: Has anyone tried some kind of weight on the valve cover to dampen the sound (vibration). Sound and vibration dampening are in essence the same science. I hope this sparks an idea for someone more crafty than I.
Hi Stuart.
I enjoyed your video and report that I’ve experienced none of the issues that people have quizzed you about.
I saw your Video on your cleaning regime around the time I bought my GT 650, five months ago. While I thought your method was interesting I have taken to following it, with good results.
I’m nearing 4000 kilometres now on the Ice Queen bike, which is purely used for leisure and I’m loving it.
Keep up the good work.
Definitely found my dream bike, I can change so much on it, and for basically the price of a heated BMW ashtray with mood lighting!
Thank you so much for sharing your ownership experience and I really appreciate the way you did it. Such a fantastic blog, that I'm waiting since a year almost. Keep posting and so happy to see your fabulous stuffs. Cheers🥂.
Actually those problems are my concerns with 650 twins that make me away from best value for money proposition. By near future I will get my GT650.
Thanks alot brother❤️ 🙏
Greetings from🇮🇳 India 🇮🇳
I think you are forgetting just one thing at the end when you describe the reasons behind the complaints. The reason is called anxiety based on the reputation RE has in terms of quality and reliability. I’ve had these anxious issues myself with my second Ducati after the first one tried to kill me but funny enough never with my Hondas. RE has made progress recently but still has some way to go before they leave the bullet 500 reputation behind. Until then, regardless how much my heart wants one, I’ll stick to other manufacturers.
Nice video though. Thanks.
RE bikes require quite a bit of TLC from the owner. They are not a modern ride and park type machine. I have owned the Bullet and now the Interceptor 650. I have had zero reliability issues from either. The Bullet is a hand me down from my family. Still starts and goes to this day perfectly. If you take care of them properly, they will love you back with years of trouble free motoring. Most of the complaints I see are from the younger generation who cringe getting their hands dirty.
The boss has spoken. Loved this video. Thank you Stuart! I've installed Motone tank pads per your recommendation too.
I'm a Yank, with deep Scotch Irish roots. I chuckled at your comment about "Mericans" don't know what tappets are lol! One of the first cars I owned about 35 years ago was a '72 VW Beetle, and it also required basic tappet adjustments at set intervals. Ironically, my 300 mile break in tappet adjustment was rather simple, thanks to my previous experiences with the Beetle. Refitting my rocker cover wasn't as easy, but should be no problem next time. Keep up the great videos, stay inspired, and ride safe! 👍
In the usa and Canada setting tappets is referred to as a valve adjustment. Any air cooled owner worth his salt does it himself!
Watching this actually makes me want to buy the interceptor more - at least there's the assurance of what to expect and how to lower or heighten one's expectations accordingly.
I am hoping for you that this video does work as intended. But I'm afraid it won't. It seems to be a common problem that people don't take the time to watch a video in total and listen to the explanations and/or read the video description. I enjoyed your video full length and understand that you are not able to answer every single question. Looking forward to your video on Friday and hope to put some kilometers on my Interceptor soon.
I fear you may be right!
Man...you're so good at these machines...my hands shake while checking the valve clearance...
I’m restoring a 1989 Honda GB500TT, and when I sell it, I think I’m going to buy a RE Interceptor. My wife has a RE 500 Classic... I’m going for the “His and hers” theme. I hope my Triumph Scrambler doesn’t get jealous... 🇺🇸🇬🇧
Seat is dreadful after an hour is my main gripe!
Other then that the bike seems to really bed in nicely after 1000km's.
Loving it alot!
ive havent ridden a modern bike that doesnt have the same issue for nearly 20 years!
I'm an evangelical convert to aftermarket seats and I now change the seat on my bikes. I usually go for *Gel seats* as they are much more comfortable as they mould themselves to your "shape"
@@stuartfillingham My '03 Sprint ST was really comfortable. I'm 5' 8" and short of leg, so it may have just been perfect for me (apart from not being able to reach the ground) and no-one else, but 500 miles a day 2 up with a full set of luggage was fine. Too much for me now and the RE is a beaut.
I'm getting one of those £100 seats from India that look a bit like Corbin seats. The ones with the big bottom area for the driver plus a softer one for the pillion. I don't know if they are any good, but I will take the risk. I know a good motorcyclist upholsterer in Hinckley who will be able to fix it if it has the wrong foam in it.
Only mechanical problems (as such) that I have/have had is faulty paint finish on the tank (awaiting replacement) a sticky/noisy clutch cable/lever (yet to be sorted) most annoying thing about the bike for me is the position of the foot pegs.
Mr fasthracing its not a fast racing Bike😎😎
That's true. Its my "chilled" bike.
Its how you look after them that counts, common sense really . well done Stuart, I THINK MOST OF US ARE SINGING FROM THE SAME SHEET.
Gday mate we call them tappets here in aus to , i put a lot of the things you mention down to new riders , i have been riding since i was 16 and am now 60 had numerous bikes and have never taken to a mechanic for anything apart from tyres .I think a lot of people buy a bike as an ego trip and wouldnt have the first clue what to do if anything goes wrong even when i bought a brand new honda 550 supersport in 76 i never took it to the dealer for a service ever .In my day you new your bike how to fix it how to adjust it ect (they havent really changed that much). You are right about shim and bucket jobs they are a pain in the butt ,oh dear ones out take it all to pieces again stuff that tappets are the way to go easy as to adjust good video and i can understand about the consistant questions it would piss me off as well .
Whenever I think of getting a 4-cyl 4-valve/cyl bike with shim-and-bucket tappets, I stope thinking about it. :-)
Brilliant Video
At the time I’m commenting 9 👎🏻
I just cannot believe the time and topics you have had to spend making this.video. The final summation was spot on.
Just down to ignorance and a lack of common sense. Pure, and Simple.
I have had bikes since I was 15, Dad had bikes, I grew up with a motorbike & sidecar. No car in our house. I don’t have a bike at the moment, my last was a BMW, my next will be an RE.
Tip for washing the bike , I use Vulcanet for washing the dash and all electronic parts , so no water comes near it !
All three of the Brembo brake discs on my 1980 Benelli 900 Sei are cast iron, naturally they start to rust at the first sign of water. As Stuart rightly says, when the brakes are used again the film of rust comes off no bother. Bare cast Iron does rust, there's nothing that can be done about that, my Benelli's cast iron discs are a lot more efficient than the stainless ones on my H-D Sportster due to the cast iron being porous and it absorbs water, stainless steel isn't porous so the pads have to heat up the disc to evaporate the surface water before they can bite on the disc.
In 1981 I bought a brand new Triumph T140E Bonneville, the brake discs were cast iron but Triumph decided to chromium plate them so that they didn't go rusty, that was a bad idea because like stainless steel chrome isn't porous so the water had to heat up and evaporate off the chrome. After a few thousand miles the pads started to wear the chrome off the discs, the chrome got into the pad material and scored the discs. My only solution was to have the discs skimmed on a lathe to remove the chrome and fit all new brake pads, the braking performance was suddenly transformed due to the bare cast iron discs. I believe Norton chrome plated the brake discs on their Commando, a bad case of form over function from both Triumph and Norton.
Also known as tappets here in the colonies (U.S.) at least by some of us older riders. Excellent video quality, as always.
Spark plugs?
I got the CEAT ZOOM on my Interceptor. They were a bit squirmy... New right? Okay so after 600 km of riding I have found the "chicken strips" on my front tyre to be completely absent. In fact there is a few curls off the shoulder in a few spots. On the rear I have a little over a cm on each side. The front does communicate and to me it feels like a preeminent tuck. The handlebars get really light. My fix is to monkey of to the inside Moto GP style (albeit only slightly) to get the bike a little more upright and off the shoulder of the front tyre.
This is bloody annoying! I'm not really riding hard. Yes I am guilty of maybe not slowing down for corners and curves but it's not like I'm going mental either.
R.E/ CEAT needs a new front profile in the worst way. If you have these CEAT ZOOM tyres beware of this before exploring the capabilities of the bike.
I live in France and just bought a Continental GT, upon paying the bike I asked my seller if they had oil filters in stock since I am planning on doing the routine maintennace myself, it's not my first time around a bike, I know what I'm doing, I don't want to be checking in the garage every two months to pay 200€ for things that I know how to do. But right after, he told me that Royel Enfield offering a 3 years warranty on the bike, he advised me to stick to the recommendation of bringing the bike to the shop for the maintenance as otherwise the warranty could be voided if anything bad happened like I don't know, faulty injection, major defect in the engine and such. I've always kept the receipt for the products I installed/changed like oil filters, engine oil, spark plugs, anything, and kept track with date and mileage of what has been done to the bike. Tappets adjustment, chain cleaning and adjusting, every general maintenance.
Do you have a thought on this ? Do you think I should stick to my plan of doing the maintenance myself and just keeping track of everything ? I'm sure a lot of people have asked you the same question , I was eager to do all this myself, but his comments put the doubts in me, if I could have your input on this I would be really grateful.
Thanks Stuart, sorry for the novel
This question has been answered in some early videos to the effect that if procedures are followed correctly then the warranty is valid. They don't want chassis or electrical harness modifications or these will void the warranty as it says in the owner's manual. I think the tools included with the bike attest to this policy orientation. Ronn
@@ronnronn55 Spot on, I forgot about the tools they provided ! I'm really sorry Stuart for the question, I watched all the related video entirely and I know you already talked about this subject a fair amount of time, but when my seller (whom I know a little and is a very nice guy) spoke to me about this warrant void it kind of shattered my confidence a little.
@gilburton Thing is the warranty is eligible for 3 years, it's a fair number of services, so at what point do you decide it's time to make the job yourself ?
My dealer North Cornwall Motorcycles, were happy for me to service my Classic 500 from day one , if I bought the oil and filters from them.
Fig Fan from 🇮🇳...just bought same orange crush Base 6 model...really a ultimate machine. The way you care your machine...the way i care...🛴..Keep Riding
Awesome! Thank you!
as a mechanic, adjusting tappets is easy, compared to bucket and shim.. its fun wrenching those tappets time to time.. after 6000 miles, its settled.. once a year affair is not bad. a therapy.
Electrical problems through the ingress of water, initially don't get it in there in the first place but if you do a good squirt of WD 40 will flush it out and also protect the internals.
Great down to earth no BS video.Keep up the good work mate.
Hey Stuart, enjoyed your latest.
Great bike , no problems with mine .
Disappointed with the dealer and importer though in Australia . Very sad after sales service. If I wanted bad service I would have bought a Triumph ! Maybe it's just Australia.
Motone , Tripmachine in comparison great service.
Hi Stuart. 100% agree , damn good bike. On my gt, rear brake does not turn on brake light. Will be adressed at first servicing (bike got 700km since new). Only problem I got.
I’ve had a couple of issues on my Continental GT 650 and I only bought it in July. First, one of the coils went and at first the UK distributors were not going to get me one for a few weeks. I couldn’t believe that they were not a stock item and would have to be shipped from India. Fortunately, the dealer I purchased the bike from came to the rescue and took one from a showroom bike. Secondly, last week I went to take the bike for a run and found that, despite having had the battery on an Optimate since October, the bike wouldn’t start. This was duly traced to being a faulty battery. When I was told that RE don’t cover the battery under the warranty I was none too happy as the bike is only 5 months old. I insisted that this should be covered under warranty especially with such a short period of ownership and the dealer has now successfully claimed for the faulty battery. I have to say that I am in a position to make a direct comparison to a more expensive bike as I purchased a Yamaha GT Tracer at about the same time. I have, so far, been fault free on this excellent motorcycle but then it was twice the price of the Enfield - I guess you get what you pay for. Having said all that, I still love my Continental GT and I am very impressed with Drayton Croft Motorcycles in Hinckley from whom I bought the bike - excellent service.
I can tell you some very similar stories about BMWs Jon, oh.... and Triumph! so the adage you get what you pay for doesnt always ring true!
Another place that high pressure water from power washers gets is in between a tyre bead and the alloy wheel rim. This causes the rim to corrode where it meets the tyre. So don't use high pressure water there, just use a hand brush dipped in car shampoo and then rinse it off..
I guess we will have to borrow The Frangrant One's shower cap to put over the instrument panel. :)
Stewart or MR. Fillingham your preference. What it’s your opinion on the tube tires. I haven’t heard much about use wear or maintenance just wandering if you could provide some insight seeing as it’s not the normal in most bikes!
I really panicked when i saw the headline i just paid for one and havent even taken delivery of it yet
@@jeffdean7666 its been good made some changes to the handle bar and seat but not much else
Love my Interceptor best all round bike I've owned. Only done 1000 miles but zero issues save slight misting on the clocks, I'll watch the hose on them in the future during cleaning. I think some almost want this bike to have loads of faults to justify them paying a lot more for other makes!
clocks misting at this time of the year is common on most bikes Richard. The Triumph ones are so bad I keep goldfish in them!
@@stuartfillingham Yes Stuart others have said the same, but I must have owned about 10 bikes over the last 30 years including a 25 year old Moto Guzzi V35, that ALWAYS had a fault of one type or another that I rode all winter as a hack, and I never encountered it before on any of my previous bikes. Never had a Triumph though😅
Nicely done, Stuart! Unfortunately, common sense seems to have been limited in distribution, some of these points are almost absurd (like the surface rust on the discs). The recently-held motorcycle show here was a bit of a disappointment as there were only a very few RE's on display (one chrome GT, no Int's), one of these days I'll have to take a day off to visit a local dealer for a closer look. About the only thing I don't care for is the stamped-out flat gear change and rear brake levers. And I'll have to see if that dual-row cam chain uses the same joining link as my old Yamaha, that would be a godsend! Oh, it occurs to me another possible contributor to the tappet noise may be that little collar on the bottom of the adjuster screw; on this video I could see it move slightly when you check the clearance, I'd thought it was an integral part of the screw at first. (My old Yamaha doesn't have any such thing, and I once had an adjuster back out, necessitated its first rebuild, that collar is a good idea!)
Thank you for the vital information, as I too own an Interceptor. This video was very helpful.
Don’t worry I shan’t be asking any questions....... great video...... moral watch whole video and read the description...... regards as always fred
Thank you Stuart for such an informative and pleasant video.
Glad you enjoyed it
Shrude and Truthful videos . Your a classic Gentleman
Enjoyed it a lot Stu,
Only niggle I've ever had is position of clutch cable going into R/S of engine sticks into my knee I'm 5ft 7 otherwise great!
Thanks for the video. After owning two ducatis and one Aprilia, my next bike will be a gt650. Cheers from Paris.
Looking at buying one, this year, I found saddle bags and a trunk. But I still can’t find a higher windscreen
No problems to report here. My Interceptor has clocked 3900 km so far. I can hear the tappets at higher revs, but everything is fine, it’s just the normal sound. I think the people who have rust issues leave the bike outside all the time. In that case, any bike would have rust issues. Specially in the monsoons and storms in some countries.
Love the home brew accessories in the background as well. A man after my own heart!
I believe most perceived issues are.....you spending my money....love your vids Uncle Stu
I miss the days when you had to RTFM or talk to a mechanic or other riders in order to learn. TH-cam and the like are a wonderful resource, and your vids are always top-notch, but it has all led to a much more lazy population. As always, many thanks Stu.
Re: The tappets- Loud valves save heads!
Great video, I think we all need to realise that for some people, who seem to need their hands holding through every aspect of life, common sense has left the building
Hi thanks for your response, I’m currently in the market for a retro bike, and considering a used Street Twin or a new RE interceptor or CGT, I may need to a bit of long distance riding, what’s your valued opinion? Happy for you to dm me
Got an out of round tire from the factory and the front suspension is way too soft. Parts availability are a little better than the single cylinders, but it seems like eBay is still a better choice than local dealer.
Also, some of us Yanks do know what tappets are :P
When I let go of the handle bar of my RE gt650 at 30 to 40mph, the bike can't go straight even on flat surfaces. It will slowly and steadily leans towards the right side... I thought it was just the air pressure but its just not. The bike tends to wobble as well when cornering to the right side but not on the left . And it feels as if the ride side suspension is sinking when I ride it. I can actually feel my bike leaning to the right instead of going straight whenever Im riding it. Unbalance suspension maybe or miss aligned wheels? I hope its not the frame
Dont let go of your handlebars then!
great bike . had mine just over a year , about 2.5 thousand miles . sadly she,s in the garage waiting for a fuel pump
Wish I could subscribe more than once to you Stuart
Keep up the good work
Great video as always Stuart, top quality accessories from Motone, keep up the good work and looking forward to your purchase of a Himalayan, you know you need one 🤣👍🏻
I love my Interceptor except when I have to get the rear wheel back in. I find it an absolute swine and am trying to come up with a sensible way of keeping the left spacer, left chushdrive, right spacer and right caliper properly aligned to get the spindle through. Maybe it's me but I've never know a rear wheel like it. Any advice from the talented Mr Fillingham?
Hello stuart... I wanted to ask about the tappet sound....when my bike( the interceptor) heats up after a few minutes of riding i notice a more noise coming from the engine.. I have done the first 500km and have given my bike for the first servicing.. I didnt have this issue earlier uptill 1200 kms.. Post that i have been noticing more engine noise only when the engine heats up.. Is it because of the engine oil or other issues. Please help.
Great video Stuart. I admire your patience 👍
.....so blessed 2 own an Indian.........no issues/problems discovered........&, STILL, 100% American.......
Another good common sense video with good descriptive advice. Especially good the info on service periods, it's quite amazing the amount of wrong information that's been put out about that .
Loved the video. Thanks a lot Stuart
Top video again Mr F, cool music, smooth like an oiled otter
Hello Stuart,regarding Brake Discs your front one in the video does look a bit Rusty,i cant say with the Bikes ive ever owned that it was an issue,i always thought Discs were made of a Low Grade Stainless.I guess different Manufacturers and Suppliers specify different Materials when they are made.Obviously it doesn't detract from their operation - quite the opposite as a bit of surface Rust helps with Friction.
I think what you have to remember Paul is that the disc is a critical safety, friction surface, ferrous materials are far more efficient than any nickel based material for this purpose. The incidence of rusting which is only a very slight dusting, does diminish with use as the disc polishes up and becomes less porous. I stand by what i said.
Liking this enough to consider buying one, to take the other half and myself to the odd rally during our retirement, 2 up riding?
Sensible as ever uncle Stu .
Nice one Stuart, think that's cleared that up...
Sir,when will you change the exhaust of your INTERCEPTOR 650
If it was a 950cc with fuel injection and optional luggage and fairing I would go and buy one this weekend.