The Classic MotorCycle – September 2019

WHATMATTTHOUGHT
Oli'sverdictontheInterceptorissimilarto
manyfriendsI'veinvitedto try.Easytoride,
quick enough,withgoodenginebrakingand
comfortable.Inaword-friendly.Olialmost
boughtone!Sohehasplayed goodcop; amI
toplaybadcop?
Ididn'tknow whattoexpectfromthe
Interceptor 650 .I'veownedEnfieldsingles
before andtheyhavetheirfoibles,butthen
weknowthatandthereforeforgivethem.
Butabrand-newtwin? Firstimpressions
meanalot,andwith less than 50 miles on
the odometer,won't be taintedbyprevious
riders,butmaybebyastill-tightengine.
Paintfinish is lovelyon thetank, however
theyseemto haveanodd-blend ofsilver/
greypaintforthe enginecasing,headlamp
holderandother sundries, likethe old
Bullets.Elsewherechromeabounds, some
realand someplastic.Clocksread well
(thoughthe speedois brighterthanthe
revcounterasithasmphandkphwhich
looks odd atnight),whileignitionbarrel and
switchgearlookcheap,asdotheindicators
andtheweldingonthetop ofthedownpipe.
But the largesilencers(theyhave
catalyti cconvertersinthem)have a
perfectfinish,asdothealloywheelsand
thepolishedhandlebars, complete with
coolbrace.
It'stallerthanIhoped.Ithoughtwith
RoyalEnfieldtryingtomakeabikeforthe
worldmarketitwould be lower,justan
inchwould havemadeabig difference.And
Ican'tlowerthe suspensionasit'sonits
lowest preload setting.
Itslargestrival,Tuumph'sStreetTurin, is
about thesameweight (202kg-44Slb)butis
that inchlower.It also happenstobearound •