|
|
Joined: 9/5/2008
Posts: 4
|
Does anyone here have experience with or good knowledge of Royal Enfields? I've read everything on their website and the brochures I have, but that doesn't really tell me how reliable they are. What's their reputation? Do they break often or last forever? Can I trust it to be an everyday bike or do I needa Phd to own one?
|
|
Joined: 9/23/2008
Posts: 54
|
If your talking about the Royal Enfield bullets that their importing from India now there good bikes. The design is an updated version of a model from the sixties but because they've got better electrics and brakes there really ridable and fun. They were not very hot performers even back then but the engines will last and they look cool. I did ride one that was a 350 version a few years back but most of them here are 500's. Your forum said that your between bikes and one of these would be a great option. It's kinda hard to find a used one maybe that says something, people hang on to them. You could tour with one but they are a little under powered certainly not like a Honda 500. Now if your talking about the RE's from when they were made in England they had some pretty neat bikes but not as popular as the other british marques back then. Occasionaly you would see a guy riding a 750 interceptor. When I first moved out here to California in 77' I picked up a 700cc Royal Enfield motor that came out of a go-kart of all things. I didn't do anything with it and if I remenber right left it at a rental house that me and a buddy got booted out of. Interestingly enough, the timing case had the Indian motorcycle script on it. In their last days, Indian attempted to stay afloat by importing RE bikes and rebadging them as Indians.
|
|
Joined: 9/27/2007
Posts: 46
|
I always wanted an Interceptor, what a cool bike. As to the new Enfields, they're an absolute riot to ride. Light, friendly, but they do require a committed owner. Not unlike owning any other old Brit bike, really.
Richard Backus/Motorcycle Classics
|
|
Joined: 12/20/2009
Posts: 2
|
I've read a few different magazines that have done an article about the new Enfields being built in India and they all say that they are really good machines. Would love to get my hands on one myself, I think they look awesome.
|
|
Joined: 1/8/2010
Posts: 3
|
I have a 2000 RE Bullet Deluxe. It was stone cold reliable for years. It now has a charging problem that I cannot locate. I've checked every wire many times, replaced the stator, rectifier, regulator, battery... etc. Despite my current problems (which I believe are rare), I love the bike. I would recommend one. As long as you know which end of a wrench to hold, the maintenance is simple. Everywhere I ride it, people want to talk about it. One time a guy came into my place of work looking for "the guy who owns that bike out there" just to talk about it. I have a new V-Star and a 1978 Yamaha RD 400. But I most like riding the Royal Enfield.
|
|
Joined: 12/31/2007
Posts: 20
|
Once again we find ourselves in the Classic/Retro dilemma. Threads like this should show that MC's occasional nod to the new retro bikes is justified. Of the retro bikes the RE certainly has verisimilitude. It's 1955 technology preserved.
|
|
Joined: 1/13/2011
Posts: 3
|
 The 19681/2 was their best year, fast, and good handling, and relieable. My favorite '68 is a BSA Spitefire MK IV fastest street bike in '68 and best of the Spitefire models.
|
|
|
|