This entire thing is based on the false premise that the Royal Enfield is just a beginner bike. Most of the folks I run into that ride them have been riding longer than Yammie has been alive.
Lmao u’ll be fine just behave. 20 mt09 also my first bike just respect the bike. About mods do what u want, if it doesn’t make u happy why even own it? Uk what i mean?🤝🏽
@@theodorecalkins4212 agreed, i never owned my own bike until last year. I rode friends dirt bikes and what not so i was familiar with a bike. Now another reason why i went with a practically “brand new” 2020 MT was bc of different TC modes and power modes. Kept that bad boy on. TC2 and mode B for the first month or so to not i mostly ride TC1 mode A with a Vcyclenut tune and full akra🤝🏽
Bold move, Sir. Respect the throttle on that thing and I'd suggest taking some advanced riding lessons, I went to trackdays and it massively improved my skills and reaction. I recently saw a guy trash his GSXR on the street by grabbing the front brake too hard on an emergency situation and flipping over as a result. You want to be ready for every situation out there, it just takes one mistake to mess your shit up pretty good.
I don't know why you insist on calling the Enfield a beginner bike . It's just a bike that anyone can enjoy. There is no such thing as a beginner bike. If you enjoy riding a Rebel 250 it's ok. It's just a small displacement bike you enjoy. I've been riding 57 years and spent 34 years in the motorcycle business. There is no such thing as a beginner bike !
He likely has a larger demographic of viewers that fall into the "new rider" category, so it makes it more approachable to them. I'm getting close to 60 I own an Interceptor. I've still own a R1200GS. I've had an UltraClassic, R1200RT along with other motorcycles. My interceptor has gotten more questions and comments from people than any other bike I've owned. I do more city commuting on it than the GS. It's a good general purpose bike that's a pleasure to ride anyone and my wife won't let me sell it or give it to my son. I've prolly got more mods on my bike than most people. It's a great platform to upgrade and modest updates are way less expensive.
Yep, not trying to go to the negative attitude, but pretty much these days its a liter bike or a beginner bike ha ha, nothing in between🤣. Sence back when bikes really took off into the 50's 60's and 70's for the longest time a bike like a tiger 500 was a big boy bike, now they must have 100+ HP if not, now it's relegated to "beginner bike". I get it, i also love me some horsepower/torque BUT the liter bikes "make" you ride fast, 120mph on a liter sportbike? the machine laughs at you and says "more please", better have a fat wallet when the tickets start coming your way, just sayin.... 🤷♂ -Cheers
Hey Yam, glad you had fun giving the bike a rip around town, and thanks for showing it on your channel! Nobody’s ever ridden it other than myself, so it’s pretty awesome getting to see it as a spectator. 🏍️
@@Legotruck82 last I checked there were only two sporty options available: Conti and Pirelli. I’d probably go with the Pirellis again, they both feel nice but I think the Pirellis have a better profile. I only upgraded because I got a fat bolt in one of the tires. :/
@@Persian-Immortal Thanks! All together it was like $3200~ for the suspension and the Brembo master. That made the biggest difference. The rest is just cosmetic stuff really. I saved a bunch of money by doing the installs and all that myself. I don’t count the tires since they’re something I had to replace anyway hah.
@MotoRings wow, I think because you did the work yourself, you mostly paid just for parts. Otherwise, it would have cost you a lot more. Would you consider the Bore 865 mod of the bike?
I think it makes sense with bolt on mods. Boring a 650 to a 865? Just buy a 900 triumph. But parts that can be removed and sold on, that makes sense to me. Enfield twins are a great blank canvas for modification. Free flow exhaust headers and cans made a big difference to my interceptor.
Agree on most points - except that you insist on calling this a beginner bike. I don’t see why it has to be! One can live with a bike like this a very long time without feeling the need to get something bigger or faster.
I did similar mods to my continental, plus the 865. I think im all in about 11k-ish including the bike and fees (i got it tax free). It was absolutely with out a doubt worth it. That 865 is a game changer on this bike.
Oh hey, my first bike! My mods so far: replaced the clutch levers, added a fork extender from Cooper motors in the UK so I could raise the clip on bars above the triple tree (it's so much more comfortable), and added a throttle lock. I want to add: -A different seat -roll bars -not stock tires -fly/Windscreen
Why buy the GT if you're going to raise the handlebars over the yoke? Why not just buy an Interceptor with normal bars and clamps and just swap the bars for a height you prefer?
@Aaron Leverton: Because it is MY bike, I will do whatever I want with it, and I won't justify doing what is best for my riding experience to you. Unless you want to buy me a different bike, keep your opinion to yourself.
I've had a bunch of motorcycles over my life, and still have a couple. Vespas, Lambrettas, Ducatis, BMWs and Harleys, and I've modded the living sh*t out of every one of them. Some multiple times.That's a big part of the fun for me. I don't know or care how much I've spent but I don't drink or smoke, I've neer taken out a loan for any of it, and I've never owned a car in my life, so I'm going to say that (for me at least) it's still a cheap hobby, and well-worth it, irrespective of the numbers :) That RE is fantastic, good for him.
Talking suspension. I work at a dealer in parts. One of the 1st things I ask when people come in wanting new tires is what is it doing that you want/don't want it to do? A lot of the times they just want to get the OEM cheap rubber off it, or better wet weather handling. Which are things that tires will solve. Though if it's not, I'll ask have you set the sag for your weight? What about rebound and compression, if your bike has that? They usually just stare and say what now? I like my pants where they are. I tell them I'd start there. I'll sell you $600 worth of Road 6's or Diablo Rosso's all day, but that will only solve so much of the problem you have. Most people never think about their suspension, and how it effects how the bike feels.
I disagree, I honestly think the value is there. If you're buying a $13,000 HD Sportster 883 and then putting $3,000 to make it actually ride-able and then another $8,000 in performance parts then that's a waste but you can get this Royal Enfield for around $5,500-$5,000 new or $3,500-$4,500 used put $3,000 in modifications into it and you're still way under the cost of a base Sportster Or a Bonneville and you have much better performance parts then you would get on any of those other bikes.
I agree the experience of the modification is worth it if you are into that type of thing. Sometimes a few modifications like I did to me Thruxton R can make a big difference and extend the ownership time and save the money otherwise spent on a new bike. After all the sales tax, freight, and set-up etc fees on a new bike will purchase a lot of great modifications.
I've always felt that if you have certainty that you'll keep the bike for a while it is worth modding out, but also if you are willing and able to accept that you will certainly lose most of that money if you try to sell it. I've done little over 3k on my not beginner bike, over the last few years and will keep it forever. Thought at the time that I would want to give it up after mods, but no. It's just perfect and fun to me now.
After testing RE I would say it is great looking and sounding bike THE END Suspension and handling of this motorcycle is just terrible.... soo bad that Honda 1981 handle a sooo much better... So dont even try to say it is like Triumph Thruxton it is NOT at 100% Transmission on this bike is for another book of horror... false neutral dropping soo much on this bike.... (testing RE with 120 000km and other got 25000km both got same issue). This bike is just best looking lump of steel I have ever tested....
Honest. Not pretending to be something it's not. And what they are are a great town bike that'll do a nice ride anywhere on any roads. Priced to be improved upon. When they launched the 650 twins they had a few shops customize them in various directions. Made them accessible for the average person to actually afford a nice bike with a great frame and fun little motor. What a great starting point!
That is a really good looking bike. Too bad Triumph can't make anything that looks that good. 75 HP sounds awfully tempting -- how much would that cost?
Assuming you mean the big bore kit it's more like 2-3k all in for all supporting mods (big bore kit, high comp pistons, upgraded clutch, upgraded cam). It definitely lands close to thruxton money for similar power
The biggest factor in the bike feeling slow from side to side is probably the 18 inch wheels. Larger, steel spoked wheels mean more mass further away from the center of the hub, which means more inertia, which resists change in direction.
I don't know man. Before i bought the interceptor 650, the first enfield i test drove was the continental. Man it is resisting the turn but the interceptor had none of that. Oh btw i have a softail bobber build with 18 inch rim and 180mm width tire. With a very long wheel base, that bike can still out flick the conti from side to side and I was riding that cruiser like a sports bike. It has no resistance whatsoever. I can just bank as hard as I can and then quickly bank on the other side for the next corner. If I'm gonna compare the resisting force of the conti, it's like riding a 240mm+ width rear tire.
Hey yamm, got back to riding after 30 years and went for a begginer bike (former squid), ended up with what I thought was a stock cruiser, the vulcan 900 custom, turns out it has hyper intake, v&h exhaust, fuel commander, and front and back Baron pulleys, wish I could dyno it.
Congratulations on the good score! I only had two bikes, but did 60K miles on the first, about half that on the second. I got my lady's Gladius, put abut 17 thou on that, but can't wait to get my four cylinder back on the blacktop. Once you've bitten the bullet and spent the cash, you can't afford to sell, you might as well keep going. I've already spent more than it'll ever be worth, so might as well keep going and set it up nicely .
He's probably getting to it.the better you make it the better it gets to be, and there's always something to be done (or re-done, if it's a 2nd hander). But you get a bike that suits you, and there's a pride in doing it! Power mods? Yeah, why not, but pretty near the end of the list if you have a nice stock engine and a bike that handles? I had to get a stock rebuild 'cause I couldn't afford to do nice things to it. Getting too nice to part with now...
How tf do you spend $6k in upgrades on a Royal Enfield and NOT at least get a cam and power commander with tune. Not a single engine upgrade. That just seems insane to me.
He mentioned in another comment that his complaints with the bike weren't power related but the bad brakes and suspension. He said if it felt like crap at 50hp why would he want to ride it with 75hp. He's going to do the full 865 kit eventually
@@fastec5 I own an Interceptor. Upgraded suspension cost me $800 front & rear. Upgraded brake pads were like $50. The OEM master cylinder works fine. I'm not knocking him or anything, just saying a cam is like $150, a power commander around $400. Seems crazy to do all he did and not even touch the easiest/cheapest performance upgrades.
Gorgeous bike, you looked good on it. After 26 years on LM3 Guzzi's and 10 years without a bike, along came the Continental GT. Without a doubt, the best looker in the Cafe Racer department. Bought one, love her. My mods, air filter, Verex ful exhaust, much freer flowing headers than original and truckloads noisier. Bar end mirrors, of course, and got my hands down near my knees with Paolo Tarozzi clip ons set low and wide. She's now clocked up 44,000 trouble free k's. Future mods, perhaps high comp pistons, certainly suspension upgrade, taller gearing on front sprocket, and get my feet a bit further back. Stev
These bikes are quite nice stock. My mods were purely cos I love to tinker and customise. Tail tidy, slip ons, booster plug, fly screen, adjustable levers, custom decals on the seatcowlings( I had both). Repositioning of bars, levers etc to suit myself. Oh, and 1 tooth taller on the front sprocket, an essential mod I feel, surprising how much difference it made. I only sold it after 3 years because I knew that I was starting to court disaster pushing harder and harder every ride. I’m too old now to heal the way I used to.
Hi Steve. Two questions; 1. What did the 1 tooth larger front sprocket do for you and the bike? 2. Do you remember what brand of adjustable levers you purchased? Thanks for any info!
@@51jjm generic levers, short style for the GT, from Hitchcocks. Slightly taller gearing, slightly longer in each gear, really improved the too- short 1st gear, put 2 nd and third in better spacings. Only slightly , but it made a nice difference. Hardly shifted out of 2nd and 3rd in sporty riding. It was so good , and the engine/ clutches took it so well, that I was toying with going down 2 teeth on the rear( no room left in the casing to go any bigger on the front)
You start with that stupid line again: "its a beginner bike". The click bait title says $6000 in mods, yet at the end its $3500. So which one is it? It would have been nice if you stated what size the tires are. Hey kid, do better or stick to $20k, 200hp useless bikes and leave normal stuff alone. Just a suggestion from a 54 years old, life long rider and a "beginner" owner of 5 bikes including the GT650.
There is this false narrative going around about this new term "beginner bike". I mean when you buy your first bike you don't buy with a thought in mind that I will get a bigger bike with much more powerful engine to be doing the exactly same speed (80-100kmph) in most of the streets/roads/highways as others. Some people keep the same bike for as long as they can.
Nice to see someone modifying a bike with a bit of thought. Not just trying to slap on horsepower and hope for the best. The owner has made the bike ride, stop and corner much better than RE did, which does cost money. Thats why RE didn't do these things themselves.
@yammienoob I’ve got the ohlin suspension front and rear, plus a booster plug and the autologue reck fairing and nuke exhaust on my conti 650. Gotta say the biggest improvement was front suspension. Next mod is the master cylinder and brakes
would love you to review a continential with those suspension mods and the 860 big bore kit on it, love my Rocker Red GT650, mines mostly stock, only the essential modes, ie 2-into-1 exhaust by Tec (Newcastle, UK), high flow air filter, bar end mirrors, sometimes I even find it a touch loud, but want the 2-1 for weight saving and the way you can see the left side of the engine so nicely
I forgot to mention I have the DNA filer on there and it really helped with the throttle response. I’ve been hesitant to put headers on the bike though, because it’s pretty dang loud just with the just Zard cans
@@ride_the_wind No not yet, I was kinda saving anything power/fueling related until after I got the suspension and touch points sorted out. It's a long story, but in short, my biggest grief with the bike while owning it was not really the power (I have other bikes). I just hated the brake feel, the wobbly levers, and the very soft/springy suspension up front. My thoughts were, well if I can't make it nice to ride with 50hp, why would I want to ride it with 75-80hp with all the engine mods available for it? So I think it's worth exploring eventually, I've just got my hands full with a 2002 SV650 that I'm trying to fix up.
I understand no motorcycle is perfect. But, If I needed a good suspension and brakes I could have probably picked up a BMW R nineT Pure or Moto Guzzi V7 III Special. instead of correcting a Broken bike. +6000💲💲
Couldn’t agree more the added power and as well as doing a gear ratio change like I did with the rs tech belt kit really makes it so much more fun in every situation
just got mine ventura storm conti 650 a few weeks ago. in love with it! for now, only bar end mirrors, seat cowl and mud guards off. next, round turn and rear lights and leather grips. cosmetics i know. better tires and improved breathing dna or k&n stuff are a must, tho (maybe exhaust too)... especially those oem tires. nice rides for you all!
Seems like you could get a faster bike for less money than the combined bike and mods, but I'm also looking at it from a "you want a faster bike" perspective and not a "I love my first bike I just want it to have more cowbell" perspective
Current mods on my GT- Single seat w/cowling MK Designs bobber exhaust RE tinted flyscreen Planned mods- MK Designs chop and bolt brake/tail lights Magura master cylinders brake/clutch Update suspension (unsure of which I'll go with) Brake rotors/pads (Brembo comes to mind, but I've heard good things about Nissin) Tires will get swapped out when they wear out, but once all's said and done, it should be a really fun ride.
I had a RE 650 interceptor and put $1500 extra into it then traded it in for a triumph T120. The royals are great bikes for the price but it’s no comparison to my Triumph in fit, finish, performance.
@@motorings735 Nice! If that's your GT it's badass! I figured it was a trade off on functionality, but it looks so clean! Thanks for letting me know what you used
I'm looking at 2nd-hand Re650's and I would ONLY buy one with the suspension-mods . It changes these bikes so-much and only adds to the fun-factor they are famous-for . I would also upgrade the-engine but only with higher-comp pistons , cams and very mild-porting plus Power-Commander... rather than the 865-kit. Mid-60's HP is plenty of fun and arguably all you need on a bike like this , 865 is too-much of a Wheelie-Monster and could kill The-buzz of what this bike is...for me at-least and that is what it is really-about ; It's whatever we want/need in a bike to make it that much more special to the-owner . 55-yrs riding.. Dave nz
I did the tires, red rooster exhaust, intake filter. Just the tires made a huge difference on drivability. Makes the bike stable at 90 mph for freeway use. I spent about $1,000 dollars on mods including bar end mirrors of course. I have a Panigale V2 and a Diavel V4 and I ride my GT 650 about 25 % of the time as it is a really fun bike to ride.
It’s kinda like purchasing a new guitar. If you think of it as a keeper and put some nice strings on it, put in some nicer pickups, have the guitar tuned up and polish the frets, then your going to want to play it more as it becomes a better instrument. I like this build, thanks for the vid. Beautiful bike.
this has absolutely no sense, neither what is said neither was has been done. I Sold a 2013 Thruxton 900 to buy a new RE 650 GT. Why? The RE has less motor but better handling and brakes (with ABS). 2 years later i dont regret it, i lack more power but the 50hp are more than enought in the twisties
I just bought one and can’t walk past it without making another mod. The engine and frame are superb, accessories are inexpensive on eBay. It would be rare to see this as a first bike, most are aging riders like myself (I’m 75).
6 grand for bolt-ons?.....something wrong with this picture. At best forget about the trinkets and go with the 865 kit and a 2 into 1, power commander......
Interesting to note the observation about the bike being slow to turn in because of the short clip-on bars. Try counter-steering to get the bike to drop over quicker. It will work regardless of the bar width.
Great video Yamm!! I've had my Continental for about 18 months, first bike at 48yrs old. It's everything I wanted from my first machine and I'm really happy with it in it's stock form, but even as a novice rider I'm aware of it's limitations. If I do go the modification route my intended approach would be very similar to @motorings735 (Great job dude!!), starting with the tyres and probably ending eventually with the 865. You're reaction to riding this bike has just answered the 'is it worth it" question I'd been asking myself.
If you put lipstick on a pig, it's still a pig... but now it's a pretty pig! *and what a man and his pig do in the privacy of their garage or barn is nobody's business...
You can get a big bore kit to turn your 350cc enfiled into a 500. I'm not sure If it's worth the cost on the j series engine. Just buy an interceptor it would be cheaper
I am a firm believer in mods that makes the bike a better ride overall , that way you and your ride stick longer together , fun is the essence of it all , your remarks on the ride difference are spot on and clearly state the enjoyment of this not expensive bike . It is not a racer nor a full bore sports bike , rather a fun bike to ride for the money , its reliable well built and gives you an honest handling bike
And that's exactly howbthe marketed it. It's an honest bike in avway that's rare nowadays, and a great canvas for somebody to ride large. That and the cipons. I got them on my Zephyr. Fork cartridge setup next!
I'm an experienced rider that's used to liter bikes but I'm getting old (42) and I'm looking at buying a customized cafe interceptor. They really do look so good for those that miss the old cafe style.
Thanks Yam, you've convinced me! I done been fixed! Seriously, tho', I've been eyeing a full cartridge insert goes bang into my stock forks. Probably work out to a couple grand, but I just spent about six and a half grand on an engine rebuild. If there's one complaint I'd have about the old thing, it's always been the Stock Old Kwaka Dive, you even touch the brake. Yep. That's about the last thing, for awhile at least!
This bike is NOT about specs, but about the enjoyment of riding something modern & reliable but that looks like a restored classic bike. If you look at it like that, then you have saved yourself a TON of money and headache by NOT buying an old 60's and paying 10's of thousands to a custom shop to restore it. Whether it was worth it is not for us to judge. It's for the bike owner to judge. I can say this without being some keyboard warrior because I just had mine customised and I spent around the same money doing it. Go look up road tests of the FuelFX for this bike. It's a very affordable way to add a bit of oomph into this bike, but some don't feel the difference. It's subtle.
Hi, i got my RE GT 650 9 months ago and i have issues with the bike. The bike is struggling to cross the 3000rpm mark and if it crosses, it vibrates too much. I feel uneasy to ride it and dont like the condition of the bike. Yes, i have the spark plug checked but it did not help. Please help!
I've had a lot of fun with my interceptor. It's been a gradual thing over the last 4 years, and i know it wild have been cheaper to buy a different bigger bike... but i love my bike. - TEC 2-2 full exhaust - DNA air filter - BT46 tires - S&S cam - Rekluse clutch - 865 big bore - Power Commander + new map - front/ rear YSS suspension - LED headlight and indicators - Halcyon bar end mirrors - Givi hard bags - Sahara seat - 2" bar risers - Hula girl dancing on my master cylinder The next swap is going to be the brakes.
Brakes and suspension, being able to use the power you’ve got, smart mods, value? Probably better to buy a lightly used rice rocket, they come with better stuff, clip ons? Depends on where you live, is the owner a novice? I don’t think so, the mods are too savvy, modern retro, tires come and go, any motorcycle needs to be set up for its rider, my two cents.
people who tinker are going to tinker. That said... never buy a project bike as a first bike. Always have something that rides, even if you are one who loves to build - as I do.
