- Tue Oct 04, 2016 10:13 am
#6767
At the MOT last week at an RE dealer they said mine was the highest mileage EFI model they had seen, by some margin. I was surprised and I'm sure there must be others with more - and if we share our stories it might help others.
Mine is a 60reg 2010 Electra EFI with 22000 miles and counting. It had 2000 miles up when I bought it at 3 years old, so I've put on 20000 in the last 3 years. Mostly it does an 80 mile round trip commute twice a week all year round. The odd longer journey - 200 miles each way to head office or to visit my mum. The longest in one go was 400 miles from North Yorkshire to Cornwall.
I generally ride up to speed limits and cruise at 65 ish on multi-lane roads, with a fairly consistent 78 mpg.
Problems include needing a full replacement exhaust due to vibration damage (although it doesn't bother me at all riding it). All other problems have been electrical - mostly due to shorts caused by poor wiring and connectors - it happens so often I now carry spare wire, fuses, insulation tape etc with me. The reg/rect and starter solenoid have failed, it has had 2 new batteries and, inevitably, the sprag clutch exploded when the first battery was on the way out. I have been recovered by the AA 3 times - once more and the bike goes...
Tyres are Avon road riders and last about 8000 on the back, twice that on the front. I'm on the 3rd chain. The first was rubbish and took the teeth off the back sprocket, the second got a tight spot, but this one is much better (Regina) and hardly ever needs adjusting.
I've replaced the headlight lens with a Cibie and a super bright bulb, but it's still not as good as it needs to be for wet night rides.
I enjoy riding it, but I don't think, when the time comes, it will be replaced by another Enfield - I might be tempted by the new twin if it ever materialises, but a bigger Honda with modern engineering, electrics and build standards is more likely. I was prepared for a more involved owner experience and it has been better than I thought it would be, but now I am ready to sacrifice 'character' and some style for better reliability and a wider range of usability.
Mine is a 60reg 2010 Electra EFI with 22000 miles and counting. It had 2000 miles up when I bought it at 3 years old, so I've put on 20000 in the last 3 years. Mostly it does an 80 mile round trip commute twice a week all year round. The odd longer journey - 200 miles each way to head office or to visit my mum. The longest in one go was 400 miles from North Yorkshire to Cornwall.
I generally ride up to speed limits and cruise at 65 ish on multi-lane roads, with a fairly consistent 78 mpg.
Problems include needing a full replacement exhaust due to vibration damage (although it doesn't bother me at all riding it). All other problems have been electrical - mostly due to shorts caused by poor wiring and connectors - it happens so often I now carry spare wire, fuses, insulation tape etc with me. The reg/rect and starter solenoid have failed, it has had 2 new batteries and, inevitably, the sprag clutch exploded when the first battery was on the way out. I have been recovered by the AA 3 times - once more and the bike goes...
Tyres are Avon road riders and last about 8000 on the back, twice that on the front. I'm on the 3rd chain. The first was rubbish and took the teeth off the back sprocket, the second got a tight spot, but this one is much better (Regina) and hardly ever needs adjusting.
I've replaced the headlight lens with a Cibie and a super bright bulb, but it's still not as good as it needs to be for wet night rides.
I enjoy riding it, but I don't think, when the time comes, it will be replaced by another Enfield - I might be tempted by the new twin if it ever materialises, but a bigger Honda with modern engineering, electrics and build standards is more likely. I was prepared for a more involved owner experience and it has been better than I thought it would be, but now I am ready to sacrifice 'character' and some style for better reliability and a wider range of usability.
