2 ROYAL ENFIELD INTERCEPTOR 650
It’s a true ‘classic’ for the modern world
Royal Enfield has hit a sweet spot with the Interceptor. Last year, this 650 twin was the UK’S fourth best-selling motorcycle above 125cc. Only BMW’S perennially popular R1250GS — in basic and Adventure spec — and Triumph’s Trident 660 sold more. That’s an astonishing achievement for an Anglo-indian machine that wouldn’t have looked out of place 50 years ago.
But that’s the point. Royal Enfield offers something completely different to most manufacturers – an authentic blend of nostalgia seamlessly spun with modern production and engineering values, that’s allowed the Interceptor to rise above the many pretenders in the retro scene.
Capturing the feel and essence of a classic isn’t easy, but RE has really tapped into its heritage to create the Interceptor. The firm’s own 692cc Constellation and Interceptor twins of the 1960s are this machine’s most-obvious influence but the 650cc capacity is also deliberate, referencing the size and layout of
Triumph’s original Bonneville and Norton’s old Dominator. The noises produced by its twin chrome pipes also play into the bike’s nostalgic charm.
Price £6039 Power 47bhp Torque 39lb·ft Weight 217kg Seat height 805mm
Then there’s the aesthetics. In stock form, the Interceptor radiates ’70s chic, with bold single-coloured tanks but this ‘Chrome’ model — at £6593 it’s £500 more than the base model — evokes the style of the ’60s. From the mirror-finished tank and buffed aluminium clutch case cover, to the cross-stitched seat and stylish upswept chrome pipes, the Interceptor looks, well… just right. That’s why it’s proved such a hit with those who love the idea of owning a classic but don’t want to pay £10,000-plus for the privilege or have to deal with the constant hands-on maintenance that’s required of most period machines. On the Interceptor, you thumb the starter and go…
Enfield has also raised its own bar in terms of engineering and quality control, joining forces with legendary British chassis-builder Harris to develop its bikes. Admittedly, the Interceptor won’t win any races but it feels solidly built and well designed, more so than Enfields of old.
Indeed, modernity has touched many aspects of the bike: the fuel-injected engine is Euro5 compliant; braking is bossed by a massive 320mm disc and ABS; and the neat twin-dial instruments boast a digital fuel gauge. And yet none of this detracts from the bike’s old-school charm.
Performance is modest. In fact, it feels cruel to force every last one of the motor’s 47 horses out to play. Better to snick up well before the 7500rpm redline and waft along at more modest revs (70mph comes at 4500rpm, so motorway cruising is relaxed). The way the engine thrums along is reminiscent of old British bikes, too. It plies its trade to a similar rhythm and that can’t have been accidental on Enfield’s part. Nor can the delicious ‘snick’ you get from the gearbox when changing up, again very much like a proper classic. This is the kind of inbuilt character that separates a forgettable retro from a really good one, and this Interceptor is definitely the latter.
Strip away the obvious nostalgia and the Interceptor still delivers. Light steering and an excellent turning circle make this a brilliant town bike, as do the light and responsive controls. Equipment is spartan but what you get is good — neat, functional clocks; decent mirrors; solid switchgear, and even knee guards to prevent you from burning your knees on the cylinder heads.
Of course, it’s not perfect. The brakes, while adequate, lack feel and the kind of bite you’d normally expect of a front disc that size. Piggyback shocks are stylistic overkill on a bike of this type. And black rims work against the bike’s overall aesthetic; chrome rims, as fitted to the stock Interceptor, would look so much better. But I can forgive all that and a whole lot more because the Enfield — even this flash one — costs almost £3000 less than a Bonneville T100.
We live in a frenetic, multi-connected, 24-hour world and the Royal Enfield Interceptor is the perfect antidote to that. It’s easy to see why this twin has proven such a hit with owners.