Royal Enfield 650 20,000k

[siam dreamers]

I just performed my 20,000k service on my Royal enfield Interceptor 650 (oil change and valve adjustment) and I thought I would share my experience owning this bike. My son and I service the bike together. It's easier than going to the dealer and a good learning tool for the both of us. I am on this bike almost every day. . I feel much safer on this bike then I ever did on my honda wave. Now I can easily put some distance between myself an aggressive drivers. Besides being my daily driver I am always out taking a pleasure cruise around Prachuap beach or up in the hills,  hence the 20,000k.  

 

So far the bike has been flawless except for one 100Baht gasket I replaced around the fuel filler.  I can't think of a time riding this bike that it has nor been an absolute pleasure and joy to own. It is an easy comfortable ride with great low end torque.  So far I still have the original Pirelli tires with quite a-bit of life left in them. every time I start to think about getting a second bike I think why. I couldn't be happier with the price, ride and performance of this bike and hope to ride it as long as I can and then turn it over to my son. Enfield's slogan Easy Like Sunday Morning fits this bike perfectly. 

[pedro01]

Posting just to say I'm jealous.

 

Whereabouts do you live/ride?

[Iwik Detsiwt]

Pedro01....I would guess the OP lives in Prachuap Kiri Khan province given the reference to Prachuap Beach and hills. Plus there is a RE dealer nearby at Cha Am. 

Awesome bike though. Can't make my mind up over Interceptor 650 or CB500X. Both great bikes for Thailand's roads.

[CharlieH]

Moved to m/cycle forum.

[siam dreamers]

I live in Prachuap Khiri Khan. Even though we have a dealer down near us now I find it more rewarding to do the simple maintenance myself.

[canthai55]

10 hours ago, Iwik Detsiwt said:

Can't make my mind up over Interceptor 650 or CB500X. Both great bikes for Thailand's roads.

Both good bikes, but the X has it all over the RE for ease of service. And there are a gazillion parts available to make it just how you like it.

 

[AlQaholic]

Are there any second hand markets here in Thailand (online)? I understand that a new from dealer is somewhere around 150,000 - 180,000 Baht, is this correct?

 

[millymoopoo]

Many years ago I spotted an Enfield in a dealers, it was a brand new 500cc Indian Enfield.

The salesman started it and we noticed a little puff of smoke from the cylinder barrel, closer inspection revealed a pin hole in the casting all the way through into the combustion chamber.

I also noticed the rubber hand grips were perishing.

One would hope the manufacturing and quality control in India has improved in leaps and bounds since then, as it obviously needed to.!

All these years later I still love my BMW R65LS, it's always been a dream to ride and so very reliable.

[canthai55]

46 minutes ago, AlQaholic said:

Are there any second hand markets here in Thailand (online)? I understand that a new from dealer is somewhere around 150,000 - 180,000 Baht, is this correct?

Check Facebook groups. Many many bikes for sale. You can filter so just the model you want comes up

[Grusa]

My Japanese friend has a Royal Enfield 500cc, and loves it to bits. He must spend half his life polishing to keep the chrome from rusting.

 

Only thing, my Honda CBR150R leaves it standing, and is quieter.

[Road Warrior]

British designed 

[canthai55]

1 hour ago, Road Warrior said:

British designed 

Lets not hold that against them

[grain]

Would love to buy a Royal Enfield, last time I was in Pattaya I checked out the 500cc, that would be the one I'd get if I ever did buy one. But I'm 74 now and a tad too old to come flying off motorcycles and bouncing along the bitumen on my butt. So I'll just stick to my car and have those 4 wheels under me. 

[AgMech Cowboy]

Enfield.... I thought it was a revolutionary war 'musket'. ????

[siam dreamers]

Check Bahtsold or https://www.kaidee.com/c12-motorcycle-motorcycle for use motorcycles. A used Royal Enfield 650 with low kilometers can be had for about 165,000 baht. The 500cc and the 650cc are completely different bikes. The 500 is a single cylinder thumper with loads of vibration. The 650 is a parallel twin based on the the 1967 Royal enfield 750 interceptor released in America. Much more in the family of Triumph Norton And BSA. I am not sure about the Honda being easier to service than my Enfield. The dealerships for both in the Hua Hin area are only about 10 Kilometers apart and I try not to have either of them touch my bikes.

[EVENKEEL]

1 hour ago, siam dreamers said:

Check Bahtsold or https://www.kaidee.com/c12-motorcycle-motorcycle for use motorcycles. A used Royal Enfield 650 with low kilometers can be had for about 165,000 baht. The 500cc and the 650cc are completely different bikes. The 500 is a single cylinder thumper with loads of vibration. The 650 is a parallel twin based on the the 1967 Royal enfield 750 interceptor released in America. Much more in the family of Triumph Norton And BSA. I am not sure about the Honda being easier to service than my Enfield. The dealerships for both in the Hua Hin area are only about 10 Kilometers apart and I try not to have either of them touch my bikes.

I sold my 2020 RE Interceptor 650 a few months back for 160 K thb had 7,000+ km, had 20,000 in accessories. Liked the bike, had A&E pipes for a bit more sound and power. Nice bike, I moved to a Triumph and couldn't justify having 2. Have to say mine had a bit of corrosion on the aluminum covers. Not sure the reason.

 

For used bikes look at Kaidee.com there are a few dealers of used bikes out of Bangkok that post on Kaidee.

Edited August 5, 2021 by EVENKEEL

[papa al]

6 hours ago, AgMech Cowboy said:

Enfield.... I thought it was a revolutionary war 'musket'. ????

wrong.

dum.

[Deli]

A bike made in India will definitely not enter my stable. In case of doubt... always go for a Jap, even if made in Thailand. Have 5 of them and no headache.

Edited August 5, 2021 by Deli

[JonnyF]

On 8/5/2021 at 8:53 AM, millymoopoo said:

Many years ago I spotted an Enfield in a dealers, it was a brand new 500cc Indian Enfield.

The salesman started it and we noticed a little puff of smoke from the cylinder barrel, closer inspection revealed a pin hole in the casting all the way through into the combustion chamber.

I also noticed the rubber hand grips were perishing.

One would hope the manufacturing and quality control in India has improved in leaps and bounds since then, as it obviously needed to.!

All these years later I still love my BMW R65LS, it's always been a dream to ride and so very reliable.

The modern RE 650's are very well designed and extremely well made. Not quite on a par with Triumph but not too far off.

 

The other models they offer still have a way to go. The Himalayan for example famously lost a foot peg in it's own promo video. 

 

 

[canthai55]

One of the first things to do to any new bike is to check fasteners.

Those that can, replace regular nuts with nylocks.

Blind holes get a clean and some blue Loctite.

Don't trust assembly line workers with being as meticulous as is required.

[Mr Meeseeks]

On 8/4/2021 at 9:11 PM, canthai55 said:

Both good bikes, but the X has it all over the RE for ease of service. And there are a gazillion parts available to make it just how you like it.

 

Ridden both and the 650 twins are superior bikes in terms of handling and feel. 

 

Loads of customisation options available for the 650 twins now, they were the best selling bikes in the UK in 2020.

[Mr Meeseeks]

23 hours ago, AgMech Cowboy said:

Enfield.... I thought it was a revolutionary war 'musket'. ????

Same company, their logo is "built like a gun".

[Mr Meeseeks]

I will post up pics of mine once I have finished doing the current mods. Received a load of parts from TEC and Hitchcocks in the UK that have to be fitted to the bike.

 

Still pondering over exhaust upgrade, will be ordering new header pipes but still not sure on type of silencers.

[guzzi850m2]

On 8/6/2021 at 1:10 PM, JonnyF said:

The modern RE 650's are very well designed and extremely well made. Not quite on a par with Triumph but not too far off.

 

The other models they offer still have a way to go. The Himalayan for example famously lost a foot peg in it's own promo video. 

 

 

This one broke in the frame and the fork was not part of the bike anymore, luckily the Indian rider was okay.

 

I hope they have addressed those issues on the Himalayan. 

 

Those very serious issues are concerning.

 

https://news.maxabout.com/bikes/royal-enfield/royal-enfield-himalayan-chassis-breaks/

 

[canthai55]

Just look how thin that tubing is !!!

[Mr Meeseeks]

16 hours ago, guzzi850m2 said:

This one broke in the frame and the fork was not part of the bike anymore, luckily the Indian rider was okay.

 

I hope they have addressed those issues on the Himalayan. 

 

Those very serious issues are concerning.

 

https://news.maxabout.com/bikes/royal-enfield/royal-enfield-himalayan-chassis-breaks/

 

It's a shame that whenever there is a Royal Enfield Interceptor or Continental GT thread the same nonsense about the Himalayan is always posted. 

 

A few scare mongering articles aside the RE Himalayan is a very reliable and sturdy machine. Check out Itchy Boots channel on YouTube. She did 35,000kms across 35 countries over 8 and a half months on one, with only minor issues. 

 

I would suggest all the slagging of Royal Enfield is being done by folk that haven't ridden one, and the new 650 twins are great and reliable bikes, evidenced by their sales and all the positive reviews. British designed by ex-Triumph employees and built in India with a new factory opening in Thailand. 

 

Of course the Triumph Bonny was heavily influenced by the original RE Interceptor from the 60's, but that's for another thread... 

[canthai55]

You call it 'scare mongering' when a frame breaks ?

Just ask Robert Dunlop what happens when a wheel breaks.

But it is OK - he has another wheel at the front

[guzzi850m2]

2 hours ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

It's a shame that whenever there is a Royal Enfield Interceptor or Continental GT thread the same nonsense about the Himalayan is always posted. 

 

A few scare mongering articles aside the RE Himalayan is a very reliable and sturdy machine. Check out Itchy Boots channel on YouTube. She did 35,000kms across 35 countries over 8 and a half months on one, with only minor issues. 

 

I would suggest all the slagging of Royal Enfield is being done by folk that haven't ridden one, and the new 650 twins are great and reliable bikes, evidenced by their sales and all the positive reviews. British designed by ex-Triumph employees and built in India with a new factory opening in Thailand. 

 

Of course the Triumph Bonny was heavily influenced by the original RE Interceptor from the 60's, but that's for another thread... 

Well I did try out the Interceptor at the Pattaya dealer, nice bike.

 

I think it's good for people knowing about those faults, it's not about slagging a brand but give out information and then people can choose to act on them or not, up to them, I find the frame tubing thickness alarming thin.

 

Itchy boot is a relatively small lady, the guy on the link I posted earlier looks quite big.

 

Seeing this have make me decide that I will NEVER buy a R.E. so this is a wake up call for me.

[papa al]

1 hour ago, guzzi850m2 said:

 

Itchy boot is a relatively small lady, the guy on the link I posted earlier looks quite big.

 

She switched to Honda some time ago.

[siam dreamers]

On 8/5/2021 at 11:14 AM, Deli said:

 

Once again I am sad I even stared this thread. Could someone please tell me how to end it so I can just go back to being happy with my bike.