Upgraded from CBR250R to Interceptor 650: Buying & initial experience

I do have multiple motorcycle accessories installed but I won't be getting any aftermarket exhausts because the stock ones sound perfect.

BHPian raiuday recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I finally got my Inty Black Ray home last Saturday and the experience till now has been nothing short of awesome. I’ve completed 200 kms in the last 2 days with late-night runs to the airport, accessories stores and food joints.

Buying experience:

I initially made a booking in November and was waiting till mid-March with no sign of delivery. The tentative date kept moving away. Decided to cancel and make a custom booking at the same Company Store, Hyderabad which mentioned that the bike’s chassis number would be allotted to my booking in 48 hrs and would be delivered in 11-15 days. But it took 35 days and I didn’t make a fuss about it. At the time of delivery, few accessories were unavailable like the Deluxe touring dual seat and tall fly screen. The same were ordered on Amazon and the store guy fixed the tall flyscreen while the seat arrived later.

They royally messed up the clutch free play when the handle is tilted to the left by routing the cable below the large engine guard’s middle ‘rod’ that I figured out once I was home and rectified myself by rerouting the cable. They’ve also given Form 22 of Classic 350 Stealth Black of some other guy which I noticed once I was home and when called, they sent it via Rapido and guess what, I had to pay for it. Didn’t make a fuss about it and let it end there. So, to speak, the booking to delivery experience was a mixed bag with no updates or mess-ups.

The extended warranty I opted for 5 years is yet to be updated. They’re very humble though, and don’t try to include any additional charges, or credit card fees or charge high on insurance premiums and that’s the upside. In Hyderabad at least, unless you are ok with waiting longer, for a normal booking of any of the 650s, from my personal experience wouldn’t recommend them.

Initial impressions:

• Torque: The bike is a peach. Torque is everywhere and riding it slow or fast, you’ll always grin ear to ear.
• Weight: It definitely is heavy and has a slippery feel due to polish while getting used to it, I had to be mindful of the weight while taking tight u-turns or reversing down a steep incline.
• Engine heat: It definitely gets hot and reminds you of a hot parallel twin between your legs in traffic but doesn’t throw any hot air if you get the point unlike the liquid-cooled engines directing hot air in traffic at the shin. You’ll feel the heat but not the hot air blowing.
• Fit and finish: I haven’t seen any imperfections on the contact points and RE did improvise on the fit and finish levels of Inty. Paint on the Black Ray is just perfect but demands maintenance. No screws or nuts were loose.
• Comfort: I don’t have any experience riding with stock seat nor have I ridden long enough till date to comment on the touring seat which comes with custom booking but it was comfortable for in-city runs. My father as a pillion was fine with the seat as well but complained of grab points due to the torquey nature even when I was gentle on the throttle. The knee bend was an issue for the pillion though and I addressed the same by relocating the pillion footpeg using HDT customs pillion footpeg relocater. I didn’t have any problem with rider footpegs coming from a CBR250R and never hit the shins even in city runs or while moving the bike in parking but the footpegs being close to the engine meant I had to be very mindful of the boots touching the engine very often and addressed the same by installing the pro-spec eazy brake.

These were my initial impressions and will add further experience once I ride more. Just to add, the exhaust note is sweet, a faint whistle with mild burps and rumbles, as sweet as a parallel twin can sound and perfect for my requirement of touring or short rides. Won’t ever be going for the aftermarket exhausts or air filter as the aftermarket exhausts are bassy only to the people nearby but not to anyone at least 5 metres away and I don’t want to create any noise. No offence to anyone who has them on but just my perspective!

List of accessories currently on:

• Deluxe touring dual seat
• Pillion footpeg relocater
• Large engine guard - black
• Sump guard- black
• Tall flyscreen
• Pro-spec eazy brake
• Raida rainpro XXL cover

Accessories to be installed, ordered or upgrades planned

• Pillion footrest to be installed behind stock pillion footpegs on the HDT customs frame.
• Clean the relays off of RE’s stock grease and apply Permatex dielectric grease.
• Ordered spare relays just in case and will carry them along.
• Aux lights from Maddog in the upcoming months as the stock LED headlight is all show, no go. Halogens were much better.
• ADV style foldable mirrors.
• Will install the tank bag for grocery shopping which I already have from earlier.

Will add my further experience after the first service as and when I get to open a bit more, albeit gradually.

Sharing pics of the bike at the depot, delivery day, and accessories on it.

At the depot for inspection:

D-day

Tall flyscreen:

Deluxe touring dual seat:

Footpeg Shifter - pillion:

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