Boooooohoooooo! Got to sell my 2006 Electra X 500 as the Bonnie came along un-expected and I cant afford to keep both! Enfields had to dump their cast iron barreled engine to meet the E.U./US emissions legislation and had the new engine designed as a stop-gap until they introduced the EFI models, some, including me, would say the AVL lean burn is the best of all 3 engines. The earlier models broke sprag clutches like babies go through nappies, but the importer, Watsonian issued a 'green box' cdi which cancels the first spark, and Hitchcocks sell a 2 degree off set woodruff key for the trigger, both fitted to this bike, which lessons the chances of kick-back. My bike has 6550 miles only, runs, starts, and stops as it should, even in temperature's at -8, new battery this time last year. 5 speed box. 80+ mpg, brilliant for a 500, just service with new oil. filter, etc, all chrome good as is paint, 1 small (and I do mean small!) chip on very edge of front mud guard. Comes with screen, engine bars, rack. Nice straight bike, not messed about with, £2250 OVNO Located nr Edinburgh. P.M me. Thanks Terry
Now sold, now I can spend all that lolly on the Bonneville! Nissan Micra sump plugs x2 for a starter.
Well done with the sale - nice bike. I have an 05 Electra X which has had the full Hitchcocks Trials conversion. Electric start removed by previous owner - fun times!
Nice bike, but they seem to have too many reliability issues to be taken seriously as an only bike, hence the Bonneville. Have you seen the threads (2 of them!) currently running on the Hitchcocks message boards on big end failures? I must stress mine was up for sale before these were stated and as far as I know there are no issues with the one I just sold.
She looks really lovely Steve, really nice. Do you remember that Métisse Triumph we saw at the cafe? She reminds me a bit of that.
Now that's a bike that I nearly had back in the late 70's, could not sell my Suzuki kettle quick enough and it got away! Just missed it, bought a Z1000 instead.
The Métisse is that bike that a journo (names gone now) was trying to take from Jo'bourg to the coast wasn't it? Apparently it literally fell to bits.
That's why I have the Trident and will be getting Bonneville mark II next year. The Enfield is strictly a fun bike only.
It was Henry Cole on one of his "Worlds Greatest Motorcycle Rides" - the bike did fall apart but he admits it wasn't prepared properly and was running the wrong tyres for the conditions. In his last series he successfully rode it through Croatia, Bosnia and Serbia without a hitch.
Yes but if I remember correctly as well as having tyre and general mechanical problems the frame cracked at a weld point.
That's nice on the eye Steve, part of me really wants a ride on one for a truly different experience.
It certainly is a different experience from the perspective of any modern bike. I know this one is only 10 years old, but apart from having a LH gear change and a front disc brake, it rides pretty much like a 1950's bike in terms of performance and handling and is non the worse fot it.