Brand new Royal Enfield loses weight, gains go power

What happens when a 2015 Royal Enfield C5 goes on a diet.

Jeremy Pendergast wrote recently to share photos of a neat custom Royal Enfield scrambler built from a brand new 2015 C5 at Baxter Cycle in Marne, Iowa, a Royal Enfield dealer. Jeremy is general manager there.

Here's how he described it:

"It started life as a stock silver/black C5 until a customer of ours inquired about a light-duty vintage on-road/off-road bike.  Initially, he was thinking BSA Victor or Triumph Trailblazer, but he was concerned about the right-hand shift and the obvious reliability issues that can crop up with a vintage British motorcycle.

"We suggested a Royal Enfield as a viable alternative to a vintage bike, and that got the ball rolling.

"I've built a couple Bullet scramblers myself (see the picture of my 535cc iron-barrel scrambler I built for my town/country use)  so I had an idea of what we could do — but we've never attempted such a thing with an EFI Bullet.

Jeremy's own stripped down scrambler.

"We started by removing about 80 pounds (!!!) of bodywork, hoses, airbox, exhaust, stays, brackets, battery, etc.  We then looked at what was available from nfieldgear and Hitchcocks that we could put back on that would weigh less (and look good!).

"With only a few small modifications, everything that went back on was basically off-the-shelf parts. The end result is a fantastic mix up nostalgic British scrambler and modern Enfield reliability and convenience (the pillion pad can be re-attached in a matter of minutes with the removal of the rear rack, hence the apparently vestigial passenger pegs).

After-market bits preserve vintage look, add utility.

"Not only does it check all of the right boxes, it's a true one-of-a-kind bike that attracts attention anywhere it goes (dirt, pavement, or gravel).

"Overall, it pales in comparison to what guys like Aniket can do, but for a bike that started off as a fairly sedate roadster, I'm very proud of the fact that it has lost none of its charm, and has not only improved its usefulness off road, but also on road as the Power Commander and auto-tuner (not to mention the weight-loss program) have really added an extra punch to the motor that make highway cruising much easier.

"It also highlights perfectly what someone can do to radically alter the appearance of their Bullet with a little help from some excellent aftermarket parts suppliers."

Lithe looking.