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Royal Enfield Sucks

91K views 79 replies 46 participants last post by  A Star Ride 
#1 ·
What were you thinking buying a Royal Enfield in the first place? I've never ridden one, but I've reached a level of arrogance that allows me to comment just the same. BIKE hasn't given any of the Royal Enfields good marks and they're built in England right? I'm thinkin' you didn't get a lemon. They refuse to honor the warranty, par for the course.
 
#52 ·
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.
 
#54 ·
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?

 
#55 ·
.....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.

 
#58 ·
Or put wheels on an Enfield SMLE and power it with the horrible recoil from those surplus .303 rounds?
 
#60 ·
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.
 
#61 ·
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.
Because when was the last time you saw a news-article about a Hindi that stuffed C4 up his arse and walked into a cafe or bus........
 
#63 ·
Royal Enfield Rocks

Dont tell me dude, royal enfield was and is always y dream bike, only thing is it requires maintenance, but that thing is there with all the motorcycles, even if u use luna 50cc or 1000 cc R1, Any machine needs to be looked after. But its all about feel that you get on bike, Royal enfield gives you a royal feel almost like a King, hence i would love to be the owner of royal Enfield
 
#65 ·
That's a remarkably bold thing to say around here even though I suppose we're all fairly open minded in a don't ask, don't tell kinda' way...

I mean Longride was a Fire Fighter for years and we all know what they get up to with those Freddy Mercury 'stashe's and the big shiny pole in the middle of the floor....hey to each his own you know? he's putting his life on the line in some of those blaze's, how they relax afterwards isn't my place to say......
 
#66 ·
Hah, I use to be a "lead Man" at the Park LaBrea Apartments ripping out apartments and putting in new floors, sinks, etc. and we had this one dude who's air condiitoning was always malfunctioning.

So finally no one would go the service call because of all the dildoes, speedy-lube and gay porno mags on top of the A/C unit. Since I was the boss I'd end up wit the work order, and I'd go in there with a face mask, gloves, a can of Lysol and a long pair of tongs to move unmentionable sh!t like pumps and other wierd sh!t off the A/C unit before I'd even touch it.

The dude was out there. Later I found out it was by bosses apartmernt. I avoided shaking hands with him from that day forward.
 
#68 ·
I bought a new 2007 Royal Enfield 500 Bullet Classic in Dec of 2007. I have two other motorcycles, so the Bullet isn't racking up mileage real fast, but it's approaching 3000 miles. The require a long, easy break in. Mines been quite reliable, but I had done my research into these bikes, and I ride mine like it was intended to be ridden-on nice back roads at up to 50 mph. Mine starts easy, runs well,and gets 65-80 miles per US gallon. They discontinued the older engine now, and have replaced it with the new unit construction fuel injected motor.

This bike gets way more attention than any other motorcycle I've owned in 48 years of riding. I went on a nice back road route I like of about 45 miles. I stopped to have a cup of coffee. One guy walked up to my Enfield and looked it over for 2-3 minutes. Two other guys seperately came in and found me to ask me about the bike. I've had guys run across four lane downtown city street to ask me about the bike. It's really quite remarkable.

I consider the Classic Bullet to be a great looking motorcyle. Mine uses no measureable oil between changes. I can check the valve adjustment in about 30 seconds total. How long does it take on a GSXR600?

I probably wouldn't want the Enfiled as an only motorcycle, but it makes a great second or third back road thumper.

My other motorcycles are a 2006 Harley-Davidson XL883, and my 2007 Yamaha XT225 dual sport.

Take care, Jon in Puyallup, Wa.
 
#69 ·
After a couple of years of research and just waiting to see what happwns, I bougt a 2009 AVL- AVL being a temprary bridge between the older iron jugs and the new UCE's.

I took a long time to break the bike in slowly, and I thought at 2500 miles, it was as good as it gets. At 5K, I was constantly amazed at how much better it was. Now, at 11K, I ride it almost to the exclusion of my other 2 bikes. It is more fun than a barrel of monkeys.

It does take more maintanence than a 2009 Japanese, German, Italian bike, but now I know the bike very well now- and I trust it. By comparison, the new BMW I got was in the shop with warranty work WAY more.

Al that said, would I recommend a Royal Enfield?
No. Enfield folks pretty much seem to know who they are without asking. Maybe a new one, but I'm actually glad I didn't get a "new" one. I should mention that the enfieldmotorcycles.com forum is a one-of-a-kind resource.

 
#70 ·
What is going on here? Posts from 2004, when I was still riding a punched-out KZ 750?

Enfield's are totally different now, unit design, fuel injection, etc. The only things that resembled the old British designed 500 & 350cc Bullet are the frames.
 
#71 ·
What is going on here? Posts from 2004, when I was still riding a punched-out KZ 750?

Enfield's are totally different now, unit design, fuel injection, etc. The only things that resembled the old British designed 500 & 350cc Bullet are the frames.
Just like the Royal Enfields, this thread takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin'.
 
#74 · (Edited)
Nice! Good to see Bullet fans at MO! I almost bought one, but had to change my mind because the waiting was around 6 months and also the stupid dealer wasn't willing to give test rides.
Royal Enfield Classic 500 & cafe racer concept at 2010 Auto Expo | Royal Enfield Classic 500 & cafe racer concept at 2010 Auto Expo prices | Royal Enfield Classic 500 & cafe racer concept at 2010 Auto Expo reviews | Royal Enfield Classic 500 & cafe r
Check out the link, sweet cafe racer, it's being sold in the UK for quite sometime now. Is it being sold in the States as well?

Also, they're working on a twin cylinder engine, new chassis...
 
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