Royal Enfield Interceptor rescued on way to the dump

This Royal Enfield Interceptor was rescued from the scrap heap.

Wouldn't you like to be the man who rescued a 1968 Royal Enfield Interceptor on its way to the scrap heap? For $150!

Charles Giordano owns two motorcycle exhaust companies, Von Braun Exhaust  and Tailgunner Moto Exhaust in West Tisbury, Mass. He knows a lot about motorcycles but still wasn't sure what he had after pulling this Royal Enfield motorcycle off the back of a truck on its way to the scrap yard.

Here's his story:

"So, I'm at the gas station reading a Barnett's Bike Craft magazine and the kid pumping gas looks through my window and sees a photo of an old Triumph.

"We start talking old bikes and he tells me his friend has a Royal Enfield in the back of his truck that he's selling for scrap metal tomorrow. I ask him if it's an old one or a new one. He's says old.

"So I give him my card and ask him to tell his buddy to call me. The kid calls, and I go to has house and sure enough: (it's) in the back of the truck with a lot of scrap on top of it and below it. I dig a bit and stand it up.

The rescued Royal Enfield.

"And there she is. Rough as a cob but there for the most part. No seat or fenders. A really beautiful engine.

"Anyway, $150 bucks later and she's in my barn and the Sherlock Holmes adventure begins. This is my favorite part of the whole motorbike thing."

The motor.

Charles wrote me with this question: "I'm trying to determine the model, year and displacement. I think Interceptor."

He thought right.

The motorcycle is a matching numbers Mk.1A, confirmed Royal Enfield Owners Club (UK) Chairman Graham Scarth. It was dispatched to Shores of Michigan on April 26, 1968. Originally it had a chrome tank with red stripe along the top.

Looks like it has some stories to tell.

Interceptor enthusiast Chris Overton added that "There were about 1,800 of the Series 1, about 1,000 Series 1A and 1,200 Series II built before the last English factory closed in 1970."

So Interceptors are rare. The one Charles rescued had a close call, indeed. It may be that the motorcycle will fit into his plans. He wrote:

"Once a year I like to build a bike myself that is interesting, different, cool. Something we can take to shows and talk to real motorcycle enthusiasts about. Something different than the same ol' Harley 'biker' stuff. (Photo of last year's bike build attached. Note the homage with mufflers to Triumph Hurricane.)

Last year's bike build: The John Henry.

"This year I was thinking of doing a Brit bike as I've always loved them but never had the chance to own or work with one. Also, I've promised my wife a bike for a long time and she has always liked the old Brit bikes too."