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Post by scania on Aug 31, 2014 21:35:13 GMT
Hi all, I know this is a SD forum but hopefully it is ok to sneak in this question.
I have developed a recent liking to the Royal Enfield retro vintage bikes. Does anyone here have any of the new ones produced in India and how do they compare to the old UK build ones which I believe were excellent? What is the quality like, the paint, finish and how are they to ride, are they reliable?
I would love to own one although I would not be selling either of my SDs.
But the word Royal would have to go, in Ireland the word Royal is associated with the queen who is commonly believed to be old Satan re-incarnated as her grandfather hung a lot of poor Irishmen before and during the war of independence. So it would be safer to just paint over it and leave the word Enfield, than risk the bike being burned!
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Post by scania on Sept 2, 2014 22:58:49 GMT
I gather that Royal Enfields are not very popular here !
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terryc
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Post by terryc on Sept 3, 2014 5:55:42 GMT
I like em and as I said especially the new one
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 3, 2014 7:47:28 GMT
All bikes are welcomed for discussion here - I think it's that a lot of people on here are just not 'into them'. I like the look and sound of the little bullet and I am surprised how much they make on ebay etc.....they clearly have quite a following. Re response from the site: I find the same when I post up questions on my Bandit (for example).....in the main, not much interest from these guys......but I think it's normal.  |
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Post by Harold on Sept 3, 2014 9:27:37 GMT
I think the newer Royal Enfields are OK I know a couple of people with them and they seem to like them, the newer ones I think have electronic ignition and are quite reliable. However they do say that like their old British predecessors they do require a bit more maintainance than your average Japanese bike. Their bikes have also survived the torch Scania despite being ridden in Northern Ireland so Royal isn't a bad word everywhere, sure the Queen called over to see you'se last year But I think perhaps we should keep the politics out of this forum especially the Irish sort :)It's started a few rows in the past you know |
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Post by kickstart on Sept 3, 2014 19:43:15 GMT
I like the look and sound of the bullet and considered buying one in the past , but prefer the superdream for it,s looks and reliability ( fingers crossed ) but I would have one still if I had the cash and space , I may need a bigger shed  ? ? |
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Post by davefirestorm on Sept 3, 2014 20:45:42 GMT
I worked for a place that manufactured/rectified parts for the Enfield Bullets,I mean the old engine based on the original Redditch bike.Quality was hit and miss but bikes were cheap.Parts were sourced by the gaffer of company in India for pennys and he could pay me to put right the quality issues ie threads missing,incorrect,holes missing etc.etc. once sorted with boyer ignition/amal carb/unrestricted exhaust/ decent shocks etc. they made a good reliable bike but they were basicly 1950s Brit singles cheap to buy and great fun
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Post by greybeard on Sept 3, 2014 21:13:41 GMT
I have to say, I have been tempted by one of these in the past.....still am to be honest!  I really like the style, line and colour of this.........and I know it couldnt pull the skin off a rice pudding, but it really is the sort of bike for a sunday bimble out to a country pub on a sunny day. Also quite taken with this:  But would want a good test ride first - a cafe racer style bike has to fit the rider properly or it will either be very uncomfortable or you will look daft.... GB |
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Post by davefirestorm on Sept 3, 2014 21:19:17 GMT
Now the latest offerings from Enfield bear little in common with the old Bullets,for one they cost too much and the once cheap to buy and improve oldie world product has gone,they are modern technology with hopefully reliable quality components and in my opinion too expensive
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Post by scania on Sept 3, 2014 23:56:47 GMT
Some interesting views there guys.
Yes the SD is in a class of its own and is leader of the field, if I did ever get a Royal Enfield it would be just as a novelty bike.
One of the comments about the Café-racer needing to be exactly the right fit for the rider brought something to mind for me which I have never saw mentioned much before. That is, when I go on a long spin on either my SDs or my old Suzuki GS125E, as they both have long flat seats, then every now and then I either slide forward a bit or back a bit, this changes my hip and knee angles as well as prevents my arse from getting tired and cramped in the same position for too long. Most modern bikes don't quite have this comfort and flexability, I wonder why modern bike designers do not take this into consideration anymore?
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Post by davefirestorm on Sept 4, 2014 5:38:22 GMT
I bought a 500 Bullet in 2000 year old the electrics were crap and general feel of bike was "cheap" and cheerful spent little time and money improving it and sold it at a good profit following year it actualy got me back into old classic Brit bikes,latest ones are not the cute throwback cheapy Brit designed single they are a modern expensive compared to old Bullet
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