Forum

[Geoff Taylor]

You've taken the words right out of my mouth, apparently lucky eddie. I sometimes wonder whether this 65 year-old git is out of step with the modern world or the the only one in step (along with forum members of course). 

[Alan R]

Hello Riggers --and indeed everyone !!! Oh dear, what have I been indirectly responsible for ??  I'm 63 this August and bought my first motorised bike (ie a Norman Nippy having a  Sachs engine and Villiers carb) with earnings from a Saturday labouring job at Marks & Spencers in town.----Summer of 1964. It seemed a natural progression from my Meccano No.3, a Hornby O gauge clockwork train set and the Mamod SE1a stationary engine that my late father--- a Postman---- bought for me by doing extra overtime. My life-long friend and then neighbour found in a local stream, an abandoned Ariel 500cc Red Hunter in that popular maroon of theirs. We took it home and during the next 6 months learned about carbs, timing, tappets, etc and started to read the "Bible"---- Motor Cycle Mechanics. That was it--- I was hooked and my future career in Mechanical Engineering already mapped out. So the Enfield is a return to a happier time when my life at least had purpose and reason. I can actually have some "owner input" and see the results good / bad of my efforts. This is my second one following a Bullet Sixty Five a few years back---- and maybe another soon -- eh Norm ?? I absolutely align myself with the sentiments contained in this listing--- well done Riggers, glad to see it's not Riggers Mortice then--sorry. Jimmer--I'm in Telford, Shropshire and anyone is always welcome to drop in for Tea/Coffee and chokky bikkies ( 25p each ) but do come on the Enfield. You can meet my neighbour who reularly pops-in on his 1935 Enfield, girder forks and all !! I've now added those No's together so it's a "Gotcha" now.

[Craig]

Well I agree with  rustygman's words , Cheap is wot' got me in to them in the 1st place, and that Loverly Enfield Thump..Thump.


Pluss I like to be different to the Heard & be able to "Bodge" what I ride to get me Home if I have too...


And 3rd.."Hitchcocks wonderfull Site & advice & Documents etc" (I Wish we had the Internet in the Triumph days of my you..)


If Hitchcocks Supported Jawa's in the Same way as they Do Enfield then I would Proberly of Bought a Jawa...Support is Every thing..


LASTLY, the Death of the Little Bike Shop (Who Fixed Things) and The Rise of the Mulltinational Emporiums (Who Just sell Things)..


 And And There Fun,They talk to you,They smell nice...Even the Name Has Power amd is Nice "Royal Enfield"


 :::::::::::::: "More Smiles Per Mile on an Enfield"::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::


 Cheers All... Craig

[Riggers]

What a great set of replies! One day we ought to all arrange to meet up somewhere and continue this lovely conversation over a pint, (or a cuppa tea and slice o cake).


I'll just add to my original thread and say what got me into big singles in the first place. I was 16, and an older aquaintance from the next street (who was around 21 and had a decent job) had just bought a brand new Velocette Thruxton ('H' reg and one of the last). One day, out of the blue he asked me if I would like to go to Cadwell Park on the pillion with him the following Sunday. I couldn't believe my luck!!


What a fantastic experience it was; the weather was superb, and the scenery sublime. That was it - i was inescapably hooked on bikes. As soon as I could afford it I bought a BSA 250 Starfire - and the rest, as they say - is history. To this day I'd love a Velocette Thruxton, but at £16,000 I'll just have to ride my Bullet and dream on!


Tony R.

[Winkie]

Great points made. I fancied a big single but didn't want the grief of trying to reverse years of someone else's repairs and bodges. After a ride on my Deauville the bullet feels so light and agile - great fun and thers's not much I can't be confident of fixing myself. 63, eh, Alan R? Same as me. And I am not very far from you - just off the A41 on the western side of Wolverhampton. Might come for those biscuits next time I ride down to Ironbridge!!

[Alan R]

Hi Winkie--------- that must put you in the Codsall / Pattingham / Albrighton  triangle ??  ( three Enfields went in --only one came out ----spooky !!! ). I'm in Trench so please feel free to call-in. My E-mail is}---------------  [email protected] -----------That applies to all and any "Enthusiasts". If you are lucky I might tell you the HORROR story of a bloke who chopped all the fins off a BSA DBD 34 Goldstar barrel when grass-tracking on methanol------ but I wont own up to it !!  OOps, 2 spheroids dropped, methinks.  

[Winkie]

Very close, Alan - Perton. I know of one other Bullet just down the road from me - and I believe the owner of a Midlands Enfield dealership is also in this area - either that or someone has stolen his blue and yellow van and parked it on their driveway! Must try to meet him - might get some cheap spares. No - didn't mean that chaps - of course I will continue to buy from our hosts - their latest catalogue is temptation itself.

[Alex.]

Just been out for an hour on the bike - I know why we buy Royal Enfield.

[simon]

I have to say in defense of Jap bikes although I' ve personally never owned one I did repair a little CB100 barn find for a friend and it was a charming little thing. The complication of modern machinery is not restricted to Japanese bikes. In truth looking at the new RE C5 with it's all alloy fuel injected motor it looks under its retro styled skin more like a modern machine than a British single. Obviously though with modern emission controls such things are inevitable and the 'it not like it was in my day' attitude must be recognised for what it really is. Remember chaps nostalgia isn't what it used to be!

[grunda 12]

i bought my 1st enfield after the blind woman killed the bantam you could say she rung its neck !! sold the CFER ,bought the indian market 350 bullet ,rode it for a year got tight fitted a diesel engine ,then last september added to my enfield stable the Grunda another 350 bullet which i have abused for the full winter ,i,ve clocked over 2000 miles on Grunda in which time its broken down once ,new coil required,i must say though i think over the summer i will convert it to diesel,for more economy winter motoring have a nice day