1968 Royal Enfield Interceptor
(Page 4 of 4)
May/June 2008
Photos and Story By Robert Smith
The final MkII Interceptor of 1968 married Norton forks and brakes to the Enfield frame (a result of the Manganese-Bronze takeover — the company also owned Norton), while a change to wet sump lubrication cured the oiling problems. The last Interceptors were built circa 1970.
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Riding an Interceptor
Interceptors are great fun to ride. The engine, in spite of its capacity, is much easier to kick start than, say, a Norton 750, and with the later coil ignition fitted to the Mk1A, the engine will usually fire straight away. “I change the oil and the fuel every spring,” Jim says, “and whether it’s been outside or not, it usually fires up second kick.”
The clutch fitted to Constellations was heavy and tended to drag, but the Interceptor’s more modern pushrod-type clutch is acceptably light and efficient. There’s no need for a lot of throttle when pulling away as the engine has lots of torque, but shifting (one up, three down) has to be done slowly and deliberately to avoid extra neutrals.
The engine is noticeably smoother than a BSA or Triumph 650 twin and seems happy to rev in spite of its long stroke; it also pulls strongly, especially in the mid-range. However, the suspension feels crude and choppy, though overall handling on a smooth surface is excellent, and it’s easy to scrape the footpegs with modern tires fitted.
On the other hand, you still need to leave plenty of stopping distance. In spite of re-lining and dressing the front brake on my own 1965 Mk1 Interceptor, it’s still pretty ineffective. Once stopped, though, you can always find neutral with the Albion gearbox’s handy neutral selector pedal, which shifts the tranny into neutral with a downward push of your boot.
Popular as they were in the late Sixties, British Big Twins like the Interceptor were already well past their “best before” date. Built using aging technology pushed to its performance limits, there was no escaping that the great British twins had become old bikes dressed up with flashy trim to hide their deficiencies.
Today, almost 40 years after Enfield went out of business, the Interceptor looks meaty and purposeful. Largely unknown by many motorcyclists, it was in its time one of the finer products to roll off a British assembly line, and it serves as a lasting reminder of England’s once-great status in motorcycle manufacturing. MC
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