Royal Enfield Continental GT, the perfect cafe racer?

English designer Charlie Trelogan wrote "How to Build a Cafe Racer" on the BikeExif.com blog. He established basic guidelines for the ideal cafe racer and illustrated how these lines worked to turn a Honda motorcycle into a cafe racer.

I thought it would be fun to superimpose the lines he drew onto the new Royal Enfield Continental GT, to see how well it does in comparison.

You'll have to read the original article to learn the justifications Trelogan provided for the lines he drew. But just looking at them surely provides some idea.

How does the Royal Enfield do, all told? Very well, but not perfectly.

The Foundation.

The Foundation, a straight line (bumps and bends are distracting) above two equal size wheels.

The Cut Off Points.

The Cut Off Points run through the wheel center lines. No bodywork should extend past them.

The Height Limit.

The Height Limit. Low and lean. Nothing should extend above the top of the tank.

The Bone Line.

The Bone Line. Widest part of the bike. Best if it runs through the center of the headlamp.

Visual Weight.

Visual Weight. The mass of the bike is here, ideally topped by the tank. Peak of the tank should fall right on the center line of the cylinder.

The Swoop.

The Swoop ties the seat and the tank together.

Main Angles.

Main Angles. Straight, not spaghetti.

Secondary Angles.

Secondary Angles. Your eye likes things to line up.

Fork Distance.

Fork Distance. Tuck in that wheel. Makes it look mean.

Evaluated this way, the Continental GT looks a bit too long. To achieve the rough, tough look of the ideal cafe racer it should be more tucked in and less open around the motor. Note the Visual Weight illustration: cladding behind the motor (where the tool boxes would be on a Bullet) creates mass where openness is wanted.

Ironically, while working for Tata in India Trelogan built his own design based on the Royal Enfield Bullet 350!

The designer crafts his own Royal Enfield.

Looking at it tells us where he might have taken the Continental GT.

Is a Royal Enfield better than just an Enfield?

I was confused when a member of the Royal Enfield Yahoo group asked this question:

"Would like to find out what is different in terms of mechanical and price of Royal Enfield and Enfield. I own an Enfield instead of Royal Enfield. But friend said it is of less value and mechanicals are so much different than Royal Enfield. Please advise."

I (wrongly) assumed that he was asking if the words "Royal Enfield" on the tank make a motorcycle more desirable than one with just "Enfield" on the tank.

I certainly don't consider my 1999 "Enfield" Bullet automatically less valuable just because, the very next year, the Bullet began being imported to the U.S. labelled as a "Royal Enfield."

The question is much — much — more complicated than that, as other members of the Yahoo group realized. The answer doesn't (necessarily) have  much at all to do with the name on the tank. At various points, the factory in India has used the name "Enfield" and "Royal Enfield."

Here's the real issue: the very early Bullets in India had a great deal of British content in them. Some people  consider these earlier machines more desirable than the all-Indian motorcycles that came later.

Graham Scarth, chairman of the UK Royal Enfield Owners Club, gave members of the Yahoo Group a capsule history. And he added more detail in an email to me. In sum:

"...Separate Madras Motors from Enfield India as they are two completely different companies, even though the owners of Madras Motors were part of the Enfield India set up.

"Madras Motors received complete finished motorcycles from Redditch (England), with the ledgers showing their last batch of 50 bikes as dispatched in early June, 1956.

"Enfield India started receiving the Bullet in CKD (Completely Knocked Down) kit form from mid July 1956 onwards.

"At first, Enfield India assembled the 350cc Bullet from complete kits of parts supplied by the UK factory. These machines are to the 1954 UK specification, with the machines sent to Madras Motors in 1955 and early 1956 having a different frame.

"Over subsequent years, Enfield India begin to make the components themselves until the bike is of entirely Indian manufacture. I do not know the exact year of this complete 'independence,' but it is not as early as commonly believed.

"Whilst the UK built bikes used Imperial bearings throughout production, the Enfield India factory changed to metric ones in the engine in 1974. I would assume the gearbox changed at the same time, but cannot confirm this. I do not know when the change took place for the wheels.

"The Madras (now Chennai) factory continued to trade as Enfield India until they were taken over by Eicher Industries in the early 1990s. Eicher changed the name to Royal Enfield."

Member David Hill added that "During the period of concurrent production (1955-1962) Redditch carried out some retooling and redesign and regearing which were never adopted by the Indian version. Thus the Indian Bullet remained essentially the 1955 frame and 1960 engine."

There were changes made in Chennai as well. Tom Lyons of Ace Engineering explained that "In the 500 models, the Indian-made cylinder heads have a larger inlet port than the UK-made Bullet had. The Indian-made cams have different valve timing. The Indian made engine has a different carb and manifold. Later Indian-made Bullets have many metric threaded fasteners. Most of the parts are interchangeable, but there are some differences."

So are the British cams better than Indian cams? Lyons answered: "It depends on the ports." Aftermarket parts are available that could be better than either, he wrote.

OK. So how to answer the original question? Are those early Bullets from India more valuable than later Bullets from India?

There is no doubt that many think so, although 50 years of maintenance and restoration to any one motorcycle would surely have reduced the distinction by now.

Was this Royal Enfield once more British than Indian?

As an illustration, consider the veteran Royal Enfield Bullet pictured here, which is for sale on CraigsList in Durham, N.C.

The seller describes it as a "British made 1965 Royal Enfield Bullet 350. Rebuilt in India with some Indian-made parts."

Its appearance, with the Indian style front license plate and modern looking turn signals, suggests it did service in India, and may be newer than 1965. However, the front and rear fenders look like they could be British designed.

Does that make it more desirable? Perhaps once it was. It now "needs some tinkering to start."

'Suicide Club' Royal Enfield is back at the Ace Cafe

Royal Enfield Constellation right back where it was in 1961.
(Mick Duckworth Photo)

London's Ace Cafe and a particular Royal Enfield motorcycle did for British cafe racers of the 1960s what Marlon Brando and "The Wild One" did for American bikers in the 1950s.

Together they made them notorious, iconic and envied.

Royal Enfield Constellation WUL 798 was pictured roaring out of the cover of the Daily Mirror Shock Issue, carrying the young rocker riding it — scarf flying — into history. The story inside the newspaper painted the Ace as the place riders gathered to go racing on London's North Circular Road.

The Ace is back in business, thanks to managing director Mark Wilsmore. Today it's better appreciated for its food, history and the opportunity to see vintage motorcycles gathering.

Incredibly, Royal Enfield WUL 798 is still at the Ace.

Mark Wilsmore was kind enough to explain how:

"The 1959 Connie with London registration WUL 798 was recognized and preserved by the late rocker, 'Southend Roger' Glover, a dear friend of mine. Following his death, I acquired the machine from the family.

"The bike has full documentation and appears largely original, apart from plastic handlebar levers. It will eventually be sympathetically restored.

"The bike appeared on the front cover of the national newspaper, the Daily Mirror in February 1961 with the title "Suicide Club," followed up inside by a five-page story by investigative journalist John Pilger and which focused on the Ace Cafe and unofficial racing on London's North Circular Road.

"The same 'Suicide Club' picture also appeared in the book 'Rockers!' by the late Johnny Stuart. Many years ago, Roger Glover showed me this book and told me that he had the bike. I was astounded and said that if he ever wanted to sell it, I would like to buy it."

A remarkable reunion.

Mark Wilsmore with the Suicide Club Royal Enfield.
(Francois Thomas Photo)

800cc Royal Enfield took the Interceptor to the max

Prototype Royal Enfield 800cc parallel twin motor.
(Allan Hitchcock Photo)

Royal Enfield's powerful and fast 800cc twin-cylinder motor, tested in 1969 at speeds up to 128 mph, would have been a magnificent follow-up to the then new 750cc Series II Interceptor. But the 800c motor never went into production. Instead, the factory in Britain closed.

The 1969 tests were run by factory rider Richard Stevens. The test bike now belongs to British racer Steve Linsdell. Allan Hitchcock of Hitchcocks Motorcycles Ltd. has put another prototype 800cc motor into the frame of a Royal Enfield twin.

It is a fascinating footnote to Royal Enfield history. It's one that Royal Enfield enthusiast Chris Overton, of Canada, has studied. Chris was kind enough to allow me to share an email with some of what he has learned:

"The 800 had a number of features to deal with the issues developing as the 700 twin was developed to its limits. The rocker tips had swivels so a flat surface contacted the valve tips, overcoming the limitations on valve train geometry imposed by keeping the engine height within reason (22 inches is tall!).

"Previous 700 and 750 twins have difficulty with the valve stem tips becoming pocketed from point contact with the rockers. This allowed the rocker to transmit lateral forces to the valve with wear consequences to valve stems and guides. The 800 could then have thinner valve stems for better flow through the ports.

"Another weak link was the clutch, designed decades earlier for smaller engines. The splined clutch resulted (and, although never put into production Series II Interceptors, it was available for retrofit). Ignition was electronic, with an early Boyer-Bransden system.

"I have had several conversations with Richard Stevens, the factory test rider who put so many miles on the prototype, and a visit with Steve Linsdell when I went to his shop in Flitwick, UK to see the 800.

"It is notable that both repeatedly use the terms 'quick' and 'right' when describing the 800’s performance. Both riders are using English understatement in the extreme. When questioned on the details, it seems both felt everything in the engine design came together. There were no issues such as 'peaky' power bands or temperamental tuning. Power delivery was strong and consistent — 128 mph from the 800 is consistent with 115 mph with a 750.

"There is more to winning than peak horsepower and max speed. Two experienced racers felt the 800 was especially quick because the engine was right.

"Richard can hardly contain himself when describing the 128 mph first test run of the 800. The Triumph team were at the MIRA track too and could not help but notice the 800’s performance, and potential for more. Richard struggles to maintain his polite, understated ways, and beams describing what I take to be surprise and competitive concern from the heavyweight competitor."

Chris concluded this way:

"The 800 would have been a contender, and Enfield could have done alright with it. If another 800 engine should turn up, I have a spare frame here...."

800cc Royal Enfield Interceptor prototype rides again

Allan Hitchcock's 800cc Royal Enfield.
(Allan Hitchcock Photo)

A prototype Royal Enfield 800cc twin-cylinder motor in a cafe style motorcycle certainly fires the imagination.

Factory tested in 1969 — at 128 mph — the 800cc motor was a development of the already impressive 736cc Series II Interceptor with its wet-sump lubrication, but with noticeably larger barrels.

What if Royal Enfield had gone ahead with production of such a motorcycle in 1970?

And what if such a motorcycle were produced today?

Allan Hitchcock of Hitchcocks Motorcycles Ltd. in the UK has one of the very few 800cc prototype motors. He has it installed in the frame of a Royal Enfield twin, and styled to match the motorcycle of 1969.

Hitchcocks displays the bike at events in the UK. I asked Allan to tell me more about it. He was kind enough to email this reply:

"The 800 engine arrived as some parts amongst a huge hoard of bits from the Royal Enfield dealer in Bristol in 1991. After many weeks/months of sorting through the parts I noticed that there were some odd shaped barrels and it was only the long skirts that gave them away as Enfield. This got me thinking and then checked some of the crankcases and one set of the Series II cases were different to standard along with some heads etc.

"At this stage I realized what it was and put them to one corner and forgot about them for some time. It wasn’t until some years later that one of our long time customers offered to put it together just to keep it together. All the key parts were there so it was just the task of putting the motor in a suitable chassis. (It is not actually an Interceptor frame but a late twin — looks the same, but the frame number gives the game away.)

"At this time no attempt had been made to get her running and I nearly parted company with it when the National Motorcycle Museum were after a Series II Interceptor. At the time, I had the 800 and also the very first Series II (engine number and frame number 1000 first registered to the Enfield factory October 27, 1967) and one had to go — and they chose No. 1000.

"It was not for another 10 years before it was actually attempted to get it running. This brings us up to 2013 and during the summer had her running for the first time. It has only covered a few hundred miles since as Hitchcocks Motorcycles takes up all my work and play time.

"From what you read they had a large number of advance orders (Ed: one source says 400 of them) for the 800 but it is immaterial as it was all too late to save the factory.

"Whether it was ready or developed enough, I do not know, but would suggest that there were no extreme changes between this and the already proved 736cc. It would not have needed too much proving.

"We have talked about reproducing a twin engine for many many years. The heart says make it the Series II, the business approach calls for the earlier engine as it will breathe some fresh air into the parts availability for the 500/700/736 twins. But we are a long way off this as it requires a massive investment in both time and money."

Started in Redditch, England, the ancestral home of Royal Enfield, in 1984, Hitchcocks has grown into the key supplier of parts for the English made Royal Enfields as well as for Royal Enfields from India. Hitchcocks gathers up old bikes and supplies of parts, sources reproduction parts and even manufactures new and improved parts.

Their catalog and very helpful parts books can be seen online.

Allan wrote:

"Next project will be a Clymer Enfield. I recently picked up a basket case with engine number IB1001X; the factory ledgers have this as a prototype engine sent to Tartorini in Italy. Hopefully this will not take over 20 years to get up and running!"

Royal Enfield history in the U.S. captured in a photo

1999 visitors to the U.S. Royal Enfield display included Siddhartha Lal,
at right, the young man who in 2000 would offer to save Royal Enfield.
(Kevin Mahoney Photo)

Books about Royal Enfield history always include photographs of distinguished looking English gentlemen in business suits posing next to the classic motorcycles of the day.

Some day fans of the brand might find this photograph just as interesting. Classic Motorworks president Kevin Mahoney came across it recently and shared it with me.

Taken at the February, 1999 Dealer Expo in Indianapolis, Ind. it shows Mahoney and Marty Scott — the original U.S. importer of Royal Enfields — with some visitors from India at the Royal Enfield booth.

Among the visitors is Siddhartha Lal, today the managing director and CEO of Eicher Motors Ltd., parent company of Royal Enfield.

In 1999 he was a college student.

In 2000 he would encourage his father Vikram to let him try to take Royal Enfield and make it profitable instead of selling off the money losing company. Today, he is credited with taking Royal Enfield from the brink to a raging success in India.

What else is visible in the photo?

"If you are sharp you will notice that the bikes are kickstart only," Mahoney wrote.

That's hard to see, but I can make out that the motorcycles are still labelled "Enfield." Not until the next year would new U.S. bikes be badged "Royal Enfield."

"If you are really, really sharp (and old), you may notice that the booth backdrop on the right rear is the Wilson Centers (psychiatric hospital that Doneen and I worked at) booth with Enfield signs Velcroed over it," Mahoney wrote.

Left to right are Marty Scott; Sam (Sarva) Bajaj; Sam's son (who is now a doctor); Kevin Mahoney; and Siddhartha Lal.

My Royal Enfield is reliable; it's just sensitive

My Royal Enfield Bullet, gassed up and ready to ride.

For me, Sunday's Royal Enfield One Ride day included, indeed, exactly "one ride."

On Saturday I cleaned the spark plug and points on my 1999 Bullet, checked the tire pressures and even examined the air cleaner — it looked fine.

I mentally planned what clothes to wear and what route to take. I knew I would arise early Sunday, in plenty of time, because I would be too excited to sleep.

It was still dark when I pushed the Bullet from the garage and began the starting procedure.

Switch ON!

Oh, oh. The headlight barely glows. The Bullet won't start without electricity. Kick after kick brought not even a burble from the motor.

Out came the battery charger. I gave it only a few minutes, as I suspect the charger is too strong for motorcycle batteries.

Switch ON! The headlight is bright. One kick. VRRROOOOOOOMMMMmmm!

The Bullet sprang to life. But it wouldn't keep running unless I kept the revs up. Left to idle the headlight would dim and the motor stall.

I went for a long blast up U.S. 1, hoping the battery would build strength. But it didn't seem to want to hold a charge. I took a chance and stopped to attend church. After mass the Bullet did start, but not willingly. I would not be going anywhere else today that would require stopping the motor.

I rode home and returned the Bullet to the garage. I'll give the battery another try in the morning and if it's dead I'll start shopping for a new one.

My theory: the poor Bullet just couldn't stand the pressure of having to perform on one specific day out of 365. It's not unreliable. It's just sensitive.

Royal Enfield One Ride day this Sunday, April 6, 2014

Get out and ride your Royal Enfield this Sunday.

This Sunday, April 6, the first Sunday of April, 2014 is international One Ride day. It's time to ride your Royal Enfield motorcycle with ever other Royal Enfield motorcycle in the world.

Where to?

That's up to you. And me.

You can find a ride to join, or register your own ride on the official factory website.

With no ride planned near me, here in Florida, as far as I can tell, I'm on my own to create a One Ride outing. But I am not the leader of any pack. So I'll be going, but I'll be going it alone.

As a commuter, I always rode alone and that's what seems natural to me. I go as fast as I please and I stop when I want to stop, as long as I get to my destination.

But what would that destination be?

"Why don't you take the motorcycle to church?" my wife suggested. "Find a church on A1A (the beach road) and enjoy the ride."

Ummm. Possible. That is a scenic route. But I was hoping for something more exciting; maybe a place for breakfast? Or maybe a historic roadside attraction I've never visited before?

Where are you riding this Sunday? Leave a comment.

Many photos of vintage Royal Enfield motorcycles

Here's a classic looking Royal Enfield military Model CO in civilian dress.

This time it was "a bevy of early Enfields." Reader David Blankenhorn found a fascinating catalog of vintage Royal Enfields on line and before I knew it, my Saturday was gone!

The rich archive of Enfields from the very earliest to the 1940s exists on the Yesterday's Antique Motorcycles site.

Based in Nederweert, Netherlands, Yesterday's acquires and sells old motorcycles of all types and sells them to customers worldwide.

"After 35years of experience we claim to have an extensive knowledge of the world of antique and classic motorcycles," they boast.

This knowledge is on display in their archive of motorcycles (use the simple pull-down menu to find the brand that interests you). Many listings include the history of the brand and a description of the particular motorcycle.

Left pedal on 1928 Model 182 operated the front brake.

Not only do we see the motorcycles, but close-up photos highlight fascinating details: like the Royal Enfield that operated both front and rear brakes by foot pedal!

"While the flat tank models may or may not have scant interest for us, that racing model from 1949 is way, way sweeter than any of the customs I've seen on your blog. And the singles from the late '20s on suggest all sorts of new, creative approaches for customizing contemporary Enfields," Blankenhorn wrote me.

Royal Enfield Model 182 976cc twin.
This was the first year for saddle tanks.

"But, my God, just  take a look at the Enfield V-twins — any or all of them!"

Yes. Take a look. But brace yourself; there are 21 Royal Enfields to look at. Interested in BSA? There are 121 of them!

Magnificent motor of Royal Enfield Model 182 sport twin.

Round gas tank made 1924 ladies' model possible.

1927 Model 350cc single with flat tank.