Forum

[Greg-Guille]

Hello,
I am looking to see if I can find a Royal Enfield classic 500 C5 version to purchase. I am in no particular rush.

I have recently returned to motorcycling after 20 years away from riding and have been re-learning to ride again on a modern 2020 motorcycle from another manufacturer.

Now that I an able to ride with a degree of grace and safety again, I'm looking for a nice 40s/50s period looking bike that I can ride on "Sundays etc" and keep up to a good state now that I am a "retired person." The latest Royal Enfield machines are absolutely lovely, but I'm looking to evoke a time when you could ride a bike wearing among other pieces of attire, goggles and a flat cap! (Tweed plus 4s optional.)

I live on Guernsey in the Channel Islands, so speculative visits to look at "Possibles" are out of the question. Trips to the UK are both VERY expensive and nowadays extremely complicated by the pandemic regulations. A one day round trip to look at a bike will likely cost about £1000.00! Plus I will have to sleep in the workshop for 14 days on my return and be kept alive by means of red cross parcels posted through the letter box.

I might consider other models if they are in nice condition but I have a pretty specific idea of what I want. Please do not reply if you have a "Project to sell." I've spent the last 35+ years restoring projects and now I need something I can start at a moments notice and ride straight away. The cost of shipping spares to Guernsey is not insignificant and I have run out of energy to repair/find missing items that projects always involve.

So if you have a nice bike, that you want to go to a new home where it will be treated like Royalty and not thrashed (Speed limits here have a maximum limit of 35 mph!) I could be just what you are looking for.

Thank you for reading this.

Greg Guille.

[Jamesy]

Hi,
I have just sold my enfield classic 500 2019 bike.I would suggest you consider the new Royal Enfield Interceptor which I have just purchased.

[Greg-Guille]

Hi,

Thanks very much for the reply.
I put the original post up as I was also looking in part to see what the second hand market was like.

Over the last few days, I contacted a couple of "For Sale" adverts around the internet and had the chance to talk a little more to my local RE dealer. Their advice seems to tie in perfectly with my experiences. The older machines are not for me is turns out as they require a little more "Constant Attention" than I'd like to give these days. Plus the prices of machines available, added to the cost of collection and shipping out to me here in the Channel Islands make this a bit of a no win situation.

Given my needs for something nice to ride on high days and holidays, plus my hope to find something that didn't need resurrection before I could enjoy it, I've made the decision to buy new.

Thanks for those who took the time to read this message.

See you out there, ride safe!
Greg.

[windmill john]

I’m a fool to myself. I did think about letting you regarding my Classic 500 I’m thinking of selling. But I generally try to PX with a dealer these days.
I find private selling (sometimes) difficult. That’s just me. I tell everything, don’t want anyone nit picking about my bikes and am always worried about comeback, even though I know everything’s right.

I once had someone take my old Airhead for a test ride, came back and said there’s a head leak. Lord knows how he must have thrashed it. I know the heads/gasket etc were good.

We also had a chap come look at a camera. He scared me and my wife so much, she said never sell anything again that involves someone coming in.

[RoSy]

I have a C5 Pegasus less than 3K miles, that I might sell but I want 6K for it and the collection would be all down to you, although I do know a courier who would deliver it.

[Greg-Guille]

Thanks again for for the replies.

The cost of shipping a bike over is going to make this a lot more expensive than if I lived in the UK. The covid 19 restrictions locally, make it impractical too.

My local dealer is working on a plan that won't incur the inbound shipping charges to the same extent as the machine will come in as "Stock"

In any case, you should continue to enjoy your classics as they are meant to be ridden!

Please don't worry about me, I'm sorted.


Kind regards,

Greg

[windmill john]

Lovely roads on Guernsey, designed for bike of this sort of power; red squirrels too.