Promised by the summer of 2009, the Royal Enfield Bullet C5 motorcycles are now in the rail yard in Minneapolis, Minn. From there they will go by truck to U.S. importer Classic Motorworks in nearby Faribault, Minn. These are the retro-styled but really quite modern new Royal Enfields unveiled to the world last year in Cologne, GermanyThey are the top-of-the-line pride-and-joy of Royal Enfield, a company that for half a century kept building a circa-1955 British-designed motorcycle in India. The time-piece brand was rediscovered by the British, Europeans and Americans in the '90s. Now the Indians plan to show the world that they can deliver modern features and improved reliability along with heritage appearance.
Along with the C5s in the rail yard is the first shipment of the G5 Military model Royal Enfields. Americans demanded that Royal Enfield keep making them a motorcycle in olive drab, and here they come.
Both C5 and G5 motorcycles come with unit-constructed engines, electric start, electronic ignition and fuel injection, front disk brake, and, maybe best of all, self-adjusting pushrods. The C5 has an improved frame and swing arm; the G5 has kick start as well as electric start.
The Royal Enfield Military has always come with metal pannier boxes, looking like .30-cal ammo cans. These are gone, but the picture shown here, from Classic Motorworks, demonstrates that buying and fitting tan saddlebags can produce a satisfactory World War II appearance. To be truly accurate, you'd have to paint the motor and exhaust, too. Could you bear to do it?
Suggested retail price of the C5 is $6,395. The G5 Military's suggested retail price is $6,095.
I just came from the Kickstart Cafe in Columbus, Ohio where they sell coffe, Royal Enfields and Urals (a Russian clone of the 1944 BMW which they stole from the plant during the war). As an old biker, I have to say, the Royals look even better in person. Its great to see cycles that you can KICK START. HD may have macho image - but no kick start...but then again..they hustle HD's to Boomers who are so old they are in the Viaga/Geritol stage of life. If youre guy and you dont kick start your bike, you might as well ride in a nice little pink dress.
ReplyDeleteThe Enfields looked very good. Very well finished and they appear to have been produced with good QA/QC. The price is hard to walk away from. Had it not been for the fact they did not have a Military C5 in stock, I would have ridden away, rather than walked.
Harelys may be fashionable - but they are like Buicks - common and for old people. As soon as I can rationalize it..its an Enfield for me.