[bsenroy]

I have not thought this out. I am writing on an impulse, so lets see where it takes me

My parents never let me do anything remotely adventurous. It is not that they were strict, but rather paranoid. They were scared to let me ride a bicycle. but once I reached class 8, and had to go for tuitions, etc, My dad begrudgingly bought me a BSA Trailblazer. My first two wheeler, and oh what a ride!

The more they exercised a tight control over what I could or could not do, the more i could sense a quiet rebellion brewing up inside me. They couldnt do this forever, I thought. I will get out of the house sometime, I thought.

I was right.

I had always been a good student, which meant that after some great grades in Class 12, I was accepted to one of the best colleges in Delhi University. To their credit, parents put my education over their anxiety and decided to deposit me and the stars in my eyes to North Campus.

This is where I discovered motorcycles. Again, a friend taught me how to ride on his OG Bajaj Pulsar (this was 2002). We rode around in Delhi going to college fests, making money by winning quizzes and debates. over the Autumn of 2003 (September), I stayed back at the hostel while my friend travelled back home, leaving me with the motorcycle. What followed was a largely unplanned trip.

Delhi - Shimla - Peo - kaza - Manali - Dharamshala - Pathankot - Amritsar - Delhi.

It was freedom like I had never experienced before. over the 18 odd days of the ride, an idea was planted in my brain, germinated, grew tall and strong and took root. I needed to start working right after college and see if i can buy a motorcycle that i can travel on.

Thankfully there were no mobile phones back then, so i could call home from PCOs on the house landline and lie about being in the hostel. Sneaking around is such fun!

As soon as I started working, i bought myself a beat-down Kinetic Honda from Karol Bagh for my commuting. Turned out to be a ton of fun. Actually did a couple of trips to Jaipur on it to meet a girl I was trying to woo. trying, being the operative word.

Anyway, fast forward to the summer of 2008, I had saved up around 60 K (take home salary at the time was a smidge over 18k), and with the added infusion of a bank loan, i was able to purchase the Royal Enfield Machismo 500.



I had not been on a motorcycle for 4 years now, let alone a heavy one at that. So the ride from the showroom in West Delhi to my place in South Delhi was a much needed refresher.

I rode my Machismo 500, now christened Dope constantly till March 2020. And in between multiple niggles, one engine rebuild and an unfortunate incident involving the forever helpful Delhi Police towing my bike from an authorised parking lot outside my office and returning it sans the carburetor, we clocked in excess of 100000 kms. I couldnt drive a car, I still can't, so the bike is my only mode of transport.

Here are some snapshots from an assortment of rides.














In March 2020, Dope was already showing signs of age and years of rough use, and as we went into lockdown, he kind of stopped responding. Around June of that year, I took stock of his condition and it turned out that he would need a complete overhaul including a new engine build. But as I was working from home and road trip's were being done on my partner's car, I sort of let it slide.

Come 2022, that itch to ride, that many here are no doubt familiar with started to raise its head. The pandemic, particularly the second wave had been hard. I lot family members, friends, and the general apathy towards human life continues to weigh me down. The state of my mental health was also at an all-time low. I found myself daydreaming about the rides of the past and the ones that are yet to be explored. Both my partner and my therapist felt that getting back on the saddle could actually help me deal with loss and grief and the near constant anxiety that has plagued me in the last year or so.

While I was dealing with these issues, I was also seeing spy-shots of a cruiser based on the 650 twins platforms. This would be a good bike for me, I thought. I had gained considerable weight and as I fast approached 40, i thought a more laid back riding position would do me good.

About a month or so earlier, Royal Enfield broke the covers off what is now the Super Meteor 650, and it was immediately clear to me that given the considerable weight of the machine and the longer wheelbase, it might not be the right bike for me after all. so I went back to the one I had been considering all this while - the Interceptor 650, in the Mark II livery.


Apart from being heartachingly pretty, it also had the happy chrome continuance with my dearly departed black and chrome Machismo 500. So that was it then. One Friday afternoon, I took some time off work and, and filled in the paperwork on the morotcycle at Brite Autowheels in Kailash Colony, South Delhi. One week later, a day before my birthday, it was delivered.



I also indulged myself with two additional purchases:

• LS2 STORM FF80 helmet
• Royal Enfield OEM Khardungla riding jacket in Olive green

I live in Noida, conveniently adjacent to the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway, and by extension the Yamuna Expressway. So yesterday I took off and completed a 380 kms round trip to Mathura, and these were my takeaways:

• Either I have been too many years off the saddle or the seats are not the best going around. And I did opt for the custom touring seat.
• The stock handlebars are a bit of a reach and I might have to invest in a set of handlebar raisers.
• The stock rear view mirrors are better than the ones on my Machismo 500, but that's a low bar. And as a result they are not adequate. Are the OEM RE touring mirrors any better?
• So far I have been keeping the engine under 3.5k rpm, and even within the confines of the running-in protocols, i think i have enough power for my needs.
• Braking too seemed adequate. But this opinion might change as i ride more and once I open up more after the first service.

Here are a few shots from yesterday's ride.

[adrift@life]

Congrats on the acquisition. It looks great in that livery. Happy memories with this one.

Happy motoring.

[Vtach]

Originally Posted by bsenroy

[*]The stock handlebars are a bit of a reach and I might have to invest in a set of handlebar raisers.

Congratulations on the beautiful machine, wish you many soul healing rides sir!
https://shop.motousher.com/products/...r&_ss=e&_v=1.0
I too felt the handlebar was a shade too far. So I've been using these, straightforward DIY fitting with no change/re-routing of any cable required. No restriction of handlebar movements noted, the shift is just enough for the stock cables' length.

[bsenroy]

Originally Posted by Vtach

Congratulations on the beautiful machine, wish you many soul healing rides sir!
https://shop.motousher.com/products/...r&_ss=e&_v=1.0
I too felt the handlebar was a shade too far. So I've been using these, straightforward DIY fitting with no change/re-routing of any cable required. No restriction of handlebar movements noted, the shift is just enough for the stock cables' length.

Oh wow. yes. thank you so much for the recco. i will definitely check this out. and i like it that no major rerouting is required. It is such a pretty bike. I want to keep it as close to stock as possible.

[shancz]

Originally Posted by bsenroy

It was freedom like I had never experienced before.

I was smiling when I read your initial journey. Share the feeling.

Originally Posted by bsenroy

I found myself daydreaming about the rides of the past and the ones that are yet to be explored.

To me, riding is more of an exploratory activity (for lack of a better word) like mountaineering where you meet some amazing people including yourself. Brings things in perspective both outside and within.
So start riding as soon as you can and you are strategically located too

Originally Posted by bsenroy

1. Either I have been too many years off the saddle or the seats are not the best going around. And I did opt for the custom touring seat.
2. The stock handlebars are a bit of a reach and I might have to invest in a set of handlebar raisers.
3. The stock rear view mirrors are better than the ones on my Machismo 500, but that's a low bar. And as a result they are not adequate. Are the OEM RE touring mirrors any better?
4. So far I have been keeping the engine under 3.5k rpm, and even within the confines of the running-in protocols, i think i have enough power for my needs.
5. Braking too seemed adequate. But this opinion might change as i ride more and once I open up more after the first service.

1. I found the touring seat to be quite good, the stock was horrible for touring. But they're nowhere close to the Machismo.
2. Depends on height and position, risers should help.
3. The mirrors vibrate a lot, change over to something better. Haven't tried the ones with RE but they seemed quite expensive. Try if after market ones are available.
4. Ditto, you're anyway closing in on 100kmph in 6th gear at 4000 rpm.
5. Brakes are quite good especially for a 210kgs motorcycle I didn't find anything to complain.

Based on 1. and 2. why do I feel that you're trying to match the Interceptor to the comfort and seating of the Machismo ?
Would suggest to treat it as a different motorcycle and go on a long ride to see what works for you and what doesn't.
Mirrors, engine sump guard, leg/crash guards and touring seat are essential IMO. Add the rest as you move along. A pillion backrest is also essential if you have a pillion although I didn't find the Interceptor to be very comfortable for a pillion on long rides due to the seat and position of footrests.

The bike looks smashing though and brilliant pics
Looking forward to your rides.

[bsenroy]

Originally Posted by shancz

Based on 1. and 2. why do I feel that you're trying to match the Interceptor to the comfort and seating of the Machismo ?
Would suggest to treat it as a different motorcycle and go on a long ride to see what works for you and what doesn't.
Mirrors, engine sump guard, leg/crash guards and touring seat are essential IMO. Add the rest as you move along. A pillion backrest is also essential if you have a pillion although I didn't find the Interceptor to be very comfortable for a pillion on long rides due to the seat and position of footrests.

The bike looks smashing though and brilliant pics
Looking forward to your rides.

you have a point there. Maybe i should also look to change the way i ride. with the Machismo, i could go from tank full to empty (about 300 kms) without a break. Maybe this is a bike where i can take more request breaks. Being a more powerful engine, i will anyway be covering more distance.

Also about the pillion question, i ride solo and use the pillion seat to tie down my luggage, which is usually a backpack with a rain cover. I cant wait to hit the road.

[bsenroy]

The TL;DR version of my sob story:

[shancz]

Originally Posted by bsenroy

- i could go from tank full to empty (about 300 kms) without a break. Maybe this is a bike where i can take more request breaks.

- i ride solo and use the pillion seat to tie down my luggage, which is usually a backpack with a rain cover.

- Initially random breaks to take some fabulous pics or tea would be apt when you feel tired but eventually you can accomplish the same with the Interceptor too.
Also since I am used to riding street bikes like the RTR, KTMs so the Interceptor felt familiar and comfortable to me. Since you've been used to the Machismo it would be a bigger change for you and you'll have to lean forward a bit to reach the handlebars.
Before going for the risers try to tilt the handlebars towards your self since the default position is a bit far reaching.

- Then you're sorted, on the move I found this to be one of the best bikes to tour on.
Personal opinion but it has that old school charm and seems like the perfect alternate to the RD350 of yesteryears.
You'll have a blast

[sgmuser]

My personal experience and learning: breaking the monotony in anyway will improve your mental health and I have experienced this. Bike or car rides especially bike riding requires your brain/mind/body 100% to do the ride and an hour ride refreshes you completely. Same with car. Cycling is ultimate and add walking for an hour can do the same miracle.

[reppy]

This reminds me of my college days in Pune - parents gave me money to buy a new Kinetic Honda - I ended up buying a used Suzuki Samurai on an impulse! Never regretted it - such fond memories of trips done with college buddies in and around Pune! It brought a love for bikes, and I still lust after a Triumph Street Triple now - they only get better every year

[rajeevsulu]

That is a beautiful bike. I bought a Cb 350 highness 4 months ago and I am thinking of getting an interceptor too. I am a surgeon and my release is early morning bike rides. This looks smashing!! Enjoy your ride and find peace!

[aniketi]

Riding is real booster to your mental health. Specially when you are on long ride with your friends, nothing can match it. It's a great relief and you really get refreshed.

[ishan0278]

As much as I had a chuckle reading the title of this thread. I agree with this.
Bikes do Improve Mental health, the catch is if you ride them.
I've been blessed enough to be fighting an uphill battle against my family to let me tour on a motorcycle across cities.

My first road trip was on my Bajaj Avenger 200 DTS-i when I moved to my first job, I had a Riding Jacket, Gloves and Leg Guards but didn't have proper motorcycle luggage. So Bungie Cords to the rescue . Was a slow but fun 700 Km's.

Post that I got Myself a Yamaha R3 ABS and I've been touring on it ever since.
Although marriage has slowed me down a lot in the past few years.
But the Spirit Lives On.

Wish you Happy Miles on The Royal Enfield Buddy!
Even I want to get the interceptor in the same spec.

[shancz]

Somehow I managed to miss the question in the title, see that's what staying away from bikes does to your mental health

Does it improve ? Of course but in the long run it can also heal.

It can improve the physical health too.
Instead of looking for a more "comfortable" bike to accomodate the ever growing lateral dimensions, just hit the gym

[bsenroy]

Originally Posted by aniketi

Riding is real booster to your mental health. Specially when you are on long ride with your friends, nothing can match it. It's a great relief and you really get refreshed.

That is so true though. But I am not really big on group rides. I like spending quality time with myself and solo rides give me that.

Originally Posted by ishan0278

I've been blessed enough to be fighting an uphill battle against my family to let me tour on a motorcycle across cities.

With family, especially mine, I have often felt that it is easier to ask for forgiveness than ask for permission. But then I live 2000 kms away from my folks, so they don't really control me hehe.

Originally Posted by shancz

Does it improve ? Of course but in the long run it can also heal.

It can improve the physical health too.

Well, by now by backside has achieved planetary proportions, complete with its own gravitational field.

It also does not help that I am an indiscriminate eater of all foods. gaah.

But over the last few months, I have made it a point to walk 3-4 times a week, each walk is about 7-8 kms. The advantages of living on the outskirts of the city! I also get to catch up on my reading (well, listening). Also watching my food, especially the carbs. Being a bengali, bhaat, or rice is my weakness, and I am trying to fight that too.