Talk me into (or out of) a Royal Enfield

So, Hammer, what you're saying is you know a guy who saw a guy trying to start his RE, and that guy was bitching about it, yes?

I think the OP was looking for a little more useful feedback.

Huh. Let's see. You could have moved on to the next thread but instead you stop and post this. Who's the time waster?

I don't nkow what he did, but there was no valve cap. Coult be as simple as decarbonizing. This had caused the top of the valve to wear, which he solved by placing a longer pushrod. It also caused the rocker to be under a more extreme angle, this stressed the pushrod more, resulting in it breaking.

I had a new Bullet in 1993 as my only form of transport and it never let me down. Yes it was slow compared to other similar displacement modern bikes, but the riding experience cannot be compared.

Comparing them to a Japanese bike is missing the point.

In fact I've just sold my 883 Sportster to buy the new Continental GT and I'm loving it!

Go for it I say!

John

The Iron Barrel Bullet (pre 2009 Unit construction motor), like the Ural, has gotten a bad rap by people buying them and trying to use them in a way they were not designed for.
The Iron Barrels are getting scarce, and if you check ebay you will find the prices have escalated quite a bit.
If we ever get into a Mad Max type of situation, this would be a perfect bike: carb, points, drum brakes, 65 mpg, easy to work on.
Ebay has pages and pages of parts that are cheap, direct from India. I recently bought the 13" footrest bar for $11 shipped and it arrived in less than a week from India.
There are numerous mods for the bike to improve reliability and performance. It's the closest to a mid 60's BSA you are going to get, and that's a good thing.

The best thing I did to my 2007 is put the Amal Concentric kit on it-it made that bike a whole different machine.

I have a several bikes to finish up before starting something new. But if I could find a crashed (but running) R.E I would like to build something along these lines...

I like mine, over 18,000 miles on it so far!

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=991734

No idea what market value would be. These aren't expensive bikes even new but they're only going to go down so far so if unmolested and runs good and titled $1400 doesn't sound unreasonable. Not a steal but not crazy either. I think 5 years ago I paid $1900 for an 05(?) bone stock w/6000 miles. Crazy fun old school thumper. They do require frequent hands on servicing likely more often than you're used to but it's all simple basic stuff. The iron barrels don't like steady hwy speeds. They're not designed for freeways but they'll run blueline hwys 55-65 all day if you vary the speeds. Steady 65 for along time will cook the jug...vary your speeds often. It's a 30's era design as in "pre interstate" design. No they are not new era Jap rockets but they are light easy to handle standard motorcycles. Great fun and a lot cheaper to get into than an old clapped out Brit thumper that needs rebuilding. Reliability will be "highly" dependent on your commitment to "required servicing" and if used w/in its intended design parameters. If it's really a well maintained good running condition iron barrel, for a part time back roads screw around bike you'll have a lot of fun for $1400.

Here is mine an iron barrel i rebuilt into a semi road scrambler, added a front disc and quite a few other upgrades to try to make it smoother and more usable. They are fine for a few hours run out on little back roads or even as a slow everyday commuter but the general build quality is appauling, the ride,and braking are poor and the indian Enfields do not have the torque of the original british built units. They are basic and easy to work on but they do need regular attention. They are fun and put a smile on your face but the limitations become frustrating in modern traffic ie very slow, poor brakes, cnadles for lights etc.

This along with the engine component parts which are very very compromised on balance and quality. Bearings are really incorrect for the 500 (ok for the 350 but overstressed for the 500), castings are variable in thickness and quality - some are said to be porus ! if your going to buy one tread very carefully - if its been thrashed the big end will let loose at some time.

Also note that every nut and bolt seems to come from a different design of thread, bolt pitch and size range so nothing is standardised.

They are appealing in some ways but for what you pay even though they really are shite, they still have some weird attraction, and in all honesty if your going to get one try to buy an original UK built one whiich with a bit of fettling is a better bike.

I would talk it down to $1300.00 and go for it.
While they seem like the wrong bike to run hard for lots of miles, they seem like they would be a lot of fun.

It may take a lot of looking after if you use it often, like any old bike, and you can spend a lot of money correcting some of the flaws, but some people really enjoy that.

I would really love to try one of the new ones.

Buy it! (I love spending other peoples' money)

I'd own one in a heartbeat if I had room in the garage. But I work on my own stuff and like weird things.

There are a couple of college students in town that successfully ride theirs daily and have them parked outdoors at apartment complexes. That tells me that they can't be as bad as some people say otherwise, they wouldn't run.

I have gotten to ride the 2014 Continental GT and I must say it was a bit slow for my taste. Cool, but so slow :) But the bike fit my body very well and it was really enjoyable to ride.

Of course the GT is nothing like the bike you are looking at. Yours would be closer to a farm tractor.

Do you have a garage full of tools to support any annoying problems that might come up? If yes, definitely buy it. Why not? Life is short and boring. There's a lot of people online that know how to keep them running reliably and the work videos I've watched on youtube about how to change the clutch, chains, how to start, etc.... all look like a cakewalk to anyone that can turn a wrench and remember how to do some simple weird things not required of a Honda Nighthawk owner.

Bought it.

Love it.

People literally approach me on the street with offers to buy it.

I miss my '68 750 Tourist Trophy Interceptor 750. They had an undeserved reputation for being fast, but they were really fun. Handled well, comfortable, and good looking.

I made money on it

The bad:

NO brakes

Albion Transmission shifts like crap if you are in a hurry. It had a neutral finder, and it really really needed it.

Hard to get parts for.









I would have an Indian Bullet. Cheap, fun, and not likely to depreciate.

Makes at least as much sense as a Guzzi to me. I would rather have another B50 or a B44, but its half the money.

REAL RE's have gotten expensive. Right after I sold mine, ha ha

A 2003 with cosmetic issues popped up on Craigslist, no price listed. After reading this thread I called on it. Turns out the tank and one side panel have scuffs and/or battery acid damage. It has almost 10,000 miles on it, too.
Price? $3200.
I said thanks and hung up.

Some of the ones they sold in Australia had the big tank and I lusted after one at the time; one of the best looking big bikes made. Bloke I knew owned one and it wasn't all that reliable unfortunately.



You are right about the prices - getting to $20K here for one in reasonable running order. Haven't seen one of the big tank models for many years.

>>I miss my '68 750 Tourist Trophy Interceptor 750<<

Dang, I had one just like it back i n the early 90s. It's one (among many) I never should have sold, as they're going for huge money now!

Congratulations

(and: told you so )

That Series II had to be a lot better, with Norton forks and brakes. Easy upgrade to a disc. Easy timing adjustment without the distributor behind the cylinders. I thought that the earlier ones with RE forks looked better though.

I had a 1969 H regd intercepter 750 mk2 it was fast and i enjoyed riding it, i had it in 1976 for about a year. I paid £120 for it and was told by many at the time that was £100 too much, but i loved it and regret parting with it.