I Bought a Royal Enfield

[Wisedrum]

Yesterday I saw the first rape blossoms early this year near the midth of April in the north of Germany. With 4° during the day and around 0° at night it feels more like winter than spring. It doesn't matter to me and the nature can't wait to do what feels naturally .....



Wisedrum

 

[Cormanus]

Lovely picture, Wisedrum.

 

[Wisedrum]

Thank you, Cormanus, for your kind comment.

In another motorbike forum, where members are not so friendly to each other, I got a totally different comment....think I should stop posting there. What makes me wonder is my impression, that a very nice bike like the one for this "special" forum, gathers some very strange and bashing, somehow frustrated riders, which hide themselves behind ironic and what they think seems to be "humoristic", but mostly not respectful comments....

I like the in tune style of this CB-forum here.

Wisedrum

 

[Lord Popgun]

That bike just looks awesome. Yours reminds me of T.E. Lawrence, although I don't know what he really rode. I'd like to have one too. The nearest dealer is about 90 miles from me and that may be a good thing

 

[Houtman_imp]

Again a great picture from one of our German friends with a great taste in motorcycles.

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

Yesterday I saw the first rape blossoms early this year near the midth of April in the north of Germany. With 4° during the day and around 0° at night it feels more like winter than spring. It doesn't matter to me and the nature can't wait to do what feels naturally .....



Wisedrum

Great snap Wisedrum. The R.E. looks like a very fun bike to ride. I like thumpers because like the R.E., they tend to have unique character.

- - -

PG:

T.E. Lawrence road one of several Brough Superior SS 100s:



Side Note: I didn't know there was a 2017 model.

 

[Nortoon_imp]

The new Royal Enfield 650 Twin is going to be available near me soon, and by near, I mean, a hundred or so miles east, in Albany. I would post a shot from the post I read, but it's easy enough to look up. Royal Enfield of Albany says they will soon have stock of their newest addition to the lineup. Of particular interest is the side profile, while being tighter and more sparse than the CB1100, looks to carry the retro torch pretty well. I seem to recall that the early CBs mimicked the British bikes so well, and buried them in price and reliability. Well, here we go again, maybe.

The Royal Enfield Interceptor price is supposed to be much less than the CB. But that is to be expected. It is a 650cc twin made in India by a company that is trying to gain a world wide market.

 

[pdedse]

My goodness...that is a pretty bike! Another like the CB that just looks soooo....right.

 

[the Ferret]

That RE 650 is indeed attractive. Not sure the reservoir shocks go with the theme, but other than that a bang up job by RE if they turn out to be reliable.

 

[peterbaron]

My goodness...that is a pretty bike! Another like the CB that just looks soooo....right.

That RE 650 is indeed attractive. Not sure the reservoir shocks go with the theme, but other than that a bang up job by RE if they turn out to be reliable.

^^ +1 ^^

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

That RE 650 is indeed attractive. Not sure the reservoir shocks go with the theme, but other than that a bang up job by RE if they turn out to be reliable.

RE Shocks: Probably using the same creative license that was considered when adopting the Brembo brakes. There is still much original engineering element to admire and I reckon they hope shoppers feel the same way.

 

[Nortoon_imp]

That RE 650 is indeed attractive. Not sure the reservoir shocks go with the theme, but other than that a bang up job by RE if they turn out to be reliable.

The shocks do look out of place.

RE are aware of their reputation for unreliable motorcycles. But I believe the new 650 Interceptor and Continental come with a 3 year warranty.

Royal Enfield were originally British motorcycles, and the motor and frame for the new ones were engineered and tested in Britain.

In all the years I have ridden I have only seen one. In the 60s a new family moved into a house down the street from my parents home. A Royal Enfield 650 with a black and white fuel tank was sitting on the lawn. As I walked up to look it over a gorgeous girl came out the front door. I though I had died and gone to heaven.

But she explained the bike was her brother's and went back in house to get him. Scotty came out and told me all about the bike. And then came the bad news, his sister had a steady boyfriend. But Scotty and I became good friends and riding buddies, until his family moved to one of the desert states years later.

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

I know a Brit who rode a RE in London during the early '60s and said it was the crappiest bike ever. However, it was cheap and you get what you paid for. He was wrenching his bike in the morning to get to work, and before bed so he wouldn't have to in the morning (sounds like that didn't work out to well). Fueling problems was a bit of a *itch with him.

 

[Nortoon_imp]

My friend Scotty was a great motorcycle mechanic. Maybe that was because of his bike choice. While here in Ottawa he rented an industrial place where he set up a shop to customize bikes.

Every winter he would go to Cycle Salvage to buy a wrecked motorcycle. One was a Kawasaki 900 that he made into a chopper. He built everything but the motor: frame, front end, gas tank. etc. Then sold it in the spring.

The chopper trike he built had a Volkswagen engine. The engine and these huge wheels and tires were behind the seat. The front forks were long with a skinny spoked wheel. I never understood how that thing could turn. But it could out run most of the bikes on the street.

 

[Wisedrum]

Yesterday I saw the first rape blossoms early this year near the midth of April in the north of Germany. With 4° during the day and around 0° at night it feels more like winter than spring. It doesn't matter to me and the nature can't wait to do what feels naturally .....



Wisedrum

Great snap Wisedrum. The R.E. looks like a very fun bike to ride. I like thumpers because like the R.E., they tend to have unique character.

- - -

PG:

T.E. Lawrence road one of several Brough Superior SS 100s:



Side Note: I didn't know there was a 2017 model.

It's a joy to ride the Bullet. I believe, if you let the motor warm up long enough and afterwards be friendly to the thumper, he will give you a lot back and stay well for a long time. As any other motorbike, but in his case it's something special, maybe not so forgiving as the Inline 4 of the CB or the parallel twin of the W. Don't know how to describe it differently. Whenever I ride the Bullet, it's a very conscious ride with the thought in mind not to push it too hard and better let it roll. The motor shows you, if he wants to run...

Indeed the Bullet's character is unique and you wether like it or not. But be friendly to her, the Bullet deserves it.

Wisedrum

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

Yesterday I saw the first rape blossoms early this year near the midth of April in the north of Germany. With 4° during the day and around 0° at night it feels more like winter than spring. It doesn't matter to me and the nature can't wait to do what feels naturally .....



Wisedrum

Great snap Wisedrum. The R.E. looks like a very fun bike to ride. I like thumpers because like the R.E., they tend to have unique character.

- - -

PG:

T.E. Lawrence road one of several Brough Superior SS 100s:



Side Note: I didn't know there was a 2017 model.

It's a joy to ride the Bullet. I believe, if you let the motor warm up long enough and afterwards be friendly to the thumper, he will give you a lot back and stay well for a long time. As any other motorbike, but in his case it's something special, maybe not so forgiving as the Inline 4 of the CB or the parallel twin of the W. Don't know how to describe it differently. Whenever I ride the Bullet, it's a very conscious ride with the thought in mind not to push it too hard and better let it roll. The motor shows you, if he wants to run...

Indeed the Bullet's character is unique and you wether like it or not. But be friendly to her, the Bullet deserves it.

Wisedrum

I haven't ridden a single that wasn't a pain to start in cold weather and keep running on initial take off. Mind you, they were all carbureted. The only single that started and complained little on initial take-off was a fuel injected 500 cc Piaggio scooter in winter. She was vibey at 120 km/h but had 39 hp on tap to peak out at 155 on the freeway.

 

[Wisedrum]

The fuel injected Bullet EFI build in 2016 has no problem to start with the electronic starter after very few revs. The idle is also very stable. Here and there I kickstart the motor from time to time. Sometimes I'm succesful, sometimes...after 10.000km everything is okay with the Bullet. I hope it's just the beginning of a good and long ownership.

Wisedrum

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

The fuel injected Bullet EFI build in 2016 has no problem to start with the electronic starter after very few revs. The idle is also very stable. Here and there I kickstart the motor from time to time. Sometimes I'm succesful, sometimes...after 10.000km everything is okay with the Bullet. I hope it's just the beginning of a good and long ownership.

Wisedrum

There is something organic kicking over a lump and bringing it to life.

 

[Wisedrum]

Orange sky, maroon chrome Bullet. Late in the evening.




Wisedrum

 

[the Ferret]

Nice contrasts Wisedrum!