[ku69rd]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

Has anyone here ridden the Interceptor or the GT between 110/120 kmph on the highway? What are your thoughts?

.

Hi Ramana,
My experience riding it at constant 120 Kays was pretty smooth, More of a sweet spot for the machine. A gentle twist and the bike was ready to leap to 140s...after the 140 there is not much of rapid progress.
This bike has its sweet spot between 120-130 with some gearing changes thrown. Motor felt very easy n smooth.

What was your experience though

[Red Liner]

Originally Posted by ku69rd

Hi Ramana,
My experience riding it at constant 120 Kays was pretty smooth, More of a sweet spot for the machine. A gentle twist and the bike was ready to leap to 140s...after the 140 there is not much of rapid progress.
This bike has its sweet spot between 120-130 with some gearing changes thrown. Motor felt very easy n smooth.

What was your experience though

1. The bike felt a bit unstable. I was not confident maintaining those speeds. Mainly the windblast? I've been sitting behind a wall for so long, I dont even know what it is.

2. Braking felt a bit washy from those speeds as well. You know, the jab and accelerate type.

Motor was excellent and so was the gearbox. But when comparing back to back with a Versys, that confidence of sitting in an SUV kind of vehicle was missing at those speeds. A versys at 120 is just beginning to get started. 120 on the Interceptor and weaving through highway traffic at those speeds almost felt like war with Sparta.

I think I need to dial down my own expectations of this bike needing to fill all the possibilities of what a motorcycle can do.

[ku69rd]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

I think I need to dial down my own expectations of this bike needing to fill all the possibilities of what a motorcycle can do.

I kinda felt the front end a bit loose but that was at speeds in excess of around 150s. Dont take me wrong mate...whats your weight and height?

With my shoes on, I stand 6 feet tall and tip the scales at 85 (ok I am a bit overweight )

If i get one, will be working on the rear suspension to make it a couple of notches hard to see if 150s is stable.

Braking did not have any challenge for me.

Why would you not want to try the Continental GT at those speeds and check for your feedback?

PS: Hope the mods dont infract me for discussing the speeds here.
PPS: very limited exposure to Versys, so cant actually map your experiences buddie.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

Has anyone here ridden the Interceptor or the GT between 110/120 kmph on the highway?

I did from Yelahanka till near Airport toll and back. Does that count?

Originally Posted by Red Liner

I think I need to dial down my own expectations of this bike needing to fill all the possibilities of what a motorcycle can do.

I think this is it. Yeah, i agree with all your observations and i had similar feeling as well, but mostly because of the Versys. It's just a totally different thing on the highways.

But then - Considering the price gap and the type of motorcycle the Interceptor is - its not much of a concern. Try that GT - it feels even more dialled up in terms of senses than the Interceptor that you will find it discomforting over 120kmph.

Someone upgrading to the Interceptor 650 would be left wondering what we are talking about. The KTM 390 and the likes is much more frantic in comparison.

Originally Posted by ku69rd

PPS: very limited exposure to Versys, so cant actually map your experiences buddie.

Showa suspension + 216 kg weight + a huge windshield upfront - Its a totally different highway experience.

But again- it's a different type of motorcycle. Even something like a Street Twin or Boneville doesn't offer the same highway stability as the Versys - so not fair asking the same from the 650 twins either.

[ku69rd]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

Showa suspension + 216 kg weight + a huge windshield upfront - Its a totally different highway experience.

But again- it's a different type of motorcycle. Even something like a Street Twin or Boneville doesn't offer the same highway stability as the Versys - so not fair asking the same from the 650 twins either.

Agree, but there are lot of options like progressive springs and rear suspension systems to make it better...not on par with the Versys.

Versys has a different chassis all together if my memory is correct which gives that spot on handling.

@Ramana, the GT 525 Piaoli shocks seems to be a direct fit to the twin. The eye to eye measurements are spot on.
I should stop reading this thread... The temptations are hard to control wth each passing day and comments here

[Steeroid]

Originally Posted by r_nairtvm

Did fairly long TR of the Interceptor 650 today, in Trivandrum

Ram

Et tu, Brutus?

Too many good reviews coming in. I wish we had something to nitpick on and postpone that purchase, but it looms large on the helmet visor now.

Somebody write a negative piece, please.

PS: Even the riding outfit is conspiring. See pic.

[dinu2506]

Originally Posted by Steeroid

Et tu, Brutus?

Too many good reviews coming in. I wish we had something to nitpick on and postpone that purchase, but it looms large on the helmet visor now.

Somebody write a negative piece, please.

PS: Even the riding outfit is conspiring. See pic.

Small bits of negatives trickling in now. But, no doubt a great leap, by RE. I think I too need to take a test ride and compare with my air cooled Bonnie.

[Sutripta]

Originally Posted by r_nairtvm

Clutch was soft in a positive way[*]Brakes - individually and collectively are good and positive. Front is slightly weaker and Back is more positive compared to Bonnie

Great news (for me) on the clutch.
Two questions -
how aggressive is the ABS? ie did it kick in when you were not expecting it to?
how is the quality of the shift. I know it is an idiosyncrasy on my part but I put huge weight on it. Not just the shift, but as a reflection of the rest of the bike, and its manufacturer.

Regards
Sutripta

[r_nairtvm]

Originally Posted by Sutripta

Great news (for me) on the clutch.
Two questions -
how aggressive is the ABS? ie did it kick in when you were not expecting it to?

My regular bike is non ABS. So my braking style is progressive usually. But i could feel it kicking in well in time, when I delibrately braked hard.

Originally Posted by Sutripta

how is the quality of the shift. I know it is an idiosyncrasy on my part but I put huge weight on it. Not just the shift, but as a reflection of the rest of the bike, and its manufacturer.

I thought that the shift was smooth and positive enough, but would it rate it slightly below the feel of the Japanese/European/British big ones.

If Eisher can keep the QC & QA on a tight leash it will do well but then again only time will tell about the build quality, I guess.

Best Regards & Ride Safe

Ram

[ianuoui]

Is it just me or does it bother anyone else that the forks protrude off the triple tree's top plate by half an inch or so?

It seems to be the case on both the twins. I'd get it if this was the case on just the GT650.. (shared hardware across both the bikes, so drop the front end by a few cm's on the GT for a relatively aggressive riding position)

Turns out INT650's getting delivered to the customers were similar too! So it wasn't just the demo/test ride bikes alone. I did ask the guys at the showroom, they dint have an answer (he did say he would consult the service engineers being trained and get back to me).

Now I know it probably doesn't matter or affect the riding dynamics, but its also unlikely to be a design oversight on a bike that was years in the making/testing either.

For everyone considering a handlebar raisers, pulling the triple tree up should solve the issue? (even if ever so slightly)

Guys well versed with suspension/front end setups - see a downside?

Pic credits: rushlane

[jeepster]

Originally Posted by ianuoui

Is it just me or does it bother anyone else that the forks protrude off the triple tree's top plate by half an inch or so?

For everyone considering a handlebar raisers, pulling the triple tree up should solve the issue? (even if ever so slightly)

Could be a last minute suspension tweaking for better handling!

Raising suspension height will not help to change riders seating ergonomics's as its related to handlebar position to foot pegs & seat height.

Source: Google image search

Red rooster exhaust on 650.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5awAMNKBRE

https://www.facebook.com/nikhil.more...2004876523835/

Source: Facebook

[Sutripta]

Originally Posted by r_nairtvm

My regular bike is non ABS. So my braking style is progressive usually. But i could feel it kicking in well in time, when I delibrately braked hard.

I do not have the courage to deliberately lock the front wheels, even for testing purposes! 'Do not lock the wheels' is part of our muscle memory, irrespective of whether our rides have ABS or not. And in normal riding on normal bikes, we do not lock the wheels. So when riding normally, if the ABS starts kicking in, one wonders why that is happening. Since in normal riding the Interceptor's ABS did not activate, guess it is not one of those overaggressive setups.

My experience with ABS equipped bikes is limited to one, but I have sufficient exposure to ABS equipped cars. And here I've observed pretty wide differences in, shall we say, enthusiasm to activate.

Just one other personal opinion;- Riding in the Indian context, would prefer no ABS on the rear wheel.

Regards
Sutripta

[hiren959]

Took a test ride of both 650 twins
I felt the engine is great, pull power and refinement is beyond imagination
But the riding position of Cont GT 650 is not of my liking
Int 650 is also not comfortable as the handle bar is too far from the ideal riding position, brake peddle is too near to the engine bay and the biggest fault is the position of foot pegs they are simply hurting the legs whenever we land the feet on ground.
Pillion riding position is also not to talk about as the foot pegs are too upright and the silencer are too wide so there is max possibilities touching them when they are hot.
These are the first impression of the bikes, I was in the mood of booking Int 650 before the test ride but now I am thinking twice for these ergonomics flaws.

[Captain Slow]

Originally Posted by jeepster

[/indent]Red rooster exhaust on 650.

Sounds Horrible to me! More like a fart can. The stock exhaust sounds so much nicer.
Here is the stock exhaust.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FzddaW8_fw

Anyway, this is my Personal opinion.

[ianuoui]

Originally Posted by jeepster

Raising suspension height will not help to change riders seating ergonomics's as its related to handlebar position to foot pegs & seat height.

Thank you for looking up images to explain it. Makes sense - the rider's triangle is unchanged.

The forward lean angle should change a little and provide some relief to the lower back I am guessing? I guess I'll just have to wait and figure this out personally when the bike arrives.

Originally Posted by jeepster

Red rooster exhaust on 650.

Indeed! I can only imagine more versions of this sooner. One could debate the exhaust note endlessly however.

But I do like how the RR exhaust kinda tones down the profile visually. I like the brushed stainless steel too - somehow seems to balance off all the chrome from the middle a little bit (at least for me personally)

If only someone could make an exhaust that sounds like the stock exhausts (or like the pea shooters on the triumph's even) and has the leaner profile of the RR! ���� It's Christmas after all!!