Hitchcocks Forum

Great review of Royal Enfield Classic 500 (Desert Storm model) in Fast Bikes Magazine, 8/10 verdict, calling it a great bike for lazy Sunday rides or commuting....then they spoilt it all by saying "you wouldn't want one as your only bike, unless you are an old duffer"! Is that a fair description of us?!

Hi guys-------YES !!!!!!!--I'm an AULD FARTY-BAGS & PROUD OVIT !!!!!I have not one but TWO CLASSIC 500 Iron engined bikes. I'm self-opinionated, crass, vulgar, lazy, wear dirty cord trousers for BEST clothing, a tendancy to "letch" rather than just look,..my nose runs and my feet smell( Hang-on, I'm upside down then ?? )------but, of course--- it's ALL done in the BEST----POSSIBLE TASTE !!!

I wouldn't take any notice of what Fast Bikes have to say. I work in a London ad agency I can assure you a lot of the young trendy types who work there are very into the idea of riding enfields and are genuinely interested in mine. That is probably helped by the fact they have seen them out in India but there is a big trend for older style bikes. Old triumphs and harleys in chopper and bobber style probably top the list but enfields are definitely cool with people in their 20s and 30s. I bought my bullet when i was 44 (just turned 50) so i don't quite qualify for old duffer status yet i hope.

I'm 44 and have ridden Enfields for the last ten years so not quite an old duffer yet, although I can't see close up without +1 reading specs. I think I stopped hearing bats sometime in my 30's but I can still run 5 miles three times a week, including a very steep hill that the bike struggles to get up. I don't wear hi viz jackets or sensible riding gear, or use the word 'bimble' and use my bullet hard fairly regularly. I rode Jap bikes from the mid 80's and through the 90's and have no desire to go back whatsoever. It's actually very liberating not to be on the speed band wagon or give a hoot about the latest Z67900XRRRR (so much better than last years model).

yeah am a old duffer and miserable old sod so up yours!!!

Yes, most certainly. In fact I've now entered my 2nd (at least!)"midlife crisis" and decided I'm bored stupid with plodding along at 45 and accelerating from 0 - 60 by sometime tomorrow. The new love of my life is noisy, has 6 volt electrics, she leaks oil and rattles a bit at 75 but its like stepping of off a pensioners scooter and onto a, well, a noisy leaky rattley 50 years old 350 Tiger 90 that would leave my Bullet standing in a cloud of blue smoke and a puddle of oil. Ha! No more idiots saying "is it a real one?" (Yeah mate - she's dripped oil all over your white socks and sandles, is that real enough?)

You're only an old duffer/ fart if you think you are..............Age is a set of numbers that like the lastest hamaduki xy123456789z are meaningless

eddie,thats the best thread i,ve read in a while i salute you,might have to buy a real beesa

You're as old as you feel. Right now I feel about 90.

I want a bike that's easy to shove into a relatively tight space in my garage, that's comfortable to ride, that can cruise at around 60mph for a few miles during a longish journey, offers good petrol consumption and makes me and other people smile. If that makes me an old duffer - guilty. Don't see the point in having a bike that consumes as much petrol as my Honda Jazz and tempts me to ride too fast - I'm quite capable of doing that in my bigger car which has got me too many speeding offences over the years.