Royal Enfield Cafe Racer News or Thoughts?

[Crusader]

While that does sound nice I don't want to just "feel racy." I'm not really that concerned with the top end as long as I can comfortably do the speed limit on the highway. I'm more of a "get up to speed quickly," kind of guy. I love going from nothing to holy shit I'm going 15 over, time to slow down. I don't need to go 120 on the highway, but to get up to speed on the onramp without a breeze is my ideal bike. Although a good sounding bike is always a plus too.

 

[miob]

Video of today's ride on the Enfield

http://vimeo.com/m/73243067

 

[ApriliaBill]

While that does sound nice I don't want to just "feel racy." I'm not really that concerned with the top end as long as I can comfortably do the speed limit on the highway. I'm more of a "get up to speed quickly," kind of guy. I love going from nothing to holy shit I'm going 15 over, time to slow down. I don't need to go 120 on the highway, but to get up to speed on the onramp without a breeze is my ideal bike. Although a good sounding bike is always a plus too.

This is not the bike for you. These are slow lethargic bikes and the build quality is not all that great. I don't know what the speed limit where you're at, but I wouldn't take one on the hgwy around here in stock form. I've ridden them, and carrying my 210lbs, it was a horrible bike, weak brakes, weak acceleration and just a dog in most aspects, and even though I ride an Aprilia, an SV650, and older FJ600 and even a Sportster, the Newer Enfield's do not hold up against anything I've ridden or own. I hate saying this, because they aren't bad looking bikes, but for the $, I can get much better in a good used bike over the Enfield. I paid $2k for a used SV650 that will out perform the Enfield in every category. We just found a Sportster for my friend for $2.7k and side by side, it'll eat the Enfield for lunch. Find a good used bike that you won't get bored with in two weeks. The Enfield is fine for around town, and they look the part, but anything for more than stop light to stop light, there are many better bikes out there...

 

[Crusader]

I've kind of gathered that they aren't highway worthy and thats not ok with me! I can lay down on the tank on my CM400T and ride at about 75-80 around here just fine. I'm looking at a few CB750s and CB500Ts. I'm assuming the 500T would be even better than my 400T (more displacement...more power).

BTW that video was dreadful...I caught myself almost falling asleep. Edit: Forgot the wink . I was just trolling.

 

[AgentX]

(Edit to add--the below pertains to the older bikes, not the newer unit-construction models, which are fuel-injected in the export market....the UCE bikes are a shade faster out of the box than the old ones, but are much less readily-modifiable for speed. Ace engineering is working on a basic performance kit for the UCEs, for what it's worth...)

I've kind of gathered that they aren't highway worthy and thats not ok with me! I can lay down on the tank on my CM400T and ride at about 75-80 around here just fine. I'm looking at a few CB750s and CB500Ts. I'm assuming the 500T would be even better than my 400T (more displacement...more power).

BTW that video was dreadful...I caught myself almost falling asleep.

Again...stock form is one thing. What can be done with them is another. The "asbo" and Hitchcock's 612 bullets in England and the fireballs in the US (and an upcoming raised-port head with custom rockers, possibly linked in the future with a shorter-stroke crank) show that these bikes can in fact be made far faster. Yes, they're still old-fashioned singles, and if that's not what you want then get something else. 35+ horsepower on one of these, especially if you've pulled off the heavy stuff, goes a long way from the 14-18hp you get stock. Think Gold Star. The Fireball-modded bikes can cruise at 80mph and exceed the Ton when pushed. But the work is not cheap, either. You could spend as much, or less, and buy something that's faster from the start...however, that's hardly the point.

One man's opinion that no single is "racy" belies a well-storied history of performance singles. Yes, they're not racy compared to modern multi-cylinder bikes, but if we were looking for modern raciness we'd be on Pangiales.

The Bullet has been a workhorse for many, but that doesn't mean it's all the bike can or should be. That's also not to say it's not also happy in that role if that's what you want. I've loved Miob's bike since he showed it on the Enfield forum, but there are Enfields that are on another planet performance-wise.


One warning with the Bullet, however, is that stock parts from India can be real shit. Quality control is abysmal, and the 500 stock pistons in particular are considered worse than paperweights by most who deal with these bikes regularly. (Busby in NZ, Snidal in Canada, Ace in the US, et. al. )

 

[xcaptainxbloodx]

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.

just to be clear, they have been manufactured in india for the last 60 some odd years, and the bullet was largely unchanged from 1949 to 2009 when they went to fuel injection, unit construction engines and disk brakes. I only quote the above to establish that distinguishing between older enfields and newer ones by "English" and "Indian" is inaccurate.

when you get a pre update enfield you are buying a different experience than most would associate with most motorcycles, even vintage bikes. the points need to be adjusted after each ride, bolts re-torqued... you are basically buying a restored 40s English bike with all the quirks and failings that go along with it.

post update bikes are a much more casual experience. not fast by any means with a top speed of about 80mph, but with that torquey little single motor you will get up to speed pretty quick which makes it a great around town bike. the best thing about this bike is how easy it is to diagnose and repair. you need very few specialty tools (really none unless you are doing a motor build). Its a great bike to get your feet wet with a custom build and learn how to ride.

I wouldn't call any of the enfields "fast" but I think hating on these for not being very fast in a forum and scene where speed takes a back seat to style (I know many of you dont like to hear that, but if it was the other way round we would all be on sportbikes right?). yes the enfield is slower than a vintage Japanese bike, but neither one are setting any lap records at the track. One could get a TON of enjoyment out of taking a slow bike like the enfield and making it lighter and faster. the nice thing about these, is that it doesn't take an expert to make gains in either department.

the build quality on the enfields is spotty. they also make rolling changes to the bike as they see fit, so buy the newest one you can find and inspect it before you take ownership. much of the parts are hand made, which is a double edge sword. on the one hand its cool that there's some guy hand striping tanks all day, on the other hand you wont have that flawless "factory" look on every part.

 

[miob]

The Bullet has been a workhorse for many, but that doesn't mean it's all the bike can or should be. That's also not to say it's not also happy in that role if that's what you want. I've loved Miob's bike since he showed it on the Enfield forum, but there are Enfields that are on another planet performance-wise.

Thanks! And yes, there's a youtube clip somewhere of a modified Enfield in a race or something (off road), it seems to have plenty of power... Edit: found it! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wt6eoCg7slo

One warning with the Bullet, however, is that stock parts from India can be real shit. Quality control is abysmal, and the 500 stock pistons in particular are considered worse than paperweights by most who deal with these bikes regularly.

My float bowl seems to be made out of paper, it sweats fuel... But as with Urals: there are better and worse bikes. IRC the early '90's 500's were dreadfull, but mine is fine. (350cc)

when you get a pre update enfield you are buying a different experience than most would associate with most motorcycles, even vintage bikes. the points need to be adjusted after each ride, bolts re-torqued... you are basically buying a restored 40s English bike with all the quirks and failings that go along with it.

the build quality on the enfields is spotty. they also make rolling changes to the bike as they see fit, so buy the newest one you can find and inspect it before you take ownership. much of the parts are hand made, which is a double edge sword. on the one hand its cool that there's some guy hand striping tanks all day, on the other hand you wont have that flawless "factory" look on every part.

I ride it like in the video all the time, a couple of hours per week. I've done hundreds of hours like that. So far I have had: a broken inlet pushrod and that happened because the previous owner forgot to install a valve cap. I've changed the oil a few times and checked the valve play a few times. The only part that ever fell off was my home made license plate holder (made it a bit too light).





But back to the opening post: Enfields, stock, are really, really slow. If you want to get upto highway speeds fast, Enfields are not for you. On a windy day you'll need a backwind to even reach highway speeds.

 

[fvtenfanatic]

This is my 2005 Bullet. I have heard all the short comings of the Bullet from everywhere and I am not going to say I haven't experienced a couple little issues in the year and a half I have owned it.
But I have been fortunate to not have the issues that most talk about. I dont have the stock steel tank or fenders so I haven't had any rust issues. I replaced the horrible stock carb with a 30mm Amal Concentric and replaced the point's with a Boyer mk4 and it now starts without issue. I ride it every day to work and on a couple of group rides and it has not failed yet, Knocking on Wood. No it isn't fast, but it does get up to speed very quickly.
Some day I will tear the motor apart, dump the Iron barrel for a Aluminum one, replace the piston with a higher compression and bigger bore, and replace the rod and put a roller bearing in the big end. Then I should be up to nice Freeway speeds and it will run forever!

Damon in Seattle

 

[Crusader]

Thats a fine looking machine sir. While I have the RE experienced people here, I did see that the RE dealer in dallas has a custom built 2013 bullet. Its had some work done to it and I think it may even be highway worthy based on the way he was talking about it (spoke to salesman on the phone).

http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/mpd/4016331905.html

 

[AgentX]

Thats a fine looking machine sir. While I have the RE experienced people here, I did see that the RE dealer in dallas has a custom built 2013 bullet. Its had some work done to it and I think it may even be highway worthy based on the way he was talking about it (spoke to salesman on the phone).

http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/mpd/4016331905.html

It's no more or less highway-worthy than a stock bike...those are pretty much stylistic changes except the exhaust and maybe the air filter...however, I'm not sure what gains those make with the fuel injection system. People report the D*D exhaust does sound good.

Count on being able to cruise around 60-65 on a stock UCE once the bike is broken in, with jaunts up to 75-80 if you really wring it for short stretches.

If you want it to feel sportier, some cartridge valve emulators up front and some better shocks in the rear (Hagons are adequate) really wake up the handling.


Edit to add: the crankcase breather filters people add kind of confuse me. The breather should be putting out air, not sucking it back in. That's the whole point of the breather on this bike...keep negative pressure in the crankcase.