With the bike looking like it’s straight from the factory, I started riding and clocked 1200 km since I got it in Feb 2024.
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MT-07 is my dream bike. I liked the looks of first gen, love the parallel twin rumble, sounds even better with an Akra on it and the bloody thing has a hard time putting both wheels on the ground. A machine for a complete nut case. I knew this is not happening, not with my obligations and definitely not after seeing the eye-watering service cost. But, I wanted that rumble in my life, for once I wanted to live with a multi-cylinder motorcycle.
Royal Enfield comes along and casually drops the 650 twins. I didn’t expect this, not from RE, who used to sell yesterday’s technology at today’s prices. I hated REs, they weighed as much as a boat anchor, handled like the boat itself and had an annoying habit of turning riders into mechanics. With these ideas firmly in place, I didn’t bother visiting the RE showroom for a test ride. Until a couple of years later I got to test-ride one and I was disappointed. It handled well, sounded great and torque gave a well-deserved kick to my misconceptions, but the weight is still ungodly. Now, there was a chance to live my dream within a budget. As we do in video games, to get the good stuff you must have a lot of coins or grind until you have a lot of coins.
After some years and selling my CBR 250, I had enough to get an Interceptor, a used Interceptor. Olx has loads to choose from, low mileage 2019s to 1k ridden 2023s at prices from 1.8L to 3.2L respectively. So I settled for this:
The odometer showed 4500 km(red flag), Trip 1 and Trip 2 were the same too(green flag). The bike came fitted with a visor, sump guard, ribbed seat, AOM handlebar and most important of all, OEM alloys and all that Zana stuff. The price quoted was 2.2L, I managed to get it down to 2L+3k for a new battery. It was a 2019, looked a bit shabby but rode well, service history was complete and the last service was in Mar’23. I rode the bike for 10 minutes in traffic, bad roads and some highways, no issues so far and the bike gave me a good feeling.
The deal was finalised, paid 2.1L with name transfer charges plus 5L fuel and brought the bike home. Overall a pleasant first time experience for a pre-owned machine. I took time to remove all the after-market stuff and get it as stock as I could, followed Stuart Fillingham’s guide on YouTube and polished those engine bits to a mirror sheen. With the bike looking like it’s straight from the factory, I started riding and clocked 1200 km since I got it in Feb 2024. I took it for service in March, the bill was 2800 for general service and 2500 for the rear brake pad set. Now I’ll try to keep my emotions aside and share my experience thus far.
Good Bits
The engine is beautiful, I can feel its rumble in the handlebar. The gearbox is almost like Honda, crisp and positive. In first gear, whacked the throttle on an empty road, I was thrown back and held on to the bars for my dear life. While going at 100 km/h on a highway, even in 6th gear, it has strong pulling power to take me to 140 km/h easily. The exhaust sound is delightfully loud, it roars when started, burbles when in slow speed traffic and pops when I downshift at speed. It’s the best-sounding twin cylinder in the market under 4L. I don’t know much about chassis design or geometry, but I carry decent speed in corners. It’s lazy to turn in, not as lazy as a classic 350 though, the turning radius is surprisingly small and I didn’t feel the weight once it got going. I have been using it for my daily commutes, just slot it 2nd gear and throttle + clutch my way out of every situation. There is ample amount of engine braking, so using brakes can be optional if I can reach the expert level of riding. One more major plus point, this bike is easy to maintain. It’s dead simple, basic electronics and Enfield riders are quite knowledgeable about their machines, so a large community that is eager to help. For someone who doesn’t trust SVCs, working on this bike is as easy as it
Bad Bits
Let me get the weight issue out the door. You will feel 213 kg when parking or pushing it, their is no way around it, it’s best to learn to deal with it. Suspension next, the front feels weird or confused, moves too much and is unpredictable. Rear I feel is okay for my weight (70 kg). It did have the head wobble issue, couple of clicks of pre-load fixed it. The foot pegs, both rider and pillion are poorly thought out. I often scrape my shins in traffic and while parking my leg gets caught up between the main stand rod and the rider foot peg. However, the major pain point is the electricals in the bike. Relays jammed with grease, RR unit not cooled properly and random faults that come and go as they please. I have started washing this bike by hand, I am not risking by taking it to a pressure washer.
Verdict
Ever since I got it, I have been looking for excuses to ride it. My colleague needs a lift home, I gladly oblige. My better half needs to go shopping, I take the long way to get to the supermarket. I get B-shift duty, I wake up early for morning chai rides. My Xpulse just stands there gathering dust, while I can’t get enough of the Interceptor. I don’t know if I’ll buy an Interceptor 650 again given the chance, but I sure am enjoying this every day.
I made a few improvements, I got myself a front suspension upgrade from Way2Speed and made an extension cable for the RR unit. Now the bike handles the way it looks, just beautiful and the electrical issues seem to be sorted for now.
Hope you guys like it. Let me know what you think.
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