Desert Jaguar: Royal Enfield “Yaguareté” 650 Desert Sled

Interceptor 650 Desert Sled from Argentina’s LBC Motorcycles…  

The Interceptor 650 — aka INT650 — is Royal Enfield’s modern classic roadster, a British-designed parallel-twin built in India and introduced in 2018. The legendary chassis builders at Harris Performance actually developed the frame, and the unit-construction 648cc wet-sump eight-valve twin has won fans the world over. 

“On paper, there is nothing spicy about the INT 650’s air-cooled, parallel-twin, SOHC four-valve engine. And its published 47 horsepower doesn’t send shivers up your spine in anticipation, but the INT 650 is way spunkier than its specs suggest. It’ll put a smile on your face the first time you open ’er up; at least it did mine.” -Kit Palmer, Cycle News

Many reviewers point to the old-school, elemental nature of the machine — a welcome break from the overly electronic, origami-looking machines that flock today’s showrooms.  Cycle World called the INT650 “simple, plain, and almost perfect.”

“The rider cockpit is complemented by basic handlebar switches mounted to tall, well-placed handlebars, all simple and old-school that does exactly what it’s supposed to do. Nothing to learn or program; just climb aboard, ride, and feel the wind across your body. Elemental stuff, and a nice reminder that everything we love about riding is just an extension of this sensation.” –Cycle World

The Interceptor has also proven itself a ready base for customization, combining classic lines and modern reliability. We’ve seen quite a few scramblers built on the platform, but never one quite like this. This Interceptor 650 desert sled comes from our old buddy Juan Taurel (@jtaurel) of Argentina’s LBC Motorcycles. 

“We wanted to modify a RE Interceptor into a Scrambler, but with a twist, different from the ones we’ve seen before. We wanted it to look even more retro than the Interceptor already is.”

So Juan and team decided to take inspiration from the 1960s desert sleds that once stampeded through the Southern California dust, racing toward distant tire fires with pilots like “Harvey Mushman” (Steve McQueen) and Malcolm Smith in the saddle. The INT650 is a perfect candidate, as it carries many of the design hallmarks of the British twins of the ’60s. 

Juan and team shortened and raised the rear subframe to better capture the lines of a vintage desert sled, then topped it with a beefy custom seat to soak up the bumps. This was an era when a rider’s body and bum had to take a lot of abuse, as suspension travel was limited!

Team member Hernan fabricated a pair of handmade aluminum fenders, while Tocho and Mos helped weld up the one-off scrambler-style exhaust. The INT650 is fuel-injected, of course, so the team made a throttle body cover that mimics a vintage air filter. The pegs are rubber-coated ones similar to those you’d see on an old Triumph or BSA.

The instrument panel was ditched, the ignition switch relocated, the plastic switches swapped for metal ones, and the bike was given a set of McQueen replica bars for a stripped-down cockpit that could fool you into thinking you’re sitting on vintage ‘sled. 

Juan himself did the hand-painting on the bike, including the “Treat Her Right” slogan and Pink Yaguareté. 

“Yaguareté is the guaraní name for Jaguar, considered one of the largest and baddest felines in America.”

This British-born, Indian-made, Argentine-bred desert sled certainly looks the part, but it’s more than a street queen. 

“We built this bike for on / off-road use. We are from the city of Buenos Aires, so we took it to the Córdoba Sierras (700kms from home) for a real off-road stress test, and it was a complete success. Dirt, sand, rocks, river crossings, climbs and descents through the Sierras — it performed spectacularly well.”

If our garage wasn’t already stuffed to the gills, we’d be tempted to track down an Interceptor 650 for a similar build. There’s nothing quite like ripping a steel-frame dual-shock twin around in the dirt like the desert heroes of yesteryear!

Below is our full interview with Juan about the build. 

Royal Enfield 650 Desert Sled: Builder Interview

• What’s the make, model, and year of the donor bike?

The donor bike for the project is a Royal Enfield Interceptor 650, 2022.

• Why was this bike built? 

This built was for a very good customer.

• What was the design concept and what influenced the build?

We love all kinds of Scramblers. For this project we were inspired by the Desert Era from the 60s.

• What custom work was done to the bike?

We shortened and raised the rear of the frame. Two new handmade aluminum fenders. We fitted a good pair of on/off-road tires, and a new scrambler exhaust (without chrome) for a more rustic and retro look.

We replaced all the original lights, removed the instrument panel, and relocated the ignition switch. We replaced the original plastic controls with new retro metal controls, reminiscent of vintage motorcycles.

We painted the shocks, pedals, and calipers black, and replaced the modern original footpegs with handmade ones, featuring large rubber pads like those used on older bikes.

We fabricated a throttle body cover that mimics vintage air filters.

We installed Desert Sled handlebars, a replica of one of the motorcycles Steve McQueen used to race across the California desert, and rubber grips with end caps, as used on vintage motorcycles.

We made a custom seat, and for the paint job, the client requested hand-painted lettering and designs. We came up with the idea of painting a Pink Yaguareté and give the motorcycle that name.

 

• Does the bike have a nickname?

Yes, LBC “Yaguareté.” Yaguareté is the guaraní name for Jaguar, considered one of the largest and baddest felines in America.

• Any idea of horsepower, weight, and/or performance numbers?

We don’t have the exact weight of the motorcycle, but we can say that it is considerably lighter than the original; we cut approximately 25/30kg.

• Can you tell us what it’s like to ride this bike?

It was so much fun! We built this bike for on / off-road use. We are from the city of Buenos Aires, so we took it to the Córdoba Sierras (700kms from home) for a real off-road stress test, and it was a complete success. Dirt, sand, rocks, river crossings, climbs and descents through the Sierras — it performed spectacularly well.

• Was there anything done during this build that you are particularly proud of?

The whole package. We’re happy with how this project turned out. We wanted to modify a RE Interceptor into a Scrambler, but with a twist, different from the ones we’ve seen before. We wanted it to look even more retro than the Interceptor already is.

• Is there anyone you’d like to thank?

To Martin, the client, who trusted my idea to transform it into a 60s desert bike. To Tocho and Mos, who helped with the scrambler exhaust, and to Hernan, who handmade the fenders.

Follow the Builder

• Instagram: @lbcmotorcycles
• Humbly designed, built, hand-painted and photographed by @jtaurel

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