Introduction
If you haven’t read our first report on the alloy wheel transformation of the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650, well the short of it is – we wanted to go tubeless and we wanted the option of better tyres. The first was easily achievable with an alloy wheel conversion. But, the latter was only possible if we went down on wheel size to 17 inches, front and back.
Which we did. We salvaged a set of alloy wheels from an old Mahindra Mojo. We ended up using its brake discs at the front and back. And then we had to fabricate a few bits and bobs, spacers and ABS rings, and a chain sprocket even to make the rear wheel sit correctly in the swingarm.
Finally, we got ourselves a brand new set of light, grippy, and sporty TVS Eurogrip Protorq Extreme W rated tubeless radial tyres, and wham! we had our bike. Now, it’s time to see how all this translates onto the road…
The Changes
Before we get to the ride bit, lets talk about the changes.
The front end of the Interceptor 650 now runs 110/70 ZR17 tyres instead of 100/90 x 18 cross ply ones. This means the overall diameter at the front has come down by 51mm. The difference at the rear is a less significant 27mm with the new 150/60 ZR17 tyre against the stock 130/70 x 18. This has led to three things.
One, the ground clearance has reduced compared to stock. And, that means one will have to be more careful when riding off-road or when negotiating small but tall speed breakers. Two, the seat height has also reduced. So it’s now easier to swing a leg over, and to paddle the bike around when seated. Three, the CG of the motorcycle is lower now. So, slow speed manouverability like making U-turns or even pushing the bike in and out of parking is easier now.
The remaining changes are more obvious when riding.
The Ride
The most telling difference when riding is the improvement in the motorcycle’s agility now. It feels more like a 160-170kg motorcycle instead of a 200kg plus heavy weight. Be it filtering through traffic at slow speeds, or changing lanes at three digit speeds, the Interceptor 650 with the 17-inch wheels and the Protorq Extreme tyres feels lighter, more responsive, and both more predictable and precise.
Even around a set of corners, the Interceptor now feels quicker and easier to turn in courtesy the smaller wheels. Plus, once leaned over, the feel, the grip, and the confidence offered by the Eurogrip tyres allow for higher lean angles and more aggressive throttle inputs at exits. An improvement in feel and stopping distance under braking – which again is mainly down to the new Protorq tyres – further pushes one to ride the motorcycle harder now.
What’s Next?
With the commuting and weekend rides out of the way, it’s now time to see how our alloy wheel-ed, racier rubber-ed, and of course, lowered and more agile Interceptor handles a long highway outing. And maybe even a trackday! All that and more in the next report…
Product Details
Make: TVS Eurogrip
Type: Performance Tyres
Model: Protorq Extreme Radial
Size: 110/70 ZR17 Front; 150/60 ZR17 Rear
Price: Rs 4,500 Front; Rs 6500 Rear
Photography by Kaustubh Gandhi
