Hitchcocks Forum

Hi guys------------- after a LOT of night-time visits to the Enfield test track I can now reveal the "Twin" that rumour has been rife about..AND HERE IT IS >>>> ---------

So RE have finally given in and developed a light weight model !

Obviously specially designed to cope with our pot-holed roads! And it should be easy on tyres!

Well they won't steamroller me into buying one..........

I was looking at the frame of the new GT and wondering if a (newly designed) twin would fit in there? Pretty sure a v-twin won't go in. Just wondering if Enfield have splashed some proper cash on a new frame with the intention of further development? For the record I think it unlikely but...
REgards, Mark

I don't think a twin engine in that frame would be a good idea to be honest. The bike is quite compact, and the front forks would need changing IMO too. I found the handling not planted at an indicated 90mph (front end) so I wouldn't have liked to have gone faster on it. I tried switching my seating position but it didn't seem to make any difference. Below 75 it was solid. At the time I put it down to tyre presures on my particular bike - no way of checking them on the day - but I noted when chatting with another tester he also had the same feeling with theirs (maybe their tyres too?), the front going light at full chat. Others didn't seem to notice. I'm being picky, but that is what a tester should be. Anyhow, as it is the bike is a well balanced package, so I guess that it was designed that way and with no intention of anything other than a single motor fitted to it. If RE were designing a new twin then I'm sure that could use the core of the frame design, but with Harris providing new geometry and tweaks for whatever motor size and weight, and where they wanted it in the frame. It might actually look subjectively the same but be dimensionally quite different. However, IMHO they should build a variant using the frame and 535 engine as an enduro. Load it with included hard luggage, sat nav mount, longer travel forks, 20 litre tank and sell it as an adventure model for a fiver under 5K. Call it the 'Himalaya'. Royal Enfields have a reputation for hardy solo touring and it would build on that, something they are good at. I would imagine it would be more commercial too. Just my 2 cents.

Alan - I think if I bought one I'd splash out on the optional chromed con rod cover. I've always bought these for my bikes and find they stop one getting one's shoe laces caught up in the big end journals. I'm surprised the new model doesn't have one as standard. On the positive side I bet it easily hits ton plus performance unlike the new GT!!!

Paul, I haven't ridden it but think it looks too small anyway. My intention was to provoke a suggestion just like yours, producing such a model would be a great way of widening the range and perfect for an aspirational Indian market too. Much more realistic than yet another tedious v-twin. Also, getting a new frame designed then adding quality bits from other manufacturers is a damn sight cheaper than designing a new engine...
REgards, Mark

Also there shouldn't be a problem with the front end going light unlike Paul's experiences.....

Twin cylinder engine and shaft drive. Probably more torque than peak power. Definitely not a high revving engine. May be well suited for sidecar use. I like that! Only problem is that I can't get it into my garage. Regards, Anders F. R.