Alternative to Royal Enfield?

[dsj1979]

I guess I'm after suggestions of bikes...... It's something I'll look to keep long term so will hopefully travel various places and conditions........

I really like the idea of an old Royal Enfield, I'm not sure how I'd get on with right hand gear change though - I know you can buy left hand gear change Enfields. I know they're not great offroad as standard but that can be changed with new forks, high level exhaust etc.

I like pre 1972 bikes as they're tax exempt (benefit of an Enfield), what other old style bikes are in a similar vane to an Enfield but with a left hand gear change and is fairly reliable with easily obtainable parts and with good fuel consumption...... is there anything else old style? Or should I just get an Enfield and put on a left gear change gearbox!

[henryuk]

what about a unit single?
Reliability is good, spares supply in the UK is great and cheap, lots of common parts, widely available. The problems that came with the bikes have been well identified and it was common for owners to fix these themselves so there are a lot of upgrades. Wiring loom is very simple, all the mechanics are very simple, sound great and handle fairly well.

I wouldn't worry too much about the left-right gear problem, you get used to it pretty quickly

[dsj1979]

Originally Posted by henryuk

what about a unit single?
Reliability is good, spares supply in the UK is great and cheap, lots of common parts, widely available. The problems that came with the bikes have been well identified and it was common for owners to fix these themselves so there are a lot of upgrades. Wiring loom is very simple, all the mechanics are very simple, sound great and handle fairly well.

I wouldn't worry too much about the left-right gear problem, you get used to it pretty quickly

Sorry, I'm not sure what you mean or what is a 'unit single'?

Thanks for the reply.

[henryuk]

The unit single is the replacement for the pre-unit single. That cleared things up much?

Unit singles (Unit Construction Singles) are from the days when BSA and Triumph were operated on a sort of collective basis, sharing a lot of parts, mainly the engines. Good examples are BSA Starfires, Triumph Trophies, BSA Bantams. Most 250 - 500 cc bikes from the 60's and early seventies. The complete list of unit singles is
- From Triumph - TR25W (like mine), T25T, T25SS, TR5MX
- From BSA - C15, B40, B25, B44, B50

The one to get if you can is the B44 Victor Special (500cc). Later bikes tended to get less con-rod issues.

[jkrijt]

Why not try to find a pre 1972 BMW. An R60/5 for example, is a very reliable bike, comfortable on long trips, can carry luggage easy and is easy on fuel.
They are reliable and spares can still be found AND they have the gearchange on the left side.

[Matt Cartney]

The enfield is not just right hand side, but upside down. Nevertheless it is quite easy to get used to. I have an XT and an Enfield which means swapping between the two types regularly and it's not a problem. I certainly wouldn't let it influence your choice of bike.
You said you'd like a pre '72 bike as they are tax exempt. Is saving £40 a year really that important?
As 'old' style bikes go the Enfield is a good choice as there is a HUGE amount of tuning mods available, and they can be tweaked towards being not too bad off-road. Hitchcocks do trials conversions that include small tanks, high exhausts, 21" front wheels...the list goes on. You can also pick them up quite cheap. The down side is that they have fairly poor performance by modern standards. The 350 Classic is an 18bhp engine and cruises at about 55mph. Tops you are looking at 65mph unless you are riding down hill with your moustache sucked in. The 500 doesn't have a great deal more poke, so I understand. The Enfield also needs looking after, it's not like a modern jap bike that can go forever on a sympathetic smile, you need to check and adjust and tweak stuff all the time. If you don't like getting your hands oily don't buy an enfield. If you do, they are superb tinkering bikes!
The Triumph Bonnie looks like a nice alround bike which could cope with a bit of green laning etc. There is some chat elsewhere on the HUBB about using them as adv-tourers and the general impression is that they are pretty good. You'd be getting modern performance/reliability with that too.
Another alternative might be a BMW R80 (the one sans fairing). Quite capable off-road apparently and good, solid reliable bikes I understand. (A mate has one).

Matt

[dsj1979]

Originally Posted by jkrijt

Why not try to find a pre 1972 BMW. An R60/5 for example, is a very reliable bike, comfortable on long trips, can carry luggage easy and is easy on fuel.
They are reliable and spares can still be found AND they have the gearchange on the left side.

A good suggestion but they seem to be around the 2 grand mark....... I'd preferably rather something sub £1000.

[dsj1979]

Originally Posted by henryuk

The unit single is the replacement for the pre-unit single. That cleared things up much?

Unit singles (Unit Construction Singles) are from the days when BSA and Triumph were operated on a sort of collective basis, sharing a lot of parts, mainly the engines. Good examples are BSA Starfires, Triumph Trophies, BSA Bantams. Most 250 - 500 cc bikes from the 60's and early seventies. The complete list of unit singles is
- From Triumph - TR25W (like mine), T25T, T25SS, TR5MX
- From BSA - C15, B40, B25, B44, B50

The one to get if you can is the B44 Victor Special (500cc). Later bikes tended to get less con-rod issues.

I'd never considered some of these...... a fair few are likely to be more than I'd like to pay, there are affordable models there though....... I've been trying to look more into these models....... easily modified which is good!

[henryuk]

Originally Posted by dsj1979

easily modified which is good!

I could even tell you what part of the crankshaft you need to drill out to balance it properly... Proper working on bikes, you can get them very very good by yourself, and if it's for travelling then you only need work on the mechanics. My Trophy is a bit of a 'rat bike' - it looks like it has been stood in a barn for 30 years (it has!), but the carb and engine have had a decent fettle. They do vibrate a fair bit and power is limited so a twin might be better for doing distance on (I think someone mentioned the Bonnie). True you can get very reliable 'modernised' bonnies as well as the new ones but they tend to have lots of very expensive aftermarket engine bits.

If you have no real pre-conceptions but want something interesting just go shopping and see what you end up with!

I guess most old bikes have the same big advantage (can be fixed anywhere, mainly with a hammer) and disadvantages (must be fixed everywhere, especially if you used the hammer last time)

[DougieB]

I think the question raised 'is saving £40 a year really that important' is a good thing to ask.

a trawl round some of the independent triumph dealers (if you can find any) may turn up the odd gem. The triumph/enfield dealer in Northfields always had old Tiger's and stuff lying about.

personally I think there's little point in buying a road going enfield and converting it to a more capable off-roader. just get a more capable off-roader in the first place. obviously it depends what kind of off-road you are talking about. mine was very good in sand and deep mud, and didn't even think twice about gravel/piste. lumps and bumps is where I had problems, and had to be cautious. but then that style of bike can't take the geometry of long travel forks.

something like an XT500 probably appeals more (to me) now, with the benefit of hindsight. Still old style, still requires care, but more capable off-road. I'd pay the £60 road tax, but save £200 by not having to get new rear frame parts which I busted on the enfield (twice) while on the lumps and bumps.

[Stephen]

Originally Posted by DougieB

something like an XT500 probably appeals more (to me) now, with the benefit of hindsight. Still old style, still requires care, but more capable off-road. I'd pay the £60 road tax, but save £200 by not having to get new rear frame parts which I busted on the enfield (twice) while on the lumps and bumps.

Dougie, you class traitor you !

200 Quid for parts you can by for a 10nner? I just bought a set of mudgards and rails front and back for 10 quid each.

Get a bullet a new 500 and mod it is my advice. Mine has MX bars from HMC, a 20l tank 100.00 pounds delivered to the door from India. Sports silencer and airbox, hagons on the rear and the brake upgrade for the rear. My plan is to build an overlander version.

[DougieB]

yes, I'm a complete sell-out. :-)

but try getting those parts sent to Mali for £10! I should have upgraded the rear shocks before leaving, which I would do if I was leaving again on an enfield.

[dsj1979]

I have pondered a trials bike..... something light appeals to me. I wouldn't want an engine bigger than 500cc, 4 stroke of course, any other suggestions? At least I wouldn't feel guilty butchering and abusing it! Watching Ewen and Charlie definitely put the point home that light is good! It was funny when they were dropping their big bikes struggling to get them up and Claudio was skipping along on the little red devil bike!

[DaveSmith]

I got worried when you talked about left foot shifting. I'm glad to know the Enfield is still right foot. If I blow up the Duc again, it's an Enfield 350 for me. I thought I'd have to start riding my SR500 again to get used to left foot shifting.

--Dave
1965 Ducati 250
196? Monkey Wards/Benelli 125 cafe
1972 Ducati 350
1974 Norton Commando 750
1979 Yamaha SR500 (takes the "fun" out of old singles by being reliable)