Switching to alloys for Royal Enfield Interceptor 650cc

 Finally Royal Enfield made the alloys available. Time to change the classic spokes :)

Spokes vs alloys

I have the stock Pirelli Tubeless that one can use on the alloy wheels directly.
Pirelli says - Tubeless , but on TUBETYPE rim, use a tube. 

Later in 2021 launched RE launched CEAT tyres as stock with new bikes that will need a tube. 

All right, lets roll Tubeless with alloys!

Classic spokes pics 

Ride ON!

Cheers

BT

Should you buy Royal Enfield Saddle bags for the Interceptor 650?

 If you do motorcycle tours that are overnight or for a few days, you will need to carry basic clothes and stuff. Unless you have friends accompanying you in cars and they have room to store your bags, you will need motorcycle saddlebags.

I traditionally prefer stock motorcycle accessories as aftermarket stuff often lacks quality and may have gaps in safety considerations. 

Challenge with normal Motorcycle Saddlebags

Unlike other bikes, the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 has stylish upswept exhausts, and the normal saddle bags do not fit as they touch the exhaust, leading to the burning of the bags due to the heat. You can consider changing the exhaust, which my dear friend Dr. Deepak Nakra tried and found a loss of power with after-market exhausts as per his experience and switched back to stock. Doc is found more often on his Ducati these days ;)  Either way, I prefer the Interceptor Upswept exhausts! 

Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 with Stock Upswept Exhausts

Do the  Royal Enfield Saddlebags for the Interceptor 650 fit well?

Yes, they fit well and are tight and snug once you have loaded some clothes and stuff. Ensure that you keep the weight between both sides more or less equally balanced for optimal riding. 

Clear tall gap between the RE Saddle bags and the Upswept exhaust

The Royal Enfield Interceptor Saddlebags are sleek and comfortable to ride with a pillion passenger as well.

The pillion passenger can sit comfortably, but

 you may need to extend the footrest pedal a bit.

Fitting the Royal Enfield Saddle bags for the Interceptor 650

The saddlebags fit sleek and trim without too much protrusion from the motorcycle.

The saddlebags worked excellently within the 500+ km bike ride in the rains to Jaipur and back at speeds of over 100+. 

Interceptor with saddle bags / Captain Bobby on the Harley & ROTSMC riders

Quality of Royal Enfield Saddlebags for the Interceptor 650

The material is quite good. It is sturdy, and the bag's top section folds stay tough and click well onto the bike.

Exterior and interior views of the RE Saddlebags

Pricing

Compared to aftermarket saddlebags available in India that range from Rs. 6000  (80$ USD) and above, this may appear pricey at Rs.10,000 odd (130$ USD).

So, should you buy the Royal Enfield Saddle bags for the Interceptor 650cc?

It is a decent buy if you are considering - 

• a 2 or 3-day tour with just essentials..few t-shirts, a couple of jeans, spare shoes, etc.
• Quality is good as far as the material used and my current experience.
• Sleek and fits well within the ergonomics of the Interceptor 650 build.
• Retains the interceptor aerodynamics and is built for Upswept exhausts.

Downsides: It's not waterproof, but do you care if you are a real biker? Just wrap it in a plastic bag and slide it into the saddlebags. 

Live 2 Ride ~ Ride 2 Live.

Cheers

Biker BT

Birthday Celeberation Ride to Jaipur - ROTSMC

What better way to celebrate birthdays than with a long motorcycle ride @ Sheraton Jaipur #ROTSMC

Cheers

Biker BT

Ranikhet ride ~ Riders Of The Storm Motorcycle Club (ROTSMC)

 Ranikhet ride ~ Riders Of The Storm Motorcycle Club (ROTSMC) 

Ranikhet is a great riding destination and is a wonderful hill station. Even heavy bikes like Harleys can go, but see that you have the right experience with riding the bike. Plan to reach before evening, and check with Google maps for traffic snarls and local UP festivals as it can be a good delay at some points. 

Nice lake with cool water, but be wary of the flow.

Cafe at Ranikhet

Cheers

Biker BT

Lazy Boys Motorcycle Club Ride

Lazy Boys Motorcycle Club Ride

 

Cheers

Biker BT

Jaipur Ride BFG

 

Bikers For Good (BFG) ~ Ride to Jaipur 2021

Cheers

Biker BT

Beware - Interceptor 650 brake screw falls off! HIGH RISK !

 While riding, the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650,  the rear brake screw fell off and left the brake lever dangling and useless. Luckily, it happened while I braked at a red light. 

Probably, Royal Enfield should come up with a better mechanism.  Take care to tighten the interceptor brake screw every few months, else this is dangerous.

The funny thing is even if the screw is loose there are not too many signs that the lever is loose while using the motorbike.

Here is the screw position that holds the lever and

 the 5 thread screw below that fell off

Then I had to call Road-Side Assistance for help

Royal Enfield India should fix these high-risk issues on priority. Talking of KM done...just 7000km and its close to 2 years.

What if I told you I visited a RE service station the previous day and they did a software check and said brakes are perfectly fine? True, it's a digital world, but they forget to check and tighten a physical brake screw. 

Why don't RE ensure their authorized service centers pay their staff well so they are motivated to do a good job? 

Take care folks! Ride Safe!

Biker BT