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BHPian ![]() | My Royal Enfield Interceptor Mark III BS6 Ownership Experience I've been riding on two wheels for most of my life, I got my first bicycle when I was 4 years old. Beginning with that cycle and then upgrading to a Hercules, I would cycle my way to school every day and then tuition through high school and football and hockey matches on a Hero Hawk. In high school I would sneak off on my elder brother's Kinetic Honda to blast through the mist cover roads of Cubbon Road, M.G. Road at 6 am in the late 90s and early 2000s. Running on the thrill of sheer adrenalin, sans any protective gear of course. Ah, those were the days. I soon learned to ride my first geared motorcycle on a good friend's DTW ported RX100 and there was no looking back. Got my first motorcycle - a brand new 2003 RX135 4-speed from Pacer Yamaha on Infantry Road. I learned a lot on this motorcycle - from modifying it into a 5-speed and multiple ported bores, shaved heads, holed pistons, sprockets and chambers along with a good dose of road rash. This was my daily ride for close to 2 decades until I grew too big/ heavy for it. Pocket Rocket, Pocket Friendly and never missed a beat, except for once when I was running another CDI.. Along the way I picked up my second motorcycle - the first motorcycle I could say I bought with my own hard earned money- an RD350. By the time I came to own this motorcycle I had already read, experimented, and hung out at plenty of garages and with a lot of 2 stroke heads to understand some of the intricacies of these motorcycles. I understood the engine mods were a long-drawn affair and that I needed to improve my understanding of motorcycling to have realistic expectations of what those mods could do, how reliable they were, and if they would serve me well in the long run. Other than some issues with the CB point electricals, a failed oil pump (always run pre-mix) and some fake roller bearings that cost me an engine rebuild - the RD350 was the dream that I always imagined. In its stock form, it would do 100 kmph at 3500 rpm all day. The last time the motor was rebuilt my mechanic went a little wild and built me a screamer, a sleeper on stock silencers, that turned into a drag bike on the highway and an able commuter in the city with a flat-spot around 4500 rpm to keep me safe. The drum brakes on it did not instill much confidence and converting it to a disc brake setup is still a work in progress depending on when my trusted mech-friend decides to tell me he's ready to get the parts, do the mods and execute it. All along the way, I kept looking for a brand new 4-stroke to purchase - something that was comfortable to carry 2 large adults on the highway with no fear of the engine blowing up and a machine that was modern with good brakes, economical, and didn't require to spend lots of time in the garage, sourcing parts and meeting strangers to learn as I've always done with the 2 strokes - from the School of Hard Knocks. I considered the R15 gen 1, it was a scalpel. I loved it so much that I borrowed a friend's bike and crashed into the wall at Nandis on the way down. It was not serious but it made me acutely aware that my mind was way slower than what this machine's handling characteristics were capable off. I also had a friend's T-bird Gen 1 parked often in my basement, it was comfortable, loud and fun but the bike spent a great deal of time in the garage in repairs and it couldn't hold a candle to that R15 gen 1 even on the highway. The Duke 390 gen 1, I seriously considered until I took a test ride. The sound, the gearing, the design just didn't sit well with me. I realized that I was looking for a retro-styled motorcycle, that was modern but looked old-school, that had a refined motor, that had the torque to make low-speed rides a breeze, and that had the power to do highway jaunts, and one that had a wide service network and affordable spares. A motor that had enough juice in its stock form for me not to want to tinker around with it as I had done with my other rides but also had to potential to feed the Sulaimani keeda that we all sometimes get, to go wild on the motor with mods and also pass off as a sleeper. Towards the end of 2018, I had a colleague who was enthu about the new Jawa that was just launched. He owned a Yezdi Classic so that's why the Jawa appealled to him. I ridiculed him for considering the new Jawa 300 and instead took him to Teknik Motors during lunch to show him the Interceptor 650. He spent 5 mins looking at it, pulled out his wallet, payed the booking amount and we walked out. I was shocked, I hadn't expected that. That was one of the first lot of bikes sold by RE so I thought I would play it safe and see what came off it. A few months prior to this I had a bad spill on my RX doing some stupid stuff and broke a vertebra in my back, so my commuting was restricted to my car until I felt confident enough to ride the RX but it's suspension just couldn't cope with my weight, back issues and the terrible roads. So I started using the RD350 that had much better suspension and handled my weight and back issues better. I weigh around 90 kgs and am 5.11ft tall. Using the RD350 as a daily commuter did not sit well with me and I was constantly paranoid of the bike being tampered with or worst stolen, so adding a new modern motorcycle to the stable was now urgent. Sometime in late 2019, my friend who had purchased the Interceptor 650 (delivered to him after a 5 month waiting period) offered the bike to me to try out and help me make a purchasing decision. I used the bike for a few days and completely fell in love with it. This was exactly the motorcycle I had been looking for. Retro, understated, torquey, easy to maneuver, commuter friendly, high-way suited, bike bore, economical, and affordable. As soon as I returned the bike, my desire to buy it began to overwhelm me. I missed being able to ride it and it did not seem fair to have him part with it just so that I could enjoy it. I could finally take no more and based on all my practical calculations I went ahead and booked the motorcycle in Feb 2020 and got the motorcycle delivered to me within a week. I choose Black because according to me there is no better colour for a motorcycle and all my previous bikes were black, so it was kinda a no-brainer though I do love the new Sunset Strip paint theme, but I was averse to having matt black coated wheels because of the fear of the colour peeling off when getting punctures fixed etc. So, the base model Interceptor 650 Mark III it was! Anand who runs the HSR Tekniks outlet and was at the Indiranagar outlet on that day especially for me was super helpful, and the overall experience was brilliant. Also picked up a riding jacket with the 40% discount available with the motorcycle purchase. I road the bike to work and back everyday and all was well... In April 2020, the COVID lockdown kicked it and the bike was just parked. I would start it, take it for a short spin and park it back once a week so the battery wouldn't drain. This continued through the lockdown. Once the lockdown lifted, I started doing short rides and while I did enjoy the bike, I quickly realized the seat was not comfortable and the handlebar position was not ideal for comfort. My first puncture also led me to the discovery that RE was selling the bike with Tubeless Pirelli Tyres and a CEAT Tube, and that a single puncture would cost me close to 4 hours to fix. Since I still WFH (touch wood), I do not use the bike to commute much, I do the odd weekend rides and do day trips of around 600 km and weekend overnight trips of close to 1000 kms. The motorcycle and motor is flawless, and the gear shifts are slick. The Interceptor is a Road King on the highway - 100 kmph comes up around 3800 rpm - and its got great road presence, weighing it at a little of 200 kgs it holds its own on the highway. However, don't be fooled by its 650 cc motor, this motorcycle cannot stand up to the Duke 390 when it comes to acceleration and I'm not the kind of rider who is keen to figure out its top speed. It can cruise at 100-120 kmph all day long, it's got plenty of torque and easy handling in the city and there are plenty of plenty of performance mod options if that's what you are looking for. This motorcycle has already dethroned the long-reigning RD350 in the Indian Open Class 1/4 mile drags. For now, the stock motor is good enough for me. Now I'll come to it's cons and some of the mods I have done. Con: Seating/ Handle Bar position. Solution: -Carbon Racing Angled Handlebar risers around 2.5k (The Carbon Racing angled risers require re-routing of the clutch and throttle cables) -Comfortable Customized Seat from Rao Seats Shivajinagar for 3.5k that offer great lower back support compared to the stock seat. I see a lot of people complaining about the seating position/ comfort and this one issue deterring them from purchasing this bike. Well, the solution is a no-brainer and definitely not a deal breaker according to me. These two changes are all that you need to do. Con: Tube Punctures. Solution: -Way2Speed tubeless conversion. I purchased the kit from Melwin, got the installation done by Bhushan at Top Gear Thumpers and it works great. The entire process takes about 4-5 days for the wheel truing, solution to cure, plugging old punctures, and testing for leaks. I don't have to worry about a ripped tube, carrying tools, an extra tube and losing 4 hours on a trip if I catch a flat (which I hope I dont). With the tubeless conversion, I have also picked up the Xiaomi Air Pump S1 and a tubeless repair kit online. Throw that in your bag and you are sorted. Melwin and Bhushan are great people to deal with and are great resources for information on these motorcycles. Con: Fuel Cap Rubber Tearing Solution: -RoadPowerCustoms or RPC sells a rubber gasket for the fuel cap for around 900 INR. I didn't choose to claim a warranty that would replace the ignition switch, fuel cap, and side panel lock since this does not solve the issue of the poor quality of the rubber in the fuel cap. The RPC rubber gasket is of good quality and is holding up well. Having water going into your tank or having fuel pour out of it is the last thing you should have to worry about. Other than the above-mentioned changes I am also running: -Carbon Racing Wanderer V2 Windshield to reduce wind buffetting on the highway. -Bobo Mobile Holder & Charger - a must-have. Water and dust-proof units could provide more utility in all-weather conditions. -Zana Rear Carrier - to carry any luggage or mount a tail bag. -Fork Gaitors - since my model did not come with it as standard -BS3/4 right side switch gear to turn off the headlight during the day and save battery juice. -Motul 7100 10W50 Fully Synthetic Engine Oil -RE Large Crash Guard (must have) -RE Bash Plate (must have) These are the only mods I am running on the motorcycle to help me ride in comfort, not worry about punctures, charge my phone and carry luggage. Other than this the only other mod on priority is most likely HJG fog lights - though I very rarely high the highway after the sunsets. The stock lights are ok for the city, not too great on the highway. I might also look into mods for the front and rear suspension in the future but none that seem urgent right now. Though I am constantly tempted to get aftermarket slip-on exhausts (AEW 102, 201, PowerRage etc) I will save this for later because I do not want to compromise on initial torque or performance/milage and I do not want to ride with the worry of the cops catching me. And in my past experience, it is never just a simple exhaust change, it requires you to go full monty: air filter, remap, fueling, timing, sprocketing - and I'm not ready to go down that path again just yet and do not want to compromise on engine reliability either. In terms of luggage, I have picked up the Viaterra Fly tank bag and the Viaterra Elements tail bag. They are of great quality, offer great utility and offer all weather protection. In terms of riding gear, I upgraded all the armour in the RE riding jacket I bought with the bike to Level 2 armor including the back which is sold with just a foam sheet for protection, an SMK Twister Helmet with a Bluetooth headset installed, Rynox Urban X riding gloves, Raida Level 2 Riding Pants with hip, knees, tail bone protection, rain & thermal pants, and Raida Touring Boots. I also have the Rynox H2Go rain jacket, Rynox Thermal Jacket Liner, Decathalon Pant & Boot cover that comes as one piece (ugly but innovative!) and a Raida base layer shirt. They work great in all kinds of weather I have encountered so far. I am contemplating whether I should pick up waterproof riding gloves for the monsoons, let me know what you think. Riding gear is extremely, extremely important. All my scars, injuries, aches and pains that I bear are a result of me not wearing the right riding gear when I crashed and I've paid the price and have been lucky to continue being able to ride. The gear I have invested in provides me with the comfort to ride through all kinds of weather and gives me the confidence to reach my destination with the protection it offers. Attaching a few pics of my ride after the recent Way2Speed tubeless conversion and Carbon Racing windshield addition at Bhushan's Top Gear Thumpers . Let me know what you guys think or if you have any questions. Posting a thread after a long time, hope it's worth your while. Cheers! ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Last edited by 2StrokeJunkie : 30th August 2022 at 17:57. |
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Newbie Join Date: Feb 2022 Location: Mysore
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| Re: My Royal Enfield Interceptor Mark III BS6 Ownership Experience Awesome long term report! I myself own a BSVI variant and for me the biggest gripe has been the wheels. Definitely getting a tubeless conversion done. I'm sure your stocks must be nearing their EOL by now.Please do let me know which one of the few 18'' options you would go for. |
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| Re: My Royal Enfield Interceptor Mark III BS6 Ownership Experience That was a great review indeed, very informative. My cousin has changed the back one into meteor alloy and that has given him loads of open options as its a 17th inch alloy. He is running Appollo alpha H1. I am also thinking to consider the same. Did you check out these options before switching to way2speed. |
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| Re: My Royal Enfield Interceptor Mark III BS6 Ownership Experience Great ownership so far, completely agree with you on the riding gear part. Would recommend eveyone going in for a two wheeler to already calculate, and include the cost of the riding gear in your overall two wheeler budget. @2StrokeJunkie, any opinions on the Way2Speed tubeless conversion solution? |
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| Re: My Royal Enfield Interceptor Mark III BS6 Ownership Experience Most certainly an Interceptor 650 is the ideal substitute for the RD 350. The Interceptor IMHO is the apt motorcycle for somebody who has enjoyed motorcycles of the bygone era. |
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BHPian ![]() | Re: My Royal Enfield Interceptor Mark III BS6 Ownership Experience Quote:
Well, I have only done close to 7,000 km on the stock tubeless Pirelli Sportscomps, I guess this is the half-life of the tyre with it being expected to last with my riding style up to 15,000 km and if I'm lucky maybe more. In terms of available 18-inch options that are affordable, I have heard of the Ralco Speedblaster and Timsun as options. After the ban on the import of tyres in 2020 by the GOI, the price of replacement Pirellis has gone through the roof and their prices have more than doubled. I hear of a pair of them going for over 30k which is pretty ridiculous. The reason why CEAT chose not to make the new stock tyres on the 650 - CEAT Zoom - tubeless really baffles me. I really hope someone tells them to develop their current offering into tubeless ones so that it could offer more versatility to 650 owners looking for tubeless options. Other than Ralco and Timsun I am not sure if there are tubeless options from MRF. I have used MRFs on the 18-inch wheels of my Yamahas with no issues, though I am not sure if they make tyre options with the Interceptor 650s specifications in mind. The MRF Zapper Q is a great tyre on both the RD350 and the RX135 but the tyre walls of the Interceptor 650 are much taller and I'm not sure about the Zapper Qs speed rating or tubeless options either. Abroad or in terms of imports, there are great options from Avon, Bridgestone and Pirelli as well but they are pretty expensive from what I hear - again in the 30k+ ballpark. Quote:
- I still have a good amount of life in the stock Pirelli tyres and with the ridiculous premium that sellers are charging for them, I decided I might as well make good use of them instead of just wasting them away. - The meteor conversion only turns the rear wheel into a 17inch tubeless wheel. You are still left trying to figure out what to do with the front. You could leave it on the stock 18-inch wheel and convert it to tubeless or you could use a 17-inch spoke rim and convert it into tubeless - or you make use of a 17-inch front mag wheel from the Mojo after alot of machine work, I also hear of some recent attempts with the Hunter's front tyre - that is the closest to a straight fit but still requires some extensively machined parts - to hold the wheel, sacrificing the speedometer sensor, etc. -Basically, there is no straightforward solution to converting the front into a tubeless mag wheel of the same style as the rear if I did go ahead with the Meteor 17-inch rear. It would be an exercise of trial and error and would include plenty of garage time and machining/ lathe work - and I did not know of anyone who could execute this flawlessly and honestly I did not want to take the risk with a trial and error method. -The idea of running a spoked front wheel and a mag rear wheel also did not appeal to me and then there is the bit of what would I do with my EXCEL - Made in Japan - rear aluminium spoked rim - I could put both on my RD350 but only if I could get a set of tubeless mag wheels (including the front) to replace them on the Interceptor and the only option for both front and rear as a set was the Karol Bagh Royal Rado 18-inch wheels that I did not particularly like - though many users are pretty happy with them. -Another bone of contention for me was that I did not particularly like the stance of the Interceptor 650 when it is dropped to 17 inches, the motorcycle drops lower to the ground and the proportions seem a little odd compared to the classic 18-inch stance. -While I do appreciate the plethora of tyre options in 17-inch rim size, I have for now decided to keep things simple and make the most of what I currently have. Quote:
It's been exactly one week since I got the Interceptor 650 back from Bhushan's place post the Way2Speed conversion and the pressure has not dropped by even 1 psi which tells me the conversion has been executed well and that the rims are air-tight. On the original tubed setup I have experienced a variation of close to 3 psi over a week. Bhushan did tell me to check the tyre pressure over the first week to see if there is any drop so that corrections to the application if required can be made and so far all is well. The kit also comes with machined stainless steel valves and covers that are of great quality, meaning I will not suffer from leaking valve stems at any point in the future. Like I mentioned in my post, the entire Way2Speed conversion process takes around 5 days for the wheels to be trued, the application to be applied on the wheels and cured, old punctures on the tubeless wheels need to be plugged and then the wheels need to put together and motorcycle mounted on it to test for any leaks. I gave Bhushan the bike before a week-long vacation and took it back when I returned. Today's been exactly a week of using the bike and monitoring tyre pressure and there has been no drop, so all is well. If I do face any issues, Bhushan and Melwin are always available on call. Totally agree, which is why I see plenty of RD350 owners also turning into Interceptor 650 owners. Though I must say that the Interceptor is a much heavier, top heavy and thus cumbersome motorcycle to manoeuvre at stand-still/ low or even high speeds as compared to the RD350 which is a much lighter and nimble machine with a much higher power-to-weight ratio and an epic/addictive exhaust note/soundtrack, and this is exactly what makes riding these powerful, smoky, pollution norm breaking - Yamaha 2 strokes such an exhilarating experience. Riding both these machines back to back gives me a great perspective on my evolving needs as a rider with the Interceptor 650, and why riding the RD350 will always be a powerful mood-alterer with its hooligan-like characteristics that makes it an absolute blast to ride. Last edited by 2StrokeJunkie : 1st September 2022 at 11:43. | |||
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| Re: My Royal Enfield Interceptor Mark III BS6 Ownership Experience This is without a doubt the best, most balanced Interceptor review I’ve ever come across. And from a two striker with an RD it’s quite an endorsement. Well done man. Quote:
One thing which has made me stay away from this bike like the plague - the infamous high speed wobble. Have you never experienced it? Many riders have felt it even as low as 80-100. So many remedies ranging from tyre combos to suspension upgrades to whatnot, always makes me think it’s a bit of a roll of the dice as to whether you get a lemon. Then there are the fuel pump and relay issues. Have you experienced any of this? I ask because it always seems impossible to get a straight answer from the average RE fanboi. I like how pragmatic your add ons/mods have been. Happy riding! | |
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BHPian ![]() | Re: My Royal Enfield Interceptor Mark III BS6 Ownership Experience Quote:
Quote:
Well yes, it is sad that the RD350 is no longer the king of the drag strip amongst Indian manufactured motorcycles but to be fair it's had a long unchallenged run and there's a correction to what I posted earlier - the Interceptor 650 and the RD350 do not run in the same category i.e. the Indian Open. And from what I've been given to understand there is now an Indian Open for 2strokes to keep the RD class alive and a separate one for the 650 that falls under the 550cc - 850cc category. And to be fair to the RD350, I think the Interceptor 650s running in this class are big bores at 850cc or maybe more - the S&S kit is 865cc if I'm not mistaken. Attaching some screenshots of the race results and images from the last edition of Vroom at Hosur. For perspective: The fastest timing for the RD350 was 12.418 seconds by Anthony. The fastest timing for the Interceptor 650 was 11.764 seconds by Althaf. Lani Zena Fernandez on Indimotard's Interceptor 650, "Dunali" clocked 12.145 seconds. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Coming to your question on the wobble, yes I have experienced it. In fact, I also had a bad tank slapper on it but I blame myself because I was going too fast and hit a huge platform-like speed breaker that caused the weight to transfer to the rear, lighting up the front that then went into a horrid twitch on landing. That was one hell of a scary experience and I managed to survive it. But I blame myself because the Interceptor 650 at 210 kgs + and its soft suspension in the front and quick rebound on the rear is not meant to be ridden and jumped over obstacles with abandon like the much lighter 2-stroke Yamahas that I am used to riding and that was a lesson for me. The wobble that most experience, including me, has got more to do with the front tyre - the rim being slightly bent or the Pirelli tyres not wearing evenly. But if you ride the motorcycle with some sanity the wobble is not going to trouble you. Before I got the tubeless conversion done, the wobble could be experienced when I let go of the handlebar at around 60-70kmph with the motorcycle deaccelerating, it would track true until it hit a bump or the front tyre crossed undulations on the road. Is it a good idea to let go of the handlebars at any speed? No. To be fair, even then the wobble was non-intrusive but yes it does play on your mind that - "Hey, I better not take my hands off the bar or else.." After I got both wheels trued to get the Way2Speed tubeless conversion done, I tried to invoke the wobble by taking my hands off the bar but there was no wobble. The wheels being balanced and trued as well as my Pirellis being in pretty good shape could be why it's gone away. I've heard of people who have switched from the Pirellis to the CEATs or Timsuns or Ralco and have had their wobbling experience completely go away. In fact, some swear that the Pirellis are no good while others are shelling out 30k to put them on. To each, their own I guess. As of now I do not have the wobble, I did have it before and I have experienced a tank slapper but for that, I blame myself because sometimes a bike's weakest nut is the one holding the throttle ![]() Coming to the issues of the fuel pump failure, this is directly linked to the relays failing, unless of course the bike is being run on very little fuel in the tank causing the fuel pump mechanism itself to fail due to it running dry. I have not experienced the relay issue so far (touch wood) but it is a pretty straightforward solution if the issue does occur and that is to replace the relays with the Toyota Nippon Denso ones. RPC sells them online and there are also cheaper replacements. I was just reading today that RE's RSA is replacing the 5-pin relays with 4-pin ones for relay issues. Apparently, RE coats the relay pins with white grease and a lot of people abroad are facing relay failures because the grease catches a lot of salt and moisture on the way to their destination in US/UK/Australia by sea. But I wouldn't worry too much about the relay issue because once you purchase the bike you are covered by a 3-5 year warranty to replace any defective parts, you have roadside assistance and there are plenty of articles and reviews online that can prepare you for these eventualities to help you find a quick solution. Also a quick update, on the Way2Speed Tubeless conversion - Bhushan's Top Gear Thumpers have done a great job, the tyres are holding pressure well with no drop, checked with the Xiaomi Portable Air Pump S1 that just arrived today. ![]() ![]() Last edited by 2StrokeJunkie : 2nd September 2022 at 20:49. | ||
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BHPian ![]() | Re: My Royal Enfield Interceptor Mark III BS6 Ownership Experience Did a few rides over the last few weeks, caught a flat due to a plug on a previous puncture that gave up and changed the headlight bulb to an LED from Auxbeam. I luckily caught the puncture with the Mi pump that showed the rear at 8 psi - i initially thought something was wrong with the device because the tyre seemed inflated - topped it up to 36 psi and ran my rand along the tyre looking for a nail and instead felt air blowing on my hand through an old plug. Because of the way2speed tubeless setup and the air pump I was able to ride the bike with a puncture and find a puncture guy who was operating at that time. Had this been the stock tubed setup i wouldve easily lost another 3-4 hours fixing a puncture. Even after eventually going to my regular puncture guy for the cars, he say the rear disc brake and immediately told me he cant fix it. I had to reassure him that it is tubeless which shocked him and told him that he did not need to remove the tyre or fix the tube. Puncture was plugged in under 10 minutes and I was on my way. ![]() I also changed my stock halogen headlight to the Auxbeam S3 LED light after I saw it on @Tharians Interceptor. He helped me out with the contact at BikeNBiker at there store in Bangalore. I bought the bulb from them for 3,500/- and got the install done there. Was not too happy with their installation experience because of them not installing the rubber water/dust cover, a broken plastic washer that holds the bulb (which they replaced) and some glitches with the install due to which I visited them multiple times but finally manage to fix issues like the rubber and focus at a workshop near home. These LEDs need to alligned in the right manner for them to work well, watch some videos on Youtube to understand how to allign them, thought it is pretty straight forward. The low beam has a good throw and spread and is much brighter than stock, the high beam is not of much use other than blinding oncoming traffic. It does not have much of a spot focus or throw, the lowbeam is very bright and has a good spread, you will need to adjust your headlight dome angle to make the most of it. Auxbeam S3 H4 is available on Amazon for 5,300/- for a pair though i am not sure if it is covered by a 2 year warranty. I might need to look for Aux lights to improve spot focus on high beam. i did a few night rides after installing this to test it out and i must say if i am not getting blinding by the lights of oncoming traffic, the brightness of the low beam is enough to do a sustained 100 kmph on the highway in the night. I had a blast on Mysore Road in the night returning from Shivanasamundra. Road to the Gaganachukki falls. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() The right to Gaganachukki was great - i took Kanakapura road while going and returned via the newly done up Mysore Road which was a great idea especially in the night as Kanakapura Road is mostly two way leading to alot of eye fatigue in the night due to oncoming traffic making it extremely dangerous - guess I'm getting old ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() The tubeless setup saved me the stress on punctures, the tank bag took the weight off my shoulders and the Motul 7100 make me feel like the engine was alot more refined and butter smooth. The carbon racing windshield has reduce wind buffeting to a great extent though I now feel it is angled toward my helmet. The pressure on the chest and shoulders has gone causing less fatigue. The seat pampered me as well. The suspension felt too soft and bouncy on NICE road but overall it was a great stress free ride. The riding gear and the mods all seem to be coming together. The SMK Twister has some amount of wind buffeting noise that I need to fix. Gaganachukki is one of the older hydroelectric plants in Asia, that first powered the gold mines of KGF and then Bangalore and Mysore. There is an old British era layout for workers, some houses are in ruins, there is an old protestant church, a catholic church, a graveyard where the old British/ Anglo Indian workers are buried, a Dargha and a Temple. The water was in good flow but it was lot more in August. The crowd was not too much and there was no cost for entry. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Last edited by 2StrokeJunkie : 11th October 2022 at 12:35. |
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BHPian ![]() | Re: My Royal Enfield Interceptor Mark III BS6 Ownership Experience Road to Pondicherry on Friday with a large group of biker boys and road back to Bangalore on Sunday. I washed the bike, inspected it and fueled her up the previous day before the ride. ![]() ![]() Began the ride at 6 am sharp and encountered heavy rain soon after crossing the E-city elevated toll road. Stopped under a closed shop on the highway to put on my riding gear and then continued on with my journey. ![]() We took the route via Krishnagiri, Ambur and Nellore onto Pondicherry which was roughly around 370 - 390 kms. This is the longer route but the road surface was good. ![]() Krishnagiri was beautiful in the morning with the clouds hanging low. I stopped to take a few pics. ![]() ![]() Somewhere near Ambur I almost got sideswiped by a cager in a red Nexon who swerved from his lane in middle to the extreme left where I was cruising almost crashing into me. I suddenly saw a large mass of red suddenly right next to me and I luckily swerved away from it on instinct, call it a motorcyclist's reaction. If I didn't, that would have been the end of my ride right there. I was too stunned to chase him down and give him a piece of my mind. My co-riders who saw it from behind were equally shocked but couldn't do much. Drivers like these are a bane for everyone on the road and quickly turn an enjoyable experience into one of pain, destruction, and death. We stopped at Sangeet for breakfast TN style with an array of chutneys and spicy TN sambar. The restrooms were clean and service was good. I kept talking in Kannada to the waiters not realizing I was speaking the wrong language. ![]() ![]() The sky was still overcast after breakfast so I kept on the riding gear until the next toll gate by which time the sun was shining bright causing me to start melting inside the rain gear. Stopped to take off the raid gear and continue my journey. Another stop to tank up again - 700 rupees to full tank and I was on my way again. Stopped at a village bus stop to relax, rehydrate and stretch. ![]() Reached Pondicherry around 1:30 or 2:00 pm. ![]() Reached the hotel, had lunch and drinks with the gang and headed to the beach in the French Quarter. Explored the collapsed pier along the beach. The statue of the French Governor was covered in bird poop and was right next to a public toilet, which seemed ironic. Was in Pondy after years, they have cleared a lot of the rocks from the beach. ![]() ![]() ![]() Spent Saturday partying with the gang. Began by journey back to Bangalore on Sunday at around 10 am. The plan was to take the same route back and stop at Ambur for lunch. Unfortunately, we picked a route that took us through several towns on the way to Ambur which slowed us down. ![]() The motorcycle riders wearing blue checked lungies in TN are a menace. I road into Ambur town to have lunch at Ahmedia and one of these lungie chaps banged into me while I was on the side of the road. Cursed him in Tamil and went on my way. ![]() Decided to have lunch at Vaniyambadi Ahmedia instead that's located on the highway to Krishnagiri. Stuffed myself with mutton biriyani and bheja fry. Was worried whether I would be able to zip my riding jacket closed after the heavy meal. Spent some time relaxing there, walking about, used the restroom and had a glass of sulaimani to help with the digestion, then got back on and road non-stop until the E-city toll. ![]() ![]() Stopped after paying the E-city toll to rehydrate and came across a group of biker girls on REs. One of them on a Meteor raced me all the way to Kormangala. By then I was so accustomed to the motorcycle that the Interceptor felt like an RX in my hands, with me weaving in and out of traffic. Reached home around 7:30 - 8:00 pm. ![]() The odo at the end of the trip reads 792 kms. I fueled up 4 times - 2 times filled up 500 rupees and 2 times 700 rupees. That is about 23 litres of fuel. And as per my calculation ( I could be wrong) the Interceptor gave me around 30 kms/ litre which I am pleasantly surprised by. ![]() The bike performed flawlessly. I think I've got the seating position spot on. The seat from Rao pampered my rear end through the long ride, the handlebar position with the CR risers made the handlebar reach easy, the CR windscreen did a great job, the mobile phone holder and charger kept my phone charged and gave me easy access to directions, music, calls etc, the ear plugs in the helmet help keep the sound of air buffeting low, the SMK Twister worked great through the rain, wind, and sunshine with no fogging thanks to the pin-lock, the in-helmet sun-visor helped me when the sun was hitting me right in the face, the Bluetooth setup helped me take calls and listen to music, the luggage, the riding gear, etc all worked great and the Auxbeam LED kept the road ahead bright during the last stage of my journey back after sunset. The way2speed tubeless kit gave me peace of mind, I carried a puncture kit and the mi air pump anyway. The motor ran smoothly and effortlessly - I think the Motul 7100 made it run better. I was cruising at a constant 100-120 kmph that felt effortless for the Interceptor. 120 kmph comes in at around 5000 rpm in 6th gear. Overtaking was a breeze and I was overtaking almost everyone I encountered on the highway. The gearbox was smooth and slotted in with a reassuring click -felt soo good, though on the way back I felt the clutch needs some adjusting post this ride. ![]() Washed the bike, inspected it and cleaned and lubed the chain the next day. I feel I've got this motorcycle in the sweet spot where it does everything I want it to do. The riding gear and luggage and other accessories are also spot on. I'm contemplating picking up a helmet intercom - do you think it's worth it? Let me know what you think. All in all, I'm very happy with the Interceptor 650. Will keep you posted about more rides, doesn't look like she requires any other updates... Happy riding! Last edited by 2StrokeJunkie : 10th November 2022 at 17:18. |
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![]() | #12 |
BHPian ![]() | Re: My Royal Enfield Interceptor Mark III BS6 Ownership Experience So I have been contemplating a few add-ons to the Interceptor 650. Again ![]() Headlight: As I have previously mentioned, I am currently running the Auxbeam LED bulb in the stock BS6 headlight dome. While the visibility has greatly improved over the stock halogen bulb I am not too happy with its focus with the high-beam on, so it is used only in low beam, however, to compensate for its reduced throw in low-beam I have had to reposition the headlight by slightly raising its angle to increase the throw. I feel this may be causing a lot of irritation to other on-coming motorists and this is something that I want to improve/fix. I recently came across a company called Vaishnu that sells LED Projector headlights for the Interceptor. Below is their website. https://vaishnu.com/projector-headli...royal-enfield/ I also found a video review by YouTuber Sunny has plans who tours on his Interceptor 650. I have also been waiting for the New Super Meteor 650 to come out so I can pick up the new LED headlight (which comes with an LED reflector unlike the Halogen reflector that my current setup runs). I like the way it looks, and is an OEM RE product, whether it is a straight fit onto the Interceptor 650 or not will have to be seen. I might have the change the mounts or ears - the Super-Meteor 650 headlight mount/ear looks to be made of aluminum and they look good and seem to be made of high quality. ![]() Pricing wise the Auxbeam LED Bulb was purchased by me for Rs 3,500 and has barely been used. The Vaishnu projector LED retails for Rs 8,000 and the pricing of the Super Meteor 650 is yet to be released. Which do you think would be the best option in terms of better illumination, focus, throw and cut-off along with a VFM proposition - the Project LED setup or the Super Meteor 650 LED headlight? I do not want to run aux lights which is why I am looking at these options for now. Saddle Bags: Given that I am running the stock exhausts on the Interceptor what are the best saddlebag options that I can purchase that do not get burned on the exhausts, are waterproof with a capacity of around 60+liters (both saddle bags combined)? Will I also need to install saddle bag stays? Aslo, will I be able to use the ViaTerra Tailbag with the saddlebags? Last edited by 2StrokeJunkie : 12th January 2023 at 03:26. |
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BHPian Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Kota/BengaLooru
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| Re: My Royal Enfield Interceptor Mark III BS6 Ownership Experience Quote:
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The following BHPian Thanks pachchu77 for this useful post: | 2StrokeJunkie |
![]() | #14 | |||
Senior - BHPian ![]() Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: TSTN
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| Re: My Royal Enfield Interceptor Mark III BS6 Ownership Experience Quote:
I was eyeing on Mad Dog, but soon I knew it will turn out to be harassment for other folks on road, so refrained from it; it seems now there're many such brands in the same design of Mad Dog these days. ![]() Source Quote:
![]() Saddle stays ARE MUST, no second thought about it otherwise exhaust punches a hole FOR SURE. Quote:
Yes - You can load a little lesser luggage at the left & right side bottom of the tail bag (that hangs outside the seat) & mount the tail bag over the seat, but then during the ride, things inside the tail bag moves & God knows what might happen!! No - The tail bag settles over the saddle bag during the ride causing downward pressure to the saddle bag PS - I'll try to mount the bags today & post a picture if possible for you today, give me sometime please? PPS - Just FYI - Unless you're doing month long trips, venturing into unmanned territories for days, carrying camping instruments, you really don't need both tail & saddle bags; if you're riding into civilization, then a 50 liter tail bag is more than sufficient for even a 10 day trip. Saddle bags are more than sufficient for a solo month long trip or 7-10 days two-up trip. Last edited by aargee : 12th January 2023 at 12:49. | |||
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![]() | #15 | |
BHPian Join Date: Aug 2022 Location: Bengaluru
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| Re: My Royal Enfield Interceptor Mark III BS6 Ownership Experience Quote:
Here is their performance on my KTM ADV 250. https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motor...ml#post5460751 (Ownership Review | KTM Adventure 250) Looks like they are out of stock but here is another listing of the same. https://www.amazon.in/Y6-Projector-C...s%2C210&sr=8-4 As mentioned in KTM ADV post the high beam performance is dependent on the dome design. The blinding high beam on the KTM ADV 250 with the Led Projector Bulbs made me install the HGJ KZ30 adjustable focus aux lights. It should be good in the case of the interceptor as it has a perfect parabolic shape. But just giving a heads-up it will be very difficult for Reflector-based Multiple LED Setup to match the performance given by the Projector lens setup. The Projector setup gives an even illumination across the area with a perfect cut-off line. You can see it in Vaishnu's video as well as the pictures from my KTM ADV 250 post. The reflector-based multiple-led setup always will have hot and cold spots as the illumination can never be uniform due to its discrete localized light sources. | |
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