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[nick]

If you can, get a new efi... had mine (new) from May 2011 and 12,250 miles later, still grinning. Sure there are niggles, but then so did my suzuki gs 500 and that was new too.

[TimG]

Hi Foz

Which bike you get also depends on whether you are planning to add others to your stable later...earlier Enfields of course have the "British" pattern gearbox with a right-foot shift, later ones (along with the rest of the Universe) now have the "American" pattern box with left-foot shift, and adjusting between the two can cause some interesting cardiac moments....of course, if you are planning to fill your garage with Brit classics, ignore the above! Enjoy...

Cheers

TimG

[Presto]

Foz - if you want an Enfield there is no reason not to go for one. But I have no doubt that the best choice for you would be the EFI. A far more 'developed' machine than any other Bullet and very user friendly. I would advise against the Electra X. It's a machine that has had more than its fair share of weak points - although I don't doubt many go very well for many miles, many do not!
Cheers

[grunda 12]

hi foz ,if you want an ultra reliable royal enfield that also sips fuel at a rate of 160 miles per gallon at a rate of 56mph look up henry price aka price parts buy the 465cc diesel its the only guarantee of clockwork reliability on an enfield ,wait for the hornets nest happy days still taking the tablets!!!

[Bare]

Foz, Good on you to stick by your guns and buy what your heart desires. The Enfield is the kind of bike everyone bought back in the '50s and into the '60s. the brands weren't the same, but the technology was and most of the English brands were very similar. If you knew one you certainly weren't going to have a problem with the rest.
So you have to do what the rest of us did then, learn how to work it on your own. Get a shop manual and learn all you can about the bike. It is quite simple and easy to maintain, especially the UCE ones. They require very little maintenance. Keep it clean and spray some Anti Corrosion Fluid on it occasionally it will will look great for years. The real advantage of all this fixing stuff is that you will learn a lot about the bike and be capable of doing it yourself.
With a modern bike it is difficult just to get to the stuff that needs maintenance, let alone do it! The modern folks think you should take to the bike to the shop and pay their outrageous fees to do a job that would have taken a third of time to do on an RE, with parts that cost a third as much as most modern bikes.
There are many kinda hidden advantages to owning one of these beauties.