2022 Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 | Better Than A Triumph Bonneville? 

I sold my bought new (£17,500) 2018 BMW R1200GS 'Rallye' back to dealers in 2021 after 3 yrs with 1350 miles on the clock for £10,800, I just used my 2019 Suzuki Bergman 400 all the time as it was good for commuting for work in any weather ,anyway i traded the burgman in and bought the wife a new 2021 SV650 as a surprise, only took scooter in for a service, so wasnt planned..anyway after getting rid of the BMW , I bought a new 2021 Himalayan, loved it so much, at 55 yrs i took £6000 out of my pension fund and bought a new 2022 Interceptor..beautiful bike to own and ride, it is a perfect bike for real world riding, who needs mega bhp? well i did for 32 yrs .🤣.but i just love my RE bikes..basically..i now have 2 bought new RE in my garage for under £11k...why pay a lot more for a mainstream brand when you can have up to 4 very reliable Royal Enfield's in your garage for less than one £18/20k BMW, that you pay through the nose to service? 🤔 WARNING: Royal Enfield bikes get under your skin and into your heart very easily, dont try one or they will hook you big style as they are so much fun to ride, bulletproof engines and so simple to service yourself..be warned!! If you are thinking about buying an interceptor or a continental GT..check out the Maxtorque UK cans..ear orgasms all day long 😜 you got another sub m8...really enjoyed your vid and review 👍😁

Hi from Qld Australia. Had my interceptor 2 years now and cant fault. I have been riding since the early 70's. This bike does everything i want and more. RE are on track to becoming a world class leading manufacturer Look out Japan.

I’ve had a Triumph T100 this year.. I sold it as the low speed fueling was terrible, even with a fuel booster fitted so I sold it. Bought an Interceptor and the ride quality is on a different level.. brilliant bike

I've done 10,000km's on my interceptor and had it for 3 years. What an awesome bike. I have customized mine a fair bit and made it my own over the years. I must say, the price those mirrors in the video is astronomically high and you can get reaaaally nice stuff from Baak motorcycles for the enfield. The mirrors I got are much cheaper and look very, very nice - they go just under the bars instead of the micky mouse style mirrors. I have installed bars, mirrors, back tail light, LED indicators all from Baak on mine. I've also put the S&S race only exhaust slip on's on it. I haven't had a single issue with the bike and absolutely love riding it.

Interesting review Angus. Horsepower can be so misleading - I had a Guzzi V7, which was 47HP - but in normal riding was perfectly fine, and because it was relatively light (compared with the Bonneville) I never really felt I needed more. And simplicity has appeal.

I'm hooked on these reviews, this was one of the more enjoyable ones. Great bike, great presentation!

If you like to do your own wrenching, RE is the way to go. I have had over fifty street bikes during my thirty-five years of riding. I sold my last go-fast bikes recently and purchased an Interceptor 650. I love adjusting my own valves and adding extra bits to the bike. I have become very attached to this bike and it stirs my soul like my first motorcycle; a BMW r-75/6. If you REALY want to have fun, (not fast fun), take a ride on a RE Classic 350. I have one of those too. It is my daily while the Interceptor gets my “attention to detail” time. I have never owned a Triumph so I can’t make a direct comparison between the two brands but, I am truly happy that I decided to get into the Royal Enfield game. Thanks

I took my dl1000xgt in for service and they lent me an interceptor to get home. I enjoyed it so much, I traded the suzuki in for a new Baker Express Interceptor. True love.

Excellent great news I have one myself now for 4 months and I'm loving it

Royal Enfield and maybe Harley Davidson still understand that a broad flat torque curve is more important than peak horsepower.

Sweet review , thank you . I have owned mine for 11 months and have clocked 3500km , she is not my main bike . I have fitted louder slip on's that sound awesome ! , K&N air filter and fly screen . On the weight 10kg ( 5kg each ) is most by removing the standard mufflers , they are HEAVY ! ps. I ride with guys with Triumph T100's and T120's , Harleys etc and they are blowen away at how well my Interceptor rides and performs .

I enjoy your videos and style. I'm happy to see these RE 650's. Back in the eighties when there weren't any contemporary British twins and up through about 2002 I owned a Suzuki 650 Tempter that I thoroughly enjoyed. In spite of having a Sabre v65 1100 and a VFR 750 and others bikes, I decided the 650 was potentially a Goldilocks engine size. I currently have a Nighthawk 650SC as well as an SV650. I'm phasing out the 4cylinder 1100's and enjoy my CB750 and VN750, etc. I look forward to finding an RE 650 in the used market some time in the future. Ciao.

Such a great bike. Sounds amazing, simple, reliable, easy to work on, cheap to buy/fix... everything most motorcycles are not these days. Just a minor correction: there are two shocks in the rear :)

It used to be a British bike till 1994 but now it is completely own by an Indian company Eicher Group and that company has made Royal Enfield what it is today.

I’m 74, been riding all my life. I could afford a new Bonneville but bought the Interceptor. It’s air cooled like a retro bike should be. I hate fake things and the Bonneville has fake carbs and cooling fins. My bike was $5,500 brand new, the Triumph was $14,000. I still have and ride my BMW 1200GS and Husqvarna 701.

I’m new to biking and have been astounded by how nice most bikers seem to be! Wish I had started biking sooner!

It's not cheap, it's value for money. It's the Royal Enfield.

I really enjoyed your review and your enthusiasm. I absolutely love Royal Enfield, so much heart and so much character. I don't mean to be picky but those accessories that you called after market are actually genuine RE parts, not after market. Anyway great video, cheers 😀

Your posts are so interesting! I look forward to seeing these everday! 😁❤️💞 I’m 3rd :))

Really nice shinny bike.. more my era when there were BSA Goldstar..BSA Rocket..Triumph Bonneville..Norton Commando and of course Royal Enfield. Interesting exhaust pipes on these and really nice sound, and sound being an important factor when considering a bike. Not sure on that windscreen. Great video and really professional! How amusing motorbike shadows are! Nice one Cheers Angus

Had my 650 Continental now for 3 years and have covered over 6k miles. Have had no issues at all and the build quality is up with more expensive models. Got a 2 into 1 TEC pipe on my which sheds 12kgs to start with and sounds the Mutts nuts. 3 figures (on a private road of course) are obtainable if desired. It certainly has enough punch for overtaking if you use the torque, which isn't a large amount but with the gearing setup is more than adequate.

I’ve added a booster plug, and bistable levers, filter and open cover as well as performance exhaust. Sure gives it more of a kick!

I just bought one today and pick it up next week. My wife and I are going to do some light touring on it and have a big trip planned later this year. I think it's the perfect combo of price, comfort, price, and efficiency!

Great looking bikes...to me it felt a bit like the poor cousin compared to the T100 (re fit and finish) but it is MUCH cheaper and still looks good and is great fun so maybe im being a little harsh..when I bought my Royal Enfield Classic 350 I was toying between that and the Interceptor but fell in love with the looks and the character of the 350 classic...SO much fun!

Hi just subscribed great channel I was wondering what the handle bar bag is that you use as I think it would be useful on my bonniville Cheers Clive

I don’t own one but they really do look the biz. I test rode one last summer it did not disappoint.

Great Content! Your riding jacket looks really cool. Can I kindly know what make is it? Thank you.

Excellent review, thank you for taking the time to do a detailed report. BEAUTIFUL bike, I’d love to get one! On another note, what riding jacket are you wearing in the video? It looks really cool!

Great bike …I’ve swapped my Triumph Tiger for an Interceptor. If you like touring the back roads it’s a joy. Two-up maybe but knee down no…each too their own😀 Heading for the Cotswolds soon and hopefully the Pyrenees next year.

Great review on the RE. I’m drawn between that bike and the Moto Guzzi V7 ..as a beginner!

Went through the Cotswolds the other day on way back from Wales, you are right lovely riding! Great vid am leaning towards maybe the Scram just for maybe for better mpg/adv riding. But am def going to test ride the Interceptor👍👍👍 P.s Like the Merlin jacket.

I waited for the arrival of the RE 650 and went ahead and went with the street twin. I'm very pleased.

Another top video. Quick one. What’s that brown Belstaff jacket you have please ?

Can you tell me about your that handle bar bag thing that you have in this video? I really like the look and potential practicality for me of that.

There is magic in Royal Enfields...

I've had my Interceptor for 9 months and about 2,400 miles. I'm still happy with it. It checks quite a few boxes for me: it looks *great*, it sounds great, gets great gas mileage (about 55-60mpg), it handles well, there's lots of aftermarket stuff. It'll cruise all day at 75mph no problem. Power and torque are plenty for most purposes. The brakes work fine, the ergonomics are fine. And it has a likeable personality. But it's not a bike I'd want to ride to Alaska on. Or even 200 miles. The reason being that the suspension and seat are kind of stiff and cobby. Around town it's fine but it wouldn't be fun riding it all day long. That and the right mirror vibrates. Also, it's hard to impossible to read the digital gas display in bright sunlight. Those are my only complaints. I've got four bikes in the garage and the Interceptor is my main squeeze. Good review. New subscriber.

Great review - actually just bought the Orange Crush Interceptor on the weekend. Could you please share the details on the seat - link ? Cheers, Tom

I had an Interceptor for 13 months and 5500 miles, then traded it in on a T100 which I have now had for 10 months and 3200 miles. The Triumph is a much nicer bike. It has 50% more torque and it peaks at a much lower RPM. It would run circles around the Interceptor. The Triumph is a lot more expensive but if your budget will allow it, it's worth it.

Great review. I've just bought an Interceptor, after too many overbloated big bikes, and love it. You mention the 'ugly looking bag' but I rather like it - what is it please?

Thanks for the excellent review. Looking forward to buying the Int 650 next month. Can you let us know what brand jacket you are wearing in this video? The jacket looks great. Is it by Oxford? Thanks!

Lots to like about this model. The modern trend is for the 270 degree crank phasing which has the same firing sequence as a V-twin, it makes a throaty sound but isn't the same as a traditional classic British twin which used the 360-degree sequence. Something of the uniqueness of a parallel twin has been lost with the adoption of the 270 degree crank, but it does have advantages in terms of smoothness and power delivery.

Great review - thanks. Which bike would you say was most fun - Int 650 or Classic 350??

Got my full license a year ago and considered the RE and a Triumph Street Twin. The RE was attractive price wise but unfortunately I found the seat too high for me and weirdly very top heavy. I opted for the Street Twin and very pleased with it.

Tjx fr video. Would these panniers hinder the pillions seating 💺 in anyway? Did you try a pillion ON with the PANNIERS ?

Do you have a link to that handlebar bag? Thanks 🙏👍. I have a 2022 Int Orange Crush. Love this bike. Great video 😊

Being a bit of a Triumph fan I'm going to be able to try one finally as my dealer is now fully franchised and the REs are selling. However I have to admit that sitting on the showroom floor they don't impress me like the Bonnevilles do so if and when I try one out I'm going to have to try to curb my prejudices a bit.

What I really like about the interceptor it's that even if it's smaller cc than the t100 it has 6 speeds just that probably make it much more suitable for highway cruising and mileage

Thanks for the review info. Can you tell me what your jacket is?

Such a lovely bike and the price is amazing

Love em great looking bikes !!👌👍

Should get a Red Rooster exhaust for RE650, it sounds just insaaaane..🥰😍

Interesting that it evokes an emotional-response , many people have said the same about this bike (and Kawasaki W650's ) Crotch-rocket junkies-aside , most reviewers get very-happy over the riding-experience and it's just-great to look at and listen-to . My 2nd-bike is a W650 , similar-power and a great-sound , effortless to ride and everyone admires it . There's something to be said for these-styles of bike that are more than their HP or performance , simple, practical and cool . Dave nz

RE 650 is a great starter bike and great for the price but I traded mine in on a Triumph Bonneville T120 after 4 months. It doesn't compare to the Triumph in any way - fit, finish, power, stability, etc. I really enjoyed mine for what it is - an inexpensive, easy to ride, lower-powered retro style bike.

Love the Interceptor! As new, it's more value for money than the Bonnie. But...let's see in a few years time how the RE's hold up quality wise...

I just picked mine up and the only complaints I have are common enough. First, the grips are a bit too narrow, but I have padded gloves that will likely fix that. Second, the placement of the foot pegs. They are placed over where one would normally place one's feet at a stop. I can fix this by scooting back on the seat. Other than that, I put 112 miles on it my first day owning it. It wanted to ride at 60-65 moh, even though the break in speed was 50 for 300 kms.

It may have been asked before but I'm new to your channel...what is the brand of your jacket?

Nice review! Is the seat good for longer rides? You said you “Imagine” it will be good. 😀 My only question is, is it? Thank you!!

I have a 650 interceptor, also a 1975 Triumph T140 with an aftermarket cam and 34mm mikunis. My boys have an SV650 and a Moto-Guzzi V7 Storm. The SV is the quickest, The guzzi is the prettiest, The 750 Bonny is just an old classic but it is a true Triumph at least. Some interesting comparisons between all four. Both the SV and even the T140 are quicker but the enfield is so much more torquey than the T140 and so so much smooother. Interestingly it is also significantly quicker than the V7 which was a surprise as on paper they look identical but they bike that me and my boys all want to ride is the enfield- it;s just so nice to ride.

The Interceptor is a retro bike with a few modern touches. The Triumph is a modern bike with retro touches. My 2020 Int is fun, well sorted with Lextec exhaust and performance filter and gives me smiles per miles!

Royal Enfield interceptor is 🔥🔥🔥

I own one. good bike for value but not for freeways as it needs more revs than I like and it feels busy. for quick acceleration, gears need be changed quickly at around 2k rpm only. there's not much pull beyond 2.5k rpm when I am starting off the line. I am in 6th cog already at 60-70 kph speed. The parts quality is substandard compared to japanese brands. There is frequent repairs and parts replacement required which I never experienced with honda and yamaha. But for the price there is no alternative to get parallel twin 650 motorcycle.

Hello from Germany. Also bought a 2022 Interceptor. It is now waiting for warm times in the underground car park. In the run-up I saw 1 million videos and descriptions and had the choice between a Guzzi V7 with 65 hp and the RE with 48 hp. Until today I thought the Interceptor always had a steel braided brake line (Stahlflex) , but I have a black one and I see black or nothing on this video. Seems like RE saved that on the 2022 again??

I love mine, but its far from stock at this point. I've upgraded the exhaust, suspension and put on knobby tires and a load of other things to turn it into a scrambler for my back roads. Gives me an alternative to the Speedmaster.

Mate where are your jeans and jacket from? , thx

Review number 1001, on YT of the RE 650. Nothing new here, with all do respect.

I don’t think they are “aiming squarely at Triumph.” Instead they’re aiming for the middle weight classic category, which hasn’t been serviced well, other than say the W650 Kawa.

I've owned a V7 which was stolen a few years ago, great bike, I've ridden an intercepter and a kawasaki w800, my money went on a air/oil cooled T100 Bonneville, imop a better bike overall.

Cracking bike. A genuine retro unlike triumphs pastiche. Incredible value for money.

I have a 2021 T100 and a 2022 Interceptor. I definitely think that the T100 is 1.5 times better the bike but at 1.5 times the cost so they are the same value for money.

You get what you pay for it's that simple. RE fans love to talk about value for money but ignore what that term actually means.

Have you tried the V7?

Comparatively, you folks still pay a lot for the interceptor! Here in India it retails for 3.5 Lakh, which is roughly 3.5 grand in UK money.

Another person falls under the spell of Royal Enfield. I'm sure the prices have a lot to do with their popularity. If Triumphs were the same price, they'd fly off the shelves. People love them for the simple riding and the amazing looks too. They do seem to be more popular with men though. I guarantee you'll own one by the time you hit 40 😉

The sound of the bike is like the sound of a metallic fleshy being, that's how I can best describe it haha.

Waiting for classic 650

Wow I’m actually surprised at this bike. I don’t know why but I always associated this bike with poor quality. In terms of fit and finish between the Bonneville and this bike how would you rate it.? The exhaust is very noticeable, nice

Things to note that I’ve found in my research on the Interceptor and most of the REs is that they have things like the pegs, shifter lever, etc that stick out that would hit the ground first in a drop or crash that are attached directly to the frame. If you bend the frame, the bike is done, and even with crash guards, that wouldn’t protect it. The metal for pegs and such attached to the frame are very thin compared to the Bonneville’s, very easy to bend so to me that is a big factor in considering a T100 over the Interceptor. The T120 is way out of this class and even hard to compare the T100 when it comes to CCs and the smoothness. I haven’t ridden an RE, only sat on some, but I can’t imagine it’s smoother than the Bonnie’s, especially if you are going over 55 mph, per other reviews, it get’s shaky, the vibration is a major annoyance and it’d be a pain to tour on. I see it only as a city, commuter type bike and that is where most accidents come into play statistically. I personally wouldn’t go under 1200ccs again, maybe the 900 in the city. How do you think it was smoother than a Bonnie? How fast did you get it up to?

me gusta este moto

Everyone keeps banging on about it ONLY being 47 hp. That's rather the point, it's A2 license friendly, which makes perfect commercial sense.

Royal Enfield hasnt been British for over 70 years. It was sold to India in 1955 and is owned by Eicher motors based in Chennai (formerly Madras). Engineering is still done in England but its not a British Company.

WORD ON THE STREET... la tourelle bonneville !

Oh how I wish the exhaust didnt stick up in the air.....not a retro or classic look.

it can not match the Bonny for sound ...a 270 degree crank just doesn't beat the sound of my 360 degree crank Bonny - a 2005 model which does NOT vibrate at all ..

RE is better now, but no way better then Triumph 😊

Only 47 HP. How much does anyone need?

NO!!! 😂 I like that jacket though - is it a Belstaff?

Man, is you is or is you ain't gonna wear yourself out doing all these reviews. :p Great review by the way....ride safe...

For the price they are Ok. When you examine them closely though, the details are not happening for me. No Japanese pedigree, which isn't to be discounted in today's hyperbolic world. A lot has gone into the R&D lineage of Japanese motorcycle culture and most of it is unseen; The insanely reliable high-quality end product is largely taken for granted. Paying extra for that is well worth it in my world.

Looking across tube and re followers they seem plagued with issues. Puts me right off

So, did you finally go and buy one for yourself?

There are at least 5 new Royal Enfields on their way.

You pay your money and make your choice, but to compare that thing to a Triumph, come on, I have worked on Indian made machines for forty years and have to say no, it may look nice but I will bet the internals don't. Not for me.

Engine guards look awful on the Interceptor 650. They should be chrome, or sliver painted at least, cause they look terrible on this silver engine...Bonneville's got one of the best looking crash bars, you can barely notice them.

Its lathable to aim at Triumph bonavile

😁👍👍👍😁

Frankly, you didn't push it anywhere near hard enough to show it's achilles heel....the handling and suspension. Perhaps, a note to take forward for further reviews? You don't need to lose your licence, but burbling along country roads at 50 mph is not going to cut it, sorry. You could do that on a 125. Getting to 70 on a smooth motorway does not review the bike. You could do that on a 125. Flick it along challenging country and B roads you know well and can therefore compare it to other bikes.

It’s more about selling the accessories in the guise of reviewing the bike! You out to mention that up front that you are pitching wares from the sponsors of the bike!

It's definitely not better than a Triumph Bonneville, is it better value for money? Definitely.

I can buy them for 6 grand new... fooking bargain bikes

I like this bike but one thing engine size is too big that's only the problem to me...