Looking to become an Interceptor owner

[AndyB_11]

The best colour scheme as well

I found the suspension needed cranking up to the hardest spring setting and it also helps if you keep the tyres up on pressure as well but that’s probably just me because I’d sooner have a bike that hops a bit over bumps rather than feel as it’s drifting on changes of road surface.

 

[brut33]

Here it is! Had a very pleasant ride back to Redditch via the Cotswolds, Honeybourne, Bidford on Avon. First impressions - lovely smooth gearbox, brakes are more than adequate, comfortable riding position but the seat is very hard - will be looking for a softer alternative. I took it easy due to new tyres and bedding the brakes in but I had a big grin on my chops. Love the twin analogue gauges, proper old school.

Checked the rear suspension when I got home and both shocks seem to be set on the softest setting so I will have a bit of a play with them. Have booked the first service in for February 29th so will be looking to get out to get the mileage up.

Over the next day or so I will fit the Optimate fly lead, my Garmin mount and the DNA air filter.

Great service from Ben at Watsonian-Squire, my only minor grip is that they did not fit my Oxford grips into a switched circuit so I need to remember to switch them off whenever I stop.

Before you start altering the wiring for the Oxford grips, I would check with the dealer to see which ones they fitted.
I'm saying this because some of the latest heated grips by Oxford automatically switch off shortly after the ignition
is turned off. I've just wired a pair of these direct to the battery and they work a treat.

 

[Poncherello]

Lovely bike, your face reminds me of when I got that precious Raleigh Grifter for Christmas back in 1982..
Happy travels.

 

[Lord Snooty]

Before you start altering the wiring for the Oxford grips, I would check with the dealer to see which ones they fitted.
I'm saying this because some of the latest heated grips by Oxford automatically switch off shortly after the ignition
is turned off. I've just wired a pair of these direct to the battery and they work a treat.

I ordered the grips and had them delivered to the dealer for fitting prior to collecting the bike; these are the ones, and I note in the spec they have a battery saving mode, is this the auto switch off function you mention?

https://www.getgeared.co.uk/products/oxford-hotgrips-premium-touring-heated-grips-black

 

[brut33]

I ordered the grips and had them delivered to the dealer for fitting prior to collecting the bike; these are the ones, and I note in the spec they have a battery saving mode, is this the auto switch off function you mention?

https://www.getgeared.co.uk/products/oxford-hotgrips-premium-touring-heated-grips-black

Yes they're the ones. But always switch the grips off when the bike is stopped, it's just a fail safe
incase you forget.

 

[Lord Snooty]

Yes they're the ones.

Fabulous!

 

[Wapping]

I ordered the grips and had them delivered to the dealer for fitting prior to collecting the bike; these are the ones, and I note in the spec they have a battery saving mode, is this the auto switch off function you mention?

https://www.getgeared.co.uk/products/oxford-hotgrips-premium-touring-heated-grips-black

I have those on my Himalayan. They are excellent and, yes, they do switch off to save the battery, when the bike is not running.

 

[Karl P]

Great photos, made me chuckle

 

[Wapping]

We needed Tarka in his full Hi-Viz pisstake of himself.

 

[Lord Snooty]

A little anecdote regarding the heated grips. My mate bought a classic Kawasaki GT750 9 years ago and it came with Oxford heated grips with the intelligent controller, connected to the battery. Because he didn't know about the auto shut off function and he was concerned he would leave them on or some scrote would put them on when the bike was parked he decided to disconnect them.

I called him last night to tell him about this technological revelation so he has reconnected them and he tested them in his garage and sure enough they auto switched off. So for 9 years he has been suffering cold hands for no reason - oh how I larffed!

 

[Greenman14]

As you found the Interceptor seat hard and uncomfortable I thought you might be interested: I’ve just had the seat on my CB500X reupholstered by Annie Blue at Skin Up and Hide, just east of M5/A46 jct at Tewkesbury (can be found on FB). I won’t know for a while how much difference it’s made but Annie really seems to know her stuff. The seat looks exactly the same but feels better just sat on it in the garage; it’s had a foam insert fitted. My research into seats, gel pads etc suggested that OEMs use cheap nasty foam, and replacing this with better quality stuff would be the way to go- time will tell. The cost was very reasonable, much less than Sargent and the like charge for a new seat.

 

[Lord Snooty]

I've had it a week now and I have made a few changes.

Removed the fork reflectors
Removed the rear fender extender
Swapped the rear light and indicators for the LED kit from TEC
Replaced the front headlight brackets and indicators for the TEC kit
Fitted my Touratech lockable GPS mounting bracket

 

[Lord Snooty]

Oh, and I have fitted the DNA air filter.

 

[Wapping]

At the London m’cycle show yesterday, one of the Interceptor bikes on display had some quite good looking soft panniers on display. These seem to slide onto a looped chromed frame, mounted to the rear suspension and footrests.

They certainly looke large enough for a long weekend or probably longer.

PS Apologies for the thread hijack, Mike.

 

[Lord Snooty]

As you found the Interceptor seat hard and uncomfortable I thought you might be interested: I’ve just had the seat on my CB500X reupholstered by Annie Blue at Skin Up and Hide, just east of M5/A46 jct at Tewkesbury (can be found on FB). I won’t know for a while how much difference it’s made but Annie really seems to know her stuff. The seat looks exactly the same but feels better just sat on it in the garage; it’s had a foam insert fitted. My research into seats, gel pads etc suggested that OEMs use cheap nasty foam, and replacing this with better quality stuff would be the way to go- time will tell. The cost was very reasonable, much less than Sargent and the like charge for a new seat.

Have you had chance to test the new seat?

 

[Lord Snooty]

Had the first service done this week and today I fitted these to realign the left footrest; and I have the TEC sump guard to fit sometime this week.

TEC washers

 

[Greenman14]

Have you had chance to test the new seat?

Yes, but not on a long ride. It’s definitely more supportive and although it looks the same shape the riding position is better as the seat feels flatter- previously I felt I was sitting in a big hollow with no wriggle room.

 

[Lord Snooty]

Fitted an RE Flyscreen today

 

[Yarkto]

Very nice.
Looks like there may even be room for a new sat nav!