Is Royal Enfield project bike a rare model?

While Royal Enfield in India survived and prospered after 1955, selling the same standard 350cc Bullet motorcycle based on a British design, Royal Enfield in Britain moved on. In the last decade or so of its life, the British company seemed to explode with creativity.

There were big twins of 700cc and more, new 250cc motorcycles, unit constructed motors, airflow streamlining, a five-speed transmission and a partnership to produce motorcycles badged as Indians in the United States. Parts were mixed and matched to create new models and some of the bikes badged as Indians were not just renamed, they were different in appearance, too.

It is all very interesting and very confusing. Maybe that is why a pretty Royal Enfield for sale now on CraigsList in Rocklin, Calif. looks so unfamiliar to me. The seller is the owner's daughter, and here is what she knows:

"My dad's many-year project bike. Nearly complete — still needs a little work, but a great deal of money and hard work has gone into restoring it. Willing to sell to the right buyer.

"My name is Aimee and my Dad is Jim Luzier. He received the bike from his father who ran a motorcycle shop in Richeyville, Pennsylvania. It's a 1960 Royal Enfield and something of a puzzle... but it seems to have been made partly a Crusader, partly a Bullet — not sure of all the particulars. Anyway, Dad rebuilt and restored it, and it's nearly done. It has a little trouble starting right now but it's an amazing machine."

"Dad says it's a Crusader Sports... It's a mystery! I'll look forward to hearing what your fellow Enfield fans have to say. Dad says that it's a 250 and I'm pretty sure he's right about that."

The motorcycle does appear to have the 250cc Crusader unit constructed motor. A 350cc version of this was marketed briefly as "the new Bullet," but it had extra fins on the barrel this motor does not have.

On the other hand, this motorcycle has a svelte tank and clean, narrow fenders. The Crusader and Sports Crusaders in particular, tended to have chunky tanks and elaborate, valanced fenders. They also had fully boxed tail light appendages, yet this motorcycle has an "open" style structure to hold its tail light and license plate.

And then there is the separate headlight and speedometer seen on this motorcycle. Crusaders had the Royal Enfield nacelle combining instruments and headlight into one unit. The exception was the trials version of the Crusader, which carried this very style of tank and a stand-alone speedometer. But it had no headlight at all, its exhaust was tucked up high (the right-side toolbox was cut up to accommodate this) and its fenders were drastically cut down.

An obvious possibility is that Aimee's father, or his father, mixed parts from other motorcycles to create this one. The contrasting color of the tank certainly suggests that. The seat looks new, and the unusual crash bars appear homemade, as may be the speedometer mount.

If Jim Luzier assembled his own motorcycle, he did a fine job, because it looks as though it is supposed to look this way.

Still, I wonder if this isn't just a Royal Enfield model I've never seen before.

One Royal Enfield model I know little about is the 250cc Hornet, which seems to have been sold, at least in the United States, shortly after the agreement with the Indian company ended. The only picture I can find on the web is black and white and of such poor quality, I can't even tell if it has the nacelle.

Why is it so hard to find a picture of the Royal Enfield Hornet? Could it be that it was a short lived model, existing only to use up left-over parts? In 1960 the Indian Fire Arrow sold in the U.S. was a re-badged Crusader. I can not find a picture of it either, but other Indian models did do away with the nacelle.

Maybe what we have here is a Royal Enfield Hornet — at heart a Crusader, but with some parts originally intended to make an Indian. What do you think?

Royal Enfield Interceptor drew attention

The 1965 Royal Enfield TT Interceptor for sale now on eBay (see previous posting) was the cover girl and the feature story in Old Bike Journal magazine for August, 1994.

The 750cc Interceptor had been a big, fast bike in its day and this was the super sports model, with the hottest cams and the longest wheelbase. The 1965s were the first Interceptors to abandon the Royal Enfield casquette, and the new separate instruments gave them a more up-to-date look.

But what did the magazine choose to focus on? The neutral finder! This device, worn on most Royal Enfields of the day and decades before and since, makes downshifting from any gear to neutral a one-step process. It's a wonderful device but hardly the sexiest feature of this very rare and fast motorcycle.

The bike remains very powerful. Seller William T. Bolstad describes having to wait for friends on Triumphs to catch up on rides. He describes it as "a seriously fast Old British Motorcycle."

He ought to know. The blue Interceptor is the first of three Royal Enfield twins he is selling and he has restored and cared for many motorcycles, including the line-up of Triumphs seen here.

Bolstad and his wife Linda live in Kalispell, Mont.

He also shared this picture of himself at a younger age, on his 1966 Triumph.

Trio of great Royal Enfields going on sale

The first of a remarkable collection of Royal Enfield big twins is up for sale on eBay. It is a 1965 Royal Enfield TT Interceptor, one of 979 built, the seller says. He goes on to advise that "a buyer should have grown up with British motorcycles, kick starting and shifting on the right side." That is a refreshing change from the usual eBay warning that the buyer should not be a deadbeat!

William T. Bolstad of Kalispell, Mont., was nice enough to tell me a little bit about his Royal Enfields and his "long time relationship with British motorcycles."

It started "in 1956 when I rode my first motorcycle while a freshman at UCLA, an AJS 33CS (if I remember correctly). My first motorcycle was a 1966 Triumph 500, maybe the 500SC high pipe model—could not afford a Bonneville. I rode it a few years including a few falls in the desert.

"I took a break from motorcycles to race ocean racing sailboats out of Long Beach, including a third in the 1973 La Paz race. I also restored a 1957 Mercedes Benz 300SL roadster and did well in various car shows—a seriously fast car.

"I moved to Montana and started restoring old British motorcycles including Triumphs—Bonnevilles, TT's and Tridents—also, Norton N-15CS and P-11 Ranger.

"I always had wanted a Royal Enfield as they were a finely built OLD BRIT. (In 1997) I found an ad for the blue 1965 TT located in New York and bought it. What a pleasure when it arrived, everything I could have hoped and expected. A bit of a learning process to figure the combination for starting a cold engine, but had it running within an hour after unloading from the delivery van. I rode it in Montana a few summers, including the Going-to-the-Sun Highway (Glacier Park). Had to wait, upon occasion, for friends on their Triumphs."

This is the motorcycle for sale now on eBay. Bolstad says it was totally restored by Essex Motorsports in Darian, Conn. at a cost (in 1993-'94) of $12,000. Bolstad is only its second owner. Mileage now totals about 16,340 miles.

"I have ridden this motorcycle 1,934 miles and it performs perfectly. I have had the magneto rebuilt and replaced the original points with adjustable points from a Vincent. Tires are Metzlers and are as new, paint is perfect (no dings/scratches) chrome, fenders, wheels, mufflers perfect, tachometer and speedometer work as they should, as does the ammeter. Excellent oil pressure.

"Oil could use changing," he allows—again, not your usual eBay ad!

Bolstad says he is selling because age has taken its toll, but he rode the motorcycle this week, after not having started it for two years. "Put in a new battery tickled both carburetors and three-four kicks and the Interceptor started... Rode it down the road and back and the shifting was clean and crisp as it should be."

How did he end up with more than one Royal Enfield?

"I figured if one Royal Enfield was good two would be better. I found a restored/rebuilt 1966 Interceptor in Ontario, Canada and bought it. A bit of an issue getting it across the border—seller had to drive it to Niagara Falls and put it on a truck to Montana, where it arrived safely. Another very nice Interceptor and RED this time. I varied my riding between the two, equally fun to ride. I continued to restore other motorcycles, mostly Triumphs, and then I found the 1960 Super Meteor on eBay, in January, 2002."

And that's where the story he describes as "obsession" begins.

The Super Meteor was in Australia. Bolstad bought it and had it shipped to a friend in Long Beach, Calif. There it was uncrated, gas and oil were checked, and it started in just a couple kicks.

"I live in Northwestern Montana; the Super Meteor was in Southern California; and the parts were in England. Through this triangulation and the overall project many new friendships began."

The fenders were rusted with extra holes to fill, nuts had been forced onto studs and some were rusted on. None were saved. In a bid to make it "better than new," Bolstad was "faxing orders to England weekly like some purchasing clerk."

"The restoration had taken on signs of a mission/obsession, not a hobby," Bolstad says.

He discovered the Super Meteor had been delivered to London in January, 1960 as a side car model painted polychromatic burgundy. How it got to Australia he doesn't know. It is now better than new, with paint, chrome, cad plated nuts and bolts and "excess polishing."

They're all beautiful bikes. It's great that Bolstad is sharing them with the world, and their stories, too.

Rider reports 168 mpg on Royal Enfield

To make it from Mexico to Canada on only 10 gallons of bio-fuel, motorcyclist Geoffrey Baker will have to average 170-180 miles per gallon (see previous post) on his diesel powered Royal Enfield Bullet.

"A test run this morning got me 168 mpg... so I'm getting there!" he reports. Baker hopes to start his border-to-border road trip around Aug. 1. He envisions a ride of about 1,770 miles border to border.

Among his sponsors are:

Motogadget, supplier of custom motorcycle electronics.

Motion Pro, maker of motorcycle controls and cables.

Grecycle, biodiesel manufacturer of Tucson, Ariz.

Classic Motorworks, the U.S. importer of Royal Enfield motorcycles.

Carroll Stream Motor Company, supplier of Yanmar engines and parts.

His ride will be covered by Overland Journal magazine.

Border-border challenge for Enfield diesel

Geoffrey Baker plans to ride his diesel powered Royal Enfield motorcycle from Mexico to Canada on only 10 gallons of biofuel. He tells me is still aiming to start the trip around Aug. 1.

Baker, a freelance writer and web designer in Tucson, Ariz., plans the trip "to promote awareness of fuel efficiency," according to his web site.

"It's time to get serious. If we are to continue to enjoy our lifestyle without paying a heavy price in pollution, environmental degradation, global climate change... we will need to be far more efficient than we are today."

His route will cover as much as 1,700 miles and, at 170 miles per gallon, will prove "we can do it!"

Baker says he already has overcome one challenge: finding biodiesel stations along the projected route.

"With an expected 700 miles per tank range, I only need a couple of stations! Still, I'm planning on stopping quite often for biodiesel so that there is always plenty of fuel in the tank.

"Mostly, it's a camping trip, but I may sneak into a motel every now and then for a good hot shower and a comfortable bed; to say nothing of wireless access so I can upload stories and pictures!"

Baker describes himself as an avid diver, skier and hiker. He is also an avid Royal Enfield enthusiast, and is president of the Royal Enfield Association in the U.S. But he describes his mechanical skills as only those of a "tinkerer." Royal Enfield does not build or sell diesel powered motorcycles in the United States. Baker had to build his own.

He started with a 2000 Military model Royal Enfield Bullet, a diesel generator motor purchased on eBay, and a frame conversion kit purchased from England. Older Royal Enfield Bullets lend themselves to such conversions, because they have a separate gearbox; you can change the motor without affecting the transmission.

Baker makes the work he did sound simple, but he couldn't hide his frustration when he took the motorcycle to the Department of Motor Vehicles to register it.

"Here's how it works," he wrote on the Classic Motorworks Community Forum. "To get a Level 2 registration, you must bring the complete bike to the DMV for review. To complete the bike, I must remove the VIN plate in order to weld in the new engine frame. By removing the VIN plate, I am committing a Class 5 Felony, so I can't do that. So I can't bring in a completed bike. So I can't get a Level 2 registration. Wonderful, isn't it?

"We managed to do a workaround. The head DMV Level 2 technician came out to my car, took pictures of the bike frame, the old engine, the new engine, and wrote down all the plate numbers. Then HE chiseled off the VIN plate."

Here's the budget for the project:

Biodiesel Motorcycle Recipe:
1 Royal Enfield motorcycle, any year. $500-$3,000 depending on condition.
1 diesel conversion kit including engine mount, from Henry Price of PriceParts, in England $800.
1 Yanmar diesel clone, 10hp variety – you can find one on most midsized electrical generators. $450-700.
Some wires and tubing $100.
And a couple months worth of evening project sweat equity.

Mileage, not diesel power alone, is Baker's aim. So he did not stop with the motor conversion but has been experimenting with another energy saving modification: water injection from a reservoir mounted on the rear fender.

Tinkering is one thing; lots of people do it and Royal Enfield motorcycles encourage an owner to experiment. But Baker's proposed border-to-border ride is a real challenge, with very little room for the mishaps normally encountered on any road trip. If he makes it he will have proven a point, if not about fuel mileage, than certainly about his willingness to try.

First U.S. owner gets Royal Enfield C-5 bike

First U.S. owner of a new Royal Enfield C-5 motorcycle is Dannie Mullins, who got his bike Wednesday, June 24 from dealer Bill (Slam) Dunkis of Interstate Motorcycles in Rolla, Mo. The full story is on the Royal Enfield Buzz Blog.

Parts on the way to fix recalled Enfield G-5s

Royal Enfield now has a plan for fixing G-5 motorcycles in the U.S. that are being recalled for a possible transmission fault. According to U.S. importer Kevin Mahoney of Classic Motorworks, the fix involves adding clearance between two parts in the transmission.

"The factory has assembled repair kits and they are being airshipped from India," U.S. importer Kevin Mahoney announced on his Classic Motorworks Internet forum.

"We expect that we will have kits in dealers' hands within two weeks more or less. Dealers will make appointments with customers and do the repair. Of course there is no cost to the customers. We will also re-set the two year warranty to the date the repair is finished... Dealers and affected customers will get a government approved letter with all of the details within a week or so."

All the Royal Enfield motorcycles with the unit constructed engine (UCE) sold in the U.S. are being recalled, but Mahoney said the new C-5 and the Military G-5 just arrived in the U.S. are not affected "as they were manufactured after the last recalled VIN number."

This update only applies to the U.S., Mahoney stressed. Many more G-5s have been sold in Europe, which may complicate procedures.

He earlier explained that "the problem involves possible insufficient clearance between the mainshaft of the transmission and third gear. Third gear rotates all of the time on the mainshaft. There has been at least one case where a bike (not in the U.S.) had the gear seize to the shaft. When they replicated the problem at the factory the failure seemed to be preceded by a screeching noise."

Mahoney has urged owners of G-5 motorcycles to stop riding them until they're fixed.

Royal Enfield Military reporting for duty

Just a few weeks late for the anniversary of D-Day, the new Royal Enfield G-5 Military motorcycle is invading the U.S. market. Outfitted with optional dealer installed crash bars and saddlebags, it looks victorious.

Pictures here show the same Military motorcycle outfitted with black single seat and bags, with tan versions, and with and without crash bars. Any way you do it, it looks ready to march. The new Military has Royal Enfield's new unit constructed engine, fuel injection, electric start and a front disk brake.

But it also has the traditional kick start lever. Plastic parts are few and, painted olive drab, they don't look plastic anymore anyway. Take a look at the slide show of pictures below, shot at Classic Motorworks in Faribault, Minn.

Suggested retail price is $6,095. More details here.

Royal Enfield: Indian vs. English made

Australian William J. Rice is one of those Royal Enfield owners who has motorcycles that were made in England as well as Royal Enfields from the factory in India. That makes him unusually qualified to answer questions about differences between them. He recently undertook to answer such a question on the Royal Enfield Yahoo message board.

"Paul" in the United Kingdom already owns a Royal Enfield Electra, but would like to acquire a Royal Enfield Bullet from the 1950s. He asked: "how do they compare to the 2000-2009 Bullets being produced from India in terms of finish and reliability?"

Rice's reply:

"You must compare like with like. My Royal Enfields are kick start only, unlike your Electra. I own a 350 made in England and a 350 made in India. Even though there is 50 years between them, I find there is little difference providing I treat them both the same. I also own a 500 made in England and a 500 made in India, with 50 years between them. Again, providing that I treat them both the same I find that there is little difference.

"None of my bikes leak oil because they have been assembled using modern sealants and seals. I have friends in my local club who ride Royal Enfields made in England and in India. They find little difference between them providing they are treated the same. I find that owners who have 50-year-old Royal Enfields made in England, and then buy a new Royal Enfield made in India are satisfied with what they bought. They know what to expect.

"The problem owners are the ones who buy a new Royal Enfield without having owned or ridden an older one. They expect the new Royal Enfield to perform like a Honda. When it doesn't they are unhappy. They should have bought a Honda in the first place.

"In your case if you buy a 50-year-old Royal Enfield made in England you will find that it will not be up to what you have become used to with your Electra. You will have to learn to kick start it. You will have to remain below 90 kmh, and allow greater stopping distances than for your Electra. In other words you will not be able to substitute a 50-year-old bike for your modern Electra.

"In my case I use my old bikes to ride in club events and rallies, and my new bikes for road work. If you change the brakes, the primary drive and whatever else, then you will wind up changing the character of the bike, so what is the point? If you are prepared to live with a 50-year-old bike, and treat it with the respect you would give to your elders, then you will have a lot of fun; but you must also hold on to your Electra."

I wrote to Rice asking about his experience with English and Indian-made Royal Enfields. It turns out, that's not how he divides the brand. Rather it is a question of the design.

"This is where I disagree slightly with you when you seem to say...that it is possible to buy a new Royal Enfield that is the same as one made in England 50 years ago," he wrote. "It is not. When Royal Enfield India withdrew the kick-start, cast iron barrell models that comparison ceased."

He ought to know: "I own a number of bikes in Indonesia including three Royal Enfields and I go there a few times per year. I have an interest in a small motorcycle business over there called Bali Classic Bikes. We sell restored bikes, spare parts and conduct tours of Indonesia. We are Royal Enfield agents for Indonesia. I am going there again at the end of June for one month and can't get enough of the place.

"In answer to your questions I live near the Greater City of Taree, New South Wales, and turn 66, Thursday, 25 June. I started my career as an engineering apprentice at age 16, and I retired as a Head Teacher of Engineering at the local Institute of Technical and Further Education at age 60. I became interested in motorcycles at 16 out of necessity as I had to find a cheap way of getting to work, and that interest has lasted 50 years to date. I hope to be involved in motorcycles for many years to come."

Two photos of him here were taken in Amed, on the northeast coast of Bali; the group photo was taken in Ubud. He rode a 1954 AJS 350 on this trip. From his ride report:

"The tour started in Denpasar... with a stop planned for lunch at Candi Dasa on the northeast coast. After lunch at Candi Dasa the group rode on to Amed for an overnight stay at a hotel overlooking the sea...

"Day two began with a short tour of the beautiful seaside village of Amed, photos were taken, then it was on through Sinjaraja to Lovina for night number two, and early to bed for all after dinner. The group was up before dawn the next day to go dolphin watching... The dolphins put on a stunning performance right on cue.

"After breakfast the group rode through a National Park towards Gillimanuk where accommodation for the night was booked. A stop along the way for lunch at a fishing village saw the riders treated to fresh snapper... Early next morning the group headed along the west coast, planning to reach Tabanan for a late lunch... After lunch at Tabanan it was on to Ubud, and the accommodation for that night.

"Following breakfast the next day an hour or two was spent seeing the sights of Ubud and taking the necessary photos, then it was on to Kintimani to see a volcano close up. Fortunately the volcano has not been active for a number of years. Accommodation for the night was booked at a lakeside hotel at the foot of the volcano. There were hot springs in the hotel grounds so a dip in the hot pool was welcomed by all. The following day it was back to Denpasar at a leisurely pace with stops along the way for photos."

Royal Enfields: Welcome at vintage events?

"If you have a late model Enfield, are you still eligible for vintage clubs, rallies, and rides?" Nick Boozell wrote. It's a good question.

My observation is that, unless you're competing for a trophy in a vintage event, most people will accept you.

Recently I attended the breakfast meeting near Fort Lauderdale, Florida of the Broward British Bikers. I parked my 1999 made-in-India Enfield with its protective coat of dirt and oil near a shiny example of Britain's Best.

I knew I'd be welcome. In fact, I was delighted to discover that one of the riders in attendance was William Cappuccio, the former Royal Enfield dealer who sold me my Bullet in 2001. Michael Woulfe, the fellow on the shiny Triumph, noted that he'd have ridden his own Enfield, except he wanted to take the freeway.

So fans of British motorcycles are accepting. What about those who love antique motorcycles?

A ride last Labor Day sponsored by the Northern California TonUp Club was for "pre-1980s" bikes only, but specifically welcomed "retro bikes like the Royal Enfield."

This is the attitude one typically encounters. There is a recognition that a newish Royal Enfield Bullet may be a more obsolete design than many actual "antique" bikes.

If you were want specific information on a club, best to contact them, of course. But, for most, you won't even have to own a motorcycle to join and, as far as showing up and riding along, few clubs exist to exclude anybody, particularly anybody willing to pay dues.

Things change when you decide to compete for a trophy, of course. Modern Enfields naturally compete against motorcycles made the same year, even if they were designed 30 years earlier.

The Antique Motorcycle Club of America says its national meet competitions and road rides are open to any motorcycle 35 years of age or older. That lets out modern Enfields. However, I was amused to note that the AMCA web site gallery of pictures from a meet in New York includes a picture of a "new" old Royal Enfield.

Someone obviously thought it belonged.

Royal Enfield's famous 'thump' sells itself

The camera is shaky, but the sound is wonderful and the emotion is heartfelt. A 2003 Royal Enfield Bullet for sale on eBay is advertised with this goofy yet enjoyable iPhone video. The seller kick starts the motorcycle, unleashing the wonderful thump of a Royal Enfield 500.

"OH YEAH," our cameraman exclaims as the Bullet fires up. It's the only dialogue in the short video but who needs to hear more?

In his ad the seller writes that the bike "Goes like the wind and hits turns on RAILS. Seriously fun bike to ride and own, and very unique. Don't buy it if you don't want to answer questions every where you go! This bike gets the Oooh's and Aahh's at bike night over the $30,000 Harleys.

"The bike knows that there is something that its tires roll on called 'ground,' but has never gotten even the briefest introduction to that hard unforgiving surface...

"Royal Enfields are special and unique bikes, but they are built from a time gone by and must be maintained, so plan on some minimal wrench time if you own one of these. Nothing to be afraid of as they are very easy for even the average Joe to maintain, but if you're afraid of grease or lubing a chain every now and again, this might not be the bike for you."

Nice bike, and I completely buy the seller's sincerity. The bike has 9,950 miles and is for sale in Oakland, Tenn.

For Sale: Royal Enfield Big Head Bullet

A 1961 Big Head Bullet is back up for sale on eBay in Spokane, Wash. I first saw this bike on eBay last October. No Buy It Now price is listed this time, but in October it was given as $8,500.

The seller describes the motorcycle this way:

"When did you last see one of these? Enfield in England produced a very small number ( just a few dozen) of this highly desirable model right at the end of production. It differs significantly from the standard Bullet model. It is considerably faster with a very special cylinder head with all the valve gear built into the head instead of the old type leak prone separate rocker boxes...

"Valves, piston and cams were all improved for performance. It also benefits from the special Lucas competition magneto and AC generator. The engine is better known in the States as the Fury desert racer model but the Big Head road version was only available in UK."

The seller, Roger, told me last year that he "searched for four years before finding the Bullet in England. Imported it and enjoyed it as my main ride on summer club runs and rallies."

Motorcycling magazines of the day found the Big Head Bullet would do 91 mph, according to Roger Bacon's book Royal Enfield, The Postwar Models.



In his ad, the seller says: "The performance of this bike is most remarkable, Tall gearing, complete lack of vibration, excellent handling and the four shoe front brake make it my usual choice for club runs where the bike is perfectly capable of holding its own with more modern and larger size machines. The bike is completely original and unmolested. It even still has the original selling dealer's name on the rear mudguard. Sadly, my collection has to be thinned out..."

Shop auctions 1933 Royal Enfield V-twin

A 1933 Royal Enfield V-twin motorcycle is one of about 400 motorcycles and scooters in a no-reserve auction June 25 in Columbia, Tenn.

The motorcycles (and cars and even a crashed airplane) were part of the S&G Custom Cycles collection started before 1919 when seller Sam Goodman's grandfather opened a motorcycle business.

"Sam’s dad passed away recently and Sam had to make a choice between running the family’s 700-acre farm or the bike shop. He has chosen to retire and run the farm and has contracted us to sell this entire collection at no reserve," auctioneer Jerry Wood said.

He called it the biggest collection of antique and classic motorcycles to be offered at a public auction since 1991. The motorcycles are in every possible condition, "perfect originals, nice restorations, old paint, bikes that need some work and outright project and parts bikes," Wood said.

"The list is not complete or perfect and we will update it as we find more items and make corrections. We did guess on some of the years," he added.

Auctioneers J. Wood & Co. listed these motorcycles:

1934 Brough Superior
1933 Royal Enfield V-Twin
1948 Scott Flying Squirrel
1947 Indian Chief
1971 Indian 50
50 Harley-Davidsons
50 Hondas
9 Cushmans
10 Allstates
Triumphs
Simplex’s
Rokon
Hodaka
Suzuki
Whizzer
Puch
Kawasaki
Yamaha
Lilac
Zundapp
Ural
Dnieper
Mustang
NSU

The auction will start at 9 a.m. Thursday, June 25, at 1114 Galloway St., Columbia, Tenn. Inspection is 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, June 25.

Do motorcycles carry us to future, or past?

A Royal Enfield Military motorcycle photographed next to a stylized chopper is one of my favorite pictures seen on eBay recently. The Royal Enfield has been relisted, and the seller has included yet another photo, seen here, of the odd couple.

The olive drab Military, intentionally vintage in appearance, and the futuristic fantasy bike could not be more different and still both possess two wheels. As I said before, both are eye catching although the Royal Enfield is deliberately camouflaged and the chopper is scarlet in color.

The motorcycle store has unintentionally produced an artistic statement. What do these two motorcycles say about why we buy motorcycles?

Here come Royal Enfield C5 and Military

Promised by the summer of 2009, the Royal Enfield Bullet C5 motorcycles are now in the rail yard in Minneapolis, Minn. From there they will go by truck to U.S. importer Classic Motorworks in nearby Faribault, Minn. These are the retro-styled but really quite modern new Royal Enfields unveiled to the world last year in Cologne, Germany

They are the top-of-the-line pride-and-joy of Royal Enfield, a company that for half a century kept building a circa-1955 British-designed motorcycle in India. The time-piece brand was rediscovered by the British, Europeans and Americans in the '90s. Now the Indians plan to show the world that they can deliver modern features and improved reliability along with heritage appearance.

Along with the C5s in the rail yard is the first shipment of the G5 Military model Royal Enfields. Americans demanded that Royal Enfield keep making them a motorcycle in olive drab, and here they come.

Both C5 and G5 motorcycles come with unit-constructed engines, electric start, electronic ignition and fuel injection, front disk brake, and, maybe best of all, self-adjusting pushrods. The C5 has an improved frame and swing arm; the G5 has kick start as well as electric start.

The Royal Enfield Military has always come with metal pannier boxes, looking like .30-cal ammo cans. These are gone, but the picture shown here, from Classic Motorworks, demonstrates that buying and fitting tan saddlebags can produce a satisfactory World War II appearance. To be truly accurate, you'd have to paint the motor and exhaust, too. Could you bear to do it?

Suggested retail price of the C5 is $6,395. The G5 Military's suggested retail price is $6,095.

A Royal Enfield mechanic to die for?

If you're not near a dealer, finding a mechanic to work on your Royal Enfield motorcycle can be a challenge in the U.S. With luck, there will be a guy in town who remembers working on British motorcycles when they were popular here. Such a mechanic here in Fort Lauderdale is Wes Scott.

But, no matter where you are, a competent and trustworthy mechanic is to be treasured, even in India, where the Royal Enfield Bullet is far more familiar. Gautam Raj describes one such Royal Enfield mechanic in an Opinion piece in Dubai's Gulfnews.

"Then there was someone we will call M, my brother's Enfield mechanic, who was good, but gave us the sneaking suspicion that his shop was just a front," Raj writes.

"One day, he told us, 'Don't come ... for the next few days.' My brother needed his bike, so we objected, but M. was firm. 'Don't come anywhere near here until next week.'

"Two mornings later, the newspaper carried a story on the brutal daylight murder of the notorious Bangalore gangster Koli Fayaz. It had happened just down the road from M's shop. I'm not saying M orchestrated it, but he definitely knew a lot more than how to adjust a carburetor.

"No matter what though, once you find a good mechanic, don't let go. Make friends with them, trust them and, in the case of M, never argue about the bill."

For sale: Two Enfields, one sidecar, $4,000

Two Royal Enfield Bullet motorcycles, one with a Cozy sidecar, all for $4,000. That is the buy-one, get-one deal offered on CraigsList and in the YouTube video above by a seller in Pueblo, Colo.

The motorcycles are both 1999 models. The sidecar is a Cozy Rocket. The seller gives the mileage of the Bullet with the sidecar as only 1,963. He doesn't mention the mileage on the other motorcycle, and he doesn't let us hear them run in the video, but both appear in good shape.

He lists his phone number as 719-778-8995.

Ride your Enfield to work; you're lucky

Monday is Ride Your Motorcycle to Work Day. I hope you will participate. I would be happy to participate except, unfortunately, I am unemployed. That does not make me very special these days, unfortunately.

Some of the fondest memories of my career are of the ride to the office. Commuting by Royal Enfield Bullet was special. The extra involvement with the motorcycle typical of these bikes turned every ride into a time/distance rally. After all, we were due at work and it would not do to be late but I also did not want a speeding ticket.

I watched the lubrication of the clutch lever closely. Broken clutch cables stranded me twice before I learned to carry a spare. After that, it was just a matter of putting on the fresh cable, being careful not to get grease on office clothing.

Other than that, there were few problems. The gas in the tank was always fresh, the oil level was checked every morning and changed at regular mileages. Tire pressure was checked every morning. with a squeeze from a hand that remembered how the tire had felt the day before.

Before pouring my morning cup of coffee at the office I would take a special jar out to the motorcycle and empty the breather catch can. That one jar, carefully marked with skull and crossbones, sat on my desk gradually filling with the most poisonous looking liquid. It took more than a year to fill it.

Like any adventure, the ride to work had to be planned. I would check the weather radar every morning and every evening before setting out to see where the thunderclouds were forming. Often, a carefully chosen route would avoid them. If not, the rain gear was in my backpack where I could get it easily.

Riding to work I appreciated the change of seasons in progress. I noticed that the sun rose a bit earlier or set later every day. For a few weeks every year I could look down and see the shadow of the chain on the ground. I remember how surprised I was to see that it is not constantly tight as it runs; it "pulses" up and down with the beat of the motor, almost like a heartbeat.

Riding a motorcycle I could see these things; in my car I would have listened to the radio and mentally dozed, throwing away two hours of my life every day. On the motorcycle, I experienced those hours; I lived them.

If you have a job, ride your bike to work Monday. I envy you the opportunity.

Dan Holmes tells Bonneville story on disks

You can experience Royal Enfield's record-setting visit to the Bonneville Salt Flats in a video and a slide show of still pictures, both now available as a package from Dan Holmes, the man who led the campaign.

I've viewed my copies and was impressed by the quality of the video and still photos, and by the sit-down interviews with Holmes and other participants.

A nice touch is that Holmes put his autograph on the video disk, just as he left his mark on the team effort that took Royal Enfield to the Salt Flats. And it was a team effort, Holmes emphasizes again and again on screen, as he thanks the people who supported, built and drove the Royal Enfield racing motorcycles.

You might have expected that. But you also get more than you bargained for, including a view from the side hack on the run that set a record for fastest Cozy sidecar. Needless to say, that one was pulled by a Triumph, not a Royal Enfield Bullet.

Holmes gives us a brief tour of Wendover, Utah and its famous former airbase, and shows us around the Salt Flats themselves, surely one of the strangest places on earth. Mere men and machines seem lonely in this vastness, even when surrounded by competitors and officials.

The still pictures are stunning, the video is high quality. It is all excellent material; there is just too much of it. I lost count of the number of gorgeous sunset pictures in the slideshow and the video runs about an hour, much of it backed only with music. Some images are repeated, stretching the show past what most people will want to see. Here's a tip: You can easily set either disk on fast forward and still hear the narration. In fact it's kind of fun to get an impressionistic understanding of the event that way.

The best parts are the interviews with Holmes and others describing what it was like and the video shots of motorcycles and people in motion.

The production does not answer the question of whether or not Holmes will go back to Bonneville this year. Looking at the high quality effort he ran in 2008, it's hard to imagine pulling that together two years in a row.

The video and photo disks come with a donation of $30, with shipping. The video comes at the $20 level plus $5 shipping. Previous donors to the Bonneville effort are being offered the photo slideshow at no additional charge if they order the video. If you are entitled to it, be sure to ask for the bonus slideshow. You can donate through your PayPal account to dch23@yahoo.com

Royal Enfield blog: What's he thinking??

Buying and selling Royal Enfield motorcycles is a bit tricky. There are so few of them in the United States that what you pay and what you get may depend more on what you can find than on what you want.

If you are prepared to wait as long as it takes you will find the motorcycle you want. But some people are a good deal more flexible, including the fellow in Osceola, Mo, who advertises, on CraigsList:

I have a year 2000 royal infield motorcycle for sale/or trade for? what you got? email at
inthewoods2009@yaho.com

No criticism intended of the typographical error "royal infield." I make plenty of errors myself. I can't help wondering what he might consider taking in trade. The ad provides absolutely no hint although it does specify that, if you're paying cash, the asking price is $3,850.

eBay seller shows off Royal Enfield for sale

A 2006 Royal Enfield Bullet for sale on eBay is the subject of an especially fine series of photos by the seller. Even the obligatory photo of the casquette, to show the mileage, is a work of art. In fact, the visual tribute to the motorcycle is so striking, you wonder how he can bear to part with it. I've prepared a slideshow here but the originals in the eBay ad are well worth seeing full size.

The motorcycle is for sale in Westland, Mich, with a Buy It Now price of $3,750. It has 3,578 miles and needs a chain. Thereby, one suspects, lies a tale.

The seller writes:

"Last Summer, the chain broke when I was about to leave for a ride and I never replaced it. The bike is in great shape, it just needs a new chain and I won't get around to it. I am selling the bike because I can't afford to keep it any longer. There is a lien on it and I need to pay it off (upon selling it).

"I have a one-year-old daughter and I need all the money I can save. I did some upgrades, like tan leather seat, turn signals front and back, side mirror, vintage tail light, as well as a Triumph-style heat sink around the exhaust pipe near the motor.

"I do not have the original long seat. I never liked it and had no reason to keep it. I don't ride any longer and I need to sell it.

"Thanks!

"Enjoy!!!"

Some lucky person certainly will, I am sure.

Royal Enfield in UK address UCE recall

Royal Enfield's recall of motorcycles with the new unit-constructed (UCE) motor affects only some bikes, according to a statement from the British importer, Watsonian-Squire Ltd. Watsonian posted this statement on the web site of Hitchcocks Motorcycles:

"A possible fault exists in the gearboxes on all the EFI machines with VIN numbers below those ending in 001116. Machines within this range should not be ridden. A batch of components has been identified as the cause and the necessary plans are being made now to change these in all the affected machines.VOSA (Vehicle & Operator Services Agency) are involved and as soon as the paperwork is completed the recall reference number will be published...

It goes on to say: "We appreciate that this problem will be both disappointing and inconvenient for owners, be assured that we are working hard and with all possible speed to resolve this issue. We will post further news, as it is available."

Royal Enfield in U.S. recalls G-5 bikes

Royal Enfield G-5 motorcycles in the U.S. are being recalled for a possible transmission fault. According to U.S. importer Kevin Mahoney of Classic Motorworks, no motorcycle in the U.S. has suffered the problem, but all with the unit constructed engine (UCE) are being recalled, as a precaution. The fix involves adding clearance between two parts in the transmission. Mahoney posted this notice Tuesday:

"Last Friday we received a call from Royal Enfield telling us of a recall of some G-5's. We were able to notify all of the owners in the US (only six) by that evening. While the engineers at the factory were quite certain that only the VIN numbers given to us were affected, after much discussion they decided that to be on the safe side they would recall all G-5's. We got that notice this (Tuesday) morning and have been calling dealers who are calling customers as we speak. This is a very aggressive way to handle the problem and will cause some customer inconvenience but it is the 'right' thing to do.

'We want all of our customers to stop riding those bikes right away.'

"For the U.S., any bike with the UCE engine in it will be officially recalled. (See important note below if you are from another country). We want all of our customers to stop riding those bikes right away. The actual official recall will come a bit later. The official notice process involves the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) and requires some paperwork and for them to approve the recall letter. The people from that agency have been very helpful. It is one of those cases where someone from the government actually is helpful and not a hindrance. I have been impressed. Royal Enfield and CMW decided that rather than wait for the official notice we would call all of our customers right away to keep them safe.

"The problem involves possible insufficient clearance between the mainshaft of the transmission and third gear. Third gear rotates all of the time on the mainshaft. There has been at least one case where a bike (not in the U.S.) had the gear seize to the shaft. When they replicated the problem at the factory the failure seemed to be preceded by a screeching noise and only happened at highway speeds when the transmission is good and hot. That is not to say that if you ride it slowly it won't happen. The engineers have implemented a fix that involves more clearance between the shaft and third gear as well as a couple of other improvements. It is a good fix and will solve the problem.

"We are now three work days into the process. We have not announced how we are going to handle the repair of these bikes. The reason is simple: when we formulate the final plan we want it to be right, timely and definitive. The fix is a good one so once it is done it will be done for good.

"We don't think that we will be judged because we have a recall , but rather on how we handle it. Royal Enfield and CMW (as well as Watsonian and the other importers) are acutely aware of this. We are all very small companies but we are very confident that we can do this effectively and efficiently.

"If you have any questions you can call us at 800-201-7472 or call your dealer. However we really can't tell you any more that you are reading here nor can your dealer. It has always been our policy to be open and forthcoming with our customers so what information we have will be passed along to our dealers and customers as soon as we know it. Please don't spend time speculating as there is no point. You will know when we know.

"The good news is that this recall will not cover any of the C-5's that we have coming.It also does not cover any other bikes or models we have sold in the past such as Lean Burn models or Cast Iron models...

"IMPORTANT NOTE: This information ONLY APPLIES IN THE US. In other countries other models may be involved, I can't say and I won't speculate. Please contact your dealer in your home country as there may be different issues and different models."

Royal Enfield blog, with motorcycle photos

This blog has many photographs of Royal Enfield motorcycles for sale in the United States. Some sellers provide wonderful, high quality pictures that make you wonder why they would ever sell such a magnificent machine. Others just post a snapshot, often poorly lit. Some don't even bother to roll the motorcycle out of the garage for the photo.

Shooting pictures in the confines of a motorcycle dealership can produce bad results, too, since the clutter of other motorcycles can be distracting. Sometimes the juxtaposition of another style bike with the old-fashioned Royal Enfield is startling.

That is the case with this picture, from a dealership advertising a Royal Enfield Military on eBay. A flashy, red, stylized fantasy chopper is in the background. The olive drab Royal Enfield, the ad emphasizes, even has painted crash bars (and rims and brake wheel centers) that, along with the olive drab panniers, seek to camouflage it.

But which motorcycle would attract more attention on a city street? Here in glitzy South Florida, fantasy bikes like the red chopper are as common as Chinese scooters. They strike me as rather desperate attempts to draw attention to the rider. In contrast (actually, in low-contrast olive drab), a Royal Enfield Military would almost stop traffic.

If not stop traffic, it at the very least, would slow it down, especially if it was in front.

Machinegun motorcycles a fanciful idea

The Royal Enfield Military model inspires many owners to add wartime accessories to their motorcycles. Not many will be adding a Thompson submachine gun, but you have to admit, it would make an awesome accessory.

My brother Phil recently shared some World War II era photos of the real gun mounted to U.S. and British army motorcycles. He found them on MachineGunBoards, a site devoted to the Thompson.

The Thompson submachine gun was widely used by British forces, including motorcyclists, making it appropriate on a British-style bike like the Royal Enfield. The mount shown in use here was tested, but, according to Gavin Birch's book Motorcycles at War, was never used in combat.

It is difficult to imagine it actually being used. Riding the motorcycle while aiming the gun and pulling the trigger would be akin to scratching your head while rubbing your stomach.

A wartime newsreel I once viewed showed British Army motorcyclists riding to a point, then parking their bikes out of sight and moving on foot into ambush position. A moving motorcycle would have made a tricky and unstable mount for any weapon.

The cartoon like image of the British Army motorcyclist aiming his Thompson is one of my favorites. My brother points out that it was obviously directly inspired by the (nearly identical) magazine cover photograph.

The picture below is from Motorcycles at War. Note that, unlike the cartoon, the actual rider does not have the gun sights at eye level.

Royal Enfield is what this blog is about

Royal Enfield motorcycles are what this blog is about, and I can prove it. My daughter Anna showed me how to make a "word cloud" at http://www.wordle.net/

Wordle takes the words from any web site you enter and turns them into a "cloud" of mixed up words reflecting the contents of the web site home page. The resulting conglomeration may be a bit mixed up, but it strongly reflects the content of the site or the specific paragraphs you paste into Wordle.

I will stand by these words.

In my word cloud I used my post about why I chose to buy a Royal Enfield motorcycle. You can read the words the way I wrote them here.

Royal Enfield was novel's one constant

Author John Irving gives a stirring description of a Royal Enfield motorcycle as he sets in motion the action of his novel Setting Free The Bears. That description, in full, is in the previous post. The item prompted "Just a fan" to comment:

"It's poetry: 'when they made the pieces look the way they worked.' But what happens then? What is the book about? What role does the motorcycle play? You can't expect me to read the book! You read it, right? Tell!"

OK, I will. Actual literary critics will please forgive the fact that I was more interested in the motorcycles in the novel than I was in the bears.

Graff, the novel's narrator, takes a half share in the Royal Enfield with Siggy, the motorcycle salesman who has secretly prepared this motorcycle with all the best parts, paid for by his employer. Siggy quits his job and the two embark on a free-spirited road trip across Austria.

But, first, they tour a zoo in Vienna, and Siggy becomes obsessed with setting the animals free; the animals had been freed once before, after World War II, when the starving population of the city ate them.

Graff literally goes along for the ride, zoo plan and all, but before Siggy can act on it he is killed and Graff is injured in a collision.

As he recovers, Graff reads Siggy's notebooks, which lay out the plan for the zoo break. He also reads Siggy's university thesis, which is Siggy's family story, told amid the history of Nazi, Soviet and human wrongdoing before, during and after World War II.

Tragedy made Siggy the last of his line, but motorcycles are the means of escape to life and freedom. No wonder Siggy wanted one. As a sort of tribute to Siggy, Graff manages to execute the zoo break, with predictably tragic results.

And, then, he escapes on the Royal Enfield. The following passage is not the end of the book, but it is on the final page. Any motorcyclist will recognize the emotion:

But I braced my feet on each side of the old beast, and it sat steadily; it waited for me now. Then I identified all its parts in my head; there's a certain confidence in having the names for things. I called my right hand Throttle and turned it up. I called my left hand Clutch, and pulled it in. Even my right foot responded to the gear lever, and found first—and it's not a particularly impressive right foot.

The point is, everything worked...

Royal Enfield featured in Irving novel

Royal Enfield's new C5 motorcycle recently earned the approval of a reviewer for The New York Times. It has been a long time since anythings so dramatically new and worth reviewing by The Times came from Royal Enfield India. A check of The Times archive shows that the newspaper hadn't previously mentioned the words "Royal Enfield" since 1969. I wondered: why then?

That mention came in a book review, of the novel Setting Free the Bears. This was the first book from John Irving, author of The Cider House Rules and The World According to Garp.

The title refers to a hair-brained scheme to free the animals in a Vienna zoo but the novel is just as much about an extraordinary motorcycle road trip.

Irving was 26 years old when he published Setting Free the Bears, and obviously obsessed with motorcycles. Motorcycles play several important parts in the book, but one, in particular, sets the whole novel in motion. Here's how Irving introduces it:

It was covered with a glossy black tarp and leaned against the wall of the garage. The rear fender was as thick as my finger, a heavy chunk of chrome, gray on the rim where it took some of the color from the mudcleats, deep-grooved on the rear tire—tire and fender and the perfect gap between. Siggy pulled the tarp off.

It was an old, cruel-looking motorcycle, missing the gentle lines and the filled-in places; it had spaces in between its parts, a gap where some clutterer might have tried to put a toolbox, a little open triangle between the engine and the gas tank too—the tank, a sleek teardrop of black, sat like a too small head on a bulky body; it was lovely like a gun is sometimes lovely—for the obvious ugly function showing in its most prominent parts. It weighed, all right, and seemed to suck its belly in, like a lean, hunched dog in the tall grass.

"...It's British," said Siggy. "Royal Enfield, some years ago when they made the pieces look the way they worked. Seven hundred cubic centimeters."