Royal Enfield riders praised by President Obama

Royal Enfield motorcycles paraded, and President Obama was impressed.

Royal Enfield motorcycle riders received a verbal salute from U.S. President Barak Obama after he witnessed India's Republic Day Parade Jan. 26, 2015.

The president referred to the impressive performance of Border Police on Royal Enfield motorcycles in the parade. Obama noted their dare-devil stunts to set up a joke about how the Secret Service doesn't let him ride motorcycles.

Ritesh C. Soni, film editor for yash Raj Films, prepared this clip of the President's remarks for Facebook.

Post by Ritesh C Soni.

View this YouTube video of the parade to get some idea of how remarkable it is that the Royal Enfield segment was mentioned. The Republic Day parade is a combination of floats, military bands, drill teams, costumes and military gear with a touch of Bollywood thrown in.


Reader Charles Fernandes kindly found this additional link to a short YouTube clip of the Border Police performance itself.

Royal Enfield gas mileage: Still a selling point?

Royal Enfield motorcycles are easy on gas. But does anyone care?

"Too bad gas prices have dropped 'cause one of my main selling points was going to be the 70 mpg gas mileage," writes the CraigsList seller of a 2011 Royal Enfield B5 in Cincinnati, Ohio.

"But you'll be thankful for it if gas goes back up."

Commuting to work on a Royal Enfield — before I lost the job I was commuting to — was always a joy. I never thought about the gas I was saving.

I vividly remember filling up at more than $4 a gallon in 2008. Sure, we knew that Europeans and others paid more. U.S. drivers pay an average of just 48.5 cents a gallon in taxes.

But the price per gallon seemed like an awful lot to me.

Peoples' memories are funny.

Tim McMahon, who writes about monetary inflation at InflationData.com points at that even though U.S. gasoline prices adjusted for inflation were low in 1998, most people didn't realize it since the pump price then seemed high.

"But they knew it intuitively since a smaller portion of their budget was going toward gasoline. In fact, gas had gotten really cheap by historical standards allowing people to buy gas guzzlers like SUVs and Hummers."

Americans who bought Hummers as fashion statements were in for a shock in 2008 when gas prices rose. General Motors, maker of the Hummer, filed for bankruptcy in 2009 and the last Hummer, by then a symbol of wretched excess, was produced in 2010.

Today gas prices at the pump seem low but, in fact, according to McMahon, they are no where near as low as they were (adjusted for inflation) in 1998. In fact, he noted in 2013 that the average price of gasoline in the United States (adjusted for inflation) has been $2.60 per gallon since 1918!

In other words, the price we pay today at the pump in the U.S. is below average, but not by much. Prices may go lower and they certainly will go higher.

Hang onto that Royal Enfield.

Royal Enfield Interceptor Register tracks famed motorcycles

Gary Elder's 1970 Royal Enfield Interceptor
 in a photo taken circa 1973.

The powerful and rare Royal Enfield Interceptor motorcycle only grows in fame and value as its days of glory in the Swinging '60s become ever fonder memories.

To keep track of these special motorcycles, vendor Burton Bike Bits began a Royal Enfield Interceptor Register years ago.

In 1981 Burton Bike Bits had purchased the remaining factory stock of parts originally saved from the Bradford-on-Avon factory when Royal Enfield went out of business in England in 1971. Burton's public Interceptor Register was handy for research, and has recently been improved and updated.

Now the Royal Enfield Interceptor Owners Group has added its own Interceptor Register where members can share information, stories and photos of their Interceptors.

It's not as public as the Burton Bikes Bits register; you'll need to join the Royal Enfield Interceptor Owners Group on Yahoo  (easily done) to keep updated. But there's more there and the goal is to follow each machine into the future as owners and future owners restore and update components.

This Interceptor Register is the handiwork of member Gary Elder, of Ontario, Canada, who titles himself PMR ("Person Maintaining the Register"). He first posted the REIOG Interceptor Register in March, 2014. His introduction to the register gives plenty of credit to other Interceptor enthusiasts who contributed inspiration, information, help, suggestions and concerns.

The resulting register is very detailed, including a "Condition Code" describing a motorcycle's present state, how close to "stock" it is, how close to operational it us and what sort of use it sees. There is a separate photo gallery keyed to each machine's register number.

Information on the register is "for the pursuit of the Interceptor hobby," and commercial use of the data is prohibited. Concern for owners' privacy has been key, with data made public or not depending on the preference of each owner.

Here's a "sample" view of the register (stripped down by Gary to include only his own Interceptor).

I counted 23 motorcycles on the actual register, all with additional Detail Pages and many with photos. Among them is Gary's own 1970 S2 Interceptor, Condition Code W2P5 — meaning "Under restoration, mostly stock, partly assembled, not used."

Are there other Interceptor owners out there who want to be listed in the registry?

"Anyone else that wants to put their machine data into the register, please just send me an email (at) g_elder@rogers.com and we'll get the ball rolling," Gary writes.

Custom Royal Enfield twin combines 50 years of parts

Nice looking Royal Enfield Bullet. Hey, that's a twin!

Royal Enfield enthusiast Tim Busby of New Zealand has the mechanical skills to make unusual things happen.

Lately his flair for the exceptional has led him to build two powerful and fast Royal Enfield twins virtually from piles of odd parts. The results look great but — madness! — his most recent "hybrid" looks from a distance more like a mild Royal Enfield Bullet than the mighty-mighty Interceptor it resembles mechanically.

It doesn't even use shiny dual mufflers to give away its 736cc vertical twin motor.

Tim let the members of the Royal Enfield Interceptor Owners Group on Yahoo in on it all recently, posting photos of the latest machine. Which he calls his '53/'63/'93/'03 Meteor/Interceptor/Bullet Hybrid.

Catchy.

"This hybrid has: '53 Meteor frame, '63 Interceptor Mk-1 engine and 'box, '70 Interceptor SII primary side, '93 Indian Bullet tank and tool boxes, 2003 Bullet disc front end and guards. Pretty much the only 100 percent original unmolested part on the bike is the swingarm, (and that is) New Old Stock," he wrote.

Amazing.

And isn't it amazing that all these Royal Enfield bits from across half a century bolt right together?

NO. They don't.

It looks like a Bullet but it's better. Note Interceptor oil cooler.

The actual tale of how Tim assembled his hybrids is fraught with suspense, as parts that look like mates decline to fit, mysterious motors purchased sight unseen present challenges and even a brand new carburetor right out of the box fails to — ahem — pass gas.

On the other hand — naturally — the 1958 spark plugs in the first hybrid still work fine.

Along the way, Tim got new pistons for his latest hybrid and lightened them himself, had the cams rebuilt to Constellation R specifications, used later model Bullet clutch and alternator parts he likes, fit a close ratio gear set and had the magneto rebuilt.

He failed to notice the swingarm was twisted until it came time for assembly. Good luck, Hitchcock's had a heavier, New Old Stock swingarm designed for sidecar use.

There were many, many other details to work out. Something as seemingly simple as having the braided front brake hose shortened 6 inches meant repeated trips to the shop and, ultimately, the purchase of an entirely new line.

Tim had 1993 Bullet tool boxes and tank on hand that just needed repainting.

Twin cylinder, twin carb Interceptor motor.

In the end, the 1953 Meteor frame (no one knows what happened to the rest of the motorcycle) and 1963 Interceptor motor (originally dispatched to California, no other history known) and 2003 Bullet forks and disc brake made a fine motorcycle.

"All-in-all, very happy with the 53/63/93/03! Now, if anyone has some spare bits from off a '73 and an '83, I could be interested," he writes.

But why do it at all?

"Inspiration for the bikes? Not much at all, really," Tim wrote me.

"Simply based upon what spare parts were available or I had to hand, and what could be assembled using the readily available Indian bits and pieces to expedite the process...

"It was far cheaper for me to make the Meteor Interceptor Bullet than to buy a new 535 GT."

Tim's first hybrid. 1951 Bullet frame, 1957 Indian Trailblazer (Super Meteor) motor
with wheels, forks, tank and guards from India.

Royal Enfield starting problem cured by new battery

Problems starting my Royal Enfield Bullet were fixed by a new battery.

Few things (except maybe a fresh spark plug) are as likely to pep up a classic Royal Enfield motorcycle as a new battery.

I'd been nursing along a duff battery in my 1999 Royal Enfield Bullet since it almost stranded me Sept. 27, 2014.

I quickly found that while a few minutes on a battery charger would get us going, the battery would fail to hold a charge and, once stopped, the motor wouldn't restart. Aggravating.

So I made an appointment at my local Brit bike shop, Wes Scott Cycles in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Wes advised that he had what I needed on the shelf. But no trip to his shop deserves a simple run past. Half the reason I like to go there is to see what other motorcycles are on hand.

Triumph cafe racer. Lime green.

This time it was a trio of interesting Triumphs, including a custom cafe racer and a pristine looking Daytona. It's the details I like to look for — things such as what the reflectors look like and how rear axle alignment is adjusted.

Triumph Daytona was a more classic shade of green.

Seriously: has any other maker ever copied Royal Enfield's clam shell adjusters? I doubt it. At least they are unique.

A battered Yamaha 100 dirt bike last registered in 1977 provided the most drama that morning. Kick after kick failed to bring it to life until the fellow doing the kicking basically gave up. He managed one, last, half-hearted little shove with his foot.

Of course, this started the Yamaha immediately. The smoke drove almost everyone out of the shop.

Two-cycle Yamaha dirt bike clears the air of mosquitoes.

Wes installed my battery and I experienced the joy of starting my Bullet instantly, and twice in a row.

We're good to go now.

Precious details on the Triumph Daytona.

Brand new Royal Enfield loses weight, gains go power

What happens when a 2015 Royal Enfield C5 goes on a diet.

Jeremy Pendergast wrote recently to share photos of a neat custom Royal Enfield scrambler built from a brand new 2015 C5 at Baxter Cycle in Marne, Iowa, a Royal Enfield dealer. Jeremy is general manager there.

Here's how he described it:

"It started life as a stock silver/black C5 until a customer of ours inquired about a light-duty vintage on-road/off-road bike.  Initially, he was thinking BSA Victor or Triumph Trailblazer, but he was concerned about the right-hand shift and the obvious reliability issues that can crop up with a vintage British motorcycle.

"We suggested a Royal Enfield as a viable alternative to a vintage bike, and that got the ball rolling.

"I've built a couple Bullet scramblers myself (see the picture of my 535cc iron-barrel scrambler I built for my town/country use)  so I had an idea of what we could do — but we've never attempted such a thing with an EFI Bullet.

Jeremy's own stripped down scrambler.

"We started by removing about 80 pounds (!!!) of bodywork, hoses, airbox, exhaust, stays, brackets, battery, etc.  We then looked at what was available from nfieldgear and Hitchcocks that we could put back on that would weigh less (and look good!).

"With only a few small modifications, everything that went back on was basically off-the-shelf parts. The end result is a fantastic mix up nostalgic British scrambler and modern Enfield reliability and convenience (the pillion pad can be re-attached in a matter of minutes with the removal of the rear rack, hence the apparently vestigial passenger pegs).

After-market bits preserve vintage look, add utility.

"Not only does it check all of the right boxes, it's a true one-of-a-kind bike that attracts attention anywhere it goes (dirt, pavement, or gravel).

"Overall, it pales in comparison to what guys like Aniket can do, but for a bike that started off as a fairly sedate roadster, I'm very proud of the fact that it has lost none of its charm, and has not only improved its usefulness off road, but also on road as the Power Commander and auto-tuner (not to mention the weight-loss program) have really added an extra punch to the motor that make highway cruising much easier.

"It also highlights perfectly what someone can do to radically alter the appearance of their Bullet with a little help from some excellent aftermarket parts suppliers."

Lithe looking.

What does this bicycle tell Royal Enfield about design?

This 1960s bicycle is a study in straight lines, circles and curves.

It's not a Royal Enfield motorcycle, but it's impossible for me to ignore this 1960s J.C. Higgins "Flightliner" bicycle for sale on CraigsList in Brighton, Mich.

It's so — well, there is just something about it, isn't there? It's not quite right, but it's certainly not wrong.

J.C. Higgins was a house brand for Sears department stores in the early 1960s. The bicycles were made by manufacturers of other brands, and rebadged. Pizazz was important to department store sales, so it came with shiny fenders and a long, narrow rack. Even the chain guard was shiny metal.

A streamlined "tank" under the top bar typically held twin, battery powered headlights, not seen in this example.

The antique automotive light is wrong but I like its dropped position.

Instead, the seller has added an antique automotive headlamp (mounted on a bent and crimped bit of pipe). Together with the flipped  handlebars, this light gives the bike the "rat rod" look the seller advertises.

"Fifty years of patina can not be faked," he boasts. "Imagine riding this around the 'hood. You will not be overlooked."

That's for sure. I don't like the automotive headlamp; it looks too old for this 1960s bicycle. But I do like the way the lamp is "dropped" below the handlebar level, where it lines up with the faux "tank."

The long straight rack may be impractical but I love what it does to the lines.

All-in-all, the lamp, tank and rack emphasize the horizontal lines of this bicycle that, from the side view, make it look racy indeed. The extremely tight fitting fenders complete its speedy appearance.

I'm surprised how much I like it.

Royal Enfield rider counts thumps with health monitor

Is your Royal Enfield motorcycle an exercise machine?

Who saw this one coming? A user of a personal activity monitor (to count his steps) has noticed that the device counts the thumps as he rides his Royal Enfield!

"Vivek" wrote on an online forum:

"I noticed it today, maybe because the bike vibrates a lot, while riding my Royal Enfield (my) Misfit was counting the vibrates as steps. Does anyone else have this issue with Misfit? What are the other apps I can play around with to see if this happens with all of them?"

The Misfit website specifically says its monitor will count the number of times you pedal a bicycle. So it is pretty sensitive.

Vivek seems to consider this a problem, but I think some Royal Enfield owners will consider it a badge of honor.

I see it as just one more bit of evidence in the ongoing discussion: Does Riding a Royal Enfield Help You Lose Weight?

Royal Enfield and the importance of being Lawrence

Peter Egan explains how it all goes back to Lawrence of Arabia.

There is no historical figure more important to my generation's love of motorcycling than T.E. Lawrence (of Arabia). And there is no American automotive writer of my time better able to explain this than Peter Egan.

As he does in a Cycleworld piece entitled "The Long Shadow of Clouds Hill — A visit to Lawrence of Arabia's last home — and last stretch of road — after all these years."

Egan credits Lawrence (and the 1962 David Lean movie "Lawrence of Arabia") with sparking his own love of motorcycling. Most guys my age will understand.

But Egan in effect goes on to explain how Lawrence and his death on a quiet road near his Clouds Hill home in England sparked a love of — specifically — British motorcycles.

This is a factor that Royal Enfield clearly understands as it carries on the heritage of British motorcycling in a new century.

Lawrence rode his famous Brough Superior that last day in 1935 when he fatally swerved to avoid two boys on bicycles. It was that muscular and manly Brough, the country lane and the last act of courage... ummm, skip the part about having to die. Nice bike, though.

T.E. Lawrence was a fascinating character. He was tortured by his captors in World War I and tortured himself afterwards. (As Egan writes, "and who better than a genuine masochist to own seven British motorcycles?")

Those seven motorcycles were Brough Superiors, owned one after the other. The one from which he was thrown to his death is at the Imperial War Museum, displayed as if on an altar.

T.E. Lawrence Brough Superior at the Imperial War Museum.

There ought to be some way to enshrine the typical British country road as well.

Please read Egan's whole piece — I hope he will forgive me for quoting his kicker here:

"I sometimes wonder if it was the Brough Superior that captivated me when I first saw 'Lawrence of Arabia' 52 years ago or if it was simply the romantic vision of those empty English roads from a bygone era. Or the heroic legend that connected them both. Maybe it was all three. Motorcycling is never just about the bike."