Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 custom exhaust faceoff: AEW vs Red Rooster Performance

The Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 is currently the most affordable twin cylinder bike money can buy in India. It has a base price of Rs. 2.50 lakhs (ex-showroom, Delhi). Its other twin, the Continental GT 650 is a cafe racer designed motorcycle with a more sporty riding position and aesthetics, though mechanically it’s the same bike. The Interceptor has been getting its fair share of attention in the aftermarket parts and modification industry too. As of now, the most common upgrade is the exhaust swap, which is relatively inexpensive and can create a lot of difference. In the video below by IDLER EXPERIMENTS, two aftermarket exhausts by AEW and Red Rooster Performance have been compared side by side. Take a look at the video to know how they sound.

Both the AEW and Red Rooster are pretty well-known aftermarket exhaust brands in India. As Royal Enfield currently does not offer any kind of official custom exhaust upgrade, aftermarket units are the only choice which of course void the warranty. Let’s now talk about the exhaust note of both these brands.

Talking about the Red Rooster Performance aftermarket exhaust first, the shiny steel unit produces a punchy and bassy note that sounds quite aggressive and angry. On a more technical note, RRP exhaust has a bit louder note than AEW, has a throaty sound signature and is more high pitched.

The AEW custom aftermarket unit, on the other hand, is more relaxed and sober. This does not mean it’s not loud, but it’s less aggressive than the RRP unit and lends out a deeper note with a burbling tone. Among the two exhausts, the AEW unit sounds closer to the stock Royal Enfield unit that comes with the Interceptor 650. One thing to note here is that these videos and recording are not done with studio quality equipment and hence real world sound may differ. Therefore, it’s always better to have a first-hand experience before investing money on any such upgrade on your bike.

Talking about the bike, the Interceptor 650 is powered by a 648 cc, twin cylinder, SOHC, air/oil cooled engine that produces 47 Bhp of power along with 52 Nm of torque. It is mated to a 6-speed gearbox with a slipper clutch, a first for the company. Both the 650 bikes Royal Enfield are the most powerful motorcycle in their price segment and have enough power to push them up to speeds in excess of 160 Kph. Also, contrary to the older Royal Enfield bikes, they 650 twins run very smooth and free of vibrations. In its price range, the Interceptor 650 does not have any direct competition. The upcoming Benelli Imperiale is expected to give offer some rivalry but only if the company plays the pricing game right.