Indian Motorcycle Of The Year 2019 – The Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 did manage to convincingly win the most coveted title in the automotive space in India, but is it really as great a bike as everyone has made it out to be?
I have had the Interceptor 650 for two months now, and have covered 2,500 km on it. From commuting in the city, to spirited Sunday morning corners with my superbike-riding buddies, lazy highway cruising, inter-state touring, to even a dirt track jump session - it would be fair to say I have spent a considerable amount of time with this motorcycle to notice a few flaws - some really bothersome, some not so much.
1) Footpegs – They are placed right underneath the rider, effectively putting them in the way when someone puts their feet down. Due to the wide crankcase, the pegs sit further apart than most bikes. That wouldn’t have been a problem had the pegs been forward set or slightly rear set, but here, they are positioned in such a manner that you will have to space your feet wide apart to avoid hitting them.
2) Seat – The stock seat is the second weakest part of the bike after the footpegs. It is too soft and sags after about half an hour of riding, making it uncomfortable. So, I got the Touring Seat option – same design, firmer foam. Did it solve my problem? Not quite.
The touring seat starts to sag after about 200 km of riding as well and is strangely narrow from the front, making it uncomfortable on the inner thighs.
3) Headlight – It is just about adequate for night riding in the city when the roads are lit but leave me wanting when the street lights are off. The headlight is also strictly a no-no when it comes to touring. You need a set of dedicated auxiliary lights for that.
4) No Gearshift Indicator – Not a big omission. Luxury, really. But something I wouldn’t mind having. Sometimes, when in sixth, I am still trying to upshift, thinking there is another gear to go.
5) No Inbuilt Clock – I wear a riding jacket and full gauntlet gloves at all times when I ride which means I can’t sport a wrist watch. So, how am I supposed to tell the time? Dear Royal Enfield, please include a clock in the instrument cluster in the next iteration of this bike and let it be an independent, separate one that we don’t have to toggle different parameters to get to.
6) Fuel Gauge – If you go by the fuel gauge on this motorcycle, for the first 100 kilometres you will think this motorcycle has a minimum 500 kilometre range. The bars indicating fuel level just refuse to drop. And when it does, before you know it, it would be down to half. When it finally reaches the last two bars, it will refuse to drop again for the longest possible time. As soon as you take a break or turn your motorcycle off and then on again, the two bars would be down to a single blinking bar, leaving you looking for a fuel station.
7) Weak Electricals – Whenever this motorcycle is washed, for the next day or two, the instrument cluster turns into Christmas lights. Sometimes the Neutral light will stay half lit, other times the Low Engine Oil light or the Battery light will come on.
8) Handlebars – The stock handlebars are positioned too far away from the rider and the position you get is such that your arms are completely stretched out, without any bend in the elbow. So, I pulled the handlebars back by about two inches and it feels more natural and relaxed.
9) Horn Button – Ever since the first service, when this bike was washed, the horn button does not operate on a light press most times. You have to dig in for it to work.
10) Ergonomics – The pegs are wide, and the tank slightly narrow, so when I have to hug the tank with my inner thighs, my knees are angled in, instead of being angled out.
11) Rear View Mirrors – The left side mirror on this bike gives good visibility but the right side mirror, due to the front brake fluid reservoir, sits about an inch closer to the rider. That ensures that finding a decent angle on the right side mirror is difficult.
12) Snatchy Below 2,000 RPM – Now this is a problem that is specific to my bike. Between 1,600 and 1,900 RPM, my bike stutters. As soon as I shift into the second gear in traffic, it jerks and feels it will shut down.
13) Rusting Issue – Within 24 hours of taking delivery, I noticed rust on the ends of the exhaust. The front brake rotor on this bike is made by Brembo, and it is notorious for catching rust. Royal Enfield was prompt enough to replace the front rotor, but a week later, even the new one has started to catch rust.
While these are the issues I have with this bike, they are still not a deal breaker for me.
Remember, at the end of the day, for less than Rs 3 lakh, you are getting a 650 cc, parallel twin, smashing looking retro motorcycle that will put a smile on your face every time you go out and ride.
If I were to do it all over again knowing all these problems, I would still only buy this bike. That is my final verdict.
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