The Odd Angry Shot

This Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 has never fired a shot in anger … we’re going to fix that.

- Mick Withers

This Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 is our newest long-termer. When Brum rode one home to Melbourne from the launch in Sydney, it impressed him, “There ain’t much fancy about it but these new Twins have something else. I’ll call it integrity. They are unpretentious, honest, well-designed and well-made and they don’t look hokey or half-arsed either.”

Because I wasn’t editing a magazine at the time, my name wasn’t on the invite list. Brum wasn’t the only mate on that launch to sing the praises of the new 650 Twin. In fact, one of them put his hand in his pocket and bought one. Jeff’s not alone. Another mate who hasn’t had a street bike for more than a few years had to have one. Then there’s the ex-drag bike racer who used to get his jollies on a turbo’d Hayabusa that now owns an Interceptor. These aren’t kids with limited budgets, they are experienced riders with unrestricted licences, and all of them bought the same bike for different reasons. But I’ve never ridden one!

Brian is one of those owners but his black Interceptor has been claimed by his learner licence holding daughter. When I mentioned that our Ravishing Red was on the way and laid out a couple of the ideas I’ve got in mind, his interest was piqued. He’s already working on a rigid Evo Sporty but is keen to see what’s going on.