Norton Commando 961 Cafe Racer vs Royal Enfield Interceptor 650

Question 1

Q. We want to choose between Interceptor and Himalayan, which is better. Have issue of back pain.

Answer

I own both the Himalayan and the Interceptor and I can definitely say with authority that with the himalayan you wont have a back pain. Ride is more comfortable due to the seating posture and the seat itself. Same goes for the pillion rider as well. What you will get is a solid freaking headache considering the Himalayan has so many other issues that you get fed up spending most of your time in RE service centers. I own a BS3 model. So I hope the later models have these issues sorted. Interceptor on the hand was built for a different purpose and tall riders (5 foot 9 and above) will have problems with their back. This is because of the seating posture. But there are work arounds to this. its a great bike and is open to customization unlike the Himalayan.

Answer

I have slipped disc and tail bone/sciatic pains .. you know how bad it can get. But I can tell you, on a normal day the Interceptor has never caused any issues or never till date have I had any issues because of the seating position on the Interceptor. I can't speak for Himalayan, I am sure it's meant for touring and expect that to be equally comfortable or more. With Interceptor, you cant go wrong that much I could tell trust me.

Answer

The Interceptor 650 will marginally have a better seating posture than the Himalayan and hence should give less back pain.But eventually it depends on whether you will utilise the motorcycle for city rides for which Interceptor is best or for off roading for which Himalayan is best.Hope this helps! Happy riding!

Question 2

Q. I am confused between Interceptor and Himalayan? mostly I am a city rider and yearly twice touring, which is suitable for me?

Answer

Having owned both of them I'd say that for touring the Himalayan makes sense. My only problem with the Himalayan was its lack of power or feeling that it do with some more power. I know that a lot of folks are waiting for a 650 Himalayan.Having said that a lot depends on you and your requirements. Interceptor is great as a daily commuter. You'll most probably have to tweak the handlebar and seat to get the desired riding position. Himalayan seat is excellent. Panniers etc again Himalayan. In case of the Interceptor you'll have to get suitable panniers and stays etc. Both are good and different categories so in the e d it's your call.

Answer

Himalayan is a all rounder Off road & Highways it performs well. Suspension set is too good say no to back pain. Interceptor is very good in highways it is the best performer & Powerful bike in royal enfield fleet. It cant off road like himalayan . Suspensiongood so no back pain issue. Because interceptor is not too comfortable in city riding. Plus their are many sensitive quality issues in ongoing models of interceptor. Like problem in T- Stem noise & Strut , Wheel wobble , Which RE might address soon. My choice is himalayan .

Answer

For city, Electra or Bullet 500 with ABS is best, Himalayan for touring, Interceptor is for fun as a heavy weight champion. Suggest you an unbiased test drive forgetting our reviews for a while and then decide.

Question 3

Q. I booked Interceptor 650 BS6 recently. I am 5feet 11 inches is it suitable for me, I got tempted with 4 reasons, no vibration, every 10k kilometres service, totally iron body and superb race machine with retro attire. Suggest me I have to go for it any other options in that price bracket?

Answer

You have a perfect height to handle INT 650. Then mileage around 27 KMPL & 210 Kg weight should not bother you. Plus front suspension & Rear ABS area below average. The best part is powerful engine mounted in a average built quality bike. Look wise great retro look. One thing you will forget all flaws when you ride it. May be in BS 6 all these issue should have been addressed by RE. No bike available in that price bracket. Most important it is not a zero vibration bike. You can feel vibration in side tank , Foot pegs.

Answer

I am 5'11 too and find the bike very comfortable. In fact shorter riders may have trouble due to the 804mm seat height and the long reach to the handlebars. Besides the footpegs get in the way when you put your feet down so long legs will help a bit in overcoming that too. There is no other bike in this category in this price bracket. The nearest would be a Triumph which costs almost 3 times as much!

Answer

Don't take bro...recently i hv sold my conti gt 650,,,,engine will roast like you hell in summer season,wrist pain,pelvi pain due to seat thickness is lyk very poor,,,thigh support poor,,,i am having riding experience of 15 year,,,bhai save your money royal ke naam pe idiotic design dete...means lyk riding comfort metror 350 is hv great...

Question 4

Q. Which is the Best between Interceptor and Continental GT?

Answer

Except for the difference in the seating posture between the two there is no other difference.Depends whether you want the daily city commute with occasional long distance riding for which the Interceptor 650 is more suitable because of its more upright seating posture or a short distance Speed riding for which the Continental GT 650 is more suitable because of its forward leaning(committed) seating posture! Hope this helps! Happy riding!

Answer

Engine is same in both the bike but sitting posture is totally different in interceptor you will get straight posture as it's suitable for city and hiway rides but in GT you will get little bit lean posture as it's cafe racer look in my opinion it's not comfortable for long rides...Hope you are quite satisfied with the answer if yes then please hit the like button

Answer

If you have using sport riding-posture bike , then Continental GT will better for you . if not Interceptor.Continental GT better handing than Interceptor . For long ride, then Interceptor will be better .\'Ride Hard Ride Safe\'

Question 5

Q. If budget is not a constraint, should one buy int 650 or meteor 350? considering i will be using the bike 50% of the time in city and rest 50% on highways.ps: I like the features provided and the body of the meteor 350 but really like the ride quality of int 650.?

Answer

Apart from the budget, both bikes belong to different segments and have different characteristics. If we talk about Meteor, the thump wrapped up in a refined, easy to ride, confident and practical package sounds just right. The lack of oil leaks or missing parts over our 800km stint makes the package more joyous. The healthy fuel efficiency, 10,000km oil-change intervals and 5000km/6 month service inspections make it more endearing. So, this Royal Enfield fulfills the promise made by the Thunderbird many years ago. However, the Meteor doesn’t make a bigger and bolder promise of its own by way of plush ride quality, a greater sense of richness or, crucially, better cruising ability. On the other hand, if we talk about Interceptor 650, with this pricing, Royal Enfield has delivered an exceptional value-for-money product like none other. Small issues, like no clear lens for the headlight or wide exhaust layout, or the narrow and soft seat, can be overlooked or fine-tuned. This is virtually half the price of the Harley Street 750 and it sits precariously close to the KTM 390 Duke, the Austrian being just four grand cheaper. Hence, with this pricing strategy, Royal Enfield is giving you a class product that seems to be built more solidly than anything it has ever produced. It is not as premium or modern in many aspects, but this motorcycle has brought back the joys of simple motorcycling - just what Royal Enfield set out to achieve. You may compare both the bikes accordingly. Do take a test ride in order to get better clarity. Check out authorised dealership details.

Answer

Int 650 will better. all the features of meteor will be available as options in the mean time.

Question 6

Q. What is the difference between interceptor and continental GT which one is best?

Answer

Interceptor 650 has a upright driving position.GT continental has slight bend driving driving position. For highway cruising & Long travel interceptor is the best . GT continental is fun driving not for long travel. Both engine & Performance are similar. Please go for a intense test drive and decide the comfort aspects suits you.

Answer

Same engine and frame. Just the seating posture is more committed on the GT. You should test ride both and decide what suits you better.

Answer

Same Engine is there only difference is riding posture and price

Key Highlights	Norton Commando 961 Cafe Racer STD BS6	Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 Cali Green
Engine Type	Air & Oil Cooled, Parallel twin with dry sump lubrication	Inline twin cylinder, 4 stroke / SOHC
Max Power	80PS @ 6500 rpm	47.4 PS @ 7250 rpm

Basic Info	Norton Commando 961 Cafe Racer STD BS6	Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 Cali Green
Rating	Be the first to review this bike	379 reviews
Brand Name	Norton	Royal Enfield
Ex-Showroom Price	Rs. 20.99 Lakh	Rs. 3.03 Lakh View On Road Price
Engine Type	Air & Oil Cooled, Parallel twin with dry sump lubrication	Inline twin cylinder, 4 stroke / SOHC
Max Power	80PS @ 6500 rpm	47.4 PS @ 7250 rpm
Fuel Type	Petrol	Petrol
Colors	Norton Commando 961 Cafe Racer Colors	Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 Colors
Brakes Front	Disc	Disc
Brakes Rear	Disc	Disc
Wheel Size	Front :-431.8 mm,Rear :-431.8 mm	Front :-457.2 mm,Rear :-457.2 mm
Wheels Type (Pressed Steel/ Alloy)	Spoke	Alloy
ABS	Dual Channel	Dual Channel
Starting	Self Start Only	Self Start Only
Speedometer	Analogue	...
EMI	...	Rs. 8,296 @ 6% (36 months)
Insurance	...	Rs. 22,593 Interceptor 650 Insurance
Brochure	N/A	Download Brochure

Norton Commando 961 Cafe Racer vs Royal Enfield Interceptor 650