Royal Enfield motorbike - why would anyone buy one?

I think you'll find it's cos they're way cheaper than anything more
credible, engineering-wise. After all, they still make the 1950s Morris
Oxford car in India, or did until recently anyway, and that was early 50s,
at that.

different standards. In India, even a shite old brit bike made locally on
worn-out equipment (I expect they're still asembled in the same factory) is
something to aspire to and beats the hell out of a push-bike. But that's in
India.

 

Query: ?
Bang: !

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, Austin Shackles

Actually, you'll see many, many more Hondas and Suzukis than Enfields on
the streets of any of the Indian cities that I've worked in.

There's a reason for that, you know.

--
Wicked Uncle Nigel - Podium Placed Ducati Race Engineer As featured in
Performance Bikes

WS* GHPOTHUF#24 APOSTLE#14 DLC#1 COFF#20 BOTAFOT#150 HYPO#0(KoTL) IbW#41
SBS#39 OMF#6 Enfield 500 Curry House Racer "The Basmati Rice Burner",
Honda GL1000K2 (On its hols) Kawasaki ZN1300 Voyager "Oh, Oh, It's so big"
Suzuki TS250 "The Africa Single" Yamaha Vmax Honda ST1100 wiv trailer

 

Historically, they had no choice because of the fierce Indian
protectionism on imports - the Enfield was bought in when the British
factory shut (or it may have been before that) and manufacturing was set
up there for it to qualify as an Indian-built product. Various Japanese
manufacturers have done the same in subsequent years and I'm glad the
Indian buyers have the opportunity to purchase something worth spending
their money on for a change.

 

Okay so you're saying that the ONLY thing that's good about a Royal
Enfield
(even a Bullet Electra-X with its 280mm front disc brake etc) is that
it's DIRT CHEAP?

Implying presumably that none of the Japanese/US manufacturers can
compete on price...?


Ship

 

**** me, it's like Royston Vasey round here at times.

 

They don't, mostly. There are probably more about than there are here in
the UK, but most bikes in India are locally manufactured ones of Japanese
design. "Hero Honda"s are very popular, IIRC using a 100cc version of the
old C90 engine in a conventional frame.

Regards, Ian

 

It was slightly tongue in cheek.

 

I can't believe I've seen you on here sir.

I'm just going to sit back and wait for the FOAK to comment though.


--
Beav

VN 750
Zed 1000
OMF# 19

 

If the Japanese manufacturers turned out bikes of that low quality,
for the same price, it would be seppuku all round, believe me.

 

I told a pal of mine that when he bought an Enfield (an OLD fucker) last
year. Right foot gearchange, oil leaks as stndard, rides like a piece o'
shite, and with brakes that are worse than bare feet on tarmac. He accused
me of being "modernist" but strangely, the thing was been ridden home when
he bought it and never turned a wheel snce.

This old bastard my pal bought is an original Brit bike and all the worse
for it.


--
Beav

VN 750
Zed 1000
OMF# 19

 

Thick cunts, actually.

Some of them do, but not for long after riding an Enfield.

Only those who buy Indian Enfields.

But (and this is important) go three times as fast in 1/4 the time and for
10 times as long.

Coz they can't afford a decent bike.


--
Beav

VN 750
Zed 1000
OMF# 19

 

There's another good thing about them. Two things, in fact.

(1) They stop working very quickly after purchase.
(2) They're cheap enough to bin rather than repair.

I doubt they even know about shite Enfields let alone worry about competing
with 'em.


--
Beav

VN 750
Zed 1000
OMF# 19

 

don't give up on 'em too easily. You'll find that to be described as a
"****" in this group is kind of a badge of honour.

at least you're not top-posting.

 

Mind you, I expect they're making RE5s or somesuch, or CJ205s. Still, even
the CJ250 is probably a better bike than the enfield bullet. Only probably,
though.

 

They don't buy them as has already been pointed out.I spent a week in
Chennai last year getting lifts on a friends RXS100 and saw 1 Enfield on the
roads , if they can be called that.
And believe me I was paying attention.

Steve

 

Now, now. The interrobang is a perfectly reasonable and extremely
expressive bit of punctuation which would be very welcome these in
these modern times, with so much casual communication carried out in
text. It's absolutely none of our faults it wasn't included in
standard ASCII.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interobang

I miss it nearly daily, I do.

As for the Enfield:

Some of them have sidecars, and that's neat, although it does further
compromise the performance of an already troubled machine.

Beyond that, they're very entertaining to own and maintain, so long as
you are spectating on the process and not carrying it out yourself.
The whole Enfield thing is rather a spectator sport.

Perhaps you could convince a few friends or enemies to participate in
some form of reverse auction where everyone bids on not having to deal
with it?

Goodness, why in the world would someone be auctioning one off?

Glad to see Reeky is as inviting as ever.

Cheers,
Reed

 

It was referred to as an "explanation mark" by that daft bint[1] on
Big Brother[2] last night.

[1] Doesn't narrow it down much, I know. Ashlene, or something.
Screechy thing.

[2] Genuine channel hopping moment, then it was like a road accident -
you know you shouldn't watch, but you can't help it. I regained
control of my faculties after about 5 minutes.
--
| ___ Salad Dodger
|/ \
_/_____\_ GL1500SEV/CBR1100XXX/CBX1000Z
|_\_____/_| ..80797../..22044.../..31893.
(>|_|_|<) TPPFATUICG#7 DIAABTCOD#9 WG*
|__|_|__| BOTAFOT #70 BOTAFOF #09 PM#5
\ |^| / IbW#0 & KotIbW# BotTOS#6 GP#4
\|^|/ ANORAK#17 IbB#4 YTC#4 two#11
'^' RBR Clues: 9 Pts: 205 Miles: 797

 

ISTR the name "pling" from somewhere waybackwhen - Acorn related?

 

Ask Deadeye Dick and Mexican Pete.