Transplanted Royal Enfield twin looks neat

The V-twin motor Aniket Vardhan proposes for his Royal Enfield Musket is certainly an elegant way to put 700cc power into a Royal Enfield Bullet. Carberry makes a 1,000cc V-twin for the Bullet. Beautiful, but not easy, making your own engine.

So, suppose you want a Royal Enfield twin in your Bullet; why not just put in an existing one? Royal Enfield (in England) mass produced vertical twins in the 1950s and '60s. Apparently some are available outside of the motorcycle they came in. "Shiner" alerted the Royal Enfield Yahoo group to this 1993 Bullet for sale on eBay in the UK.

It has a 700cc Royal Enfield Meteor twin installed.

"I think it looks quite tidy," Shiner commented. "Sadly, I've not got the spare change this week."

Mileage is given as 27,500. Miles or kilometers? Who cares? (Note: it's miles, according to the label on the odometer.)

The seller writes: "Here's something a little unusual for you. It's a 1993 Enfield India Bullet with a 700 Meteor engine in it and a Goldie silencer fitted...

"The benefit of it being a Bullet is that all the bits to keep it going are available, but this bike has a bit more power about it... The bike is ready to go. It's not something you see every day and is a practical old bike really.

"So, buy this if you want to get the old boys scratching their heads at the local Enfield club, or at the local rally, or buy this if you want a reasonably priced, but reasonably quick and practical classic."

The seller is Reaney And Son Classic Motorcycles, based in Dronfield, Derbyshire. He adds this bit of dry wit: "I don't want somebody saying that it's not original after the auction, because I already know it's not original, thanks."

I think everyone would be in favor of the remaining Meteor engines remaining in the remaining Meteor motorcycles. But, if a motor is available by itself and feeling lonely, what a nice home a Bullet would make.

In its history, Royal Enfield has made both V-twins and vertical twins. The V-twins came first, and will always evoke the gilded times before World War II. The vertical twins were post-war models and looked bulky and muscular in comparison.

Still, I like the look a lot.