Forum

[Mark M]

Reds, the registration documents will only say what information was supplied at the time of registration, it doesn't mean that information is correct. There are a lot of Bullets being faked in India and sold here as either Redditch built machines or older (early 60s) Indian machines. Unfortunately the supply of good quality parts by suppliers like our Hosts makes it easy to make recent bikes look much older. Not the fault of Hitchcocks, I must be clear! The early 60s period of Indian manufacture is very poorly documented and is therefore a favourite one for fakers in India which is why I was initially suspicious. There have been a number of these bikes show up here in the last 3 or 4 years, usually the Owner is disappointed with the news that it's not what they were told and we never hear from them again so it's difficult to say how the story pans out. The Chairman of the royal Enfield Owners Club has done a lot of work on trying to sort out the engine and frame numbers of Indian machines from this period and if you email him at [email protected] he will decode your numbers for free! By the way, the G was too much, without seeing it in the flesh and knowing it was from a Dealer, I'd reckon about £3250, what does anyone else think?

REgards, Mark

[Reds]

Mark M

Your a finally oiled machine with your feedback Quality as always. Thanks again all for your responses i will bite the Bullet HA HA and ride it service it and give you the feed back in a few weeks .

Reds

[Mark M]

Reds, do contact Graham, you have nothing to lose. The bike you have bought looks ok for the money and should be fun to ride, it's only a question of it's origins which doesn't affect the fun you'll get from it!

REgards, Mark

[Mazeppa]

When were TLS brakes fitted? Everything about it looks Indian to me - for example if the engine was English, why put a modern tappet cover on it? Alternator/primary cover is modern isn't it? Probably only the frame itself that might be Redditch. At least the tax will be "historic". Reds - you'll enjoy it. Keep it nice and you'll (at least) get your money back in a few years. How many vehicles can you say that for?

[Pathfinder856]

Hi
I also saw this on EBay and my thoughts were that it looks nice but is not a 1964 bike .
As previous people have said, get the frame and engine numbers checked out
If it is not what you thought then you could get your money back as you have bought from a dealer .
However if it does not matter to you at least you have a nice bike that requires no road tax !

[apparently lucky eddie]

I rode/brought a 350 back to England from India in the early 70's. At that time it was still very much a British style RE and indeed drove like one too. About the only difference was the Enfield instead of Royal Enfield badges, it certainly looked much older than this one which looks brand-harry-spankers-new. Not a restoration but maybe a bitsa made from all new Indian parts I think. But if it's legal and Reds is happy, who gives a damn.

[Bertie the Bullet]

Must admit my first thought is that it is a newer Indian bike, but as long as you get the desired fun from it, it really doesn't matter how old it is or where it was made, whatever it is I hope you enjoy yourself riding it. as I always say... just enjoy the ride.

[Nettshubby]

Mazeppa, the frame is Indian, as witnessed by the bolt through cross tube over the gearbox, where the reditch ones were curved in to meet the seat down tube.

[Reds]

Gentleman,

Today the mystery bike arrives I am chuffed with the responses you guys have posted , I have emailed THe REOC with the frame and engine numbers and am hoping the true identfity of this RE will be uncovered if it is not what it stated ( 1966 ) and is abitsa as was superbly described as a possibility in one of the posts then I will be returning to the dealer out of principle.

It looks pretty no doubt it will ride nice so I am hoping I have not been sold a ringer .

I will update you on. My findings.

Reds

[PeteF]

In the dealer's defence, if he's not an RE man, he would just look at the paperwork and describes the bike on that evidence. I doubt you'd have any come-back.