1964 Royal Enfield Interceptor, 736 cc. Registration number ...

Estimate

£4,000 - £5,000

1964 Royal Enfield Interceptor, 736 cc. Registration number BKX 331B. Frame number 11364. Engine number 15818.
In 1960, Royal Enfield introduced the first motorcycle bearing the name Interceptor; it was a modified version of the company's 692 cc Constellation model. It had a tuned version of the company's biggest engine, the 692 cc vertical-twin and was only sold in the US and Canada. All engines had the engine prefix letters "VAX" and so these are often referred as "VAX Interceptors". A total of 158 692 cc Interceptors were made as per the Redditch factory despatch ledgers.
In 1962 they introduced the all-new 736 cc twin cylinder engine, bore and stroke was 71 mm × 93 mm. The new engine was similar to the 692 cc engine; but there was hardly any part that was not modified or improved. The engine cases were beefed up to withstand the increased torque. What sets this engine apart from other contemporary British twins is that the crankshaft was dynamically balanced from the factory which made these bikes one of the smoothest British twin engines ever. The Series 1 bikes had an automatic advance magneto, coil ignition and a new seat. It was manufactured until 1966.
BKX was first registered to Glyn Bailey of Yeovil on the 1st June 1964 and purchased by our vendor (along with the 1960 Bullet 439 KKP) on the 24th April 1984 from Dudley Martin of Yeovil, its second owner, he rode it for a year before cars came into the family and it was stored with a mileage of 21,618 in 1985. Purchased in these rooms in July 2019 as a total restoration project.
The machine has been totally stripped and the engine was found to be in good condition, having been rebored at some stage and only needed new valves and a thorough clean, the carbs were rebuilt, the frame powder coated and the wheels polished and respoked with stainless steel ones. Now reassembled our vendor has reverted to his love of Japanese machines and the Interceptor is taking up space. The owners club confirm it is matching numbers and left the factory in a Blue colour scheme. It is now for the next custodian to have the tinware painted and final assembly.
Sold with the V5C, V5, and a folder of receipts for parts purchased during the rebuild.