RTW on an Enfield
 

Big Question for anyone - as the title suggests has anyone done an RTW trip on a Royal Enfield. I am hoping to start after I retire in 2 years time to raise money for charity and to enhance my "karma".

My thoughts are that you should do a trip like this on a bike that is just about as basic as you can get and something that you can repair by the side of the road with two spoons, a penknife and a zip-tie.

What do others think - your views would be grateful

If that is the bike you think you will most enjoy your trip on then take one, others have done it and enjoyed it.
I personally prefer something with a better reputation for reliability, I say this after thirty odd years of Meriden Triumph ownership and would suggest a Japanese air cooled single if you want simplicity, repairability with reliability.

I had a 2005 500 Bullet from new for 30 months. This was the old iron engine but with the 5-speed gearbox. I used it every day and toured all over the UK and as far afield as Germany. I would have taken that bike anywhere given enough time, it broke down once and I fixed the dodgy electrical connection with kit I had in my pockets.

Reliablity issues stem from two things with these bikes IMHO: owners who really want a Goldstar and owners who really want Lego. The former cannot live with an 18 HP/40 mph machine, the latter are addicted to messing about and eventually do something wrong.

I sold my Bullet because my commute became motorway. The next owner tried for A-road performance and it broke the crank.

The newer, supposed 28 HP Bullets are on my list of possible replacements for my Wee because I can once again live with non-motorway performance. I want the range, self reliance and feel of how it rides. If they are now hobby machines for the Lego Goldstar owners I have yet to research. I would be under no illusions however that these are Universally repairable though. Even in India a Honda 125 is now the weapon of choice and Bullets are old hat bikes for enthusiasts and people who have no choice but to stick with their **** old bikes.

Get a Bullet if it suits you, it can do the trip if you can work within its limits and needs.

Andy

Thanks for that Andy, very interesting. Ive had all sorts of bikes myself and in the 60's when I was a teenager I would have my bedroom wall covered with the Royal Enfield posters.
As I thought the Enfields can be fixed anywhere and cheaply too and at my age I fully understand the limitations of the bike. I ride a beautiful Moto Guzzi Norge at present and love it to bits, but if I was out in the sticks and it packed in I wouldnt no where to start.

If you are going for a new fuel injected model make sure you have one that has a kickstart to backup the electric start, my C5 classic only has electric start and after 8000 miles I fear that the sprag clutch is about to 'give up':nono:

Fantastic bike to ride but don't be fooled by simplicity to fix now you have electric starters and fuel injection, if going for the FI bike, read the Enfield forums for problems and how they can be avoided, one of the main ones being, to check and extra insulate wiring in stratigic places where it rubs through, just look how tight the loom is around the RHS of the headstock!!

If you have time on your side 'go for it'

I like Enfields, but these days you can get much better chassis, suspension, brakes, passing power, reliability, carrying capacity, wind shelter and headlights for this kind of trip, and don´t even have to pay much more. I did some trips in India on rented Enfields, and five years ago I rode to India from Europe with my GF as a pillion on a V-Strom. It may be a dull and ugly bike, but it took the two of us, and our considerable luggage on a six-month trip (ending up in Australia actually) and never missed a beat. Except for the battery, that died mysteriously almost right after start, other than regular maintenance I never had to fix the thing on the road, not once. I don´t know about you, but I don´t care so much about being somewhere in the middle of nowhere with a broken bike, no matter how easy it supposedly is to fix!


But don´t get me wrong - surely you CAN go RTW on just about any bike. An Enfield would not be my first pick, or even second, but if you have certain mechanical skills, and do not mind, that it will need a certain amount of daily attention, and you absolutely feel that it is the bike for you, then sure it could be done on an Enfield, too. If you don´t tick all those boxes, then forget it.

Just my 0.02.

Thanks for all that, yeah I agree the V Strom is a good bike - its all horses for courses aint it - I just saw last week 2 guys all bagged up with tents, sleeping bags and rolled mats slung on the back of two Honda C90's - take my hat of to them, they may have just been touring the Scottish Highlands but I was impressed so it just goes to show as you say you can do it on any bike. I think its me harking back to my youth with the classic look of the Enfields.

It's probably the oddest comparison but the Wee has some things that tick the same boxes for me. The fuel use is great (65 mpg average, have seen 77) and range accordingly good (250 easily, 300 miles if you know where the petrol station is or own walking boots). The pace usually is sensible and legal and it will go anywhere you might need it to even it is neither a MX bike nor a super big cruiser. Insurance is affordable, I'd guess a carnet could be bought while retaining at least one kidney and you can buy anything you might need from TT boxes through to tassles for the handlebars. It does what alot of modern bikes will.

The Wee has some real advantages over the Bullet. It will do motorways, the tyres are tubeless and it has a reputation for needing nothing but oil, filters, chain lube and petrol.

The Wee's disadvantage is the complete lack of either limitations to push the boundaries of, or insane performance to either use carefully or try not to kill yourself with. Some will no doubt claim the Bullet has more "soul" and the Wee is boring. I struggle with this idea, but there is more involvement with a machine that has simple but frequent service needs, has brakes you can use 100% of the performance, tyres that need care in the wet etc. The Bullet is the more interesting ride and you get both quiet days where you can just drink tea, hide from the wife and pretend to adjust the tappets or when you have to go find some backstreet mechanic who typically turns out to be both interesting and make a good cuppa.

I am also an ex-Hinckley Bonneville rider. This is the middle ground in both good and bad ways. It has the range of a Harley (140 miles), is made of the same rust generating materials as both a Wee and Bullet, lacks both the Bullets true simplicity (it is air cooled, so any clear fluid leaking out is petrol!) and Wee's ultra reliability, but does have that feel of an interesting ride with modern world performance on tap if you need it. You could make a very good R80GS/Enfield RTW competitor bike based round a Hinckley Bonneville (or W800 or Guzzi classic), but would need to throw thousands at it for a big tank, increased ground clearance, weight reduction, spokes that don't break, waterproof ignition and so on. I hate to reduce 8 years ownership to a one liner that might upset current owners but Triumph still think of the Bonnevilles as bikes for Lego Goldstar owners who want to buy rather than make. It is a pity.

My search for range, lightness, frugality and the ability to go anywhere eventually is also pointing me towards the Japanese utility 125's they don't sell in Europe and lighly modified 250cc trail bikes. Early days of research on those but probably too far removed from Enfields to suit. There is also the CCM 400 which has it's own thread.

Andy

It would depend where you are acquiring the Enfield.
I've read enough horror stories about the Indian home market bikes that I'd probably go for one of the 150 to 220cc Jap or Indian bikes.

I've only ridden the older carb 5-speed bike, that was happy up to 50 or 55 mph.

Even my 2011 YBR125G (along the lines of a 60s dual-sport with twin shocks) cruises easily at 50 mph, and is at least as easy to work on as the Enfield.
It's been bulletproof (ha!) over the last 15k km, mostly done 2-up and plenty miles with luggage as well, in a 3rd world environment, some of it very rough going, river crossings, mud up to the axles, rocks and so on.

It's a world bike (with some changes from country to country) , so likely you can get parts in a lot more countries than the Enfield.

Like many 3rd world small bikes, it's built to carry bigger loads than many bigger western-focused singles, with a decent subframe, decent sized saddle and 400km range.

The relatively light weight and compact size is also ideal for 3rd world conditions.
I'd take a set of sprockets and jets for the mountains, service the bike thoroughly, add an extension to the stock rack, and that would be about all it would need.
It already has 18" tubeless knobby 50/50 tires and even though most components are budget, they work surprisingly well for what they are.

I'd probably even choose my Chinese 200cc dual-sport ahead of the Enfield, if I could easily add fuel capacity.
Many Honda parts fit, sold in several countries under various names, mechanically quite simple (carbs and so on), very ruggedly built (has survived 3 crashes with almost no damage apart from a slightly bent handlebar, torn grip and one broken mirror) due to good design and build quality.
It even has quite a bit of soul, reminiscent of my Husky TE610 in some ways.

Just a different perspective...

Hi, Dave. I too thought of all sorts of 2 wheeled options before settling on Yamaha 600 singles (xt then ttr). Things, in my opinion, do get complicated when the cylinder numbers increase. The Yams are, by modern standards, basic and have just as much chance of being fixed by a bush mechanic as anything 'simpler'. On the other hand - as you've seen, you can go anywhere on anything C90, Enfield, Yamaha, whatever. It's difficult to sort the emotional from the rational when selecting a bike. I think the best thing is to select one that you are most comfortable with on all levels (in your own mind) then before you buy check out what others have achieved using the same bike. Royal Enfield? Pourquoi pas? p.s. are you in the UK?

Sounds like a great plan. A good person to speak to is Jaqui Furneaux Welcome to Jacqui Furneaux.com ::. am sure she will be happy to answer any questions you may have :thumbup1:

Yes do it !
There's obviously a good reason you want to ride a Bullet .
It resides entirely within your head and makes complete sense only to you . That's why it's important .
I owned a Bullet many, many moons ago when it was all I could afford and I loved it . But as I was in the first flush of youth , I soon wanted something faster and flashier and it was sold . I'm now looking for another , but they are few and far between here in Canada . [ the pre unit bikes that is ].
You should learn about the bike's mechanical peculiarities and plan accordingly .
I would read Gordon May's book about travelling to India on a 500cc Bullet , he has a "Royal Enfield mindset " that is just as contagious as it is illogical. I think the only major mechanical mod he did was to install a roller bearing big end .

There is a great deal of enjoyment to be had from riding a simple unfaired bike that is made out of metal [not plastic ], and has an mellow melodious exhaust note that sings to you as you ride .:mchappy:
[ Many folks here in this forum would not understand ]. :confused1:

Sometimes efficiency , logic , convenience and common sense have to be cast aside in the search for a truly worthwile experience .

Royal Enfield
 

I am in the same situation, My wife & I have finished stage 1 of our RTW (Egypt to South Africa) I on a F650gs twin & She on an XT250. Now it's time for South America, Now we have a spanner thrown in the works & have to do it 2up (My wife has developed a problem with an arm or 2 "tennis elbow") So choice of bike to do this: 1st: 2012 Royal Enfield C5 (Yes 2 Up ?)
2nd:2005 F650gs single (currently 38000km)
3rd:2010 F650gs twin (30,000km)
4th:2012 DR650 (12000) 20ltr tank.
5th: 1987 Royal Enfield Bullet (I bought in India)
My wife and I have time on our side (9mths to do Africa leg) so the speed thing is totally irrelevant to us. You are debating if an Enfield can do it, but can an Enfield do it maxed out in weight as well ????? We camp so have the full kit + loads of Camera gear. We rode one of these 2up from Ktm to Muktinath early last year & loved it. But will it stand up to about 300km fully loaded constantly & will add my wife knows nothing about mechanics & I know the same amount.
Cheers
Paul
Now if you say I am mad ! well you are right ....I am madder than a picked up snake.

Hello...if it helps...am planning a rtw apr 13...on a RE500 classic..she is one year old. I will do a workshop with street n factory mechanics to change tyres since thats the place it can get u when alone. Did 6000km..mumbai to cherrapunji n 3000km Gujarat. .n I lov her. Committed. So..any opinion on that...cheers!

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Riding with my GF in South India (on a Wee-Strom and coming from Europe), we met an English couple, who had bought an Enfield from Delhi, and ridden south from there. They were completely exhausted, simply not very happy with the bike. Maybe they did not have so much experience of this kind of travel (and India is tough to cover the distance!) but personally I have no clue, where the idea comes from, that an Enfield would make a particularly good two-up choice. I guess it had to have more to do with the fact, that there are not many “big bikes” available in India.