I picked up my 2021 Orange Crush about six weeks ago. I'm coming from a 2017 Classic 500 that I had a lot of fun with, but got tired of parts rattling off of it and the general feeling that it would blow up at any moment. A clogged injector that I spent 2 months troubleshooting was the last straw.
I immediately fell in love with the looks, handling, engine, and transmission of the Interceptor. However, the ergonomics and general comfort felt very awkward. I figured this was mostly due to me coming from a very relaxed position on the Classic 500 to a sportier position on the Interceptor, and that I would probably get used to it. I didn't, and instead decided to do something about it.
So here's what I've done to make this bike (in my opinion) vastly more comfortable and feeling more "right".
-GT650 dual touring seat - $106 -
https://www.ebay.com/itm/402613978790. Much better look, slightly more comfortable. Can double my time in the saddle before numbness begins.
-Up and over handlebar risers - $29 -
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B091F87YTH/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1. This was a huge improvement, along with the handlebars below. Brought me into a much more comfortable upright position. Just a note, the ones I bought didn't have the correct hole alignment, so I needed to do a little drilling.
-EMGO No. 10 handlebars - $26 -
https://www.denniskirk.com/emgo/chrome-7-8-in-no-10-off-road-handlebar-23-12581.p599844.prd/599844.sku. I knew I needed more pullback than the stock bars, even with the up and over risers. Plus, my stock bars came from the factory with the chrome chipping off. The EMGO No. 10 bars have the right pullback, but they're super wide. I had to take about 2 inches off each end and probably could've done more. If I had to do it again, I might go with the EMGO Classic bars without the risers. I think that would give the right height and pullback and the right width right out of the box.
-Hitchcocks footrest relocation kit - $75 -
https://accessories.hitchcocksmotorcycles.com/40215?ref_page=Interceptor%20650. I'm 6'1" and my legs felt too cramped and swept back. Again, I understand this is a sportier stance, but I didn't like it. Although I find the Hitchcocks part to be a bit overpriced, especially after shipping, it was relatively easy to install and did just the trick. My feet are significantly lower and slightly more forward, exactly as I was hoping for. The brackets do move the footrests 5/8" further away from the bike, which may be a problem for some, but I'm fine with it. I know you can buy new footpegs from TEC that do something similar but I much prefer the look of the stock pegs.
-Hepco & Becker pillion footrest relocation kit - $64 -
https://www.motomachines.com/hepco-becker-passenger-footrest-relocation-bracket-royal-enfield-interceptor. When I brought my Interceptor home I was excited to take my wife for a ride, assuming she's love it as much as I did. After 10 miles, she said "Nope. Never again. I hate that thing." She couldn't articulate her discomfort, but it turns out the pillion pegs are high and swept back, just like the driver pegs, but even more so. The part is backordered, so I haven't put it on yet, but I hear great things.
I think that's about all I'll do for now. Although I would've preferred the bike were a little more relaxed out of the factory, and I know someone is going to say I obviously bought the wrong bike if I wanted a standard or a cruiser, but I'm happy where the bike is now.
Anyone else spending some time and money "de-tuning" the Interceptor?
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