Royal Enfield Interceptor chopper just looks sad

This Royal Enfield Interceptor chopper seems to be pleading "save me!"

Predictably, the sad little chopper for sale on eBay in Dallas, Texas drew negative comments from the Yahoo Interceptor group.

Why? "Because choppers are the Spawn of Sayton. They are about as respectable as a Enfield powered guillotine," one member commented.

The present seller of the Interceptor chopper was careful to note in his ad that he is not responsible for the chop job. This was what the motorcycle was like when he bought it.

He writes, frankly: "It will require a lot of time and effort to convert back to stock trim. These are rare bikes."

Whatever the previous owner's plan had been for the chopper, it hadn't gone far. The raked frame, extended fork, tall handlebars and a mangled front fender appeared about the extent of it.

No obvious added chrome; no shiny front disk brake; no hard tail conversion. Even the Interceptor's original instruments appear to be there, at a cockeyed angle. Not much artistry here.

Somehow the lack of change seemed to make it worse; as though the whole point had simply been to ruin the purity of the original design, while contributing nothing of value.

While recognizing that this project fails to rise to a level worthy of art criticism, I contacted Paul d'Orléans for comment.

He is the respected authority on vintage motorcycles, writing on the The Vintagent blog. He is the co-author of the coffee table book Café Racers, Speed, Style and Ton-Up Culture, an examination of that phenomenon.

More recently, d'Orléans surprised himself when, turning his attention to choppers in the book The Chopper: The Real Story he discovered a fascinating subculture full of ground-breaking creativity.

His comment on the eBay Interceptor:

"A well-executed chopper is worthy of preservation as an example of a native Folk Art impulse, and I'm certain history will bear me out on this point. Choppers are perhaps the most neglected Art branch of all, being laden with considerable unpleasant baggage since the mid-1960s, with films like 'The Wild Angels' and reams of scare-press generated to make profits at the expense of a very small yet flamboyantly visible subculture. Original-condition choppers from the 1940s-'60s are extremely rare today, and should be preserved for the future — I'm curating an exhibit of such beasts at the National Motorcycle Museum in Anamosa, Iowa this summer.

"That said, the Royal Enfield chopper currently on eBay is a botch job, unformed and stillborn, so deserves to die, that it might be reborn."

Thank you, Paul. Now back to my opinions!

Personally, I like a fully realized Royal Enfield Interceptor chopper, built back in the day. One like this example. Hey, I was young once, too.

Officially now a senior citizen, I find the aggressive, in-your-face attitude of modern choppers unappealing. There is no doubt in my mind that the extended forks and high-rise handlebars are the equivalent of a middle-fingered salute to the world.

The chopper rider doesn't care what I think and, as a matter of fact, he prefers that I feel intimidated by a machine that is deliberately made difficult to steer and look-at-me loud. I'm not "man enough" in this guy's book.

Well, it's just a pose; I can take a joke. Behind the shades is a fellow who works for a living — probably at something useful to society and boring to him. Let him have his fun on the weekends.

But not with this Interceptor!

Royal Enfield chopper has been around the block twice

This chopped 1968 Royal Enfield Interceptor  has a story to tell.

The "best of the best" Royal Enfield chopper featured here recently has even more to it than meets the eye. Its owner, Keith, ought to know. He has owned it twice. Here's his story:

"I am the owner of the Enfield chopper featured above. First, I would like to say Thank You for liking my ol' bike enough to show her off on your blog. Second, if anyone has a few minutes, I would like to bore you all with the story of my history with this fantastic machine

" The thing that makes it at all interesting is that I have owned her twice! That's right! Twice.

"I originally purchased her from an older gentleman in Cooperstown, N.Y. about 12 or 13 years ago. He too loved this bike, but had become a little too 'worse for wear' to be riding a hard tail. He said he purchased the bike in the early '80s, as it still is, from a friend of his who was a mechanic/chopper builder, and who was responsible for making this beauty back around the mid '70s.

"So when I got her, I brought her home and she shared the garage with my '63 Triumph Bonneville 650 and '67 GTO. And I rode them both equally for about two or three years. But always seemed to have problems with that Bonneville and kept having to bring it back to the local Triumph Guy to get tweaked; but he must not have been a very good mechanic, because just like a Trident I brought there many times in the past, he still just couldn't get it right. He had no problems charging top dollar though.

"Anyway, frustrated with British Iron in general because of it, I decided to sell both bikes and get a Harley. So I did. I even sold the '67 Goat to get a '69. Well, that was that. Or so I thought.

"But only after about a year or so, I started thinking about the old Enfield chopper. I thought: 'It ran great!' 'Started right up!' 'Was sooo powerful!' 'Was a total blast to ride!' 'Why did I sell it?' And I didn't have a good answer!

"Now I was sorry I sold it, and I wanted it back! And I have Never wanted anything back that I had sold before. So the search was on. I searched and I searched. I made calls all over the place. For about three or four years I looked everywhere. To no avail. It was gone. Period.

"Then one day in June of 2006, I just so happened to look on eBay as I often do, just to poke around and see what's out there. I usually only go through a page or two before logging off, mostly because I have a short attention span and get bored.

"But not that day. For some reason, I pressed on. And there, halfway down the middle of the third page, my eyes were instantly drawn to this tiny pic. Could it be? Nooooo! Clicked on the ad. Yessss! There it was in all its glory!

"I yelled to my wife 'It'ssss Baaaaaaaack!' Because I knew I was winning that auction no matter what.

"It turns out, it was only three hours away the whole time, down it Brooklyn, N.Y. So, I made the trek down there from Albany and brought her Home. And swore I'd never sell her again.

"Well, fast forward to present day. And now, I'm that older gentleman, who realizes he's getting a little too 'worse for wear' to be riding a hard tail. So here she is again: searching for that person who will care for her as much as I have for many years to come.

"Thanks for reading my story. Anyone interested in purchasing this great old piece of history, Call Keith at  (518)469-6978 and please leave a message. I can't always answer my phone because of my work. And feel free to make an offer. She has to go, and deserves to be ridden."

1968 Interceptor chopper was best of the best

This 1968 Royal Enfield Interceptor chopper takes you back

The Royal Enfield Interceptor motor powering a grizzled hard-tail chopper also propels a lot of memories for the owner. The motorcycle is for sale now on CraigsList in New York State.

"I love it and am saddened to put her up for sale. I always said I never would. But my body is starting to get a little too old to ride a hard tail anymore. And she deserves to be ridden by someone who will appreciate her as much as I have," the seller wrote.

His ad reads:

"1968 Royal Enfield 750 Interceptor, Old School Cool, hard tail springer chopper. Runs and rides like an old British chopper should. Better than all the Triumphs I've had over the years, and I loved my old Triumph's, but not like this one.

"To me, This ol' girl just outshined 'em all. With her unique looks. She turns heads everywhere she goes."

Asking price is $3,900.

I don't personally have enough arm hair to ride a motorcycle that looks like this. But if I did I would leave it just as  it is. It is the most perfect reminder I've seen of how long it has been since I was 18.

Was 1968 really so long ago?

Royal Enfield chopper goes beyond belief

Spider is a 350cc Royal Enfield Bullet; but you'd never guess it.

It's a Royal Enfield Bullet like nothing you've seen before. The Spider, by Neeraj Kapoor of Jaipur, India is the subject of a recent article in 350cc.com which describes itself as the custom motorcycle database of India.

The Spider perfectly expresses what is "not my style" in a motorcycle, even a Royal Enfield. But you have to admire the determination and workmanship and the controlling dedication to a single concept that brought it about.

It is moving to read the builder's description of what he went through in the course of creating this motorcycle.

"Nobody understood my concept for a long time, no one cooperated in the build, friends ridiculed me at every step, family felt I've lost it, denters fleeced me and gave me bad results, but I hung in there for five years to build Spider."

The results are — astounding.

Now he wants to sell it, but there are no buyers yet at his price. It would take a special person to want to own it, much less ride it.

I don't want it. It's not my style. But I am grateful to Neeraj Kapoor for building it.

As he told 350cc.com "people who termed me an idiot, call me Sir." As well they should.

Check out more pictures on 350cc.com

Dual exhausts look tough on Royal Enfield single

A custom Royal Enfield chopper for sale in India sports dual exhausts. These sprout from what the seller describes as a "stock" Royal Enfield Lightning 535cc engine.

It's a cool looking motorcycle and the twin mufflers must cause some double takes from those who see it. But I presume the top muffler, which appears to reach the motor just under the carburetor, has no actual function.

"What's it for?" is probably a dumb question when asked about a custom chopper. It's there because the owner likes it and no further explanation is necessary.

But it is fun to speculate about possible uses it might serve. I once suggested that Royal Enfields should mount a small solid fuel rocket booster in this position, for one-time use in any impromptu drag race.

That's probably not very practical. So what could be made of this silent silencer?

How about a custom luggage compartment for your pool cue or fishing rod?

Any other suggestions? Make a comment here.

The motorcycle is for sale in Noida, Uttar Pradesh. Asking price is 69,000 rupees, about $1,600, according to one on-line converter.

'Racer' shows Royal Enfield can be sexy... and its builder says it can go 101 mph!

Cory Grunkemeyer, of Denver, Colo., has posted pictures of a lovely Royal Enfield "racer" on Flickr. The machine was created by Dave Barker, 29, whose Speed Metal Shop in Denver has the motto: "twisted steel and sex appeal." That certainly defines this machine.

Dave Barker kindly provided more information about the bike:

"I was inspired by the old board track bikes, I've always liked them. From the tall skinny tires to the down turned bars I wanted to build a bike like that. The bike is much lighter now and handles really very well. I rode it all the way to the Strugis, S.D. motorcycle rally and back last August from Denver, Colo. The bike did fine. The voltage regulater went out and was my only problem.

"RE guys never believe me but the bike topped out at 101 mph according to my friend's speedo! I averaged about 70-75 the whole way. I hand made the tank, headset cover, rear fender, 4-inch longer swingarm, struts, hand shift lever, and lots af little parts. The wheels are custom made 21-inch front and back and are aluminum."

You can contact the Speed Metal Shop at 375 E. 55th Ave., Denver, Co 80216. Phone is (303) 619-5693.

I love the hand shift and board tracker handlebars of Barker's bike. It may not be practical or as safe to ride as the original, but it is gorgeous. The instrument panel on the casquette is neatly covered. The rear brake pedal is on the right. The Model A brake light (on the right, near the license plate) is a great touch.

Barker's MySpace page has pictures documenting the production of the custom gas tank. It also has a picture of Steve "Shooter" Benth doing the lettering and pin striping of the tank.

A Royal Enfield Military chopper

A Royal Enfield Military-style chopper? That is what I would call this creation by Vardenchi of Mumbai. They call it the "Stealth". It is typical of the creativity being lavished on the plain old Royal Enfield Bullet in India.

It is not typical of Vardenchi's other Royal Enfield choppers. Those feature the gorgeous lines and beautiful paintwork that make them real calendar girls. The Stealth looks looks warlike and its once all-over paint reminds me of the Military model Bullet sold in the United States.

Maybe it would ruin the lines, but can you imagine the Stealth with pannier boxes? As best I can see, the Stealth doesn't even bother with instruments. This is a bolt-action Enfield, alright.

Choppers aren't usually my thing. But even those who insist on a "proper" motorcycle have to admire the against-the-grain creativity shown here. I learned about the Stealth on the outstanding Big-Diesel blog. It is India-based but deals with a wide range of wonderful motorcycles. Don't let the "diesel" tag throw you off.

Royal Enfield choppers? It could happen

Royal Enfield choppers may not be your cup of tea. The underpowered (for America) Bullet, in particular, might seem like an unusual starting point. But as more Bullets come to the United States, and more end up available used, creative minds are bound to try.

Of course, in India, where the 350 Bullet is common and not considered underpowered, creative hands are already at work. Here is a dramatic example featured in Ergo, a new publication and web site aimed at the bright young people of Chennai, home of the Royal Enfield factory.

It was built from a Royal Enfield Bullet 350 by Gregory Suresh Joseph. He calls it "The Crow" after a Brandon Lee movie. He dedicated the design to Indian Larry, the legendary U.S. chopper builder who died in 2004. The artfully curved exhaust alone is testimony to what can be done with a standard Bullet.