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By windmill john
#90690
Sorry to make you work for your supper...

Bear in mind I might go another way entirely. Any major issues or changes in the last five years?
Any changes to fuel injection, improvements etc.

Any year to avoid...

Thanks


John
By Rattlebattle
#90694
The big change came with the EuroIV models (disc rear brake is the obvious change). I don't think anything changed between 2015 and then, nor has anything changed since the Euro IV models, apart from colours, style (eg trials model etc). Be aware that year of registration is not the best guide because Euro 3 models could still be sold for a while after Euro IV came into effect. The big differences between Euro IV and 3 models are that the latter have a revised EFI that cannot be tuned so easily, an air recirculation system and the disc rear brake. The quality definitely improved eg wiring and connectors etc and they were made on a new production line. There is no year to avoid in 2015 and later models, or earlier ones except perhaps the original 2009/10 ones that had no kickstart, though good ones exist for these too. 2015 onwards had a better, Japanese style front tank mounting. That's about it really; it's more important to test ride it for vibration and to hope somebody hasn't bodged one or more of the delicate sump drain plug threads.....
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By windmill john
#90696
Thanks rattlebattle.

I’ve read a bit, watched a chunk of videos.

This is not a criticism, just an observation, it it looks like a lot of owners have REs as second/third bikes and literally only cover anywhere from a few hundred miles to a coupe of thousand miles total.

If I proceed in this direction, I use my bikes. If you look at some Indian postings, a lot of those guys put thousands of miles on their newer 500s. Again, if I go thIs way, I would do the same.

One of the main stumbling blocks at the moment is whether I could settle for a bike that does not cruise at 70 plus comfortably.
Being honest though, I haven’t been abroad for a while, but when we did it was two up, with luggage and motoring . I accept this is something I would need to accept. I will be commuting daily though.

Sorry Adrian, just seen your post.
By Rattlebattle
#90708
If you want 2-up cruising at 70mph forget the UCE 500cc singles; I wouldn’t cruise mine at 70mph solo. Also, I’d be wary of overloading the frame, which has been known to break. Mine is a third bike. I use it for local journeys and bimbling around the lanes. I used to ride it enthusiastically, but tbh I think they last well if not thrashed, so I won’t be taking any more liberties. Fine as a ride-to-work bike though. I would have thought that the pillion seat isn’t great for serious mileage either. Of course, people ride Honda 50s around the world, so it can be done, but I wouldn’t. Forgot about the canister on the Euro IV models, something else to remove..... :D
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By windmill john
#90711
Thanks for that. I was aware it would not cruise at 70 two up.
Luckily my wife and I, combined weight is only 17-18 stone.
I’d be disappointed if I could not cruise two up in the 60s.

I’m on the fence. If I PXd my Transalp, I might be able to afford a Bullet or Classic; actually it would take every penny I have if I search down the couch and beg. I’d then have to wait to buy a pillion seat; not needed for the Bullet obviously.
The small pillion pad does not phase me, my wife found the one on my T3 very comfortable.

I might even go back down the old Airhead route, as that’s where my knowledge is.

To be frank, I have my 350 and since being on this forum I discovered some very helpful guys and this has inspired me to possibly add the Classic or a 500 Bullet. You lot have inspired my Bullet ownership and having two Royal Enfields might be the way to go.

Two REs or my 350 and an Airhead BM........ choices choices.... my life is so hard :mrgreen:
Actually I give myself stress worrying about these first world problems. Hey, I don’t have kids, I need something to stress about :mrgreen:
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By stinkwheel
#90716
I rented a 2016 500 classic in Portugal a couple of years back and Mrs stinkwheel nearly refused to get back on it after we'd done 80 miles or so because her backside was so sore. She's not a fusspot in that regard either, I've seen her do 30 miles on the parcel rack of my 350 with a folded camping mat on it without complaint. The pillion on the one my mate hired was similarly unimpressed.

Not an insurmountable problem, I think people just fit a second riders seat if they are carrying pillions a lot.
By Rattlebattle
#90762
It’s a decision only you can make, as I’m sure you’re aware. If it were me I’d get an airhead because I’ve always fancied one, but they have become expensive lately as they’ve been bought by customisers to satisfy the hipster market. FWIW I kitted out my C5 two years ago with hard panniers and a screen, intending to go to Ireland with friends from my local bike club. I’m glad I chickened out because it simply wouldn’t have been quick enough (solo). It would have been great once we were at the property we rented, but getting there I would have had to add a day each way because it simply isn’t quick enough to keep up with the rest, some of which are classic twins used as intended. In the end I went on my Thruxton, which performed brilliantly. Whilst hiring a C5 in the country of your choice is fine, riding your own to, say, Spain though possible would take a long time. I would consider doing this myself, being retired and time rich, but senior management wouldn’t allow it...
I would also comment that, certainly for new or newish models, the B5 Bullet is much better value than the C5. After a few years these bikes all end up at around the same value, initially depreciating like falling off a cliff, so one a few years old can be a good buy. I would have thought your Transalp would be ideal, but then again I tend to get my bikes just so then sell them..grass is always greener, I suppose,
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By windmill john
#90764
Blooming heck, I looked in the mirror and saw rattlebattle!

I’m wierd I know. The Trannie has 40,000 miles on it. Not a lot I know, but if something went wrong, I’d just blink. I‘ve got the workshop manual, but fault diagnosis is quite involved. Transalps are so reliable I must stop worrying.
If I knew I were going abroad every year again, then I’d go down to BM route, but at the moment, it is not on the cards.
My commute is either 16 miles round trip, or 26 miles round trip depending which site, so a Bullet or Classic seems fine.

Virtually every ride report I’ve watched, the rider says great but I wouldn’t like a long/motorway/A road journey; as you mentioned. I could be making a big mistake, but I like the fact that everything is accessible. As I’ve said with Stinkwheel, whilst I’d like a VFR750, I’d rather throw it in the hedge than change the header pipes.

It might be, like you said, I change bikes every now and then. I’m trying to get better about keeping bikes, but the meds aren’t working! I am though hoping that Gupta, my 350 Bullet stays forever.

The annoying thing is the few bikes I’ve seen for sale that I’d like, I need to sell my Transalp first. I’d rather find a local dealer with a reasonably priced one I can PX against.
But as you said re BMs, they’ve gone crazy, price wise and those blooming hipsters!
By Rattlebattle
#90777
A lot have said, me included, that I wouldn't want a UCE as an only bike. If you get one, selling the Transalp, wouldn't you have two RE singles that you wouldn't want as an only bike. There seems to be irony in adding another " wouldn't want as only bike" to an existing one...... It seems to me that you want/need a reliable bike on which to tour two-up and generally one that can do all things reasonably well. What about selling the 350cc and getting a UCE? You could at least use it as the daily ride and occasionally take a pillion, whereas I imagine the 350 is just a solo bike.

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