[mile_eater]

What's next boys?

Any chance we may see a GT shootout? Say..

Busa vs ZZR vs New Beemer?

Or how about a real SUV shootout:

KLR 650 vs DR Z650 vs XR650L

No? Fine... How about this...

Royal Star Venture vs Drifter vs Goldwing

Whacha think?

 

[gnlchaos]

Good call on the Savage.



Ridden several thousand miles on one.



Seat sucks, suspension leaves a lot to be desired. Very thin power band. But the darn thing starts right up every time and I have never had a problem with it.



I always had a suspicion that the Enfields were probably a little too "authentic" - ie: unreliable.

 

[Vlad]

It was me

You remembered the trip, but the wrong bike. Mine was a Ural, and though I had problems, it wasn't anything that the average gearhead couldn't fix ('cept the flying valve cover, which was repaired under warranty). However they have made many changes in the Ural since then. The motor is 750cc, for a little more power (not a lot more). It even has a disk brake up front. I still think that they're cool looking and have shed the ocassional tear at the empty space in my garage. But I haven't been inspired to get another one. Who knows? All I can say is that I would not want to have one for my only mount.

Vlad/Francis

 

[HobbleFoot]

Re: What's next boys?

How 'bout the Venture, Goldwing, Electra Glide Classic, BMW's goldwing (whatever it's called), and a Honda Ruckus with saddlebags.

 

[pplassm]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...tem=2488358144&category=50024&sspagename=WDVW

 

[longride]

Re: Fact of the Matter...

". Of course then I'll have to sell both the Plymouth and the Cutlass to have enough time to keep a Shovel running."

You forgot getting a second job.

 

[33129]

To get that old Brit bike experience without the frustration, I'd recommend buying an old Yamaha SR500 and putting a few bucks into it. It will run forever, be easy to maintain and still have that Brit bike look. Those Japanese parts, though over 20 years old, are still better than the new crap in the Enfield. Parts are still rather easy to get and not that expensive. Go to any FSSNOC gathering and you'll see a bunch of them. And, you won't hear their owners calling them a piece of crap.

 

[nosajwols]

Re: Arrogance (and ignorance)

Considering that is all the Enfeild can do it is flogging it. How long do you think any bike will last if you ride it most of the time wide open?

 

[4940]

Thanks for the link PPlassm. This may be the last running example of a non restored Interceptor. With that said there is a reason that this guy is selling this one out of his collection. I've never even seen a picture of a 68 model before. I wonder if he is mistaken about the year of this particular bike. It still has the monobloc style carbeurators. Even backward luddite companies like BSA had shifted to the concentric style in '67. I also loved his ad copy. I doesn't leak much. VWW

 

[mscuddy]

Re: Fact of the Matter...

Nice to see someone your age that appreciates fine British engineering. Neat bike, a time machine.

I bet you're glad the Indians didn't use Whitworth fasteners. BTW, I still have a whole set of Bonney Whitworth sockets & wrenches in the roll-a-way. Where did they get those sizes, anyway? Like the 1/8th is about the size of a 15mm. 1/8th of what? The Kings instep?

I use to squish the Whitworthless sockets down to SAE or Metric sizes in a big vice, until I found out how unobtainium they were.

Has your kickstarter pin broken, and fallen out yet? A pin from a Schwinn bicycle with the 3-piece crank works fine.

 

[Jonniedee]

URAL equals crap

I had a 2003 750 Uralnal Tourist. In 6 months I went through 3 alternators, a full set a timing gears and daily electrical problems. It is MORE than any average gearhead should have to deal with.

AVOID at all costs!!!

 

[48389]

Re: Arrogance (and ignorance)

Making his point for him? Not at all, just pointing out the absurdity of applying inappropriate standards when evaluating things. Is an H2 triple a crappy bike because it gets terrible mileage and blows blue smoke everywhere? Is a Norton Manx a crappy bike because you have to rebuild the motor several times a season if you are racing it? Is a Brough Superior a crappy bike because it goes much faster than it stops?

Compare a Royal Enfield to a Ducati, and it comes off poorly. Compare a Royal Enfield to a BSA B33, and all of a sudden it doesn't look so bad.

Enfields were built and used as basic transportation, which is the role that they still serve in India. Westerners that buy them for nostalgia shouldn't expect them to operate like a Japanese appliance. If you only want the vintage look, buy a W650 or new Triumph, but get the Enfield if you really want the vintage experience (and less hassles than with a REAL vintage bike).

And no, I don't have an Enfield. However, I do have a Norton Dominator cafe racer, and it does take a lot of extra maintenance if I average more than 70 mph for long periods. However, I can ride all day without problems (well, other than my neck and wrists) if I keep the speed to around 60-65.

 

[dnlwthrn]

Re: What's next boys?

I think its time for the dual shootout again... I vote for the KLR v. DR v. XR v. any others out there (maybe F650GS PD?)

What about Husky or KTM? Do they have a 650 thumper DS?

 

[Natasa23]

Royal Enfield does not suck. HOwever, it is not a prime bike in the western world (at lease it should not be). It takes love to love Enfield.

good luck to ya/

Also, Yamaha SR 500 would not be a bad choice. If u have money, why not buy Triumph Thruxton or Bonnewille, or YAMAHA W650? U can get retro, and relative realiability and performance. Anyway, that's my opinion as a Euro. By the way, any more Euros on this site?

 

[69367]

.....It takes love to love Enfield.
......

By the way, any more Euros on this site?

Just came accross this by chance. I run a bullet myself, a 500 '65 (thats an indian bullet, with the origional engine, but a modified 5 speed box. I rode it 200 miles or so at the weekend and rode it to work this morning, she runs well and is a pleasure to ride. OK, she's about the slowest bike I've ever owned, although with the 5 speed box she will cruise happily at 60 - 65.

Enfield's slogan was 'Built like a gun' and that's a good way of thinking about it. I own a flintlock blackpowder pistol, and have also done a bit of shooting with a flintlock shotgun. both are a real pleasure to shoot. Now if I wanted to shoot well and reliably I'd use a modern gun, but the flintlock, whilst technically inferior in every way, is more fun to shoot.

I guess if you are the sort of person who'd enjoy shooting with a blackpowder flintlock, they you'd enjoy riding an enfield. If not then you'd be happier with a Honda.

 

[sarnali2]

How about riding an Enfield and shooting a Honda with a flintlock..eh?...eh?....works for me!

 

[69367]

How about riding an Enfield and shooting a Honda with a flintlock..eh?...eh?....works for me!

I'd have to catch the honda first, so unless it was a C90, I'm pretty much out of luck

 

[mscuddy]

Or put wheels on an Enfield SMLE and power it with the horrible recoil from those surplus .303 rounds?

 

[sarnali2]

C'mon now, they don't kick THAT hard...I'm going to go pop a couple off thursday or friday along with my new .357

 

[69816]

Royal Enfields are for manly men

I am the proud owner of a 2008 Bullet Military, 1997 Ural with Sidecar, 1974 Royal Enfield 500, 1999 Honda Rebel. All but the last are called crap by many...

I did not buy the Ural or the Bullets for reliability...but I will tell you this...when I drive any of the bikes with the exception of the Rebel, conversations with strangers and warm feelings of nostalgia abound wherever I go. When I take my father's 2006 Bullet with sidecar out, it turns more heads than any Harley made....Harleys are for Wal-Mart shoppers with big wallets and Royal Enfields are for guys with small pockets and lots of patience.

Royal Enfield owners know how to tinker and savor sitting on a bike that has a longer history than any motorcyle on the planet regardless if it was built in India (not so third world these days) or England. It is a thrill to see oil drip for the Enfield and then to make it leak free with the turn of a wrench and a gasket here and there. It is the same thrill I got as a child playing with an Erector set or Legos.

When you buy Enfield you are supporting spiritual freedom. How? India is a fine ally who is trying to squash Muslim extremism as shown by their dealings with Pakistan.