Royal Enfield Motorcycles

1956 Indian single-cylinder project for sale

2011-08-13T12:46:00.002-04:00

FOR SALE on CraigsList in San Luis Opisbo, Calif. Disassembled. Single cylinder. 90 percent complete. Original black paint.

Indian Fire Arrow was an unusual Royal Enfield

2011-08-13T09:00:00.001-04:00

1956 Royal Enfield Clipper looked sharp in Indian Fire Arrow red.

It's a 1956 Indian Fire Arrow, by Royal Enfield. Hans van Heesch in the Netherlands was kind enough to share these pictures of his motorcycle. We earlier showed his 1959 Indian Chief.

Hans says that he buys his Indians in the United States — certainly a roundabout way for a British Royal Enfield to get to Europe.

This Indian Fire Arrow sports original paint.

When the hallowed American firm Indian stopped making its own motorcycles in 1953, Royal Enfields were bought in and rebadged for sale in the U.S. as Indians. The Royal Enfield line was so broad, at the time, that Indian instantly gained a broad spectrum of products.

His Fire Arrow sports original paint, Hans writes. According to the literature I have on hand, the Fire Arrow was a 248cc single-cylinder Royal Enfield Clipper, with the Indian emblem on its front mudguard. It had Royal Enfield's revolutionary swinging fork rear suspension.

Nacelle is Royal Enfield, but where are the pilot lights?

In the America of 1956 it was a considerable innovation for a motorcycle to have a rear suspension of any kind! Kidney belts were a not uncommon accessory for the motorcyclist of the day.

The Fire Arrow came in Indian red, with a black frame and forks. This was a bright change for the Clipper which, in England, came in (shudder) olive green.

250cc size was popular in Britain as a learner's motorcycle.

Extraordinary for a Royal Enfield is that the Fire Arrow (and Clipper) had the corporate nacelle, or casquette, enclosing the headlamp and instruments, but with a difference. Look closely: there are no pilot lights!

A Royal Enfield with no neutral finder?

Another omission: No neutral finder on the Albion transmission! This was a Royal Enfield built to a price, obviously.

The oval air-cleaner box was new for 1955. Want to see another example of an oval box on a Royal Enfield? Check out the newest Royal Enfield C5.

Latest Royal Enfield Classic 500 sports the same oval box of 1956.

Hear a song about the Royal Enfield Bullet

2011-08-07T20:56:00.004-04:00

Hear the song "Bullet" by folksinger Gray Hawke. Get it on his CD "A Place to Live" for $10, including postage. Email GrayHawke619@gmail.com with your address. Proceeds benefit Claire House childrens' hospice.

2011-06-05T12:15:00.003-04:00

2011-04-12T09:39:00.006-04:00

2010-12-04T15:59:00.000-05:00

FloridaRambler.com guides you to best tiki bars in the Keys

2010-10-05T12:31:00.005-04:00

The website Florida Rambler is a great resource for motorcyclists, guiding you the best places for outdoor fun and, yes, tiki bars in the Florida Keys and elsewhere in Florida.

Get ready to rumble with Brit-bike gear

2010-10-01T08:33:00.001-04:00

Show your spirit with Brit bike tees and gear

2010-04-01T21:18:00.000-04:00

Royal Enfield C5 comes to the U.S.in Battle Green Military color

2010-03-13T09:19:00.007-05:00

Royal Enfield's top-of-the-line Bullet Classic 500 comes to the U.S. in Military colors for 2010. The new Battle Green model joins the veteran red, black and green colors. Read about it here.

Royal Enfield Rider Experience

2010-02-22T09:21:00.005-05:00

Royal Enfield is offering demo rides at Bike Week in Daytona Beach, Fla., through noon Saturday, March 6. The Royal Enfield Experience is at Scooter Superstore of America, 1459 N. U.S. Highway 1 in Ormond Beach, Fla.

Royal Enfield Indian Chief had it all

2010-02-11T09:47:00.003-05:00

This 1959 Royal Enfield Indian Chief really packed authority. Read about it here.

Britain's Royal Enfield Bullet changed

2010-01-28T08:49:00.005-05:00

This Royal Enfield looks strange to Americans but it was a common sight in England. Read about the Bullet Britain built.

Royal Enfield twin looks good and fast

2010-01-26T21:47:00.003-05:00

Royal Enfield doesn't make a twin-cylinder motorcycle. Why not? It's apparently so easy that people keep doing it on their own. The motorcycle shown here is a made-in-India Bullet with a made-in-England Royal Enfield vertical twin in it.

Raffled Royal Enfield goes up for sale

2010-01-25T09:06:00.000-05:00

Ain't it just the way? The new Royal Enfield C5 Classic raffled off in December was won by someone who can't ride. It's for sale now, unused, on CraigsList in Scottsdale, Ariz. Asking price is $4,795. This is a motorcycle with a suggested retail price of $6,850.

Royal Enfield 'Chrome' inspired great photo

2010-01-23T09:47:00.000-05:00

A marvelous photograph captures the appeal for Royal Enfield's "Chrome" model. See more.

Tape trick makes Royal Enfield special

2010-01-21T10:13:00.000-05:00

Your Royal Enfield C5 doesn't have to look like every other. A subtle addition of tape along a fender makes this one look special.

Royal Enfield diesels and neat trailers

2010-01-18T21:37:00.005-05:00

A Royal Enfield motorcycle powered by a diesel motor and pulling a trailer: We've had two of them on this blog and they're both from Germany. Click on the picture to read more.

Some of my best Royal Enfield blog posts

2009-12-20T14:42:00.010-05:00

WILL C5 GET A KICK START?
Royal Enfield Bullet Classic 500 motorcycles sold in the United States have electric start only. But, in India, you get a kick start lever, too.

ROYAL ENFIELD'S TRIP TO BONNEVILLE
Dan Holmes and his Bonneville Bullet team tried to teach an old motorcycle new tricks at the Bonneville Salt Flats.

THE LIFE AND DEATH OF COLONEL BLIMP
This move stiffened Britain's upper lip in the midst of World War II and includes a magnificent sequence of motorcycle couriers in action.

'ACE' BARS ARE QUICK WAY TO ADD SPEED
They look great and help you go faster, but are Ace handlebars comfortable enough for daily use? One man says yes.

WOULD YOUR WIFE SELL YOUR BIKE?
Women, especially wives, seem to get all the blame when a man sells his motorcycle. Something tells me that she's just an excuse.

WAR INSPIRED ROYAL ENFIELD MILITARY
The British army considered motorcycles essential in mechanized war, and even considered arming them with Tommy guns.

MARTY SCOTT BROUGHT ENFIELD TO US
It was a huge challenge to bring made-in-India Enfield motorcycles to the United States. Martin Scott is the man who did it.

ANSWER TO ROYAL ENFIELD MYSTERY
After its owner died, it was hard to know what this Royal Enfield motorcycle had been. Then we found the answer he'd left behind.

IS THE RIDE TO WORK THE ROUGHEST?
Commuting has its challenges, but the Royal Enfield Bullet makes the trip to the office fun and exciting.

Royal Enfield Bullet Sixty-5 was really a very special motorcycle

2009-12-13T12:36:00.007-05:00

The Royal Enfield Bullet Sixty-5 was a groundbreaking model. Read about what made it so special and where they got the name "Sixty-5".

Royal Enfields coming to California

2009-12-11T10:02:00.010-05:00

New Royal Enfield motorcycles have made their first appearance in California. Finally! And Californians are thrilled.

Royal Enfield coming to Canada

2009-11-23T10:42:00.006-05:00

New Royal Enfield motorcycles will be available from dealers across Canada in the spring of 2010. Here's what we know so far.

Royal Enfield to open dealers in California

2009-11-18T10:24:00.002-05:00

Royal Enfield motorcycles are coming to California, at long last. Here's what we know so far about their California launch.

2009-11-05T09:38:00.005-05:00

Martin Scott is the man who brought made-in-India Royal Enfield motorcycles to the United States in 1995. His accomplishment was a triumph of imagination, good luck and hard work. He says it was fun, while it lasted. This is his story.

Mystical message solved motorcycle mystery

2009-07-30T12:35:00.006-04:00

Vintage motorcycles, classic motorcycles and old motorcycles in general pick up human stories as they go through their mechanical lives. We don't always know the stories. There is every chance that an inanimate object like a motorcycle will outlive its rider. The mileage on the odometer will suggest that good times were had, but not much more.

One consolation may be that our motorcycles do remember us to their future owners, in silent testimony. Someone replaced that horn. These handlebars aren't standard equipment. Look, here's the factory color underneath the black primer. They are evidence that we once lived and lived through them, enjoying our lives and changing theirs.

I got a sharp reminder of this yesterday and blogged about it at Royal Enfield Motorcycles.

Here's what happened: I was looking through some pictures emailed to me by the daughter of a man who had just died. I'd been writing to her trying to answer a question about his motorcycle, which she was selling.

Saddened to hear of her loss, I concentrated on the words in her email. I set the photos aside. I knew I would look at them later.

When I finally looked at them again, more than a week later, one of them seemed to leap out at me. It was a picture of the woman's father, next to his motorcycle, and he was holding a sign in his hands.

Written on the sign was the solution to the very mystery that I was trying to solve.

Sometimes you hear of people who experience something in life and barely take notice of it. Typically, I think, what you have is a delayed reaction. I was reading about a secretary in England during the Blitz. A bullet came through the window of her office, narrowly missing her. Half an hour later, she fainted.

I didn't faint, but something similar happened. Impressed by my great good fortune in being handed the answer to my question, I worked up my blog item, including the photo in question. Only with that done did I begin to reflect.

The mystery I was trying to solve was whether or not this motorcycle was a Royal Enfield Hornet, a model sold for one year only and only, apparently, in the United States. The daughter didn't know and her father couldn't satisfactorily tell her. With the help of other Royal Enfield owners, who provided pictures, I did manage to ascertain that the motorcycle probably was a Hornet.

But there was no knowing for sure; at least so it seemed when, shortly after our correspondence began, the father died. The daughter wrote that her father had enjoyed the attention to his long-time motorcycle restoration project, and that seemed the end of it.

Then I picked up that picture. It seems that, more than a year before his death, the motorcycle owner had decided to pose for a prank photo to send to a friend in England. The picture would remind his friend that a new wiring harness was needed for the motorcycle. To add humor, the motorcycle was strewn with extension cords to make it look like a wiring disaster.

In his hands, the owner held a handmade sign advertising that he needed a wiring harness for his Royal Enfield Hornet. The motorcycle was indeed a Hornet.

The happy smile on the man's face tells you that he sees the humor in the photo. But I wonder if he would not have laughed still more to know the shock it gave me. It was as if he was speaking to me from Beyond.

2009-07-14T09:58:00.002-04:00

2009-07-14T09:06:00.001-04:00

Before Bunty, Britain's battleax was Blimp

2009-05-30T07:00:00.011-04:00

One of my favorite films is The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, not least because it opens with a terrific scene of British Army dispatch riders in action on their motorcycles. Note, in this brief clip from the 2002 Criterion Collection restoration, the rider who delivers the message is referred to as a "Don-R" -- military speak for Dispatch Rider.

The original Colonel Blimp was a cartoon character that first appeared in British newspapers of the 1930s. Fat and bald, with a walrus mustache, the colonel was often found holding forth in the Turkish bath at his club.

"Egad, Sir!" he would announce. "England must keep her colonies, even if that means we have to buy a geography book and figure out where they are!"

Or: "War is not inevitable and never will be unless we do something about it!"

The similarities to Royal Enfield's own Major Bertram "Bunty" Golightly are obvious, although Bunty makes his outrageous statements on the Internet. Col. Blimp got quite a promotion in 1943, when he became the subject of Life and Death, by movie makers Michael Powell and Emerc Pressburger.

Actor Roger Livesey brought Blimp to life as British officer (eventually general) Clive Wynne-Candy.

Making a Technicolor comedy about an overweight British general during World War II was controversial. Winston Churchill personally tried to block distribution of the film, for fear it would hurt army morale.

Powell was denied military help making the picture, a real problem since nearly all the male actors of military age were in the military in 1942. Plastic manikins in uniform were used to fill out crowd scenes.

When the Ministry of Information asked Powell where he DID get the guns and other materials shown in the movie, he said he responded "we stole them; you just don't understand how studio prop men work. They'll get you anything."

The authorities might not have liked it, but audiences adored the patriotic old officer. Besides, if Clive wasn't worth fighting for, the then 21-year-old Deborah Kerr, lips Technicolor red, certainly was.

IMDB photo

Ultimately The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp was a terrifically effective propaganda film. Today the lengthy speeches about the need to fight Nazism would be left unsaid. But they were accurate enough. Pressburger wrote them; born in Hungary, he had fled that evil.

If you haven't seen the film, here's a bit of a spoiler: Clive Wynne-Candy doesn't die in the end. For the man who invented Colonel Blimp, however, the end of the war did eventually bring an end to his creation. Cartoonist David Low wrote in his autobiography:

"When World War II ended there was just as much mental muddle in the world, perhaps even more than before; but Blimp as a character had become too identified with the pre-war and war years to fit easily into the post-war chapter."

Luckily, in our Bunty, fans of Royal Enfield motorcycles can still enjoy the outrageous pronouncements of just such a patriotic blowhard. The Royal Enfield Military model is a decent substitute for the dispatch rider's motorcycle of World War II.

I know of no substitute for Deborah Kerr.

Magazine plans test for Royal Enfield

2009-05-14T11:49:00.004-04:00

Overland Journal magazine will test a new Royal Enfield G5 motorcycle. The magazine's latest "project bike" will likely face its first big test circumnavigating the Grand Canyon in June.

Royal Enfield motorcycles have long been used for adventure expeditions in the Himalayan Mountains and elsewhere in India. In the United States, however, they sometimes do little more than carry their riders to breakfast on Sunday mornings.

Overland Journal plans a tougher time than that for the G5, which features Royal Enfield's brand new unit constructed motor and fuel injection. The publication specializes in "vehicle dependent" expeditions all over the planet. It is based in Arizona, however, and, for starters, that is where the Royal Enfield will roam.

Safety tip for motorcyclists

2009-05-12T17:58:00.003-04:00

A panic stop is one of the scariest things a motorcyclist has to do. It's even more frightening when as you grab the brake your engine begins to rev out of control. Here's a tip that can save you this experience.

If this has happened to you, you probably realize that the motor revved up suddenly because, when you pulled on the front brake lever, the movement of your hand back and down rolled the throttle open. You instinctively pulled in the clutch with your other hand, so the motor was free to rev madly.

The trick is to find some way to prevent this from happening. It has to be something that operates automatically. It can't be something you have to think about when you need to stop in a hurry.

And here it is: ride with your four fingers resting lightly atop the brake lever but not far enough out there to operate the lever. Your thumb is wrapped around the throttle: it has to be, because it's your only grip on it.

When it comes time to stop, you will naturally roll your hand forward. Your thumb closes the throttle while your fingers reach for the lever and then pull it back against the resistance of your thumb. Simple!

Why doesn't this happen on its own? If you pay no attention to where your fingers are when you ride, you will have to open your hand completely and grab for the lever in an emergency. Your thumb naturally opens too and, when you close your fist, your thumb may not be in position to anchor your fingers.

You will have to pull down and back to pull the brake lever and your thumb and palm will roll on more throttle when you do.

Technical people prefer simple motorcycles

2009-05-11T16:44:00.003-04:00

Why is it that people in highly technical fields like relatively unsophisticated Royal Enfield motorcycles?

Peter E. Raymond of Brooklyn, N.Y., wanted a new Royal Enfield Bullet, but decided not to wait for the newest model.

"I bought the old engine because I like the sound and tweakability." That is just the way he is.

Buy you ought to read his job description!

Spy shot: New Royal Enfields head to U.S.

2009-05-09T18:30:00.004-04:00

Spy shot! Brand new 2009 Royal Enfield C-5 motorcycles being crated for delivery to the United States at the factory in Chennai, India. For full details on Royal Enfield's new retro-styled motorcycle click here.

Military model inspired by dispatch riders

2009-05-08T21:19:00.009-04:00

World War II British Army dispatch riders are the inspiration for the Military model of the Royal Enfield Bullet motorcycle. The 1943 movie The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp opens with a fantastic sequence of motorcycle mounted dispatch riders in action. It's a wonderful movie, and the tradition bound Blimp is, no doubt, the inspiration for Royal Enfield's own Mad Major "Bunty" Golightly. Watch a snippet of the movie dispatch riders and read about Col. Blimp and his relation to Bunty.

He keeps Royal Enfield rolling in the U.S.

2009-04-07T17:02:00.005-04:00

Classic hard work enabled Kevin Mahoney to steer Royal Enfield motorcycles to success in the United States. Read the remarkable story of the man behind Classic Motorworks.
Part I
Part II

Video tour of the Royal Enfield factory

2009-04-07T12:11:00.003-04:00

Tour the Royal Enfield factory in Chennai, India. This video was shot by Kevin Mahoney of Classic Motorworks, the U.S. importer of Royal Enfield motorcycles, on a visit in 2008.

Buying an Enfield is emotional decision

2009-04-07T10:45:00.004-04:00

Considering buying a Royal Enfield Bullet motorcycle? Read about how a newspaper article changed one man's life.

For sale: A Royal Enfield with no blinkers

2009-03-26T09:05:00.004-04:00

A 2000 Royal Enfield Bullet Deluxe is on sale on eBay in Milwaukee, Wis., with only two little problems, according to the seller: a small tear in the seat and "the blinkers rattled off after a few miles (I still have them, but they are in pieces)."

Based on my experience, the missing blinkers are no surprise.

As he delivered my shiny new Royal Enfield Bullet, my dealer pointed to the turn signals and mentioned, "you know, we do sell nice replacements for those."

I considered it a moment, remembering that I had dropped a motorcycle twice (once on each side) during motorcycle training class. "Well, let me knock these off first!" I replied.

Luckily, I haven't dropped my Bullet, but the turn signals came off anyway, in the course of 40,000 miles.

The plastic stalks snapped. Maybe vibration was to blame but I really think the the stalks just reverted back to their origin as soybeans or recycled refrigerator cartons. They seemed to become brittle with age; you can crumble the originals from mine with your fingers.

The big (some say ugly) turn signals are required by U.S. road regulations, but once they're in the hands of owners many are replaced with more tasteful looking items. If the used bike you're considering comes with after-market blinkers you probably should consider that a definite improvement.

Royal Enfield no doubt thought the original turn signals an inexpensive way to meet regulations, in the realization that many would get replaced anyway. But they did let down the character of the bike, which is otherwise largely Made of Metal, and proud of it.

Royal Enfield 350 is traditional size

2009-03-25T18:07:00.003-04:00

There is a special romance to the 350cc Royal Enfield Bullet motorcycle. Most Royal Enfields sold in the U.S. are 500cc. But the original Bullet, in England, was a 350, and most of the many thousands sold in India always have been.

Owners claim their 350s have a nicer, gentler "thump," are more reliable and almost as fast.

Some of the 350cc Bullets available now in the U.S. were imported privately from India so, if you want one, you either have to be prepared to deal with that (is the paperwork really in order?) or make sure that the bike is one of the 350s officially imported.

Just such an "honest" 350 Bullet has gone up for sale on CraigsList in Boulder City, Nev. It is a 2000 model, Avon gray, and is advertised as having only 589 miles. Asking price is $2,000.

do we know it is a legitimate import? Simple: it has the shift lever on the left, as U.S. laws require. This was accomplished by running a goofy shaft under the bike to carry the motion to the four-speed transmission, which is on the right. Four-speed Royal Enfields in India have their shift levers on the right.

Vintage motorcycle manuals offered on CD

2009-02-26T07:00:00.002-05:00

A collector of vintage motorcycle manuals is offering his precious finds on CD for $9.99 plus shipping. It's an original idea and the YouTube video advertising the CD is enjoyable. A Royal Enfield motorcycle is one of the first images to come up.

The seller says the CD contains a full version of Mondern Motorcycle Mechanics, Third Edition, from 1948 and there is a U.S Army handbook on motorcycles circa 1953.

It's fun to watch as the video flips through pages. According to the seller the CD is searchable, so finding your favorite motorcycles should be easy.

I have no connection to the seller and, since I don't have the CD, I can't tell you if it really is as good a buy as it appears to be. But watching the video is free. Take a look. The seller's web site is http://www.frontier-trading.com/

Ever wonder how they think YOU look?

2009-02-11T08:57:00.004-05:00

India Automotive reported that Harley-Davidson is considering opening motorcycle stores in India in 2009. The big, thirsty Harleys would be subject to high import duties and so would appeal only to "well heeled" customers, the story said.

It was the illustration that made me laugh. A chunky, bearded rider on a fat Harley-Davidson cruises with a passenger, a woman whose bra strap is not so artfully on display. This is the image Harley-Davidson has in India, apparently. Not surprising. Most Americans probably have the same mental picture when the brand is mentioned.

Riding my Royal Enfield Bullet in the United States I occasionally get a reaction that stereotypes India. Recently, in a parking lot, a big American admired my motorcycle and I explained it was built in India. He did a convincing imitation of a sing-song Indian accent in praise of my Bullet. He meant no disrespect: he had learned it from Indian co-workers who probably find him amusing.

Still, it's always a bit odd to see or hear how other people think of you. The big Harley-Davidson is the motorcycle of America and Americans have a weight problem. So I can't really complain about the picture.

Except for one thing: In India, Harley-Davidsons would be ridden by Indians. That gives you another picture entirely. No visible bra straps, at least.

Royal Enfield at New York show

2009-01-18T10:44:00.001-05:00

Royal Enfield with sidecar, originally uploaded by dclarson.

Spotted on Flickr, pictures by dclarson of the Royal Enfield Exhibit at the New York International Motorcycle Show. None of that "do not touch the merchandise" stuff for Royal Enfield!

A Royal Enfield greeting card for you

2008-12-16T07:00:00.001-05:00

Here's best wishes for a happy and safe holiday season for you and yours. Please feel free to right-click on the image and copy it into your own holiday emails and notes.

All best from http://www.royalenfields.com/

Royal Enfield: To buy or not to buy?

2008-11-17T07:00:00.001-05:00

"It's a creature from another age."

It all started with a simple question from a member: should he get a Royal Enfield Bullet for his wife to ride? Replies on the JockeyJournal.com forum quickly fell into the usual camps: "sure, go ahead," and "they're too slow, too cranky and not worth the money."

Some spoke from experience. Others had just heard reports. One Royal Enfield owner spoke with calm authority: JL, the owner of the bike shown above.

"I love my Bullet, my wife loves hers, too. Whether you will depends on your enthusiasm and expertise. They've been our main transport for four years and many thousands of miles, and we'll probably never part with them. (They're not worth much, anyway!) Despite all this I have no illusions about them; the quality is pretty low. Don't be fooled by the new ones either, they're not much better, and to me it's not worth putting up with the problems for what looks like an ugly '70s commuter.

"Plus points: Attracts a crowd every time you go out. Points ignition, kick starter, simplicity etc. Reliability (yes, really. We've stopped twice in 35,000 miles. Blown fuse, blown condenser. Had spares with me.) Incredibly cheap parts. Can be geared up (lots). Cool looks. I've lowered mine a couple of inches, changed the ugly seat and painted over the cheesy chrome.

"Minus points: Attracts a crowd of boring old men every time you go out. You will need lots of those cheap parts. (If you do a lot of hard miles like we do; daily commute, 1,500-mile camping trips, etc.) Pretty slow. We tend to cruise at 60ish, although we've ended up on some cool roads because of that."

Although especially well put, JL's comments won't surprise anyone who follows Royal Enfield forums. He did make one point that probably is especially important, but often overlooked: Price:

"If you buy one really cheap like we did, you may grow very fond of it, but if you pay too much you'll be forever cursing it."

Also instructive was JL's response to a member who had heard a story of an Enfield always being in the shop:

"I don't think a shop gives you an accurate idea of your average Enfield's reliability. The sort of person who has a shop look after his bike is always going to struggle with an Enfield. People who are interested in their own bike, and capable of moronically simple maintenance don't seem to have too many problems. Also, the 40-mph thing is just plain horseshit. If you read my earlier post you'll see I have absolutely no illusions about these bikes, but if you think of it as a brand-new 1955 bike rather than as a 2008 Honda, you shouldn't be too disappointed, as long as (crucially) you didn't pay too much."

The picture of JL's bike caused another forum member to comment: "JL's pic really captures the spirit of the old beast. It's a creature from another age, an age without freeways or many high quality roads. Like a Model T or something."

JL describes himself as a "bike mechanic,'' residing "near Pengenffordd" in the UK. Naturally, I had to check Pengenffordd on Google maps to see if it is a real place. Apparently so. And it looks like fantastic Royal Enfield country.

The accidental movie

2008-11-04T14:46:00.000-05:00

A dry run for moving editing software for this blog.

Royal Enfield turns man into mechanic

2008-10-29T10:39:00.000-04:00

Part Three

Josh Moore of Kansas knew he was in for a challenge when he bought a Royal Enfield Military. For one, he confesses he has always been careless about maintaining his cars. He was going to have to learn to take care of the Enfield. He writes:

"Thus far, it has been one of the greatest decisions I've ever made. The bike was brand new, but even so, had a few problems when I got it delivered to me. The headlight was already burnt out. Two fuses were blown. I ended up tinkering with the bike, and basically taught myself how to change out these parts on my own.

"For me, this was a HUGE accomplishment, and signaled the dawn of a new era in my life: gone were the days of not knowing or caring a thing about the mechanics of a vehicle; gone were the days of the constant neglect and lack of appreciation for the machinery underneath me; gone were the days when I would rely on someone I knew, or a mechanic, to take care of even the most routine and minor issues.

"The phrase that I'd heard repeated ad nauseam on Enfield forums across the Internet, 'Enfields turn men into mechanics,' was becoming a reality for me.

"It has been about two months now that I've owned my Bullet. I've replaced the headlight twice, and have replaced four blown fuses. I'm almost positive that I have a regulator putting out too much energy, and a loose wire or two slapping against the frame. My dealer is sending me a new regulator for the bike, which will arrive in about a week. Further, I have just put about 500 miles on the bike, and it's time for my first service and maintenance.

"I've decided, for better or worse, I'm going to attempt to do all of this on my own. I'm a fairly intelligent guy, and can usually trace the source of a problem from Point A to Point B. I think with the guidance of a well-informed and enthusiastic Enfield community and the right tools, I can get the first service accomplished on my own.

"As far as riding the Bullet, it has been nothing short of fun, fun, FUN! I absolutely love it. I've been very meticulous about the break-in period, but have thoroughly enjoyed riding the bike slowly through gorgeous back roads here in the heart of farm country in southern Kansas. Every time I ride, heads turn, thumbs point up in the air, and hand waves abound."

Next: Riding with Josh Moore.

Pictures of the new Bullet

2008-10-13T22:13:00.000-04:00

2008-10-12T15:20:00.000-04:00

Motor on over to www.royalenfields.com

2008-10-04T16:53:00.000-04:00

Hello. I write the Royal Enfields blog, offering news, gossip and technical tips about Royal Enfield motorcycles. I also list interesting Royal Enfield motorcycles for sale in the United States. I'd rather have you visit my main site but here you will find items and ideas in the works.