Royal Enfields From India, Anyone Had One? Any Good?

Discussion in 'Lounge' started by MartyWilson, Jul 18, 2020.

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  1. Don the Don

    Don the Don Bigger Than The Average Bear

    Nov 5, 2019
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    exactly what model have you decided on?
     
  2. MartyWilson

    MartyWilson Guest

    Well there were actually quite a few when I first started this thread that were going for around three and a half grand with one to two thou on the clock including ex-demo models and others with accessories. But shortly after I started the thread they all got snapped up! I even wonder if I am responsible for the increase in sales of Royal Enfields :)
     
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  3. MartyWilson

    MartyWilson Guest

    Well @Don the Don I guess I have sort of decided on the Johnny Brittain number with the green frame if I can find one, as mentioned above, a little less than brand new and full price (I am a tight git and don't really like to buy 'new').
     
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  4. Alatamoc

    Alatamoc Senior Member

    Mar 29, 2019
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    I share your enthusiasm for this particular version... absolutely lovely.
    I'm a bit stuck though...as far as I can tell the trial models cone without passenger footpegs...in fact the hangers aren't even on there.
    I can imagine bringing one home to my Beloved asking when I'm going to take her out on it.
     
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  5. Tiglet

    Tiglet Vintage Member

    Mar 28, 2016
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    I think you’ll struggle to find many JB reps for sale within your price range as they’ve not been on sale in the UK for a year yet.
    My riding buddy owns an Interceptor and last year saw a picture of the JB rep before they were imported into the UK and he liked the looks of them so placed an order for a green frame model with his RE dealer before he’d even seen let alone sat on one.
    The only thing he doesn’t like is that they are whisper quite so he’s placed an order for a after market can.
     
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  6. Tiglet

    Tiglet Vintage Member

    Mar 28, 2016
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    Your excuse would be,,,,,,,well it’s only got a single seat love and I’m sure you wouldn’t want to sit on the rack ;);)
     
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  7. MartyWilson

    MartyWilson Guest

    They were around until I started talking about them @Tiglet and then they disappeared. Doble Honda had one for a little over three and a half thousand with two thou on the clocks but it's gone and I have seen others for similar money but, as I have been swithering and dithering over whether it's truly what I want or not they have all disappeared. The red framed models are clearly less desirable and are moving much more slowly but I don't like red. I am still not absolutely certain as I like the 'military' versions of the Classic and the standard classic too and could see one of those with knobblies being just as serviceable. From what I understand the hybrid tyres, upswept exhaust and slightly more swing arm travel are pretty much all the actual 'trials' mods on the Johnny Brittain model.
     
  8. Don the Don

    Don the Don Bigger Than The Average Bear

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  9. Tiglet

    Tiglet Vintage Member

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    If you snooze you loose Marty ;):laughing:

    If your unsure then is it the bike for you or just a wim :worried:

    I would imagine that the original JB bike would have had a few secret mods,frame/suspension/engine that only the factory bike had :rolleyes:
     
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  10. MartyWilson

    MartyWilson Guest

    That is the problem @Tiglet I have a desire (or is it a whim?) to go exploring the local forestry roads up and down the mountains around here but I do wonder if I will actually do it or not or am I just kidding myself as an excuse to get another bike. I would like something that can take a bit of abuse that I can take out in bad weather and potter about without worrying too much about binning it but I object to paying a lot of cash (there was a Yamaha DT250 for sale the other day and the fella was asking five grand!) for a beat up Jap trail bike with unknown history and quite frankly ugly/utilitarian styling when I can buy a new/near new cute as all hell fiftie's lookalike for little more money. Even if I didn't actually go off road I would still love to have a bike that has those classic Brit looks.
     
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  11. Don the Don

    Don the Don Bigger Than The Average Bear

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    eight pages Marty, you still thinking, I think your last post answered it for you, you sound like you really won't one go for it if the itch is getting too much, bite the bullet [sorry about that] you could always sell it if it does not measure up, or better still try and get a road test to reach a final verdict.
     
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  12. cliverdee

    cliverdee Well-Known Member

    Aug 5, 2014
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    If you bought an Enfield we’d all be delighted to learn how you got on with it... I love the looks but would doubt I’d own even a new one because I wouldn’t trust their build quality & reliability... however as this is a Triumph forum we out to be all saying “Buy a Triumph”.... not to put a dampener on the fun of deliberating over a new bike of course... motorbikes must be fun and mustn’t become a stress !
     
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  13. Alatamoc

    Alatamoc Senior Member

    Mar 29, 2019
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    I've found the same. They've all disappeared.. except the red frame ones...and everyone knows those are slower and less reliable than the green frames.
    I'm wrestling with a dilemma....One if my bikes would need to go.
    It can't be the thunderbird 1600 as SHE likes it. That leaves the Tiger955i with all the hard work and desirable mods I've done to it...or my recently acquired 865 Speedmaster that I'm still bringing up to my high standards.
    Problems problems.....
     
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  14. MartyWilson

    MartyWilson Guest

    #134 MartyWilson, Aug 1, 2020
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 1, 2020
    @cliverdee I am a little peeved that Triumph don't produce something that would fit the bill. They are really missing a trick in my view as they seem to be running down the 'classics'. Even their 1200 Scrambler, Thruxton and Speed Twin are moving away from that classic style which is really what Triumph is all about in my book.

    The tigers are a case in point. The originals were a pretty unusual looking bike, yes they were in the vein of an Africa Twin, Tuareg etc. but they were different enough to stand out. I was out yesterday (I have to admit I was piloting the cage as chauffeur to the little lady) and there were hundreds of 'adventure' bikes out and, you know, I am sure they were from different makers as the riders were often clad in clothing with big 'K's and other brands on them but they all essentially looked like the same clumps of this and that atop two wheels. No individuality , cohesion or style about the design.

    Why didn't Triumph bring out a proper more light weight true off-road bike? I mean there was a ready made name for it - 'Tiger Cub'!

    What changed with Triumph? From the early nineties into the 2000's their designs have been sublime and individual. They are not easily mistaken for anyone else's product whether it was Streetfighter, tourer, classic, or Adventure but, since then they seem to have lost all their 'fizz' and become pretty much like all the others apart from the Bonnie's and I wonder how much longer the T100 and T120 will stay in the line-up.

    I don't want to offend anyone and this is solely my own personal Opinions. To me the Speed Twin has a late 70's early 80's Yamaha or Kawasaki muscle bike thing going on, the modern tigers look messy, the 1200 Scramblers are like some 250 1990's scrambler that's been at the steroids and the others are just too 'Harley' for me. In my defence here I am a weirdo who is never 'with the times' so my opinions probably don't conform to the 'real world' whatever that is. :)
     
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  15. Tiglet

    Tiglet Vintage Member

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    I know what you mean about Jap 2 strokes as I’ve been a member of the Yamaha RD Club and forum and own a 250.

    The only 2T that I would consider at this moment would be a Suzuki T500 but the way the price of Jap 2 strokes have gone is silly. Not many bargains to be had these days I’m afraid.
     
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  16. Wessa

    Wessa Cruising

    Apr 27, 2016
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    I bought a new RE interceptor 650 a couple of months ago and I have to admit the build quality is not that of Triumph (I have a couple of triumphs in my garage). Having said that imo based on a couple of months ownership the RE quality is perfectably acceptable given the price and more importantly the bike rides as good as the street twin which is it's main competitor in the market. And yes I have owned both bikes.
    As with any bike with lots of chrome and alloy parts they need to be looked after. this is true for triumphs and royal enfields. Just saying :):)
     
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  17. Alatamoc

    Alatamoc Senior Member

    Mar 29, 2019
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    I'm with you on that too.
    I hate hate hate bikes with pointy jagged styling ...look so ugly.
    A good friend of mine runs a tiger 800 and off roads it a lot...does the job reasonably well but I want to kick it every time I walk past it.
     
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  18. Tiglet

    Tiglet Vintage Member

    Mar 28, 2016
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    Met up with my riding buddy just after 0800 hrs this morning and it was then a ride to the breakfast stop before they got busy.
    He turned up on this 440 single,cheap as chips to buy,easy maintenance especially the valve adjustment (screw and locknut) on the Chinese engine. Averaged 60mph no problem.
    As he says if it falls apart in a few years nothing lost,,,,,did I say they’re as chip as chips to buy.

    F97357A5-B2C6-415A-A0CA-570BABA0F29C.jpeg

    5DDCDCC9-54D5-4515-BA14-C89076D1502B.jpeg
     
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  19. Tiglet

    Tiglet Vintage Member

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    Correct, SWM made a good trials bike back then, saw a few lads on then as I was competing in trials at that time on a Fantic.
     
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  20. Don the Don

    Don the Don Bigger Than The Average Bear

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    SWM, Same Company resurrected made in Italy with Chinese funding, on the smaller models they use a ex XL engine that is used by a dozen different marks, the engine in the SWM above is the same as the Mash and Jawa, Herald, and other bikes.

    As your mate says @Tiglet if it falls apart in years to come so be it what we called condom bikes Buy them use them and throw them away, but that SWM has a good pedigree what with stainless exhaust and other well made parts, ideal for country lanes.
     
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