1967 Mk.1A Interceptor

[Steve Swan]

ok. i'll puff some life into the lonely new RE category. i just bought this Interceptor in May off ebay. i knew the seller as reputable, he bought the machine from another fellow who restored it. it's the 1st restored bike i have ever purchased. it has nos cyls and pistons, had 13k miles on the clock before restoration. the bike looks great in pics, but not up to the level i try to restore at. over all a very nice bike, it has some minor issues, nothing that can't be addressed by some enjoyable turning of wrenches. long stroke compared to other British vertical twins, 93 mm. dry sump contained in crankcase and a 40 pound counter balance weight that made it the smoothest twin on the market until the Commando. only 800+ were made by 6 men 200 feet underground in a WW2 ex-"skunkworks." i first saw the Interceptor in the little half page b&w ads in magazines when i was 15, that was 1967. never been able to get the Interceptor out of my head since, this is the first and only one i have ever seen. i really enjoy riding it. it uses leather straps with silver buckles to tie the cables and wiring harness to frame. it's a brutish thing, uncivilized but really fun to ride. the Interceptor ads of the day read, "Not everyone can have one. there aren't enough to go around. That is why the owner of an Interceptor has something special. Something the other fellow hasn't got." According to factory records, it was dispatched from the Stratford-on-Avon factory on June 21st, 1967 to Shores of Warren Michigan.

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[TechNoir]

Steve, that really is a great looking bike despite the fact that you say that it isn’t up to your exacting standards.

I can tell by the word that you have written that you are very much enjoying owing it.

I assume that your cataract procedures are now history and you can get on with enjoying your 2 wheeled friends.

BTW, did you get my emails yesterday?

John

[Steve Swan]

John i sent you a personal email. steve

[Steve Swan]

A brief update on my Interceptor, i now have 1,211 trouble free miles on the clock, 989 that I've logged; 2017 i took delivery of the machine with 222 miles on a complete engine and transmission rebuild. I ride the Enfield for the pure pleasure of experiencing its character; that works for me. I've addressed a number of minor details to make it more roadworthy and original and have a couple more that will be winter projects, specifically put it on the lift and do some truing and balancing work on the front and rear wheels. Looking back on when i took delivery of the bike, lots of inspecting on my part, the work that was done on the bike was a preservation. The wheels and most of the other small parts are original finish, the frame and swing arm was painted, it has new exhaust, Hagon shocks, new chrome and paint on the tank, aluminum was polished, otherwise the bike is more or less original. Overall and especially considering how well the engine and transmission perform, I am very happy with the bike. What the Interceptor lacks in refinement it more than makes up for with '60's era English motorcycle design elegance. These pics were taken earlier this summer.

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[JoJo357]

Absolutely a knock~out Interceptor Steve! How do You like that Albion Neutral selector? Have fun with her & enjoy the ride.

As far as Shore's Motors is concerned, i bought a few motorcycles out of that Shop in Warren, Michigan. It was right down the street from...Eminem~haha. AMA Hall of Fame~Earl Buck, was the Ariel & BSA dealer that was within a few minutes walking distance from Shore's. An auto parts store for many years after Shore's went out of business in the early 1980's. It's a small world Steve...but i wouldn't want to paint it.

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*M.A.D.*

[Steve Swan]

Hey JoJo, thanks for the post, thanks for sharing your memories buying bikes at Shore's. The longer we're around, the more memories we have! What years and what bikes did you purchase from Shore's? What was the store like considering it was also a motorcycle distributor? what brands did Shore's carry? Here's one of those half-page b&w ads that fueled my fantasies of being an Interceptor owner! That funky neutral selector lever helps complete the motorcycle! and, works like it's supposed to!

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[JoJo357]

Seems like ages ago Steve. I bought a beat up Triumph Tiger Cub someone rode the heck out of, i believe it was a '60. The second motorcycle was a '67 BSA Victor 441, which i still have. The Cub i sold to a friend many m()()n's ago. Shore's obviously was a Royal Enfield Distributor, but they dealt with mostly British Iron, especially Triumph. Triumphs were 'HUGE' in the Detroit & surrounding suburbs. But, like most Motorcycle shops, you'd never know what would show up on trade & then make it's way to the floor. Their shop was clean, and the staff was well managed. It's a shame that it's all to rare to find Motorcycle shops with any personality & character any more. There were some 'doozies' when i was growing~up.

*M.A.D.*