Photo shows a Kawasaki W650 outfit. Now, fast forward to 2011 - 2012 . . . . . now we have the version with a a capacity of 773cc . . . Review: 2011 Kawasaki W800 * poster's note: Poor speed conversion. 120 km/h converts to 74.56 Miles/hour (mph) All the appearance of classic air-cooled motors . . . . . some aspects are as they were in the past . . . .but there have been quite some changes. Kawasaki W800 (actual 773cc) 70 hp . . . . . . 60Nm torque - maximum torque available at 2500 rpm . . . . Now, for the Royal Enfield Bullet EFI . . . you have 499cc 27bhp Torque 41.3 Nm @4000 rpm Sort of a big gap between these two machines. I know which one will be hardly bothered by the addition of a sidecar.
If I were to go the nice and civilized way with an outfit (and not my dirty military Gear up) A Bonnie with two tone paint or that above Kwak with same and Steib or Stoye sidecar! That would be ace. I love the idea of the RE. Its what lots of folks love. The look the feel and the price. Hell if numbers and speed and all that counts then buy that Ninja. Limits yes. But if you know them then avoid that type of riding. Id love to own one some day.
The new Enfields are reportedly very nice, and certainly more modern than the latest Urals in some regards (fuel injection being a big one). But they still wouldn't make a very good tug IMO.
Yes I do thank you . Apart from using push rods in its design it shares nothing with the previous two generations of motors . .
I would like to hear an honest unbiased opinion from a member who has ridden the Royal enfield with cozy sidecar if that's possible?
OK, here's my .02. Having owned an Enfield a Ural and a Triumph Bonneville (new Hinckley version), it really depends on how you plan to use it. I have owned multiple hacks and the desired use and performance will help make your decision. I did not have a sidecar on the RE, but agree it would be underpowered for anything other than in town errand running. I don't think it would be comfortable anywhere near highway speeds.The Urals are also best suited to in town or rural highways at 55-60MPH. The Ural will run at interstate speeds for short periods, but you are certainly pushing it. Disclaimer, my Ural was a 2000 650, I am told the newer 750 engines have improved in power and reliability. The new Bonnevilles are spectacular bikes. It would easily pull a sidecar and would probably be fine at interstate speeds. Search Cozzi Sidecars and you will find a gentleman that puts Cozy sidecars on the new Bonnevilles. Search youtube and you will find multiple videos showing his combinations.
But that isn't Enfield, it is a bloke knocking them up in his shed. A talented bloke I agree, but not factory.
http://www.musketvtwin.com/gallery.html A guy named Aniket here in the US. He's pairing up 350s now, with a 1000 cc in development. Nicer looking case IMHO. Both very cool, and would probably pull a hack no sweat! Seems like a lot of motor for the frame in both cases though.
To me they appear to be a highly-modified Enfield. I.e. They start out with an Enfield. Next you'll be telling me that the next image isn't a Fiat, but "a bloke knocking them up in his shed." Abarth 500 Esseesse
Hi - currently running a 2009 Royal Enfield/sidecar combination. Sidecar is old Watsonian frame with homemade tub. I find it works just fine for my purposes - 20 miles to town, max speed limit 55 mph. Would work better with lighter sidecar so renovating a pre-1989 California Companion sidecar . I wouldn't be comfortable taking it out on a freeway but for local travel it's ok. A Royal Enfield with sidecar is a great looking rig! Al
I'm sort of laughing a bit at some of the replies here over the RE with sidecar. My first experience with sidecars was actually with two Englishmen who were transplants to Texas and both had their Re's with sidecars. They wanted desperately to sell them to me at the time. Desperately is probably not quite enough emphasis of a catch phrase, either. To me, the biggest difference between a RE and a Ural, is that you can pass a stock Ural with a slow moving school bus, but you can pass a RE with attached hack by simply walking out to take out the morning garbage and walking faster than it is going. I found them to be very cool and charming looking myself (The rigs and not the two Englishmen), but underpowered is sort of a misnomer. I am still captivated by the looks though and I suspect a person owning one would actually still find it a blast and every bit as endearing as a Ural.
Just got the pre-1989 California Companion hooked up to the 2009 Royal Enfield. It works great for around here, much better than the homebuilt one i had on before. Hardly know it's there without passenger and still travels fine with 160 pound passenger. Has no problem maintaining 60mph at least on the flat. Companion is lighter, and more streamlined. Hack is light enough that it will fly pretty easy on right turns. I think it's a great combination for me, 20 miles to town, rural roads. Wouldn't be real comfortable spending a lot of time on a freeway with it, but that's not what i consider fun on a bike anyway. The new Enfields with UCE engine are fun, especially if you like the way old bikes look and new ones work. They still retain some of the british bike heritage - "ride, wrench, repeat" - but you can work on them real easy. Definitly conversation starters whenever you stop and get lots of smiles, especially with hack.
Fast forward to 3rd quarter 2018 and the situation as regards to anyone considering a Royal Enfield for sidecar tug-duty is very different: Royal Enfield 650 Twins- Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650 Royal Enfield (RE) will be launching the Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650 in international markets starting with California, USA, somewhere between September 22nd to 26th Key Specs of Interceptor 650 - Displacement 648 cc No. of Cylinders - 2 No. of Gears - 6 Maximum Power - 47 HP @ 7100 rpm Maximum Torque - 52 NM @ 4000 rpm Seat Height - 804 mm Ground Clearance - 174 mm Kerb/Wet Weight - 202 kg Fuel Tank Capacity - 13.70 litres Continental GT 650 on left and Interceptor 650 on right
I hope these new Enfields prove to be reliable bikes. Hopefully more reliable than a modern Ural. I have a Triumph Scrambler I would love to put a hack on but by the time I'll be financially able to do so, the bike will probably have been rode into the ground. Not so keen on the most recent Scrambler from Triumph as it's lost some of its simplicity by going EFI, water-cooling, electronic gizmos, and all that. I absolutely love the simplicity of these Enfields and would love to own one some day, perhaps to put a hack on an Interceptor. I just hope that by the time I'm ready to do so, these modern Enfields have a proven track of reliability. It seems most people in America who have bought RE Himalayans are happy so far, and I hope that trend continues.
I find that amusing, as there seems to be a strong similarity between the two. Some love them and have good luck with them, some find they don't fill their needs and move on, some bash them because they aren't what they aren't, and a few have terrible luck with them.
Yeah, and my luck is exactly why I went with a KLR to replace my Ural rather than a Himalayan. On paper, the Himalayan was EXACTLY what I wanted. But given my luck with bikes from non-typical manufacturers..... Of course I haven't had the best of luck with KLRs come to think of it. One destroyed by a hurricane and one stolen. I've had great luck with Triumphs. Should I have gotten a Tiger?