Royal Enfield Cafe Racer News or Thoughts?

Crusader

Crusader

I have no clue what I'm doing. :D
I keep seeing the proclaimed mystical Royal Enfield Continental GT Cafe Racer popping up. You can even pre order it from a dealer down in Dallas (only 2 hours from me...tempting) for a pretty penny ($1000).

http://mj-sales-cars.ebizautos.com/detail-2014-royal_enfield-cafe_racer-taking_orders_now_exclamation_exclamation_exclamation_-new-9712447.html

I was just wondering if anyone had any news aside from the blogs about the specs and potential release dates in India and the UK (not helpful...at all). It is obviously quite appealing aesthetically, but what do y'all think about it over all? Is it worth the coin? Will it perform? And once again, has anyone heard a damn thing other than "it will be released soon."?
 
It's worth whatever somebody is willing to pay.

If you are after a vintage looking bike, want fuel injection, and don't want to buy a Triumph, than yes the RE would fit the bill. But that $1000 deposit can also buy a first generation GS500 that has about 20 ish more horsepower, 17" wheels, parts availability, etc. It's my understanding that there were no major engine changes to the Cafe edition of the Royal Enfield.

I'm sure somebody will correct me though.
 
For half the cost of that RE, you could build an XS650/cb500four/gs500/kz750/etc. cafe that looks the part and would out perform that Enfield any day of the week. Now, if you don't have the skill/resources/want to build something yourself I'm sure a few quick searches of Craigslist would yeild you some kick ass cafes for quite a bit less than the RE.
 
Re: Re: Royal Enfield Cafe Racer News or Thoughts?

VonYinzer said:
For half the cost of that RE, you could build an XS650/cb500four/gs500/kz750/etc. Now, if you don't have the skill/resources/want to build something yourself I'm sure a few quick searches of Craigslist would yeild you some kick ass cafes for quite a bit less than the RE.
Click to expand...
Or for half that price I will build one of the above named for you.
 
So it seems like nobody is that pumped about it then? Obviously YOU can build your own for about half of that where you guys live but around here people want $4000+ for a stock CB750 in okay-ish condition. An abandoned barn rusted heap of shit project bike that needs some serious work to get running properly is still about 2K for whatever reason by me (People in Oklahoma will paint their feces gold and try to sell it).

The bike I have now is awesome. It was all completely restored by a custom bike shop (6 hours away). There is a lot of custom fab work done to it. That said, I've been wanting to start working on a second one to have a bike for the wife, but the problem is, I have to drive 6 hours to find deals. And when it comes to custom work I have no idea what I'm doing and I don't exactly want to start hammering on a perfectly good tank for knee indentions (for example) when I have NO clue what I'm doing and the damn tank costed $300. I would love to jump right in on one if I could find a good deal around here but when I have to drop 5k to get a bike running and another couple Gs to get it where I want it, whats the point? I know that sounds cynical and pouty but truthfully it shouldn't cost that much money and I think most people can agree with me on that.

Thats kind of the road that led me to the Royal Enfield. I've always had a thing for the nostalgic RE heritage and I saw the cafe bike they were making. Its beautiful and brand new the way I want it from the factory (aesthetically..not too sure about performance after what y'all said). I was just hoping somebody would have some insight or at least a rumor of when they will be available here.
 
i have no idea when they will be available here. Nor any real interest. Looking at the photos it seems to meet the 2013 idea of what a 1960's cafe racer looked like. And it does look quite handsome. Plus, I assume, it comes with a warranty. The biggest drawback I see is the engine. 535 cc of plonk. Don't get me wrong I love singles. I've been racing them for years. But the basic fact is a Jap multi of the same capacity will run circles around it. Its designed to look fast. BUT with today's speed restrictions there aren't too many places left where you can lay down on the tank and hold the throttle open. So as an around town cruiser of short journey hopper it should prove to be just the job.
 
Personally (as I've said before) I'd rather get an older "iron barrel" enfield, which is genuine vintage tech even though they made them through 2008-ish, and make it unique and faster than the slow factory bike.

The frame on this one is a step up, but since the older bikes handle so well and probably can't put out enough power except in race form to upset the chassis anyhow, it may be overkill.


Google "Ace engineering fireball" and check Kneeslider's write-ups to see how the older models can be hopped up. I'm building a Fireball myself now.
 
Hm..so I can probably dance circles around it with my 400 twin. Thats a little upsetting but also quite a deal breaker and saves me the trouble of wondering when it will come out. I guess I didn't really factor in that its a single. I'm new to motorcycles so the best way I can judge performance is looking at displacement. Rookie mistake :/

Thanks for the disheartening yet informative insight. You crushed my dreams haha.

-Josh
 
Ha! Sorry man.

The beauty of custom bikes is that you can do whatever you want. It takes more time and effort, but in the end it is YOUR bike.
 
Didn't mean to rain on your parade. But you have to look back a ways in history. Royal Enfield singles made in England were designed to get you to work and back. No sporting pretensions. In the early 60s learners in England were restricted to 250s. Royal Enfield came out with 250 Crusader with the necessary cafe bits and bobs of the period. One problem was that the Japs had their 250s which would smoke the Enfield. But it did look the part.

continental05111402.jpg


Move half way around the world. Indian Enfields were much the same as the Enfields of England. Workhorses. 50s technology designed to be repaired in a field with a big hammer.

The new Enfields are no doubt a far better product than years ago but the fact remains they are not really a sporting motorcycle. BUT in this day and age looks are far more important than substance. The new Enfield is a looker. No doubt about it and that seems to be the important factor today. Look good first. Performance second.

Store bought is fine but for me I would much prefer to build it myself.
 
I completely agree with you guys. I've built many firearms in my day and in the end the best part is that I know its mine, nobody has one like it, and I did the work myself. I take pride in knowing that my blood, sweat, and cuss words went directly into the finished product. I would love to build a 750 like this:

http://www.bikeexif.com/cb750-cafe

After a few years of beating it up on dirt roads, laying it down, never washing it, and gathering a few spots of surface rust on the tank it would look fucking phenomenal. Especially since the character marks and mud splatter is all from me. I would kill for that 750! I love working with my hands and building things but I've never built a motorcycle from the ground up the way I want it. Sure I've rebuilt a lawn mower carb and stripped down a mini bike when I was a kid but this is a whole new beast.

With all of that said I can be impatient too. I have jumped in head first on everything I've done in life and I wont lie, its worked incredibly well for me. I have a very cushy life, nice house, lots of fun toys, an amazing supportive and beautiful wife, and pretty much nothing to complain about haha. I've gotten used to not only working hard to achieve a goal, but also making a crazy impulse decision and getting instant results. So thats probably why I am at the crossroads I am at now. Buying a RE or try building a custom bike in my garage with not much motorcycle knowledge or tools at my disposal.

I do appreciate the crash course on RE. You've pretty much made up my mind in terms of what I'm going to do. While I do think there is a degree of cosmetics and aesthetics to any hobby like this, performance is always key in my book. Its just not there in the RE continental GT. its a beautiful bike but in the end its not for me. Thanks for diverting a possibly regrettable purchase! As much as I love the look of it, if my current bike could keep up, I would be a little upset. Don't get me wrong my bike is quick, but a gust of wind at 70 is a little terrifying.
 
Interesting CB750. Maybe I'm a mile off here but it looks to me like there is a whole lot of stock there. The tank looks stock as does the frame and wheels. Not sure about the forks. Seat, tail light, clip ons, rear sets, 4 into 1 exhaust and tires is all I can see that is non stock. It doesn't look that it would be that hard to duplicate. The seat would be the hardest part to do in metal but fairly easy in fiberglass. I do believe with a bike like that you would be much happier with the Honda.
 
There will NEVER be a factory built "Cafe Racer" that comes near the mark. ::)

The reason? - quite simply, true Cafe Racers were / are built by INDIVIDUALS to their own ideas - NOT some corporate idea of what a Cafe Racer is. 8)

The idea ALWAYS has been to take a stock machine and alter it to your own taste.

After a while Tritons, Tribsas et al tend to be very similar - because it's a well troden [ and simple ? ] formula to follow. So, in the day some of us still wanted to be really different so Tricatis, Trifields, Norbeesas and even more radical concoctions were built.

A pal of mine in the early Sixties even put the Norton lump pulled to built a Triton BACK in the Triumph rolling chassis that donated it's engine for the build. Was it a success - not really, but sure was different and perverse. ;D

I built several Enfield based Cafe Racers - two based on the 500 Bullet. Yes they LOOKED very Goldie 'ish by the time I'd finished, but they did stand out from the crowd - and cost me less than a quarter what a similar spec'd Goldie would have been.
 
I agree with BC above me on this.

I would like to add that single cylinders aren't very sporty and RE singles are totally not sporty. I think you would be much, much better off turning it into an even tougher workhorse. So I did. Here's my Enfield:

IMG_8052_zpsa1256878.jpg



Fanastic offroader/trials bike!
 
"Single cylinders aren't very sporty"???? Really?? Do the words Manx Norton, G50, 7R, Goldie, Inter, Hedlund, FN, Weslake ring a bell?
 
Hoofhearted said:
"Single cylinders aren't very sporty"???? Really?? Do the words Manx Norton, G50, 7R, Goldie, Inter, Hedlund, FN, Weslake ring a bell?
Click to expand...

Let me rephrase: I find the engine character of all the singles I have ever ridden not racy at all and I highly doubt that riding those bikes would change my mind. Being fast and feeling racy are entirely different things by the way.
 
miob said:
Being fast and feeling racy are entirely different things by the way.
Click to expand...

That's the crux of this whole thread. The Enfield isn't fast but you can feel racy with the clip ons and rear sets etc.
 
miob said:
Let me rephrase: I find the engine character of all the singles I have ever ridden not racy at all and I highly doubt that riding those bikes would change my mind. Being fast and feeling racy are entirely different things by the way.
Click to expand...

Depends.
My 400f feels more "racy", with no power below 7k and a lot up top and high redline.
But my single cylinder SR500 is in my opinion more fun to ride
It depends on the race. 0-60 I bet the sr would trounce the 400f, but after that the 400s going to walk away.
 
I'll admit to being a singles fan all my life. Turbine smooth multis are fine but I like the bark of a single.

http://youtu.be/r5EBHbk3Ito
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

DTT Light or Dark

  • DTT Light
    • www.jadusmotorcycleparts.com
    www.lostapostle.ca/
    www.sparckmoto.com

    Spread the Love

    Back
    Top Bottom