[sarnali]

If you're after retro styling I'd get a Triumph Bonneville Black or an 883 Sportster. Both are fairly cheap, reliable as bricks and have decent brakes and handling won't get you in trouble with an over abundance of horsepower.



The Enfield will be a cool bike that requires a pretty constant level of tinkering and repairs and a limited source to obtain parts. While they won't get you in trouble horsepower wise their mediocre brakes and handling and rubber frames and forks will.



In fact if you want a funky-cool bike I'd get a Ural with a PTO drive for the sidecar wheel. That way you'd have a little better bike that you could ride on the fireroads as well. That's what I'd do.

 

[28945]

I had a '54 RE 350 Bullet passed to me in 1960 by a friend of an uncle who had, allegedly, competed on it in the '55 ISDT. The Brit team all used this model and one of them, I forget his name, won a gold medal riding one of them. My machine was a maintenance challenge. I'll leave it at that. The Bullet you're looking at must be a late model Indian production 500 unit as the Brit's never manufactured a 500 Bullet, only a 500 twin. Nevertheless, your's is a rather curious choice considering the anarchic specs compounded by the sparse availability of service and parts. For a first machine, especially, you want to be out riding. Plenty of time later to saddle yourself with antiquated, eccentric exotics and the requisite love/hate relatonship that ensues. But, if you can't be discouraged for whatever perverse reason and must have it, and are prepared for the investment of time and labor to keep it running, go for it and build some great memories, or at least some great stories. Good luck!

 

[conchscooter]

i love the idea of a royal enfield but i have read nothing but trouble in terms of reliability. I like to ride, i like retro engineering and i like my suzuki 650 "savage." it is ultra reliable, i've put ten thousand miles on mine in 5 months, with oil changes, a valve clearance check and lots of fuel in the tiny ( 2 gall) main tank. It offers everything a traditional single offers, with a top speed close to 85, belt drive ( no maintenance), funky riding position ( feet forwards) and a very low seat height. Ideal for beginners or retro old farts like me. A reliable single cylinder or a 70mph maintenance nightmare.

Now i have to stop wondering about the new, electric start, electronic ignition Bullet Electra...which THEY SAY is all new and reliable. Ha!

 

[blugg28]

Get the W650. Looks exactly like a 65 Bonneville and doesn't leak oil. It's a Kawasaki, which means it's built like a brick. Mine has 29k miles and nary a hiccup. Plus you can do mods like superbike bars, or thruxtuns, a beautiful polished aluminum GP tank, a matching seat, etc.



As my friend Maynard put it: "A W650 is a blank canvas awaiting the artist."

 

[52228]

Yes but years ago---when I was younger several BSA`s and a couple of Nortons (the best ) and 2 royal Enfields--then a 72 Ducati and then on to ...Welll now to the recommendation--Do what I`ve done get something relible and then when you can afford it--look for that classic--Friend of mine is from India and has brought back a new version ( for India )--Looks better/seems reliable and has that awesome thumper sound---But--there are way too many better first bikes on E-bay or Craigs list---talk to your instructers/local clubs--you`ll get lots of help===But your first experience should be memorable and that meansa daily reliable driver---Good advice on the Ninja 250/500 or even a Kaw 650.. Choose wisely but as NIKE says " just do it "

 

[55755]

No! Thought about it but quickly came to my sences.



I have recently retired and needed something of my own just to run around town (small country town on south coast of NSW, Aust.) so looked at a scooter. I bought a Vespa ET-150 (although they have the 250ie out now which would be much better). Scooters are easy to ride and maintain and just plain good fun.



Lots of luck!



Peter

 

[57085]

Well, I've already made some rather... interesting... memories with old cars. Such as buying a '79 Triumph Spitfire a few years ago and having its electronics catch on fire the first time I drove it to work. I might not have even bothered asking about a Royal Enfield and just bought one if it hadn't been for some of those experiences.

 

[57085]

That was another option I was considering - there are plenty of dirt cheap UJM's that pop up in the classifieds around here. Either that or something like a Ninja 250 or Buell Blast.

 

[Gooch]

if i were you i would figure out what i could afford and then go from there. how about a honda cb550, honda 700s, yamaha xs650, all classic styling and fairly reliable. an excellent 1st bike that doesn't fit your criteria is the yamaha tw200 dual sport. excellent commuter, take it off road and learn about dirt, looks like a pitbull, super stable, to get anywhere on it you have to ride the snot out of it. finally yamaha has a sucker deal on it right now. get a bike, ride it, fall down, get back up and ride again.

 

[35244]

For your first bike get one that is cheap, cheerful and RELIABLE.



IF you find that you just love riding and enjoy wrenching - as you owned a Spitfire, that MUST be true! - THEN AND ONLY THEN get your Enfield.



Really.

 

[cruiz-euro]

So you like that sort of experiences? I wouldn´t be surprised if someone did. If you look at the continuum of different sexual preferences, people must be attracted also to motorbikes from rather different reasons.



- cruiz-euro

 

[33129]

Get an old Yamaha SR500, visit the Thumper Stuff website, make it look like an Enfield and ride it forever.

 

[9214]

If I might be so bold...would you consider buying a cheaper, perhaps more reliable bike to ride for a year or two, *then* reward yourself with something you really like? My concern is that everything I've heard about the Enfields says they're, well, how shall I put it,..., unreliable, perhaps? And while I'd like to own one (I like tinkering with gadgets), if I just passed my MSF class I'd want I bike that would run all the time so I could focus on learning to ride, not learning to wrench.



Bryan...just my 2 cents...

 

[davidhaner]

And a sledgehammer and a greyhound ticket.

 

[32819]

First, let me clear the decks, I'm not a dealer, just a fan of the little beasts and can't let some of the above comments remain unchallenged. 'Evil triumphs (err...) when good men do nothing'. LIES! Mostly...

Royal Enfield have recently increased their warranty coverage to 12 months/ Unlimited mileage -- a reflection of just how reliable the more recent bikes really are (and in stark contrast to many of the obviously non-owner's comments here.) They even extended it retroactively to existing owners back to the 2004 model year bikes. The website has a public message board (with archives) featuring actual comments and discussion from actual owners and riders. Consider this: most POS product manufacturers probably wouldn't make that available for prospective buyers to see. I'd really like to see H-D or any of the major Asian manufacturers do it. That'd be fun reading.

While they do require simple periodic valve adjustments and inspections, they are not much more maintenance intensive than most other bikes, and this can serve as a point of pride for many of its owners. Personally, I think it's nice to ride something you completely understand and can easily repair on the side of the road if you ever needed to -- using just the tools on the machine. Many women enjoy the bike because they can actually learn to fix it. If you dog had a thumb and could thus hold a tool, he could be easily trained to do it for you. Since they have been agressively attacking all known problem areas on the machine, properly cared for, I dare say they are now about as "Bullet"proof (pun intended) as most bikes these days.

The newer models have an excellent 5 speed transmission, electric (and kick!!! Take THAT technoids!!!) starting; much improved capacity battery and charging systems, and Japanese made handlebar control switch gear. The very latest (the Electra-X) will add gas reservoir style shocks, electronic ignition, modern carb, and a front disc brake, along with Avon Venom tires (tyres?) as standard. It also has a newly designed aluminum cylinder head for better heat dissipation. Still all for under 5 grand.

Yes, the old four speeds were clunky, but that was largely because of poorly spaced ratios and the wonky crossover linkage that put the shifter on the left side for the US. No worse than any pre-Evo H-D though. The new tranny is designed for LH shift and is as good as anything currently on the market. The build and paint quality has improved by leaps and bounds over the last couple of years. You really must see one in the flesh to fully appreciate it. The Enfield CEO in India is Western schooled, under 30 (!!!), and is a big stickler for QC improvements and product development. This is a real product now, not some oddity.

The Enfield catalog is also filled with parts and accessories to customize the bike and make it go fast(er) if you really want it to (30 plus hp is readily available for more money - doesn't sound like much, but it nearly doubles the power! Try doing that on a budget with a 'Busa.) Compare it to a Buell Blast, Suzuki Savage (C30?) or anything else in its size, power, and price range -- and just the "cool" factor and reasonably priced gear alone will tip the scales to the RE. It's a great value for the money that can truly become "your" bike with the bits you might want to install to personalize or "kit" it. For these very reasons, it's also a great first bike in my opinion. Why? It's one you're likely to keep even when you might step up to a larger displacement modern machine. It still has "soul", something no other current bike can match. Much better choice than buying or resurrecting a '60's Brit bike (I love 'em, but as transportation rather than "art", they sucked then, they'll still suck now.)

Check out the USA website at http://www.enfieldmotorcycles.com/

and download the owner's manual(s) to see what ownership will require of you. Everything you want to know is there (including their Parts & Accessoires catalog online, and inexpensive Service Manuals that might be worth buying and reviewing prior to making a purchase decision.) Any dealer can ship a bike prepped and ready to ride to your door if there isn't one in your area, and you can then deal with them directly (or through Classic Motorworks, their Distributor) for any needed parts and supplies.

Hope that helps offset some of the RE negativity I saw here. Hated to confuse the issue with facts!

 

[mscuddy]

Amen. I've got one on my list. Too bad them ****** don't make the Interceptor too.



Is the 350 that much of a pig vs. the 500? Would like to get one (350) with the TT kit, big carb, high comp. piston and pipe.



Would look swell parked next to the CL. Wonder if you can get one in Whitworth?

 

[fl34]

After reading all the above posts, I feel like I have just stopped hitting myself in the head with a hammer!

 

[12217]

Hmm. Looks like responders basically fit two groups:



- the "Wow, how could anyone possibly want a bike that doesn't make 120HP per liter and 180HP at the crank?" (but never ride more than 2,000 miles in a year) crowd



- the sort of people who already own a full set of Whitworth tools and spares (and likely also have filled prescriptions for modern antidepressants)



Having looked at the website, I have to say that I'd at least test ride a 500 Electra X with the paint job shown on the Sixty-5. RE have come a long way in just a few years. Maybe I'd better start looking for a pshrink, or at least some Whitworth wrenches.