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23 Sep 2007
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tedmagnum
May I just add that although Enfields are charming bikes, they are unreliable , agricultural bags of shit.
We're going to start franchising them after selling a few used ones. They are cheap but after putting a few through our workshop, i wouldnt trust one for a trip to the pub, let alone around the world..
Sorry !!  |
It must come as a tremendous relief then that you will be leaving and won't have to deal with selling them .
Why do people refer to older technology as agricultural ?
With GPS mapping of fields and computer controlled fertiliser application ,etc ,etc ,things have moved on a pace." Agricultural" is no longer a fitting description .
I loved my 1955 350 but it was made in Redditch and had British metallurgy , it was extremely reliable until I started experimenting with alternative fuels .
They don't run very well or for very long on paraffin !
But that was many years ago , would I have another ?
Yes ,but there aren't many in Canada [none since '95 ] .
Richard Meyer is taking one around the world now ,see his blog .I think it's doing very well for an old bike and carrying a pillion too!
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24 Sep 2007
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????????????
Hey Dodger, is that ebon void ever going to become ebony in colour??!
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24 Sep 2007
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bikerz
you forgot one,
how about a real basic easy to fix at the side of the road with minimal tools, tour all day at 65mph and return 80 mpg and remarkably reliable if you prep it properly before you go.cheap tyres, cheap chain sprockets etc and never likely to get nicked?
don't laff - a royal enfield 500.
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Another positive comment from this thread a while back; except some folk say that 100mpg can be achieved - I guess you have to go easy on the throttle.
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24 Sep 2007
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Walkabout
Hey Dodger, is that ebon void ever going to become ebony in colour??!
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Hey ,I dunno really , it was Les Dawson that said it and he's been dead for a few years now [ sadly] .
Well , I checked and ebon is an adjective and describes the dark colour of ebony wood .
Les Dawson was very pedantic about the use of English .
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Blessed are the cracked, for they let in the light. - Spike Milligan
"When you come to a fork in the road ,take it ! When you come to a spoon in the road ,take that also ."
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24 Sep 2007
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Dave, if you've got spanners [and know how to use them] you will be fine on a well prepped Enfield .
However, if you want a characterless sewing machine that ,normally, needs little maintenance [ until some technologically non servicable part goes bang] then buy Japanese .
But there are exceptions [ read about bodged and mangled XTs in S America ].
And some Japanese thumpers are quite nice too [DRs] .
Part of the joy of biking is listening to the engine work ,feeling the bike react to the road,watching the scenery go by and being part of it all .
If Enfield made a twin I would "have" to have one !
[Of ebon pigmentation by necessity .]
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Blessed are the cracked, for they let in the light. - Spike Milligan
"When you come to a fork in the road ,take it ! When you come to a spoon in the road ,take that also ."
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24 Sep 2007
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dodger
Hey ,I dunno really , it was Les Dawson that said it and he's been dead for a few years now [ sadly] .
Well , I checked and ebon is an adjective and describes the dark colour of ebony wood .
Les Dawson was very pedantic about the use of English .
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Many thanks for that! I should have checked the dictionary before commenting and it is very pleasant to learn something new.
There was a TV programme a few weeks back, over here, whereby Les D produced his own obituary - very, very amusing of course.
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Last edited by Walkabout; 28 Sep 2007 at 20:51.
Reason: spelling - Les D would have spotted it!!!!
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24 Sep 2007
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Walkabout
Many thanks for that! I should have checked the dictionary before commenting and it is very pleasant to learn something new.
There was a TV programme a few weeks back, over here, whereby Les D produced his own obitury - very, very amusing of course.
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I would love to see it , maybe it will be on Youtube one day .
Good luck with the bike hunting .
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Blessed are the cracked, for they let in the light. - Spike Milligan
"When you come to a fork in the road ,take it ! When you come to a spoon in the road ,take that also ."
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24 Sep 2007
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dodger
Dave, if you've got spanners [and know how to use them] you will be fine on a well prepped Enfield .
However, if you want a characterless sewing machine that ,normally, needs little maintenance [ until some technologically non servicable part goes bang] then buy Japanese .
But there are exceptions [ read about bodged and mangled XTs in S America ].
And some Japanese thumpers are quite nice too [DRs] .
Part of the joy of biking is listening to the engine work ,feeling the bike react to the road,watching the scenery go by and being part of it all .
If Enfield made a twin I would "have" to have one !
[Of ebon pigmentation by necessity .]
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Thanks.
Spanners: yes, I do own a few and I am always willing to learn new tricks.
Jap bikes: I have two at present. I have had up to 5 bikes in my garage, not counting the push bikes, but it is a little empty at present.
XTs: It was the constant litany of problems on that tech forum that got me wondering if
a. it was meant to be only for XTs, in perpetuity
b. if any other Yam was being ridden by those who read the HUBB
"If Enfield made a twin" surely equates to a Triumph Bonnie?
Overall, I may, one day, have a single, a twin (V or parallel), a triple (looking at the Benelli Tre K yesterday, just for interest sake) and an inline 4 cyl.
Of course, I can't explain why I should (and I might consider ditching the inline 4 - perhaps for a cbx 6 cyl?)
I'm not bidding on this one though. 
Honda CBX1000Z CBX 1000 CBX1000 1978 Tokyo Z twin shock - eBay Honda, Motorcycles Scooters, Cars, Parts Vehicles (end time 24-Sep-07 15:58:01 BST)
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Last edited by Walkabout; 24 Sep 2007 at 00:53.
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24 Sep 2007
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" -----"If Enfield made a twin" surely equates to a Triumph Bonnie?" ----
I was never really keen on the Triumphs in my youth and the new Bonnies are ,well OK , but new tech and heavy .I went to Vancouver bike show last year just to sit on a Scrambler , I was very disappointed .
Other Yams ? Bill Ryder and myself have Yamaha twins .[XS and TX 650s] By no means perfect but they have bags of potential if you want to do some modifications .Low tech with strong engines .
If I had a CBX I would always be gritting my teeth and anticipating expensive grinding noises .I rode a Benelli 6 once , lovely machine ,nicely styled [ unlike the CBX ] and a real pleasure to ride .
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Blessed are the cracked, for they let in the light. - Spike Milligan
"When you come to a fork in the road ,take it ! When you come to a spoon in the road ,take that also ."
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24 Sep 2007
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dodger
" -----"If Enfield made a twin" surely equates to a Triumph Bonnie?" ----
I was never really keen on the Triumphs in my youth and the new Bonnies are ,well OK , but new tech and heavy .I went to Vancouver bike show last year just to sit on a Scrambler , I was very disappointed .
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I always had Triumphs as road bikes and loved them, the introduction of the new Bonnie is what brought me back to them, but they were a very disappointing product. More like the real thing was teh Kawasaki w 650.
Sadly they all have left hand gearshifts and after 15k on teh BMW I still hate that. So in order to get a right hand gearshift bike I have three choices.
1969 or 1970 Triumph Trophy tr6 or
1973 on Triumph Daytona or
new lean Burn enfield Electra.
I wonder what time and chance will eventually find me.
Incidentally if you want an Enfield twin, Hitcocks recently took delivery of a container load of them returned from Canada. They also have the parts to refurbish them. They are torque monsters as they are esssentially two 350cc singles with the same long stroke. When Triumph bit the dust in 1983, Enfield tried to buy teh motorcycle business, but Bloors offer for the whole lot was better. Just imagine if Enfield had kept on making real Triumphs 
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27 Sep 2007
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Well, what do you know!!
This weeks edition of the UKs Motorcycle News (newsprint version and maybe not in the online stuff) has a 3 page write up about the bullet. It is based on chugging around the south of England on the "byways", staying off the main roads and doing about 50-60 mph. All of this written by a guy who also, and more usually, reports on racing!
The bike comes out of it well, doing over a 1000 miles in a week carrying a pillion & luggage, with no oil used but there is no mention of mpg achieved - a significant omission.
Makes a change for that paper to write so much about;
1. Touring.
2. "Old-fashioned" slow bikes.
There's a link in the MCN; still does not say much about the bike, but you can hear it at least:-
Video: The back roads of Britain by Bullet - Motorcycle News - MCN
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Last edited by Walkabout; 28 Sep 2007 at 20:10.
Reason: Add web link
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28 Sep 2007
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RE Bullet workshop manual
I've just found an online workshop manual for the bullet, should anyone need it!
Royal Enfield Bullet Workshop Manual
Regarding earlier discussions of oil supply systems for bikes, it seems that the 500cc has a dry sump arrangement with separate supplies for the gearbox, clutch and engine - how definitive is that?!!
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