Royal Enfield Interceptor Owners

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Royal Enfield US made as an Indian (30/06/2002) -Jennifer
Need oil cooler lines -Rick Fisher -(27/06/2002)
Neutral Finder Operation -ksmith1939 / Anders (26/06/2002)
Correct Location of Horn -Anders L /Bob/Don L /Royal Robert S - (24/06/2002)
Carbs and Fuel Mixture Excellent Bob!  - Bob Cram - Sat Jun 15, 2002
Nearly there now, Ben's Interceptor - Ben -Wed Jun 12, 2002
Proof of ownership issue, US Custom!- gREgg / Royal Tue Jun 11, 2002
Bullet - Interceptor for sale at eBay - Anders / gREgg - Mon Jun 10, 2002
Stroehle about their alloy Interceptor cylinders. Good Comment! - .. gREgg -Fri Jun 7, 2002
Original Airfilter confusion -Bob /Rick/ Royal- Thu Jun 6, 2002
Problems registering his Interceptor Royal- Mon Jun 3, 2002
Existence of the '66 Inter Bob H - Sun Jun 2, 2002

Progressive front fork springs the MK II -Bob -Thu, 30 May
How have low bars affected ride -Bob -Tue28 May
Burton Bike Bits info -Anders- Tue28 May
Built at Bradford-on-Avon - Robert S - Sat, 25 May
Compression plates under the cylinder barrels - gREgg - Sat, 25 May
The "TT-7 Interceptor" name - gREgg -Wed 22 May
1965 seems to have been the last year of Redditch production Wed 22 May
My Series 1 was a 1966. - Don - Wed 22 May
The 1966 model year ... it really doesn't exist, - gREgg -Wed 22 May
A owners manual for a 1966 Royal Enfield 750 TT Interceptor - Eddie -Wed 22 May
Your bike is either a Chief or a Trailblazer. -Don-/Howard- Wed 22 May
A 1960 Indian RE Twin Howard- Wed 22 May
Boyer Bransden ignition for Inter? -Anders/Royal/George/Dick- Tue 21 May
1970 SII Interceptor for sale. -Rick F/ Royal Thu 16 May
Interceptor Tyre (Tire) Discussions. -Don-/gREgg/Bob Wed 15 May
Ben's New Interceptor -Ben/gRegg/Rick L/Orlan/Royal- Mon 13 May
How to start the Interceptor! -Ben/gRegg/Rick L/Royal- Mon 13 May
My first was a 350cc single -Billy Dean -Saturday, May 11, 2002
Tank transfer "Royal" in red script -Bob Fri 10 May
Paint info that might be of interest . -Bob Tue 7 May
Rickman production started in 1970 with six prototypes -Bob Mon 6 May
Virus vigilance ! -Royal- Mon May 6

(30/06/2002) Royal Enfield US made as an Indian

I have a Royal Enfield ( made in America under the Indian Name, they made them between 1955-1960 ) Engine serial # B1008 and Frame # SMRB9507 I am unsure what Model of Indian it is, and I am unsure of the corresponding English Royal Enfield Model .

It looks like an Intercepter but I wish to know so the I may get parts, and books on it. Sorry of being confusing. Cheers
Jennifer

Just a quick clarification on My part....The Frame # is 4759 The Engine numbers are B1008/SMRB9507 and the
transmission #is AM54 Sorry about the mixed numbers I went to the garage and checked when I thought I might
be wrong...

Cheers Jennifer Hussey

(27/06/2002)Need oil cooler lines,
Does anyone have a pair of NOS or good used oil cooler lines for sale for an Interceptor part # 50038 and #50037.
Cheers Rick Fisher

(26/06/2002)Neutral Finder Operation

ksmith1939

I need some pointers on adjusting the neutral finder on my 750 .it is driving me nuts .can't seem to get the lever to operate as it should . while coming to a stop i tap the neutral lever & it passes neutral & goes right into 1st gear .i have to apply very light pressure to it to be lucky to get it to drop into neutral .

Half the time i find i'm not using the neutral lever but i've read it's not good to sit at traffic lights with the clutch lever in & in 1st gear .the parts book shows two so called springs in the system but there doesn't seem to any spring tension on the neutral lever, could this be the problem ,weak springs ?

Would be happy to hear any tips to correct this ancient original method by r/e to find neural . the bike runs great & shifts well once underway it's the stopping then search for neutral that's a real pain please help (kas 750)

Take a look at excellent instructions at http://www.cybersteering.com/cruise/feature/bullet/adj_neutralfinder.html

Best regards Anders Lilja

(24/06/2002) A H-orny Issue.

When looking at different Interceptor photos at the web: Horn is always at the left side and zener diode with the cooling fin at the right. Do you agree?

But at my bike it is the other way around, horn at the right and zener diode at the left, why is this? There are special fitting holes in the frame for the horn so you can not by mistake fit them at the wrong side.

Is the placing depends on if the traffic drives at the right or left side? This bike is sold to Sweden in 1970 and then we drove at the right side.

This is not an important issue, but it is annoying... Best regards Anders--------------

Hi all to persue this discussion there is a '69 Interceptor in the buy and sell section of the website from Alberta Can.(has been there for months) that has the horn and diode reversed,its the one with the spare motor and trannys and is listed as professionally
restored..have a look..

so Anders you're not alone, but if you want my opinion it's an assembly mistake... Bob----

Bob I Concur
Looking at the picture at http://www.ozemate.com/interceptor/roysell2.htm
and the Zenor Diode. It's supposed to have the cooling flanges outmost so it cools, the black bracket on which it hangs should be behind it. Also see that "spike" right at the back of the zenor diode, the way it sticks out! you'd rip your expensive leather pants.

That "spike" is suppose to be on the inside, rather than sticking out like that.

Page 40 of the workshop manual at http://homepages.ihug.com.au/%7Epaccon/rewm/wmp40.pdf
reads:
The Zenor Diode is mounted in front of the right hand rear suspension unit. The Aluminium Heat Zink is finned to assist in cooling and is secured to the frame by bracket and bolt. See fig 37.

Hope this ends the confusion.

Now regarding driving/riding on the "right" side, as Richard wrote. It was right to travel to the left, meeting strangers with your right hand ready for a block against any attack or for striking back, sword, Lance, Knuckle duster or baseball bat. (still applicable in dark encounters today). Having spent many years faced with both. In todays car, (left hand
drive) steering wheel on the right does meet with some problems, like having to cross your arms for the ash-tray for smokers who insist smoking using their right hand or having to use your left hand to adjust radio, maps, and shifting gears.

The Interceptor also have its peculiarity. On most Bikes today you shift first gear down and lift the rest of the gears with the gear shift on the left side. On the interceptor you lift in the first gear and step down the rest and the gearshift is on the right side. With the neutral finder, theres hardly any lift or damage to the top of your texas boots.

So watch out when you use other bikes. I had a traffic inspector in an annual test, wreck my gearbox once without taking the liability for it (only discovered when I got home the next day). So be sure to point it out should you have to let someone else use the Interceptor. Sorry for digressing. Royal

The http://www.ozemate.com/interceptor/sydneymc.htm Is a -69 Sydney (Australian Interceptor) Horn Left.
Same case with the http://www.ozemate.com/interceptor/blackuktank.htm

and the Finish Beauty at http://www.ozemate.com/interceptor/juha.htm

And also the same with the http://www.ozemate.com/interceptor/phot2.htm
Which is a -70 Interceptor bought at LO Jardenbergs in Sweden and ridden in Sweden

Same thing with this american Beauty, -70 also at http://www.ozemate.com/interceptor/george70.htm

Looks like you're alone on this one. Maybe modifications have been made at some stage on yours. How about a wild speculation that it might have been fitted with a left Hung Sidecar at some stage (or intended to be). The side car passenger might not be too interested having the horn on that side? Or maybe the frame was intended to
be used for such use. Well some guessing there anyways. Cheers Royal

My Interceptor was sold in North America where we drive on the "right side" (correct side *smile*) and the horn is on the left and the Zener is on the right and all the press releases (even the ones from England) have the bike
configured this way Cheers Rick Fisher

The original twin horns used on my 75 Trident provided a nice Lucas item for my S2. The Trident is long gone(with only one horn) but the other one still works well on the Interceptor.
REgards, Don Leaming

Now that the location of the horn is cleared up, where can I get one? I understand that the concours resoration correct bit is very pricey and hard to find. The $125 buck ones on BritishOnly's site are proof. I'll settle for one that looks sort of correct and will at least get the attention of a cell phone toting car driver. I would mind paying more if I knew it was a simple bolt on job. I'm better with a wire stripper than a bench grinder.
-Rick
www.chivinmoto.com

From: "crambob54" <bob.cram> Subject: Carbs and Fuel Mixture
Date: Sat Jun 15, 2002 2:18 am

I sent this about six years ago to the Brit-Iron listserv, and just resent it to the Triumph Twins listserv where there's been a lot of discussion of rich running bikes the last few days. I thought it might be of interest here as well.

"I came across an older motorcycle maintenance book in a used bookstore, *The Compete Guide to Motorcycle Repair and Maintenance* by Neil Schultz. Anyway, it contains an interesting graph showing exactly how pilot jet, slide cutaway, needle and needle jet, and main jet
affect mixture at different throttle settings on a *typical* slide carburetor, which means this may not be strictly accurate for specific models. However, as a general guide it should be good. I'd never seen anything this detailed before and thought I'd pass along the information. I've converted the pictoral, graphical information to text-based info for purposes of e-mailing.

It is surprising just how far into throttle ranges some things have an influence. For example, I would not have suspected that the pilot jet would have an influence up to 7/16 throttle, or the main jet as low as 1/4 throttle.

Idle - 100% pilot jet
1/16 throttle - 60% pilot, 40% cutaway
1/8 throttle - 46% pilot, 46% cutaway, 8% needle/needle jet
3/16 throttle - 49% cutaway, 37% pilot, 14% needle/needle jet
1/4 throttle - 45% cutaway, 27% pilot, 24% needle/needle jet, 4% main jet
5/16 throttle - 37% cutaway, 33% needle/needle jet, 21% pilot, 9% main jet
3/8 throttle - 44% needle/needle jet, 25% cutaway, 16% pilot 15% main jet
7/16 throttle - 55% needle/needle jet, 23% main jet, 13% cutaway, 8% pilot
1/2 throttle - 63% needle/needle jet, 31% main jet, 6% cutaway
5/8 throttle - 57% needle/needle jet, 43% main jet
3/4 throttle - 55% main jet, 45% needle/needle jet
7/8 throttle - 92% main jet, 8% needle/ needle jet
Full throttle - 100% main jet

Here is some other perhaps useful information from graphs
in the Haynes Carburettor manual.

- a .5 cutaway change (e.g. from a 3 slide to 3.5) changes the mixture ratio by about 9% at 1/4 throttle, and about 4.5% at 1/2 throttle

- a change of 1 needle position changes the mixture ratio by about 6.5% at 1/2 throttle, and about 3% at 3/4 throttle

- a change in needle jet by one size (e.g. 106 to 105) changes the mixture ratio by about 3.5% at 15% throttle, 6.5% at 1/4 throttle, and 1.5% at 1/2 throttle.

The latter two points suggest that the needle affects mixture for higher throttle openings than does the needle jet. This would suggest that the needle/needle jet stage mentioned by Schultz is really two stages: needle jet, and then at a higher throttle opening, needle. In other words, if your mixture problems seem to occur at throttle openings in that transition area between cutaway and needle/needle jet (3/16 to 1/2 throttle), then playing around with changes to the cutaway
or needle jet may be most effective. However, if the problem occurs in the transition area between needle/needle jet and main jet (7/16 to 3/4 throttle), then playing around with needle position may be most effective.

If you examine the two sources of information carefully, you will see that they do not entirely agree. For example, Haynes suggests that at 1/2 throttle, a cutaway change of .5 can affect mixture by 4.5%, but Schultz suggests that the cutaway only controls about 6% of the mixture
at 1/2 throttle, which would mean that any change in cutaway would have minimal influence at 1/2 throttle. I am also somewhat suspicious of the Haynes claim that a change in cutaway has more effect on mixture at 1/2 throttle than a change in needle jet.

What is really quite striking though is how the different components overlap. Most other information on the components' effect on mixture tends to say something like cutaway governs mixture between 1/8 and 3/ 8, needle/needle jet between 3/8 and 3/4, etc. They sometimes mention there is some overlap, but it seems to me that the degree of overlap is at least as important as the information on when a specific component has the greatest effect.

Anyway, food for thought."

Bob Cram    Thanks for this Bob. Feedback like this makes it all worth while with the work with the web page. "Royal"

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Nearly there now

Well she's been in the shop for 2 weeks now but I should get her back this weekend. So I'm up for 2 new tyres, new plugs, new leads, new cables, new fuel lines, rewound magneto (magneto was wound the wrong way round), rear brake mod, full engine service. Basically, the bike should be ready for those sunny Sundays.

I know that there'll be people out there who'll be mumbling darkly about how I should have done the work myself, but I'd have never have found the mag fault, especially as I have a receipt for the work having been done by previous owner, and without the mag fix, the bike is a real pig to start.

The guy in the bike shop said you'd have to go far and wide to find a bike in such original condition as mine and he was altogether well impressed. I've been very lucky that the bike was my cousin's, and he looked after it. He's had it as from 2nd owner.

Any other listers in the SE London / Kent / Surrey / Home Counties / UK?

Ben 1964 Series 1.

Hi Ben, you're bike sounds pretty nice, good thing you knew where and when to ask for help with that mag, that'd have never occurred to most I'll bet! I'd have probably kicked it like that till the rest of time! Any chance you can post a picture in the file here? Sounds like a great find, love to see it....Bob

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From:Royal
Date: Tue Jun 11, 2002 9:10 am
Subject: Proof of ownership issue, US Custom!

Will has bought Don Penner's '69!! Interceptor along with the ton of parts and the manuals he has for it. (as listed in Buy and sell on the web site)Now, he just need to get it across the border from Canada to the US. US Customs is insisting on Proof of Ownership and Don doesn't have a Title for it. Any thoughts?
Regards
Royal

RE:Proof of ownership issue, US Custom!

The rules vary with State and Province, as well as by the mental disposition of the Customs border officer on the day you see him.

When I imported my car, I spent a lot of time on both US & Canadian Customs web sites making sure I understood the rules absolutely perfectly beforemaking the trip. I also made a point of calling the Customs offices of both countries to talk to an agent to get any advice.

The Canadians didn't much care about anything other than getting as much of my money as they could. However, the US Customs border folk decided that they wanted to do things a bit different than the Web version. They insisted that *all* the documentation arrive at their office *at least* (their emphasis) 72 hours before my arrival with the car.

When I commented "That's a tall order, considering that I don't intend to pay for the car until I go there to look at it ... why would the seller send the registration documents for a car that he has not been paid for ?", the US Customs officer dismissed me with "That's your problem ... sir ...".

Indeed.

I checked the other border crossings in the area, and got variations of the same story. None of them were at all concerned that their policies differed from the official version posted by the Feds on the Web. Aside from the crazy logistics, I was concerned that the "requirements" would change between talking to these folks and my arrival at the border, because they were quite open about their power to "impound or seize the car" if they didn't like the paperwork.

In the end, I decided to single out one specific agent, work out an agreement with him, and then have him specify the documentation he wanted to see, as well as an appointment for the time slot he was available. I was able to convince this guy that a notarized copy of the papers should be acceptable, and got the car's owner to FedEx them to him 72 hours prior to my arrival at the border ... "and not a minute before", as the Customs agent insisted ! Finally, I faxed him (no email) a letter confirming our
arrangements.

Would I do it again? I'd sure think twice about it, but of course that's exactly what the Customs folk want.

.. gREgg


From: "seriesii1980" Re: [Interceptor Owners Discussion] Proof of ownership issue, US Custom!

Yeah this really shows the mentality of the average border guard,US or Canadian, so many things they simply don't know, often it seems you have to teach them the law yourself...one things for sure they're never afraid to err on the side of stupidity!

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From: "Anders L" Subject: Bullet - Interceptor for sale at eBay
Date: Mon Jun 10, 2002 4:10 am

Hey has anyone seen the Bullet Interceptor for sale at Ebay? It is a funny
looking bike. A mixture of Bullet and the Interceptor.
This is from the description: Royal Enfield 750 Interceptor - 1994

Vehicle Description:
This is a one of a kind motorcycle, I originally built this motorcycle as a prototype for the royal enfield factory in India to produce as the next model to superceed the 500cc bullet, however the factory does not have the recources to manufacture this model so I have decided to sell it.
The engine
is a 750 cc series II engine with the oil cooler it has just been built with less than 30 miles on it at a cost of 2900 dollars, this was the last enfield engine ever built by the factory in england.
The engine and transmission bolts directly to the bullet frame. the series II is the best and rarest of all the enfields. This is a very historic and desireable motorcycle.

Kind regards
Anders

-I was surprised to see the Interceptor engine bolted right into the modern bullet frame ...although I dont know how I can use that info right now..bike looks OK I think, selling cheaply enough...must be lots more to the story of its creation though...Bob

 

From: "enfield800"
Date: Fri Jun 7, 2002
A German company making cylinders for Interceptors, not sure wich mark though! www.stroehle.de

RE: [Interceptor Owners Discussion] cylinders

Had a look, but the photo is not too clear, so I've asked for more info. Specifically, I wanted to know if they were linered, or hard chrome bores. The Interceptor barrels are all the same, so they should fit anything you have.

.. gREgg

I got an answer from Stroehle about their alloy Interceptor cylinders.

It seems that the cylinders are CNC machined from billet, and then the bores receive a Nikasil plating. They're considering casting them, as a cost reduction. He concedes the 2600 EUR cost for the CNC version is very expensive, but their projected 1000 EUR for the cast version is not much better in my view.

He says he's seeing is a huge demand for them ... hard to believe, in view of the price. Really can't see the sense of going alloy, because the stock cylinders are not all that heavy, all things considered.
.. gREgg

At that price, I should thank my stars that the previous owner gave me a (fairly rusted) set of extra cylinder barrels with my RE when I bought it. I've been storing them in oil to prevent more damage. I'm just wondering if I should clean out all the existing rust, or will the oil they are in now prevent further damage?

Bob C

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From:Royal Subject: Original Airfilter confusion
Date: Thu Jun 6, 2002 4:46 pm

Hi All
Kickan (my better half ) received a large box of spare parts from Hitchcock's the other week. One of the items was the airfilter box. In earlier postings here, this box has been discussed. I responded having in mind my airfilter box I had for my -70 MKII in mid seventies.

Some of you commented on how large and cumbersome it was. We have also had suggestions that the air filter element was the same as in a Ford Transit.

The airfilter box she received looked nothing like what I remembered. Checking out the sales brochures on the www.ozemate.com/interceptor I was vindicated. The one from Hitchcock is much larger, much higher, there is no thin chromed wheather shield horisontal over most of the top half. Instead, the two halfs even overlap, one going on top of the other, totally encasing a much less rigid air filter element.

Might the entire airfilter box be modified from a Ford Transit? The one I had in mind looks exactly like on the 70's sales brochure, see:
http://www.ozemate.com/interceptor/enf2.htm
The holed steel mesh seen at the bottom of the air filter element in this picture, is part of the element all around the periferi and moulded into the plastic frame that make up the element, making it pretty rigid too. This airfilter box was standard on the 70's and
extra for the -69 The airfilterbox from Hitchcock is pretty much as high as it's wide! For looks on the U.S model, I wouldn't recommend it myself.

Could this possibly have been the U.K model? Or is it for an earlier model or for the Constellation? Do any of you guys know? or do all of you that might have had an airfilter box have had one like in the brochure above?
Cheers
Royal

Re:Original Airfilter confusion

The one you have could possibly be the one slated for the 71 Models production which was pirated from a Vauxall car. It was a fair bit larger than the 1970 models.
Cheers
Rick

Re: Original Airfilter confusion

Hi Royal, my air filter box for my '70 is the same as the one in the brochure, mine however is all black , IE without the chrome strip you mention,it's all black fibreglass and sheetmetal with the rigid air filter the same. So far as I know it is original, would like to see the one you have there from Hitchcock's , sounds quite different
Bob

 

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From: Royal
Date: Mon Jun 3, 2002
Subject: (for Juha, )Thank You for everyone who helped me

The following is from Juha Kontinaho, who had problems registering his Interceptor because the Authorities claimed a bike was already registered with that number. He used the wrong number, but through the information I gathered from various discussion exchanges and e- mails Juha have had to some of you, he got it sorted out. Thats what the web site and this discussion group is all about.
Royal

Hi !
Thank You for everyone who helped me in Royal Enfield Interceptor frame number identification problem.The traffic authories believed the information I got from internet and by e-mail from other Royal enthusiasts.There have been no numbers stamped to frame neck left side,instead there have been probably a plate ,where the
identification numbers have been.The motor block numbers are now approved to be the identification numbers.
Juha Kontinaho
Finland

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From: Bob H
Date: Sun Jun 2, 2002
Subject: '66 Interceptor

I was intrigued by the discussion of the existence of the '66 Inter. so I went to my collection of Interceptor Mag. adverts and found one from Cycle World dated Sept '66, and the bike pictured proved to be pretty much the same as the one I have for the '65 (and the '64 for that matter) with the exception of the seat and a set of
optional "bacon slicers".
I scanned this page and posted it in the photo file for general interest, not a good scan but readable..note there were three models offered at that time, but nowhere does it actually say it's a '66, as it would if it had actually been produced that year..
Talk to you later..

Bob H

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