Forum

[Bertie the Bullet]

Ok, at the moment I own a1979 Hondamatic CB400 and Bertie, a 2004 500 Bullet, now the question is do I ditch both for a brand new Bullet 500 EFI, don't have the room for all 3, besides they would both need to go to fund the EFI....i want to be able to keep up on the motorway so my ride outs can reach further afield, please can I have any views on the EFI, good or bad, and also can it realistically keep up with today's traffic ? Thanks in advance...sorry before anyone suggests a modern JAP, no way I'm sticking with RE..

[Ian M Brown]

Flog both & buy a canoe, WAY cooler thing to be seen in/on !

[rustygman]

i would have thought the honda can keep up with modern traffic. Keep it for the longer runs and the enfield for all the A and B roads. Pat yourself on the back for saving over £4k and go on a little tour to celebrate.

[Alex.]

I rented an EFI, then bought a 2004 Electra X (photos of both in gallery) - both electronic ignition, both electric start, both great fun.....and both cruisers. The EFI was probably a bit faster - I don't like to strain my Electra X to 70mph, and it can manage a bit more if really needed, but the EFI did 70 and more a little more comfortably. If you think being able to do 70, with the ability to go a little faster when required will be OK for a motorway then arrange that test ride!

[STU]

I would go for the EFI Bertie. I like the Hondamatics and obviously the Bullet 500, but the EFI is a very good replacement for both - and only one bike to tax, insure, maintain etc.
I have an Electra XS (Sixty-5 previously) but have ridden maybe a dozen or so EFI's - most of them the Classic model. Once run in I found that they can easily maintain 70-72mph on the motorway and will go up to about 82mph - without the raucousness and vibration of my Electra.
I also found that EFI bikes which had a different silencer from the standard long one had a bit more top end power.
Build quality, durability and reliability is also better on the latest bikes - again the Classics particularly.
Like Alex says, book a test ride and see for yourself!
Best of luck, let us know what you find/decide.

[MadMike]

What a dilemna. I have faced this one several times in the past. Sell and buy another, but what to buy and what to sell? I solved the problem after much hand wringing and soul searching. I kept the first two and then simply bought more of them. Eight in the garage now. Simples.

[apparently lucky eddie]

Like it or not, motorway speeds are at the upper limits of an EFI's ability's. Sure, some people here will insist their bog-standard EFI will do 75 or 80 easily (or at least their speedos will), EFI owners are incredibly defensive about their bikes, but from experience I have my doubts. The absolute balls out top speed is not the same as a comfortable cruising speed is it. You have to bear in mind that apart from articulted lorries no-one will be doing 70, the traffic cruises along at 80, if you use motorways you will know that. Do you think you'll be happy and safe cruising at a realistic and comfortable speed of maybe 60mph but sandwiched between a couple of trucks or thrashing the tits off of an EFI doing 75 downhill in the middle lane?
These bikes just ain't meant for motorway speeds mate, either keep to the A roads or keep the Honda.

[Alan R]

Hi Matey !!---------- Have just sold a CB400 Hondamatic, but that was to make space for BULLET No2 !! Am now selling my 1975 GL1000 Goldwing to make way for 1999 Suzuki MARAUDER 800. So I now have ----1 off} rough & ready "everyday" Bullet 500 Classic ---soon to be in Army Desert Sand, Despatch Rider mode------1 off} Original Condition Bullet 500 Classic(shows & Summertime = 6 months Tax only)---- and 1 off} middleweight cruiser with some serious GRUNT right up to 80+ mph. for Joyce and I on our Hols etc. ...... I would follow MadMikes example and keep them all but just haven't got the space.

[STU]

Eddie when you rode the EFI how far did you take it on the M'way? What speed did you attempt cruising at and how did you find motorway performance compared with your other Enfield?
I was comparing a number of EFI's against my Electra XS with Highway kit and our hosts 'goldy' full system. I regularly take my bike on 15 - 30 mile M'way trips and it cruises reliably at 70 - 75mph. Generally I keep to the inside lane and then can accelerate to keep speed up hills. Overtaking lorries and old Micra's is childs play and I go into the middle and outside lanes when required. If the others all want to break the law/risk speed cameras by doing 80+ in lane 3 I just let them. The middle lane 75mph (indicated) is normally perfectly safe and I have never been 'sandwiched between a couple of trucks or thrashing the tits off of doing 75 downhill in the middle lane'!
Now, the point to all this is that in my experience an EFI Classic does just as well on the motorway as mine but much smoother, quieter and at lower revs. This is a comfortable speed Eddie - not 'balls out'
I don't own an EFI nor am I am being defensive - just telling it as it is based on my experiences of these models.
By the way, the EFI motor WAS created to cover longer distances at higher speeds more reliably than previous models - models like my Electra, which still does them!

[apparently lucky eddie]

Enfield claim a top speed of between 80 - 87 mph for their EFI motor, depending where you look. That would be a maximum speed under absolutely perfect, ideal conditions, or more likely either a computed figure or a rolling road and most people would probably accept a shade over 80mph as a fair figure I think.
70-75 would therefore be a about 85% - 88% of the absolute maximum, hardly cruising, and as for overtaking, you will need say 5-10 mph more than the vehicle you're overtaking so at that speed, it really would be taking it to the limit, at least for a bog standard motor. Personally I would consider an accurate 55-60 to be a comfortable cruising speed, easy on me and the motor with the odd 70-75 blast past slower traffic.
Of course, your speedo might have its own opinion on the subject.
ps. Other Enfield? One is more than enough for me. My "other" Enfield is a Triumph.