Royal Enfield Interceptor 650

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Photos: Motorradtest.de

There the Royal Enfield stands in front of you and you relax at the sight. So that's what motorcycling used to look like? You kind of want to kick against the hoop and say something profound like, "Everything used to be better" or something. Of course, this is not true, because the 650 Interceptor is basic, but modern. What she had to prove in practice.

It's just like that

One of the most difficult tasks in motorcycle design must be to design retro mobile. Where has the line between successful reinterpretation in old-school style and somehow gone wrong (see current Suzuki Katana)? It is very easy to tip out of the saddle with something like this.

But it's different at Royal Enfield. Some people will not call the ancient appearance retro, but want to blame the production in India, they couldn't do better. The BMW G 310 R also experienced similar insults. At best, this is nonsense, to be clear.

Lawn? But why?

Key turned around (thank you, Royal Enfield, you will be the very last company in the world to introduce the theft-prone and otherwise completely useless keyless go), button pressed and satisfied bollering the Twin jumps on. Interceptor is called her, that is, translates interceptor. In front of whose eyes the legendary Spitfire of the British from the Second World War now appears, should sit quietly in the corner again: 47 hp. With 7,100 tours. Torque is also there, 52 Newton meters at 5,250 tours. We don't want to intercept anything today, and the next few years don't look like that either. That's why: stay cool.

But we want to drive, and we do. It is moving forward resolutely and nothing is distracting. You don't do lawns not just because you don't have enough power to do it, but because it would be completely unnecessary. The thin tires, the comfortable but stable chassis – none of this screams in your ear that you should somehow let the sow out now. Your greatest happiness is to mill a scrape into the asphalt in every bend with your footrest? Wrong bike.

You wouldn't call her a Café Racer, but actually it is: you're never, in any situation, wrongly dressed. It's as if the Royal Enfield enjoys puppy protection: anyone who recognizes it will let you go in peace. If you're always waiting for the next challenger on a Ducati, there's no rival waiting for the Royal Enfield.

In a nutshell: comfort good, sportiness rather not, driving behaviour stable, engine drives you forward. Stylish and honest to the last screw. What to forget? Possible, but something exciting was certainly not there.