While the Royal Enfield Classic has been a resounding success in India, it has failed to grab the attention of the global audience. One of the reasons is that the biggest engine that Enfield plonks into this bike is a 499cc single-pot unit. However, things might change, as the brand will soon be rolling out the Interceptor, a middleweight street-bike with a parallel-twin powertrain. Here is what we can expect from the Royal Enfield Interceptor –
Reviving the ‘Interceptor’
The 2018 Interceptor harks back to a motorcycle last seen on the streets more than half a century ago. Aptly called as Britain’s ‘Lost Twin’, the original Interceptor was produced in the 1960s featuring 692cc and 736cc engines. Interestingly, the Interceptor was one of the last motorcycles produced by the brand before it went bankrupt in 1971.
Retro styling
It would take a trained eye to tell the difference between the 2018 Interceptor and its predecessor. And yet, it wouldn’t look out of place in today’s world, for the modern-classic genre is making a comeback in a big way. The Interceptor ticks all the right boxes with the round headlamp and mirrors, classic-styled fuel tank, air-fins on the engine and acres of chrome. It gets the traditional British styling which wouldn’t make it look out of place standing next to a Bonneville.
New powertrain
At the heart of the Interceptor is a 270-degree crank parallel-twin powertrain, which not only makes it look like a classic but should also give it the sound-track of one. Royal Enfield claims that this architecture also gives the best power curve and usability, which should tilt the scale in its favour among those upgrading from small-capacity bikes. The engine churns out 47bhp and 52Nm of torque, which might not sound much, but would be good enough to propel the bike to the magical 100 miles-per-hour, or 160kmph mark. The engine features electronic fuel injection and is mated to a six-speed gearbox.
Cycle parts
Giving it inverted forks and a monoshock would have improved the handling, but made it lose out on its charm. It would have also added to the manufacturing costs, which eventually trickle down to the buyer. So, in keeping with the character, the Interceptor gets conventional 41mm telescopic front forks and dual-spring rear suspension. Brake setup consists of a 320mm disc up front and a 240mm disc at the rear. ABS is offered as standard.
Pricing
Now this where it gets interesting. While there is no official word from Royal Enfield, we expect the Interceptor to cost around Rs 3 lakhs (ex-showroom), which is around Rs 1.2 lakhs more than the Classic 500. This would keep it at a safe distance from the Harley-Davidson Street 750, positioning it in a space where there would be no real competition.
