Royal Enfield experience

[duganc1717]

Anyone on here owned/ridden a Royal Enfield? Looking at the Continental or Interceptor as an inexpensive bike to mess with.

[boosten lebaron]

I was looking to get a 350 last year I think. I ended up passing on them just cause they didn't do the highway well plus the .microchip shortage meant you couldn't always get the correct dash for the bike. I have no idea if that problem has been solved.
Solid bikes anyway as long you know it's limits. The 650 I tried was a slow pondering thing but that's why your buying it.
FYI Albany royal Enfield was way better than everyone else's prices so worth the trip. Alpha had good prices but the doc fees were quite high. Marks was just smoking crack and doc fees were like 30% of the bikes MSRP but they don't tell you that until your already signing. For the $4200 meteor I think it was around 1800 in fees

[RandyO]

looked and sat on one at a bike show in Montréal a while ago. Had a chrome gas tank

[whynot]

Friend of mine is selling his clean low miles Continental GT 650 twin -- chrome tank model called Mr. Clean.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...7701253177914/

I rode it last year, did about 20 miles of back roads. Smooth effortless machine to ride. The suspension is good, on the firm side, handling is light and stable. Looks great, sounds really nice, too. It's a twin cylinder and nothing like the singles (that others here are commenting on). If I owned one I'd wring it out. IMO it's a mildly tuned over-engineered machine with easy DIY service. The dealer in Boxborough MA charges brain surgeon prices for service. I'd use the RE dealer in North Pownal VT (same owners as Albany NY as referenced above) if I had one. There's a race series for the 650s IIRC, big bore kits and exhausts available from S&S, and bits from India, of course -- MK Designs:
https://mkdesignsindia.com/product-c...royal-enfield/



PS -- seller is on NESR, doesn't post a lot

[nhbubba]

Given it was a few years ago now, but I demo'ed one of their retro looking models, can't even remember which. It was the single biggest steaming pile of shit I've ever ridden. Part of it literally fell off on the little test loop they had us run. I slinked away from the bike as fast as I could once we got it back to the parking lot for fear I'd be seen next to it. I ride and love my Harley. I had a wee strom for 50k miles. I'd hit an uglystrada even with the lights on. I have ridden a mid 80's air cooled BMW and left nodding "I get it". But nothing about the enfield appealed to me. Nothing. Hard, hard pass.

That said I hear they've come a long way. The only way they had to go was up.

Runner up for the biggest POS ever was the Yamaha Bolt. YUCK!

[sdog30]

I tried one once, too. I think Dove had it a a pit bike? It was the small engine that looked retro. Wasn't that impressed. The shifing was clunky and problematic.

[RandyO]

Given it was a few years ago now, but I demo'ed one of their retro looking models, can't even remember which. It was the single biggest steaming pile of shit I've ever ridden. Part of it literally fell off on the little test loop they had us run. I slinked away from the bike as fast as I could once we got it back to the parking lot for fear I'd be seen next to it. I ride and love my Harley. I had a wee strom for 50k miles. I'd hit an uglystrada even with the lights on. I have ridden a mid 80's air cooled BMW and left nodding "I get it". But nothing about the enfield appealed to me. Nothing. Hard, hard pass.

That said I hear they've come a long way. The only way they had to go was up.

Runner up for the biggest POS ever was the Yamaha Bolt. YUCK!

Really, I thought that was a competition between Hyosung and Ural

[duganc1717]

Thanks for all the feedback, most the Youtube videos I watched mainly complained of the feel and performance of the front brake. Which seems curable with brake lines and pads. Maybe I'll head in a different direction, originally was looking for a inexpensive sport tourer type of rig (VFR, FZ1, Sprint ST or GT, etc). Unfortunately I quickly learned that trying to buy a used bike in 2024 on FB MP is worse than CL 15yrs ago.

Cannot take looking at another "mint" bike to find scuffed fairings and a ground down stator cover from the PO "dropping" it in the driveway!

[boosten lebaron]

Kawi concours?

[nhbubba]

To be fair, I've never ridden a Hyosung or a Ural. And part of me wants a Ural.

[boosten lebaron]

Terrible bikes urals are. Really only good if your on fire roads all the time with a side car and want 2wd. Other than that they are poor at everything else they do. A bsa would be a massive step up.

[whynot]

Thanks for all the feedback, most the Youtube videos I watched mainly complained of the feel and performance of the front brake. Which seems curable with brake lines and pads. Maybe I'll head in a different direction, originally was looking for a inexpensive sport tourer type of rig (VFR, FZ1, Sprint ST or GT, etc). Unfortunately I quickly learned that trying to buy a used bike in 2024 on FB MP is worse than CL 15yrs ago.

Cannot take looking at another "mint" bike to find scuffed fairings and a ground down stator cover from the PO "dropping" it in the driveway!

IME, those "all good" "ready to ride" used bikes often need about $1K in updates -- tires, chain and sprockets, battery, brake pads, etc. -- if not immediately, within the first year.

How about a Ducati ST4 for $2700? Looks good, lots of recent service, but no mention of timing belts or valve adjustment, so there's your $1K unless you DIY. Probably has good brakes, though.
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...8160793086444/

[OneCheekRider]

originally was looking for a inexpensive sport tourer type of rig (VFR, FZ1, Sprint ST or GT, etc).

Go buy this before I do: https://advrider.com/f/threads/2012-...-1050.1716915/

[OreoGaborio]

Go buy this before I do: https://advrider.com/f/threads/2012-...-1050.1716915/

That thing's gorgeous. Wish I were in the market for a sport tourer.

[OneCheekRider]

I've been considering selling the Tiger I haven't even picked up yet for this Sprint but I just got that Tiger registered. I probably would've bought this had it been available when I was in the market.