Bike Files: Royal Enfield Interceptor 650

Move over Bonneville, here’s the most authentic ‘British’ retro on sale today...

Royal Enfield Interceptor 650? Looks like it’s from the 1960s…

With its classic British roadster looks and an air-cooled 650cc parallel twin engine the Royal Enfield Interceptor follows the exact same formula as the classic motorbikes from the 1960s.

It’s modern in terms of its build quality and riding dynamics, but as far as retros go it’s probably the most traditional design you can buy today.

So a classic British motorbike?

Royal Enfield can trace its roots back to the West Midlands. The original company started making motorcycles in 1901, making it older than the likes of Harley-Davidson and Triumph and, although it’s been over 50 years since Enfields were made in the UK, the brand has continued to thrive continuously in India.

The Indian market couldn’t get enough of the classic Royal Enfield Bullet. It was considered the Rolls Royce of motorcycles after being introduced there in 1955, and they continued to be built in India long after the British company went out of business.

Over the past decade or so the company has become more international in its outlook. Bikes may be built in India, but much of the design, development and testing takes place in Leicestershire – meaning the wide range of new models are well suited to European roads.

The Interceptor was one of the first designs to come out of this facility. Like all Enfields, it’s a traditional design but quite modern in its engineering.

Have they been popular?

Very much so! Royal Enfield’s secret sauce has always been that they deliver great looking bikes that do the business for less money than many of the other retros out there.

It’s a rare month when a Royal Enfield doesn’t feature somewhere in the UK’s best sellers list and the Interceptor was an instant hit when it was launched in 2018.

It outsold more established offerings from the likes of Ducati and Triumph, setting Royal Enfield off on the track of success it enjoys today.

So it’s better than a Bonneville?

Now we didn’t say that! It’s less sophisticated than the Bonnie, for sure, but with this kind of bike we’d argue most customers aren’t looking at performance or gadgets, and the lack of electronic modes is actually a big part of the attraction.

Customers are looking at the styling, the price and the feels, and on all three of those characteristics the Interceptor is right at the top of the class.

The Triumph might be a smooth operator, but the Enfield arguably feels more authentic with its air-cooled motor. With a brand new Interceptor 650 costing less than a second hand Bonneville in many cases, it’s really no surprise it has won the hearts of British bike buyers.

What’s the Royal Enfield Interceptor like to ride?

The Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 is really chilled to ride. The ergonomics are classic roadster, so nice and upright and decently comfy. Like all Royal Enfields, it has been designed to cope with rough Indian roads, so it’s no surprise that it’s easy to ride around town and down bumpy back lanes.

It’s all a bit basic and that’s definitely a complement more than it is a criticism. It’s the antithesis of those modern bikes which come loaded with tech and gadgets, and the simplicity is a massive part of the appeal. It’s an old school iron horse. We love ‘em!

The engine really loves B roads, where the lazy torque helps it plod along without a need to dance through the smooth six-speed gearbox. At road legal speeds, the chassis is adequate, as are the Indian-made CEAT tyres, but if you’re looking for high-precision steering, eye-popping brakes and sportsbike levels of ground clearance you’re going to be disappointed.

Overall it’s a very easy to ride machine with something to offer riders of pretty much any age and experience level. As long as you accept its limitations, it’s a very enjoyable motorcycle to ride.

Overall it fills a really nice place between genuine classics, which have rubbish brakes and suspension by modern standards, and the latest whiz-bang tackle. What’s also good to know is that Royal Enfield’s dealers are usually pretty decent and normally have some demo bikes available to ride – so if you are thinking about buying one you might well be able to get to try before you buy.

But 47bhp isn’t that much, is it?

We’d argue it’s just about spot on. The Enfield isn’t a superbike and for the kind of riding most people will do it’s more than enough. Actually 47bhp was superbike territory back in the day, and is the kind of peak power a Bonneville T120 put out in its golden years. It also makes it eligible to be ridden by A2 licence holders, which is brilliant because it really is as ideal a first big bike as it is a modern classic for older riders looking at it through rose tinted lenses.

What if I fancy something a bit sportier…

Royal Enfield actually debuted the 650cc engine in the Continental GT at the same time as the Interceptor. It’s largely the same bike, but with lower handlebars and more of a café racer vibe to it. For 2025, Royal Enfield also introduced the Bear 650 – an Interceptor based scrambler inspired by 1960s desert racers and which looks very cool indeed. There are also loads of accessories you can fit to the Interceptor as well. It’s a bike which just wants to be modified!

Or a bit more laid back…

There’s a pair of cruisers built on the same platform, called the Super Meteor 650 and Shotgun, and the Enfield range also encompasses smaller capacity 350 and 450cc machines like the HNTR and new Bullet.

What other bikes should I consider as alternatives to the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650?

The retro landscape is crowded and Royal Enfield have done a great job in capturing a large part of the market. The most obvious competition comes from Triumph, and their Bonneville series, but even the entry level Speed Twin 900 is almost 50% more expensive than the Interceptor.

It really is excellent value for money, and that’s a big part of the appeal. Moto Guzzi’s V7 range is another traditional air-cooled design, if you fancy a bit of Italian flair.

What else is the appeal?

We’d say the looks are spot on, especially on bikes with spoked wheels. Royal Enfield offer an extensive range of colours and there are loads of accessories for those who want to customise and modify their motorbike. To be honest, we think they’re best left largely standard.

That traditional air-cooled engine looks fantastic in itself and without a radiator and loads of hoses getting in the way it is a real centrepiece of the design, but things like saddlebags aid the practicality and can be taken off when not needed. If you’re looking for authenticity, they don’t get much better than the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650.