The Royal Enfield INT 650 is a motorcycle mostly overlooked in the United States. I share why I chose this bike and share my experience after a week of ownership.
Have the 2019 for 2 years now. Still the bike with the most " smiles per miles" that I have owned. There are a few low cost tweaks to be done that make a big improvement. PM me if you are interested in knowing them. Take care and ride safe!!
Got the same in August. Replaced the seat (eBay/India), Installed crush bars (eBay/India), saddle bags (Shad/Italy), Grip puppies (Amazon), Radiator guard (eBay/India), central pannier (Givi/Italy), handlebars risers (hitchcocks/ England). And the tank was swapped at the dealer before the first fill up with the chrome one(eBay/ India)... LOVE IT! Took the scenic route from NJ to Boston and back. That was awesome!
What seat did you end up switching for from eBay? The stock seat is fine for around town, but longer rides definitely have me wanting for something a bit plusher!
@@SeanLarrinaga Sorry for the delay... I had bought ROYAL ENFIELD premium dual touring seat with white cowl, part number 1990403 and 1990433. The idea was to wrap cowl in chrome plastic, but it didn't work out. Apparently, it is very difficult to use chrome wrap. So, I may buy another premium seat, 1990482... Now, I wouldn't call it 'plusher". It is not soft, but they use different foam, which makes the seat much better suited for longer rides.
I have a 2020 and first upgrade was to replace the seat. I got an OEM touring seat from an ebay vendor in India. It's identical in appearance to the stock seat but much more comfortable. I can ride for a few hours before taking a break now. I paid $126 and had it in a week.
I've had my Interceptor for a little over a year now and I love it. Like you, I've had (and still have) "powerful" bikes, but the Inty is usually the one I go to first. It's just gorgeous to look at, the fuelling is exquisite and the handling is great too (I've upgraded the forks with the YSS kit and replaced the shocks with Hagon). For the seat, I was one of those people who paid around 10% of the price of the bike for a Trip Machine seat. It's a gorgeous thing, and very comfortable (although hard at first). If you don't want to pay that kind of money, I've heard good things about the official RE touring seat. I wanted a suede seat though, as I've gone with a scrambler look on my bike. Enjoy the bike, I'm sure you won't be disappointed!
I am leaning strongly towards buying the RE touring seat for the GT. The sun was out the day I shot my next video and I did go out for a short jaunt. It definitely invigorated my soul. Really enjoy this bike so far.
I have an SV650 but I had a demo ride on the INT 650. It’s a very fun motorcycle, the engine sounds good and has a lot of character. For the seat, my bike is comfortable for about 1 hour, for longer rides I bought some air padding for about $30.
Seat; 7 motorcycles here, some really old, bad seats. Amazon sells an inflatable seat cushion, like the AirHawk but $135 cheaper. My wife and I use them on all my bikes, best $29 spent for motorcycle comfort. If you are even cheaper than that; we used to use bubble wrap ( with the largest bubbles). It would literally double how far you can ride. You don’t look short so added height to the seat won’t be a problem. If I didn’t have 7 bikes already I’d by one of the Int (erceptor) 650s in a minute. Be careful out there!
Agree with everything you say. Greetings from Yorkshire in England. I'm 58, been riding for 40 years. I got a new 650 GT continental 2 years ago in rocker red, fitted ZARD silencers & DNA air filter with snorkel removed. Replaced tyres with BT46's, went down 10mm on front tyre wall height (speedo now reads 4mph fast) what a difference in feel, Replaced rear shocks with HAGON shrouded shocks. Had a custom saddle made, 2" wider & 2" higher at the front to match the height of the pillion section, Now same height along it's entire length with a gel pad insert, massive difference, Only time I need to stop now is for fuel, And it looks great with the rear ending with a small hump (much more pillion friendly) Saddle was made by Saddle craft (same folk that make the saddles for CCM) 2 month waiting list. Ran the bike in properly with the odd squirt of throttle here & there. Bought another top yolk and dressed the modern logo out & mirror polished (20 hours by hand filing) Thick plastic coating is very tough to get through, Then 6 hours of wet & dry sanding, starting with 80 grit - down to 2500 grit, The motive has a 4mm deep locating T peg on it's underside that locates in the yolk, Now suits the bike beautifully. wouldn't do it again (no fingerprints or nails left for a while) Also mirror polished the throttle body covers & heel guards, these are brushed stainless & took forever to wet & dry then polish. De burred the sharp edges off them (they are quite sharp on the edges when washing the bike) Bike now has 3500 miles on it and I regularly see 115 on the clock "on private roads" (reading 4mph fast) Never missed a beat, Nothing has fallen off & not used any oil between services. These motors don't loosen up until over 2000 miles on them. Traded my 2019 Honda CB1000R Neo sport café + for my GT 650, 100 BHP less & 5 times more rewarding to ride. Incredible value for the money. Some people still saying they are cheap because they are cheap, WRONG, Build quality is amazing for the price, Chassis designed by HARRIS (which Enfield acquired in 2015) Engine designed by folk poached from Triumph just down the road in Hinckley. People are taking these out to 865cc with cams & ECU upgrades & not one story of any letting go. Massively over engineered. I'll never sell it. Just ordered a Hunter 350 in Dapper grey to keep it company in the garage. Don't think I'll be polishing the top yolk though. Ride safe
Wow! Certainly a labour of love with all the work you have done to your RE. I'm sure your bike looks spectacular. Your endorsement backing up the quality of the bikes only reaffirms my decision buying the RE. Finally had the first day at 60 degrees F. yesterday with sunshine inspiring a short 63 mile ride getting the bike closer to the 300 mile break in. ( I do need a new seat. I start hurting after about 15-20 miles in the saddle. ) Another 70 miles and it is time for the first service and plenty miles afterwards exploring the back roads.
You get what you pay for. Enfield India is a clue. Hot weather.... Problems in cold climates ....rectifiers, rusting spokes ,poor seats, foot brake poor to locate even with trainers. Etc etc
I ride a 2009 BMW R1200GS and I love it but as I get on in years, it is getting a bit much. So I bought an INT650 in orange just like yours. Now I ride the 650 80% of the time and the GS only on long multi day trips. I also investigated multiple other bikes and decided on the INT650. Two years of trouble free enjoyable riding
I have a Corbin seat on my Honda NT700 and I find it very uncomfortable. I want to do long distance touring so I bought a gel cushion. It helped, but I need something better. Today I bought a Wild Ass air cushion. Took a short ride to try out, but not sure about long trips yet.
I started on the MT-03 and my ass would hurt at about the 1/2bhour mark and i got a air cushion cover and it helped, but my ass still hurt. The Int-650 is way more comfortable, but everyone is different and it depends on how you body rests on the seat. One thing that I heard to get was padded biker underwear because it is padded in that area and it is only like $19 on Amazon.. So you really have nothing to lose, I am ordering a pair.
Yes they are a lovely bike build quality is nice, I own a 2020 interceptor in my honest opinion they dropped the ball regarding the front forks. The old leading front axel from pre 2010 bullets was far superior, 95,000 on my old bullet never blew a fork seal, 28,500 KMs on the interceptor blown fork seal. So take my advice get a spare set of seals & scrapers it's the Achilles heel, as for the seat I'm an iron butt 1,500 KMs they are lovely bikes easy to work on common sense happy travels keep it rubber side down.
Been riding bikes since I was 5 (Honda mini-Elsinore MR50) and have owned a bit of everything. Mainly a Honda guy. Never considered RE. Until I went to a BMW/Ducati dealer and they were carrying them. Did a bunch or research (especially Stuart Fillingham’s YT channel) and I pulled the trigger. Ended up selling my Aprilia Tuono and the RE is the only bike in the stable. I did add the S&S pipes that save something a bit over 30lbs right out the gate. Added a DNA air filter and several other bits. Check your relays under the left side cover. Mine (like most) were overgreased. Actually swapped them out for Bosch relays from Hitchcocks and have never had any electrical issues on my 2022 INT. Keep the rubber side down!
loved the video and review of the bike! But just for reference I believe the word you're looking for is "taint" not "chode" i encourage you to google chode just to save yourself from a potentially awkward conversation with someone lol. Gave me a good laugh though thanks for the video
Meh, I use the wrong words, at times. Thanks for the correction. I got the "improper" definition from a guy I was deployed to Iraq with back in 2005. He was referring to his taint but used chode; hence, my incorrect use. So, I have used the term, chode, incorrectly for 18 years, and here is to me using it wrong for many years to come.
In my stable are two 865cc Triumphs (Bonneville and Thruxton) that I paid a tad over $7,400 for new 10 years ago. Also have a 2020 Speed Twin 1200cc that was on sale for $9,999 new in Oct 2020. My 2020 650INT was $5,949 out-the-door in May of 2020; with the YSS front fork kit, full stainless-steel exhaust, upgraded brake pads, WiseCo 83.5mm pistons, S&S cam, parts, machine work to install the cylinder liners to make it 743cc and my labor (free and enjoyable) I now have a 750INT for about $2,000 less than the current Speed Twin 900 or about what my 2012's cost new. It is lighter than all at about 435 pounds, has 6 gears instead of 5 like the 900's and was well worth the effort.
I Got the same bike color and everything!!! I learned to ride last year and my first bike was a 2022 MT-03 and it is a good bike, but my brother got a blue INT650 and once I rode it, I knew I needed to have it. Well after about 6 months, I traded in the MT-03 and got a great deal and got a brand new INT 650 orange crush. The Mt-03 was quicker 0-60, but the Int-650 is faster. Meaning on the highway the MT-03 was "ok" it could easily keep up with traffic, but if you wanted to go from like 60mph to 75, it was a somewhat slow, not bad, but not fast, now getting to 60 on the mt-03 was faster than my mustang by about 1/2 a second and faster than the int 650 too! BUT! The highway and cruising on open roads is where the INT-650 SHINES! It just feels better and safer going faster, it will beat the MT-03 on the highway and has plenty of acceleration going from 60 - 80.. It is about as fast as my Mustang and that is not bad at all! I am a big guy who does powerlifting 250+ pounds and the MT-03 felt light and would get blown around on the highway, the INT-650 is SOLID... I also test drove some of those CF-Moto 600-700+ cc bikes I test drove the sports bike that was 600cc and the 700cc adventure bike because they were about the same price.... Well I have to say those bikes felt light a little "cheap" and not much different than the MT-03 to be 100% honest. They were definitely faster, but not really a upgrade over the Mt-03 in terms of feel. Also and this is a big deal, the INT-650 is SIMPLE, it is Just a bike with no fancy electronics, if something breaks, it will be easy to fix and easy to access... I can also buy maybe in the future a new camshaft or the complete big bore kit with the new cylinder, and it is not that much, it will add about 30+ HP, but that is down the road if i feel like it, but honestly 40+ Hp on anything that small is really good, so no real need to do it, it also gets good gas mileage too! Anyways great video and keep us updated on how it is going!!! enjoy!!!
How tall are you? 6'2" or 188cm here, 245lbs or 110kg. I sat in an Interceptor at the dealership and it seemed OK. To my surprise the Continental fit quite well also. No test drives available....
I would be hesitant about getting the Big Bore Kit. Maybe after the engine needs Pistons then that might be a good idea but you have to make sure that if you increase the horsepower that you will be able to get parts that we'll be able to handle the horsepower and I don't think you'll be able to get that kind of parts of Royal Enfield. One guy quoted the cost of the S&S kit and the Machining amounted to $3,000. Now you have both on cylinders but I don't know how much they cost. If you drastically improve the amount of power the engine makes it will show up deficiencies that will have to be addressed because of the extra horsepower. A beefier clutch for sure is a necessity as well as upgraded suspension. Everybody calls it the Royal Enfield interceptor. The orange tank is beautiful.
@@frankmarkovcijr5459 I agree the extra HP might not be a good idea, but they do sale a big bore kit with the cylinders already for you so no machining necessary. But honestly 45+hp is plenty for this bike and it is plenty to have fun with too.
Nice choice of bike and a good video, they are very popular here in the UK as are the rest of the new Royal Enfield line up, enjoy the bike friend👍 Tim Hope, Cambridge, England.
The Interceptor is a great bike and now that it's been available for a few years there is a massive amount of performance and cosmetic upgrades are available if there are certain areas you want to improve for your personal preference.. It's a little unfair to criticise the plastic mudguards/fenders.. 1. A lot of modern bikes have plastic mudguards/fenders.. 2. They'll NEVER rust !..
Nice one - I have the 2021 model. Only real issue I've had so far is a bit of surface rust on the headers around the cooling fins but I've managed to clear that off with a wire brush.
Look into getting stock seat “rebuilt” you could even do the cushion part yourself and then have someone reattach the cover. You could easily save a lot of money that way especially when you consider the stock seat is not what you would call complex. Also I bet it is easy to find a 2nd hand stock seat for dirt cheap.
Nice video. I have a 2019 INT with 19k on it and love it. I have modded it a bit and will say Oxford heated grips, and the touring seat from RE and put a gel insert in it and the bike is great. I have stuff on my channel if you would like to see. I have not posted mush as I had a crash last july and it took for ever to get parts.
Enjoyed the video., Like you, I'm 68 years old and I own an 1800 Goldwing. It's just too big now and I don't tour anymore. I hate the thought of selling it but the reality is setting in. I'm too old and the bike is a handful.
Glad you enjoyed the video ! Though your Goldwing has become a handful, that does not necessarily mean yours days going out for a ride are over. The Goldwing served its purpose during a certain part of your life. Sounds like you garnered a lot of enjoyment riding that bike. Moving on to a more manageable ride doesn't negate your experiences nor your capacity as a rider. The key thing is continuing to ride and rejuvenating your soul on each excursion no matter how long or short the ride is.
I’m in the same boat, GL1500 for the last 10 years and I’m ready to downsize. My big question is can I ride two up? In all the videos and reviews I seen nobody says anything about a passenger.
My 2020 Interceptor, In Ravishing Red, is parked downstairs and it's a great bike. Out the showroom door $5300,oo plus tax and plates. Yes I got the good customer deal since I also have a 2011 Bullet with Cozy sidecar. In my stable there's other 650's, Yamaha, BSA and even the fabled " TRITON "... (750 Triumph).... I simply tell others everyone built a 650 twin... and they all were trying to make the Royal Enfield 650. 😎
India has some amazing two wheeler manufacturing companies now, world's biggest motor bike manufacturer is a Indian company now. RE, Jawa, Yezdi, BSA, Norton, KTM all owned by Indian companies. Triumph 400 is made in India, Harley's x440 is now made in India. We were struggling in manufacturing for decades, now scene is changed.
Love your vid thanks, you are going to love your bike, I'm 57 years old been ridding about 50 years if you include my time on dirt bikes, I have owned many bikes. I realized something recently, My continental, I love it but what I noticed is I have a similar connection to it as I did to my 1980 Yamaha RD400, I loved that little bike and I have the same kind of connection to my RE650. I'll tell ya what I did, and I noticed some guys mentioned some of the things I'm going to but if enough people say the same thing, then well, you know it's probably worth trying. Bar end mirrors, I never had a bike with bar end mirrors before and I love them, however I didn't have a problem with the stock mirrors but love the Bar end mirrors alot they are great. The handle grips are too thin and made my hands sore as hell, Grip Puppies helped a lot. Royal Enfield has a touring seat for the bike looks identical to the original seat but its constructed a bit differently and it is better, the wife rides on the back and she could notice a difference as well and by the way, a lot of people tend to like the Continental seat better and get that one for the Interceptor, they are interchangeable and they both come in a touring version and the continental is a bit lower I think. If you have the euro 4 ECU, you can get a booster plug but dont do it until its broken in, it lets the bike run richer and hence the bike runs a bit smoother, its fine without it but there is a difference. but Royal may not want to cover anything under warranty if you do that, I just figure if anything goes wrong with it I'll remove it before I take it to the dealer just a heads up on that before you do it. I have done other stuff but they are all risk of voiding warranty, so I'll leave it for now unless you ask. enjoy the bike its awesome and fun. I would love to hear your thoughts on how it compared to your triumph and what year your triumph was and I love that INT joke I never heard that before I'm going to use that. Cheers Karl PS I have heard alot of people talking about the suspension not being any good or not great, I don't know maybe I don't ride hard but I think I do, I have ridden everything GSXR's Ninja's VTR's RZ's RG's and well the suspension seems fine to me at least its not bad enough that I want to spend over 1000 bucks Canadian to upgrade the suspension, I ride that thing faster than most I'm sure and to me it seems great but I'm not Kenny Roberts so others maybe correct in saying best to upgrade the suspension. just my thoughts, I have never been wrong before so the law of averages says I'm over dew lol :-).
Karl, Glad you enjoyed the video. The INT joke just came to me as I was making the video. My Triumph Bonneville was a 2007. I have not had the opportunity riding much since the weather has been and is still crap. ( Riding is about enjoying the experience, not being hardcore showing how much of a man I am because I am riding in the rain or snow. ) Anyway, after I get past the break in period, I'll be able to ride normally and provide a better comparison between the two bikes. It's been 13 years. though, since I traded in the Bonnie. As far as kitting out the bike, I can't see spending almost $900 for new rear shocks. If it comes to that point after getting many more miles on the bike, it might be something I have to save up for. I do like the GT touring seat. It's a perfect swap out; when I bought the bike, the dealer swapped out the seats between the GT and INT seeing if they fit for his knowledge, as well as mine, and it's a perfect fit.
I liked these since they first arrived & was planning to get one until I stumbled across a new leftover Honda NC700X super cheap. R.E. looks better I think. Similar power & weight. I'm old so in a few years I may be on a R.E. Classic 350.
Royal Enfield should have made the top end with hydraulic valve adjustments so you do not have to bother with adjusting the valves and it should also have a belt drive so you do not have to mess with the chain. It is easy to adjust the valves on a triumph by just removing the rocker caps on the valve covers. They could have made the engine more owner serviceable than what it is. The original triumph twin was designed by a real motorcyclist. Everything is easy to access when maintenance is required.😂
Bought mine in 2020 so coming up to 3 years of smiling everytime I ride it ! Spent s bunch of money on some nice components but still nowhere near a Triumph price ! Take out your 4 relays under the left hand cover and get all the grease out , swap the plugs for iridium and you are good to go ! Enjoy ! 👍🏻
Thank you for the suggestion. I have been looking at the seat options RE has for both the Interceptor and GT. I am leaning towards the GT touring seat. I like the look of it and the seat options for both bikes fit one another.
The touring GT seat (new version be careful of old new stock of the touring seats, ver II seats look different than stock) Is a great seat. What should be delivered with the bike.
Thank you ! With the advent of warm weather in the Pacific Northwest, I have been overly focused accomplishing projects ( painting rooms in the house, installing a paver patio, getting ready building a small pergola....the list goes on ). I, sadly, have not gone for a ride. I need a mental break and rejuvenation of my soul. Glad you commented inspiring me going on a ride !
I loved every second of it Gent! It really is a great looking Bike but man, that seat sure does look like a bit a of ball-buster. 😄 I'm looking forward to the follow up video(s) and even some ride alongs.
I love mine. Perfect modern retro to compliment my 1977 Triumph T140 Bonneville. I love the Bonneville but am afraid sometimes to ride it much further than I can walk home from. No such worries with my RE Interceptor.
From one cheap bastard to another, thanks! Lol. I also have a Beemer, a 1200 LT, and have been looking at the Enfield, just to have a quality smaller bike. Thanks! I think you helped this old guy from West Virginia make up his mind. Knees in the breeze is our only disease!
I've failed to see your other videos, and do apologize for that. I'll see what I am able to find, take it from there. I've seen critical videos from Yammie Noob (not crazy about him...) and Ryan Fortnine who is WAY too intelligent for me. I came across your video by accident, and found you reasonable with your viewpoints. I hope you have a fantastic week. Take care, and stay warm and dry, Sir.
A little time and a sheep skin rider's pad on seat does the trick. I am on my second Interceptor. First one I had for 3 years and 30,000 kilometres until a car driver tried to kill me head on.
Reasons why RE is making it. 1. Cost, Fuel, Service, Material Efficient. 2. Minimum Electronics and Engineering. 3. Easy to modify 4. Easy Riding. 5. Listening customers, from real life to social media 6.The will of "Mr. Siddharth Lal. 7. Military Reputation. 8. And finally, British and Indian manipulation or kind of mindset/attitude while building it.
Hey, nice video! I'm curious about the Interceptor 650, but I have a slightly different question to ask. It looks like you're wearing Carhartt. I'm looking for a motorcycle jacket, but I don't want leather. I need something windproof and with a collar that doesn't flap around. We don't have the regular Carhartt workwear where I live, but we do have Carhartt WIP, their street-wear brand. Have you ever bought any Carhartt WIP jackets using that 12oz Dearborn canvas (particularly the Detroit jacket)? Do you know how wind-resistant it is? Thanks!
I was wearing the insulated Carhartt overalls because it was really cold in the shop. I gear up with both leather and textile pants and jackets depending on the weather and temperature. For abrasion protection, Carhartt is not what you want. Most of my riding gear I bought second hand. There are plenty of textile options out there for you with liners for wind proofing and collars that snap at the neck. Hope this was helpful.
@@uncouthgent Thanks for the reply. I'm not looking for leather, and I can take care of the safety aspect elsewhere. I'm just wondering about the wind resistance of Carhartt in general.
Buy both ? Have the blacked out one for riding and the orange one for friends joining you on a ride. The only caveat for your friends riding is they have to polish up everything after your ride.
I've changed from a 1000 cc Kawasaki to a Royal Enfield. Why? SOUL. I'm bored of high tech, high performance, bland looking machines that, sure, go amazingly, but are just characterless two wheeled machines. Perfomance is all they have in their favour. Going back to a bike where the only mode is my right wrist. Enfields capture the 60s cafe biking heyday without all the pitfalls of dropping oil everywhere and low reliability issue's .
Built in India but every Triumph these days is made in Thailand and REs are still 50% cheaper and 100% more reliable than a Triumph. What's more the RE frame is designed by Harris Performance (owned by the same parent company) who have built frames for everybody (Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Suzuki) in every category (superbikes, GP, endurance) thus it copes easily with the 865cc S&S big bore kit that is available. The brakes might need some upgrading though.
Alas, words have more than one meaning ! Another youth of your generation has also brought this up. Another definition or use of the vulgar slang term is as the perineum.
Sir I have to correct your improper use of the term 'chode'. What you're referring to is actually affectionately coined the 'gooch'. A chode is a short and stocky member of the male sex organ. Good day.
Thank you for taking the time noting the term "chode" I used. "Chode" is actually the proper use for the region I was describing; the perineum. It is another meaning for the vulgar slang term. One of the wonderful things about words are the many meanings they can have.
i'm really happy to see people who has and can afford RE Int650 i'm planning to apply a bike loan and ready to pay that 50% downpayment but i'm not sure if i'll get approval because of my monthly income is only $527 if converted to USD but dang im hoping to get approve pray me friends 🙂
Have the 2019 for 2 years now. Still the bike with the most " smiles per miles" that I have owned. There are a few low cost tweaks to be done that make a big improvement. PM me if you are interested in knowing them. Take care and ride safe!!
hey mate i'm curious how tall you are and how you enjoy the riding position and riders triange:
bar/seat/peg relationship
Got the same in August. Replaced the seat (eBay/India), Installed crush bars (eBay/India), saddle bags (Shad/Italy), Grip puppies (Amazon), Radiator guard (eBay/India), central pannier (Givi/Italy), handlebars risers (hitchcocks/ England). And the tank was swapped at the dealer before the first fill up with the chrome one(eBay/ India)... LOVE IT! Took the scenic route from NJ to Boston and back. That was awesome!
I can't wait to get one xxxx
AND after spending for all the mode YOU want it's still cheaper than the other makes .....😅😅😅😅😅😅
What seat did you end up switching for from eBay? The stock seat is fine for around town, but longer rides definitely have me wanting for something a bit plusher!
@@SeanLarrinaga Sorry for the delay... I had bought ROYAL ENFIELD premium dual touring seat with white cowl, part number 1990403 and 1990433. The idea was to wrap cowl in chrome plastic, but it didn't work out. Apparently, it is very difficult to use chrome wrap. So, I may buy another premium seat, 1990482... Now, I wouldn't call it 'plusher". It is not soft, but they use different foam, which makes the seat much better suited for longer rides.
Great acquisition! I own a Himalayan for the past two years, and I'm looking foward to buy a interceptor.
I have a 2020 and first upgrade was to replace the seat. I got an OEM touring seat from an ebay vendor in India. It's identical in appearance to the stock seat but much more comfortable. I can ride for a few hours before taking a break now. I paid $126 and had it in a week.
I've had my Interceptor for a little over a year now and I love it. Like you, I've had (and still have) "powerful" bikes, but the Inty is usually the one I go to first. It's just gorgeous to look at, the fuelling is exquisite and the handling is great too (I've upgraded the forks with the YSS kit and replaced the shocks with Hagon).
For the seat, I was one of those people who paid around 10% of the price of the bike for a Trip Machine seat. It's a gorgeous thing, and very comfortable (although hard at first). If you don't want to pay that kind of money, I've heard good things about the official RE touring seat. I wanted a suede seat though, as I've gone with a scrambler look on my bike.
Enjoy the bike, I'm sure you won't be disappointed!
I am leaning strongly towards buying the RE touring seat for the GT. The sun was out the day I shot my next video and I did go out for a short jaunt. It definitely invigorated my soul. Really enjoy this bike so far.
I have an SV650 but I had a demo ride on the INT 650. It’s a very fun motorcycle, the engine sounds good and has a lot of character. For the seat, my bike is comfortable for about 1 hour, for longer rides I bought some air padding for about $30.
BACK TO WHERE WE STARTED IS THE MOST PRECIOUSE WORD THAT WILL EVER BE SAID AND SO ON WE GO !!
Oh, I would love to have one of those!
Seat; 7 motorcycles here, some really old, bad seats. Amazon sells an inflatable seat cushion, like the AirHawk but $135 cheaper. My wife and I use them on all my bikes, best $29 spent for motorcycle comfort. If you are even cheaper than that; we used to use bubble wrap ( with the largest bubbles). It would literally double how far you can ride. You don’t look short so added height to the seat won’t be a problem. If I didn’t have 7 bikes already I’d by one of the Int (erceptor) 650s in a minute. Be careful out there!
Agree with everything you say.
Greetings from Yorkshire in England. I'm 58, been riding for 40 years.
I got a new 650 GT continental 2 years ago in rocker red, fitted ZARD silencers & DNA air filter with snorkel removed.
Replaced tyres with BT46's, went down 10mm on front tyre wall height (speedo now reads 4mph fast) what a difference in feel, Replaced rear shocks with HAGON shrouded shocks.
Had a custom saddle made, 2" wider & 2" higher at the front to match the height of the pillion section, Now same height along it's entire length with a gel pad insert, massive difference, Only time I need to stop now is for fuel, And it looks great with the rear ending with a small hump (much more pillion friendly) Saddle was made by Saddle craft (same folk that make the saddles for CCM) 2 month waiting list.
Ran the bike in properly with the odd squirt of throttle here & there.
Bought another top yolk and dressed the modern logo out & mirror polished (20 hours by hand filing) Thick plastic coating is very tough to get through, Then 6 hours of wet & dry sanding, starting with 80 grit - down to 2500 grit, The motive has a 4mm deep locating T peg on it's underside that locates in the yolk,
Now suits the bike beautifully. wouldn't do it again (no fingerprints or nails left for a while)
Also mirror polished the throttle body covers & heel guards, these are brushed stainless & took forever to wet & dry then polish.
De burred the sharp edges off them (they are quite sharp on the edges when washing the bike)
Bike now has 3500 miles on it and I regularly see 115 on the clock "on private roads" (reading 4mph fast) Never missed a beat, Nothing has fallen off & not used any oil between services. These motors don't loosen up until over 2000 miles on them.
Traded my 2019 Honda CB1000R Neo sport café + for my GT 650, 100 BHP less & 5 times more rewarding to ride.
Incredible value for the money.
Some people still saying they are cheap because they are cheap, WRONG, Build quality is amazing for the price, Chassis designed by HARRIS (which Enfield acquired in 2015)
Engine designed by folk poached from Triumph just down the road in Hinckley.
People are taking these out to 865cc with cams & ECU upgrades & not one story of any letting go. Massively over engineered.
I'll never sell it.
Just ordered a Hunter 350 in Dapper grey to keep it company in the garage. Don't think I'll be polishing the top yolk though.
Ride safe
Wow! Certainly a labour of love with all the work you have done to your RE. I'm sure your bike looks spectacular. Your endorsement backing up the quality of the bikes only reaffirms my decision buying the RE. Finally had the first day at 60 degrees F. yesterday with sunshine inspiring a short 63 mile ride getting the bike closer to the 300 mile break in. ( I do need a new seat. I start hurting after about 15-20 miles in the saddle. ) Another 70 miles and it is time for the first service and plenty miles afterwards exploring the back roads.
Great video
You get what you pay for.
Enfield India is a clue.
Hot weather....
Problems in cold climates ....rectifiers, rusting spokes ,poor seats, foot brake poor to locate even with trainers. Etc etc
I ride a 2009 BMW R1200GS and I love it but as I get on in years, it is getting a bit much. So I bought an INT650 in orange just like yours. Now I ride the 650 80% of the time and the GS only on long multi day trips. I also investigated multiple other bikes and decided on the INT650. Two years of trouble free enjoyable riding
Had mine 2n half years , done some tasty mods Very Happy With It Nice Bike 🏍
its a beauty....good choice
I have a Corbin seat on my Honda NT700 and I find it very uncomfortable. I want to do long distance touring so I bought a gel cushion. It helped, but I need something better. Today I bought a Wild Ass air cushion. Took a short ride to try out, but not sure about long trips yet.
I started on the MT-03 and my ass would hurt at about the 1/2bhour mark and i got a air cushion cover and it helped, but my ass still hurt. The Int-650 is way more comfortable, but everyone is different and it depends on how you body rests on the seat. One thing that I heard to get was padded biker underwear because it is padded in that area and it is only like $19 on Amazon.. So you really have nothing to lose, I am ordering a pair.
Yes they are a lovely bike build quality is nice, I own a 2020 interceptor in my honest opinion they dropped the ball regarding the front forks. The old leading front axel from pre 2010 bullets was far superior, 95,000 on my old bullet never blew a fork seal, 28,500 KMs on the interceptor blown fork seal. So take my advice get a spare set of seals & scrapers it's the Achilles heel, as for the seat I'm an iron butt 1,500 KMs they are lovely bikes easy to work on common sense happy travels keep it rubber side down.
Been riding bikes since I was 5 (Honda mini-Elsinore MR50) and have owned a bit of everything. Mainly a Honda guy. Never considered RE. Until I went to a BMW/Ducati dealer and they were carrying them. Did a bunch or research (especially Stuart Fillingham’s YT channel) and I pulled the trigger. Ended up selling my Aprilia Tuono and the RE is the only bike in the stable. I did add the S&S pipes that save something a bit over 30lbs right out the gate. Added a DNA air filter and several other bits. Check your relays under the left side cover. Mine (like most) were overgreased. Actually swapped them out for Bosch relays from Hitchcocks and have never had any electrical issues on my 2022 INT. Keep the rubber side down!
loved the video and review of the bike! But just for reference I believe the word you're looking for is "taint" not "chode" i encourage you to google chode just to save yourself from a potentially awkward conversation with someone lol. Gave me a good laugh though thanks for the video
Meh, I use the wrong words, at times. Thanks for the correction. I got the "improper" definition from a guy I was deployed to Iraq with back in 2005. He was referring to his taint but used chode; hence, my incorrect use. So, I have used the term, chode, incorrectly for 18 years, and here is to me using it wrong for many years to come.
@@uncouthgent haha love it, it's even better with the story. Thanks again for the chuckle and great video
In my stable are two 865cc Triumphs (Bonneville and Thruxton) that I paid a tad over $7,400 for new 10 years ago. Also have a 2020 Speed Twin 1200cc that was on sale for $9,999 new in Oct 2020. My 2020 650INT was $5,949 out-the-door in May of 2020; with the YSS front fork kit, full stainless-steel exhaust, upgraded brake pads, WiseCo 83.5mm pistons, S&S cam, parts, machine work to install the cylinder liners to make it 743cc and my labor (free and enjoyable) I now have a 750INT for about $2,000 less than the current Speed Twin 900 or about what my 2012's cost new. It is lighter than all at about 435 pounds, has 6 gears instead of 5 like the 900's and was well worth the effort.
I Got the same bike color and everything!!! I learned to ride last year and my first bike was a 2022 MT-03 and it is a good bike, but my brother got a blue INT650 and once I rode it, I knew I needed to have it. Well after about 6 months, I traded in the MT-03 and got a great deal and got a brand new INT 650 orange crush. The Mt-03 was quicker 0-60, but the Int-650 is faster. Meaning on the highway the MT-03 was "ok" it could easily keep up with traffic, but if you wanted to go from like 60mph to 75, it was a somewhat slow, not bad, but not fast, now getting to 60 on the mt-03 was faster than my mustang by about 1/2 a second and faster than the int 650 too! BUT! The highway and cruising on open roads is where the INT-650 SHINES! It just feels better and safer going faster, it will beat the MT-03 on the highway and has plenty of acceleration going from 60 - 80.. It is about as fast as my Mustang and that is not bad at all! I am a big guy who does powerlifting 250+ pounds and the MT-03 felt light and would get blown around on the highway, the INT-650 is SOLID... I also test drove some of those CF-Moto 600-700+ cc bikes I test drove the sports bike that was 600cc and the 700cc adventure bike because they were about the same price.... Well I have to say those bikes felt light a little "cheap" and not much different than the MT-03 to be 100% honest. They were definitely faster, but not really a upgrade over the Mt-03 in terms of feel. Also and this is a big deal, the INT-650 is SIMPLE, it is Just a bike with no fancy electronics, if something breaks, it will be easy to fix and easy to access... I can also buy maybe in the future a new camshaft or the complete big bore kit with the new cylinder, and it is not that much, it will add about 30+ HP, but that is down the road if i feel like it, but honestly 40+ Hp on anything that small is really good, so no real need to do it, it also gets good gas mileage too! Anyways great video and keep us updated on how it is going!!! enjoy!!!
Cool. You know your stuff
How tall are you? 6'2" or 188cm here, 245lbs or 110kg. I sat in an Interceptor at the dealership and it seemed OK. To my surprise the Continental fit quite well also.
No test drives available....
@@ralfybaby 6ft.. Int 650 is amazing
I would be hesitant about getting the Big Bore Kit. Maybe after the engine needs Pistons then that might be a good idea but you have to make sure that if you increase the horsepower that you will be able to get parts that we'll be able to handle the horsepower and I don't think you'll be able to get that kind of parts of Royal Enfield. One guy quoted the cost of the S&S kit and the Machining amounted to $3,000. Now you have both on cylinders but I don't know how much they cost. If you drastically improve the amount of power the engine makes it will show up deficiencies that will have to be addressed because of the extra horsepower. A beefier clutch for sure is a necessity as well as upgraded suspension. Everybody calls it the Royal Enfield interceptor. The orange tank is beautiful.
@@frankmarkovcijr5459 I agree the extra HP might not be a good idea, but they do sale a big bore kit with the cylinders already for you so no machining necessary. But honestly 45+hp is plenty for this bike and it is plenty to have fun with too.
Nice choice of bike and a good video, they are very popular here in the UK as are the rest of the new Royal Enfield line up, enjoy the bike friend👍 Tim Hope, Cambridge, England.
Thank you. Looking forward to adding some miles this week with the better weather.
The Interceptor is a great bike and now that it's been available for a few years there is a massive amount of performance and cosmetic upgrades are available if there are certain areas you want to improve for your personal preference.. It's a little unfair to criticise the plastic mudguards/fenders.. 1. A lot of modern bikes have plastic mudguards/fenders.. 2. They'll NEVER rust !..
RMS rejuvenate my soul 😊
Nice one - I have the 2021 model. Only real issue I've had so far is a bit of surface rust on the headers around the cooling fins but I've managed to clear that off with a wire brush.
Look into getting stock seat “rebuilt” you could even do the cushion part yourself and then have someone reattach the cover. You could easily save a lot of money that way especially when you consider the stock seat is not what you would call complex. Also I bet it is easy to find a 2nd hand stock seat for dirt cheap.
Nice video. I have a 2019 INT with 19k on it and love it. I have modded it a bit and will say Oxford heated grips, and the touring seat from RE and put a gel insert in it and the bike is great. I have stuff on my channel if you would like to see. I have not posted mush as I had a crash last july and it took for ever to get parts.
Enjoyed the video., Like you, I'm 68 years old and I own an 1800 Goldwing. It's just too big now and I don't tour anymore. I hate the thought of selling it but the reality is setting in. I'm too old and the bike is a handful.
Glad you enjoyed the video ! Though your Goldwing has become a handful, that does not necessarily mean yours days going out for a ride are over. The Goldwing served its purpose during a certain part of your life. Sounds like you garnered a lot of enjoyment riding that bike. Moving on to a more manageable ride doesn't negate your experiences nor your capacity as a rider. The key thing is continuing to ride and rejuvenating your soul on each excursion no matter how long or short the ride is.
I’m in the same boat, GL1500 for the last 10 years and I’m ready to downsize. My big question is can I ride two up? In all the videos and reviews I seen nobody says anything about a passenger.
Good bike, cheap, fun and better built than all of the other RE bikes.
My 2020 Interceptor, In Ravishing Red, is parked downstairs and it's a great bike. Out the showroom door $5300,oo plus tax and plates. Yes I got the good customer deal since I also have a 2011 Bullet with Cozy sidecar. In my stable there's other 650's, Yamaha, BSA and even the fabled " TRITON "... (750 Triumph).... I simply tell others everyone built a 650 twin... and they all were trying to make the Royal Enfield 650. 😎
India has some amazing two wheeler manufacturing companies now, world's biggest motor bike manufacturer is a Indian company now. RE, Jawa, Yezdi, BSA, Norton, KTM all owned by Indian companies. Triumph 400 is made in India, Harley's x440 is now made in India. We were struggling in manufacturing for decades, now scene is changed.
Love your vid thanks, you are going to love your bike, I'm 57 years old been ridding about 50 years if you include my time on dirt bikes, I have owned many bikes. I realized something recently, My continental, I love it but what I noticed is I have a similar connection to it as I did to my 1980 Yamaha RD400, I loved that little bike and I have the same kind of connection to my RE650. I'll tell ya what I did, and I noticed some guys mentioned some of the things I'm going to but if enough people say the same thing, then well, you know it's probably worth trying. Bar end mirrors, I never had a bike with bar end mirrors before and I love them, however I didn't have a problem with the stock mirrors but love the Bar end mirrors alot they are great. The handle grips are too thin and made my hands sore as hell, Grip Puppies helped a lot. Royal Enfield has a touring seat for the bike looks identical to the original seat but its constructed a bit differently and it is better, the wife rides on the back and she could notice a difference as well and by the way, a lot of people tend to like the Continental seat better and get that one for the Interceptor, they are interchangeable and they both come in a touring version and the continental is a bit lower I think. If you have the euro 4 ECU, you can get a booster plug but dont do it until its broken in, it lets the bike run richer and hence the bike runs a bit smoother, its fine without it but there is a difference. but Royal may not want to cover anything under warranty if you do that, I just figure if anything goes wrong with it I'll remove it before I take it to the dealer just a heads up on that before you do it. I have done other stuff but they are all risk of voiding warranty, so I'll leave it for now unless you ask. enjoy the bike its awesome and fun. I would love to hear your thoughts on how it compared to your triumph and what year your triumph was and I love that INT joke I never heard that before I'm going to use that. Cheers Karl PS I have heard alot of people talking about the suspension not being any good or not great, I don't know maybe I don't ride hard but I think I do, I have ridden everything GSXR's Ninja's VTR's RZ's RG's and well the suspension seems fine to me at least its not bad enough that I want to spend over 1000 bucks Canadian to upgrade the suspension, I ride that thing faster than most I'm sure and to me it seems great but I'm not Kenny Roberts so others maybe correct in saying best to upgrade the suspension. just my thoughts, I have never been wrong before so the law of averages says I'm over dew lol :-).
Karl,
Glad you enjoyed the video. The INT joke just came to me as I was making the video. My Triumph Bonneville was a 2007. I have not had the opportunity riding much since the weather has been and is still crap. ( Riding is about enjoying the experience, not being hardcore showing how much of a man I am because I am riding in the rain or snow. ) Anyway, after I get past the break in period, I'll be able to ride normally and provide a better comparison between the two bikes. It's been 13 years. though, since I traded in the Bonnie.
As far as kitting out the bike, I can't see spending almost $900 for new rear shocks. If it comes to that point after getting many more miles on the bike, it might be something I have to save up for. I do like the GT touring seat. It's a perfect swap out; when I bought the bike, the dealer swapped out the seats between the GT and INT seeing if they fit for his knowledge, as well as mine, and it's a perfect fit.
I hope you love your RE as much as I do, it is such a cool great little bike for so many reason. maybe you'll make some more vids. Cheers
@@karlsquire8148 In my last video, about working on cars as therapy, I take the RE out for a ride. The sun was out !
I liked these since they first arrived & was planning to get one until I stumbled across a new leftover Honda NC700X super cheap. R.E. looks better I think. Similar power & weight. I'm old so in a few years I may be on a R.E. Classic 350.
Subscribed and look forward to tracking with your new ride.
Royal Enfield should have made the top end with hydraulic valve adjustments so you do not have to bother with adjusting the valves and it should also have a belt drive so you do not have to mess with the chain. It is easy to adjust the valves on a triumph by just removing the rocker caps on the valve covers. They could have made the engine more owner serviceable than what it is. The original triumph twin was designed by a real motorcyclist. Everything is easy to access when maintenance is required.😂
Bought mine in 2020 so coming up to 3 years of smiling everytime I ride it ! Spent s bunch of money on some nice components but still nowhere near a Triumph price ! Take out your 4 relays under the left hand cover and get all the grease out , swap the plugs for iridium and you are good to go ! Enjoy ! 👍🏻
Great video. Checkout the the touring seat RE sells as an accessory.
Thank you for the suggestion. I have been looking at the seat options RE has for both the Interceptor and GT. I am leaning towards the GT touring seat. I like the look of it and the seat options for both bikes fit one another.
100% AGREE WITH EVERY WORD I HONESTLY DO SO GO GO FELLA JUST GO AND ENJOY !!
The touring GT seat (new version be careful of old new stock of the touring seats, ver II seats look different than stock) Is a great seat. What should be delivered with the bike.
Great video, keep them coming. Mike in the uk.😊
Thank you ! With the advent of warm weather in the Pacific Northwest, I have been overly focused accomplishing projects ( painting rooms in the house, installing a paver patio, getting ready building a small pergola....the list goes on ). I, sadly, have not gone for a ride. I need a mental break and rejuvenation of my soul. Glad you commented inspiring me going on a ride !
Can you put a Royal Enfield backrest on the seat of this motorcycle?
I loved every second of it Gent!
It really is a great looking Bike but man, that seat sure does look like a bit a of ball-buster. 😄
I'm looking forward to the follow up video(s) and even some ride alongs.
Thank you for your feedback ! More comfortable seat options are definitely in the future.
I love mine. Perfect modern retro to compliment my 1977 Triumph T140 Bonneville. I love the Bonneville but am afraid sometimes to ride it much further than I can walk home from. No such worries with my RE Interceptor.
The seat padding looks a little thin, that what has put me off this machine. Apart from that I've only heard good things about it.
Get the GT650 touring dual seat
Nice review - any of the touring seats are much more comfortable
Thanks for your input. The GT touring seat is what I'm going to install. The stock seat just isn't comfortable for an extended period riding.
@@uncouthgent yep Ive got that one, its great and gets you into the bike rather than sitting on top
I think you are referring to the ole grundle there sir, not a chode 😂
From one cheap bastard to another, thanks! Lol. I also have a Beemer, a 1200 LT, and have been looking at the Enfield, just to have a quality smaller bike. Thanks! I think you helped this old guy from West Virginia make up his mind. Knees in the breeze is our only disease!
Cool ! Glad I was able to help along with all the other videos, I'm sure, you watched.
I've failed to see your other videos, and do apologize for that. I'll see what I am able to find, take it from there. I've seen critical videos from Yammie Noob (not crazy about him...) and Ryan Fortnine who is WAY too intelligent for me. I came across your video by accident, and found you reasonable with your viewpoints.
I hope you have a fantastic week. Take care, and stay warm and dry, Sir.
A little time and a sheep skin rider's pad on seat does the trick. I am on my second Interceptor. First one I had for 3 years and 30,000 kilometres until a car driver tried to kill me head on.
Reasons why RE is making it.
1. Cost, Fuel, Service, Material Efficient.
2. Minimum Electronics and Engineering.
3. Easy to modify
4. Easy Riding.
5. Listening customers, from real life to social media
6.The will of "Mr. Siddharth Lal.
7. Military Reputation.
8. And finally, British and Indian manipulation or kind of mindset/attitude while building it.
Hey, nice video! I'm curious about the Interceptor 650, but I have a slightly different question to ask. It looks like you're wearing Carhartt. I'm looking for a motorcycle jacket, but I don't want leather. I need something windproof and with a collar that doesn't flap around. We don't have the regular Carhartt workwear where I live, but we do have Carhartt WIP, their street-wear brand. Have you ever bought any Carhartt WIP jackets using that 12oz Dearborn canvas (particularly the Detroit jacket)? Do you know how wind-resistant it is? Thanks!
I was wearing the insulated Carhartt overalls because it was really cold in the shop. I gear up with both leather and textile pants and jackets depending on the weather and temperature. For abrasion protection, Carhartt is not what you want. Most of my riding gear I bought second hand. There are plenty of textile options out there for you with liners for wind proofing and collars that snap at the neck. Hope this was helpful.
@@uncouthgent Thanks for the reply. I'm not looking for leather, and I can take care of the safety aspect elsewhere. I'm just wondering about the wind resistance of Carhartt in general.
@@kinslowrainer3982 I have no experience with the wind resistance of Carhartt. I only own the one set of overalls.
@@uncouthgent OK. Thanks!
Can't decide on the Orange Crush (love the look, hate cleaning the alloy engine casings) or the 2023 blacked out Interceptor🤔
Buy both ? Have the blacked out one for riding and the orange one for friends joining you on a ride. The only caveat for your friends riding is they have to polish up everything after your ride.
@@uncouthgent Cool idea unfortunately I already have a Classic reborn that I'm selling 😭,and a HNTR on order 😂😂😜.
Wish i could hear what you are saying
I've changed from a 1000 cc Kawasaki to a Royal Enfield.
Why? SOUL.
I'm bored of high tech, high performance, bland looking machines that, sure, go amazingly, but are just characterless two wheeled machines.
Perfomance is all they have in their favour.
Going back to a bike where the only mode is my right wrist.
Enfields capture the 60s cafe biking heyday without all the pitfalls of dropping oil everywhere and low reliability issue's .
For 2500 USD I'll get the Triumph .....Not worth stinging!
Built in India but every Triumph these days is made in Thailand and REs are still 50% cheaper and 100% more reliable than a Triumph.
What's more the RE frame is designed by Harris Performance (owned by the same parent company) who have built frames for everybody (Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Suzuki) in every category (superbikes, GP, endurance) thus it copes easily with the 865cc S&S big bore kit that is available. The brakes might need some upgrading though.
It 's always the $$$ value with you guys isn't it.
so the 2023 price in us is 5747 euro, but in ireland the price of that bike is 9045 euro or 9678 dollars, rip off ireland
"I'm a cheap bastard" 😂
I have had a 2022 for a year and am selling mine. Too Tall and Top-Heavy
I don't think that's what chode means 😂
Alas, words have more than one meaning ! Another youth of your generation has also brought this up. Another definition or use of the vulgar slang term is as the perineum.
It's too small for me. Pegs are too far back.
It's ment to be blooming comfy. Bullet proof engine to boot
You’re a massive guy though.
Because it's cheap!
Sir I have to correct your improper use of the term 'chode'. What you're referring to is actually affectionately coined the 'gooch'. A chode is a short and stocky member of the male sex organ. Good day.
Thank you for taking the time noting the term "chode" I used. "Chode" is actually the proper use for the region I was describing; the perineum. It is another meaning for the vulgar slang term. One of the wonderful things about words are the many meanings they can have.
@@uncouthgent taint works too
@@underballbutter Yes, it does.
these are $7500 in my area
Now you got a matching bike to go with the shop vac 😅
i'm really happy to see people who has and can afford RE Int650 i'm planning to apply a bike loan and ready to pay that 50% downpayment but i'm not sure if i'll get approval because of my monthly income is only $527 if converted to USD but dang im hoping to get approve pray me friends 🙂