re: Fast Single to a Smooth Twin | KTM Adventure 390 to Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 Quote:
Originally Posted by parrys Exactly what most of my ride friends have been telling me.
And I totally agree to this.
Another reason though, for my switch, is that I am getting a really good price for my ADV, hence not feeling the pinch. And leaning towards a change. |
I landed on this thread trying to find someone who gave up their Interceptor for a ADV 390 and ended up going through your confusion of doing the opposite. ![Rolling Laughter](https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/images/smilies/Rolling laughter.gif) I'd say - dont do it.
I own an Interceptor 2019 model (1st lot). I test rode the bike and was blown away by the performance. For just 2.8 lacs, you were getting 53Nm of torque and 47Bhp and parallel twin. It was a no-brainer. I took it. Also, this was my first bike (before this I had a Honda Dio - and never brought a bike as I was not satisfied with any bike on the market). This was the 1st bike and it had all the capabilties of touring, and boy, touring I did.
It is a great 1st bike. I started touring on this bike and learnt the discipline of riding on highways, riding alongside HD and Kawasaki's (I was the only RE in the group). I have done about 22,000 Kms till date and have had no issues. I am so comfortable with the bike that - I don't even bother to do a service before I go for a 1500 Km ride (as long as you keep your bike niggle free, you can just pick up and ride, it will never leave you stranded). I know guys who have completed 75,000 kms and 53,000 kms in their INT650 and they have had absolutely no issues and still riding on stock clutch.
I really want to move to ADV 390 for the following reasons - - The seating posture in the bike is not comfortable for long rides. You don't sit straight nor do you crowch like in a super-sport. This can become very frustrating after a long time. You can try handle bar risers, newer handle-bars but everything comes at the cost of ride quality and precision.
- It has really poor seat. You can put after-market seats but no type of seat can fix the issue as the breadth of the seat is very narrow. For long rides, this becomes an issue, no matter what type of adjustments you make to the seat. You will never be happy.
- The bike is never precise. You tighten the chain too much - your back wheel will wobble. You have uneven wear in your front tyre? - the handle-bar will wobble at 80 to 100 kmph. (do some research on infamous interceptor wobbling issues, you will find loads of videos). For people who aren't bothered about precision, this will not matter. But if you come from an ADV 390, this is bound to irritate you a lot.
- You cannot take it to trails - because it is inconvenient. The weight of the bike can be spoiler in many instances. You cannot skid the bike, you cannot let the rear wheel slip a bit, you cannot trail ride while having luggage. (You can, but the experience won't be anywhere close to what the Adv 390 can offer you). On the flip side, this is a pleasure in the twisties with good tar roads. Pick any destination on the western ghats, the uphill/downhill rides will be soulful. (you will be thinking to yourself - I will never sell this bike, ever!)
- Weight: Bike is too heavy and not practical in the city. I hear a lot of people say, this is a great bike for riding in the city. NO! NO! I am using this bike for the last 4 years and I can tell you - city is the place i hate driving it the most. Sure, it can turn heads, get you that occasional smiles, but all that comes at a cost. You cannot take it out easily out of tight parking spots. In Stop-GO traffic, the weight of the bike will start to get irritating after a point. In moderate traffic (Post 10 PM) this will be a pleasure to ride. But I can tell you, this is not something you will want to "daily-it" to office and back, during peak hours. I do it even today and if I am honest, it is nothing less than frustrating.
- The spoke wheels bothered me - So i got the outex conversion done. I could not find a single person who will do the outex conversion in chennai. I finally sent it to RPC customs in Bangalore and they did the outex conversion for me (with a 6 month warranty). It's been 3 years now and I am riding a tubeless spoked wheel. Only RPC customs knew how to do Truing to a spoked alloy wheel. RE showrooms didn't have a clue how to do it - 9 months after releasing the bike. Now, all showrooms who service are trained to do truing and alignment on the spoke wheels for the INT/GT, so shouldn't be an issue but this frustration for the 1st 18 months has made me dread spoked alloy wheels forever.
- The power/torque is beautiful - It is not too much, it is not too less. Just perfect for Indian roads and Highways. You will never find yourself in situation where you have miscalcuated an overtake or unleashed too much power in a corner. It can cruise at 140 KMPH for hours together. I have did 265 Kms non-stop, cruising between 120 - 140 kmph. The bike did not weep at all. Infact, I could have done more but the weird seating posture and the discomfort made me stop. Another thing, you will find really irritating coming from the Adv 390 to interceptor is the wind blast. Nothing can help reduce the windblast in the interceptor to the extent of an ADV. The windblast willl tire you a lot.
The more time I spend with this bike - the more I realise, this is more of a lifestyle product than a functional machine.
When you mature as a rider - function will matter more than form. When you reach that maturity, you can no longer enjoy the Interceptor but you will love the KTM ADV.
Sure, you can push the Interceptor and it will deliver but the flaws will start to bother you a lot because you will want a functional machine - that can take you wherever you want without you feeling the strain. Interceptor will take you wherever you want - but you will feel the strain in 100 different ways - if it is off the tarmac or more than 400 kms.
So yeah, don't let go of that Adv for the INT. Rather, exchange it with someone for a month maybe, get through the infatuation with the INT and stick to the lovely machine you have. You surely wouldn't regret it. |