I've got this insane(?) desire to buy either a 'Bullet' 500 or a 'Classic' 500. I'm hoping I might get some advice.

Been looking at all the forums (Indian and English) on the pros and cons of the Royal Enfield and, from what I can understand is if you don't want to arrive first at your destination, but you want to cruise and smell the roses, then this is a great bike. If you want speed and high performance then this is not the bike for you. I don't want speed. I'm trying to slow my life down. I'm 74.

This is my dilemma. Given all of the cons of a Bullet or a Classic - no petrol gauge, tube tires, rear drum breaks, excessive engine vibration (although, it would seem if you 'run-in' the bike properly you won't get vibrations under 80 mph, and I don't want to go that fast - maybe 80 kph.) etc.etc. - all of which I understand (I hope) and 'get' (I hope) and accept, my real concern now is reliability. 

I do the Chiang Mai - Pai - Mae Hong Son loop every year as well as the Chiang Mai - Fang - Mae Salong - Mai Sai - Chiang Kong - Phu Chi Fa - Chiang Rai - Nan - Phayao - Chiang Mai run every year. My fear is having a breakdown at (say) Doi Inthanon or Doi Ang or up on the border above Mae Salong. Not too many Royal Enfield mechanics up there whereas I've always ridden there on a PCX and every man and his dog can fix them up there.

Am I being too cautious? Probably only an RE owner/rider can really answer my question: How reliable are they?

Hope someone can help and I'm open to all suggestions and comments...........even if you have to break my heart.

 

i have been looking at it too,
on the bright side, its low rev, air cooled,
on the negative its lacking in style points & cubic

a new bigger model is supposedly coming soon, hence why they discontinue current

i will probably just buy a scooter if i find one big enough to fit me physically,
sometimes automatic is handy for carrying while driving.

 

The old days of reliability issues are a thing of the past. New electronics have made a vast difference to these, I wouldn"t say they were any more unreliable than any other similar style of bike out there nowadays...
Buy one and enjoy it...... I think they look fantastic by the way....

Sent from my SM-N950F using Tapatalk

One thing for sure....this love story won't cost you hassles with the sick buffalo in the farm or a hefty Sin Sod to fund the drunk brother's shopping list !!

28 minutes ago, Anythingleft? said:

The old days of reliability issues are a thing of the past. New electronics have made a vast difference to these, I wouldn"t say they were any more unreliable than any other similar style of bike out there nowadays...
Buy one and enjoy it...... I think they look fantastic by the way....

Sent from my SM-N950F using Tapatalk
 

Thanks so much for that. It gives me confidence.

19 minutes ago, observer90210 said:

One thing for sure....this love story won't cost you hassles with the sick buffalo in the farm or a hefty Sin Sod to fund the drunk brother's shopping list !!

Hahahahaha. Do I know you? How did you know that info about me? Thought I'd kept that private. Thing is, we've all done it - in one way or another.

Know what your going through but do some comparison shopping. Take a look at this chart. The Genuine is what they are calling Stallions in the USA. I went with the Stallion Scrambler (116,900 baht). Had it 18 months now and still love it.

 

2 hours ago, Rdrokit said:

Know what your going through but do some comparison shopping. Take a look at this chart. The Genuine is what they are calling Stallions in the USA. I went with the Stallion Scrambler (116,900 baht). Had it 18 months now and still love it.

 

Thanks for that.  Interesting.

HD is expected to start cranking out bikes here in thailand 2 years from now,

you might want to wait on one of those,

i would be very surprised if that wont drop prices on choppers a lot.

i will take a twin air cooled chopper over anything else,

specially when it also increases cubic,

and yes, even if its HD i still wants a real chopper above all else

While having tires fitted a rider on one of the army green Enfields pulled up and I was chatting with him about the bike. He liked it and said it was a great ride except for the bits and pieces that fall off because of poor welds

I've owned a classic 500 for a couple of years now, just 5000 klm ridden. I have to say I am loving this bike, in fact, more than I thought I would! I've always wanted a classic bike and this fits the bill with modern efi for reliability and disc front brake for safety. I've had zero problems. I've fitted an aftermarket exhaust (made locally and nice looking) but was too loud so I had the guy fit a baffle. I also fitted a an ejk fuel controller and it runs a bit smoother now. 

 

 I just use it around town, it's relaxed loping engine is great for tooling around and it will slug along from very low revs. Your wasting your time revving it through the gears, change up early and let the long stroke engine and torque get you along. It is happy at 90 kmh, more for short times. I've done the MHS loop no problems. 

 

Build quality is surprisingly good, I believe there are cheaper local Indian ones and "export quality" ones, the understand Indians are happy with a cheaper product but international customers expect a higher quality. I've seen the "export quality" sticker under the seat. 

 

Expect to see the new 650 twins being released soon, they are an all new engine with none of the vibes of the singles

11 minutes ago, moe666 said:

While having tires fitted a rider on one of the army green Enfields pulled up and I was chatting with him about the bike. He liked it and said it was a great ride except for the bits and pieces that fall off because of poor welds

Nothing of the sort with my army Green 5000 klm's in! What broke? 

11 000 km on mine, and I love it. Had one small bracket break under the seat. Aftermarket exhaust gives it a ripper note. The smooth throbbing grunt is excellent.

2018 models have rear disc.

 

If you cross a Royal Enfield with a Harley Davidson. Do you get a Harry Enfield

 

get something practical like a nice Honda Click 125cc or the bigger 155 which i would like to demo. but  the Honda dealers here are kinda of weird when it comes to a test  drive.  i have encountered the same problem at high end audio shops here.  pay now to demo in home.  no borrow overnight.  no returns.  in the States i just give them a credit card and they will authorize a charge for the price of the amp or whatever.  no problem and off i go.  not charged unless i buy it.  anyone ride the new 155 Click or the new automatic Yammy's which are a little bigger but same CC and look pretty good?

29 minutes ago, VocalNeal said:

 

If you cross a Royal Enfield with a Harley Davidson. Do you get a Harry Enfield

 

why would one cross them, different bikes, just get two and choose according to your mood.
nice clip, thanks. 

15 hours ago, Bung said:

I've owned a classic 500 for a couple of years now, just 5000 klm ridden. I have to say I am loving this bike, in fact, more than I thought I would! I've always wanted a classic bike and this fits the bill with modern efi for reliability and disc front brake for safety. I've had zero problems. I've fitted an aftermarket exhaust (made locally and nice looking) but was too loud so I had the guy fit a baffle. I also fitted a an ejk fuel controller and it runs a bit smoother now. 

 

 I just use it around town, it's relaxed loping engine is great for tooling around and it will slug along from very low revs. Your wasting your time revving it through the gears, change up early and let the long stroke engine and torque get you along. It is happy at 90 kmh, more for short times. I've done the MHS loop no problems. 

 

Build quality is surprisingly good, I believe there are cheaper local Indian ones and "export quality" ones, the understand Indians are happy with a cheaper product but international customers expect a higher quality. I've seen the "export quality" sticker under the seat. 

 

Expect to see the new 650 twins being released soon, they are an all new engine with none of the vibes of the singles

6

I've read some reports that 100% support you in "Your wasting your time revving it through the gears, change up early and let the long stroke engine and torque get you along." It seems that if you rev too high and don't run the bike in properly you can have all sorts of issues, particularly with vibration. One lovely review I read said something along the lines of 'if you want to drive 100 mph on this bike then you don't 'get it'." It would seem to me that this is not an 'adrenaline rush' bike in the sense of speed etc. but certainly is a 'rush' for the soul.

Thanks for your input.

And just for a wee moment I thought you were referring to the rifle!

1 hour ago, VocalNeal said:

 

If you cross a Royal Enfield with a Harley Davidson. Do you get a Harry Enfield

 

Thanks so much for the doco. You're a legend

.

You are not the only one! I am 73 and have had all sorts from Harley's to BMW to Ducati's . I was up in Northern India a couple of years in Shimla which is a 3 hour drive from the plains on the most windy roads of all time and there were plenty of them up there so I think they must be pretty reliable. On top of that the engineering is not overcomplicated and I'm sure Thai mechanics will cope. Good luck you lucky man!

16 hours ago, Bung said:

I've owned a classic 500 for a couple of years now, just 5000 klm ridden. I have to say I am loving this bike, in fact, more than I thought I would! I've always wanted a classic bike and this fits the bill with modern efi for reliability and disc front brake for safety. I've had zero problems. I've fitted an aftermarket exhaust (made locally and nice looking) but was too loud so I had the guy fit a baffle. I also fitted a an ejk fuel controller and it runs a bit smoother now. 

 

 I just use it around town, it's relaxed loping engine is great for tooling around and it will slug along from very low revs. Your wasting your time revving it through the gears, change up early and let the long stroke engine and torque get you along. It is happy at 90 kmh, more for short times. I've done the MHS loop no problems. 

 

Build quality is surprisingly good, I believe there are cheaper local Indian ones and "export quality" ones, the understand Indians are happy with a cheaper product but international customers expect a higher quality. I've seen the "export quality" sticker under the seat. 

 

Expect to see the new 650 twins being released soon, they are an all new engine with none of the vibes of the singles

The export models are often checked by local importers to have known faults remedied. The new models are out in November, and are meant to be up to higher standards with millions being spent on the factory in Chennai, with extensive use of robotics and better quality control.  RE now have a large UK design team which I suspect has also made a difference, with Western standards being applied. The new bikes are larger 650cc twins so should be better for long journeys. I am waiting to see what they are like also before committing, but looking forward to seeing how they are.  I have a scooter but what biker would compare a scooter (practical for getting round town etc.) with the true experience of riding a motorbike. 

I'm thinking of a Continental GT when my current project is finished. But I do worry about the sensation. On a high revving bike it can sound and feel it is going fast even when it is not. I worry th same boy racer type feel will be missing on an Enfield.

It's the old "It is more fun to drive a slow car fast, than it is to drive a fast car slow"

1 hour ago, malibukid said:

get something practical like a nice Honda Click 125cc or the bigger 155 which i would like to demo. but  the Honda dealers here are kinda of weird when it comes to a test  drive.  i have encountered the same problem at high end audio shops here.  pay now to demo in home.  no borrow overnight.  no returns.  in the States i just give them a credit card and they will authorize a charge for the price of the amp or whatever.  no problem and off i go.  not charged unless i buy it.  anyone ride the new 155 Click or the new automatic Yammy's which are a little bigger but same CC and look pretty good?

Not another one...

Give it a rest will ya.

Why don't you mention bikes are dangerous and he should buy a car.

The OP specifically mentioned an OHV long stroke 500cc single. Not an OHC 125cc sewing machine.

Re, the Enfields. I think they are superb bikes, me personally being a Luddite, i prefer the older pre 09 bikes with a proper separate gearbox and a carb. I can't get my head round the looks of a disc brake on the front either, if i owned one i would fit a Hitchcock's TLS front drum on.

 Check Hitchcocks website out - vast range of mods and accessories for these bikes.

Go for it!

All Enfield's are now built in the modern new factory in Chennai. Most of the problems you read about them on the internet are Indian market ones. To say "just get a scooter" misses the point entirely. 

Apparently they need a ‘hard run-in’ to overcome the notorious vibration issues, there’s a few guys posted on YouTube concerning this 

Think it was 1966, I had a Lambretta ( a mod) and my chum had a 250cc RE with clip-ons and a fruity sounding goldy silencer...We swapped for a few days...

 

It told me to change direction with 2 wheel stuff...In a Honda bike shop window was this 1964 Honda 250cc racer, clip-ons, rear sets, single seat. glass tank, track style fairing, megaphones....It was love at first sight...

 

Went in, sales bloke came out, smiled, pressed a button on the handle bars and it started...Wow...He blipped it a few times....Wow....

 

He said we can take your scooter in part ex, he worked out the figures which were OK, even hire purchase...Went home to find a guarantor.....Job done...

 

Did the bike exchange and paperwork...

 

Rode out of the shop, opened it up....11,000rpm in first...WOW...

 

 

 

 

 

 

35 minutes ago, thaiguzzi said:

if i owned one i would fit a Hitchcock's TLS front drum on.

 

Twin leading shoe! I need a hobby! 

 

 

Go for it. They are very reliable. For peace of mind, you should replace the standard battery with a better one and you are ready to go.

I had a '92 500 Bullet in England and it had issues to start with ( posted a week or 2 ago ) would not run any more than 50k before it stopped , had to wait for it to cool down , after about a year of this it turned out to be the Lucas coil , about 10,000miles on the clock and the coil gave up.  In the end I had higher cams from Hitchcock , a 2 tooth bigger engine sprocket and a High comp. piston . This had to go as it went like a Velocette but lost it charm.  I also found in a bike shop in Cornwall a straight through silencer . In the end the bike could cruise at 70 mph and started first kick hot or cold. Screen fitted and top box.

Came to LoS in 2004 on a bike holiday , the bikes here were Enfields so I was well suited , some had trouble starting them and one chap fell off twice. Would of had it sent over here in 2005 when I came here for ever but far too much and cost involved , my brother bless sold it for a hundred quid.  But this was a proper Enfield of the old school , the new ones are different altogether . Would like a 650 twin though.   Now I am at 71 happy with the Forza.

3 hours ago, malibukid said:

get something practical like a nice Honda Click 125cc or the bigger 155 which i would like to demo. but  the Honda dealers here are kinda of weird when it comes to a test  drive.  i have encountered the same problem at high end audio shops here.  pay now to demo in home.  no borrow overnight.  no returns.  in the States i just give them a credit card and they will authorize a charge for the price of the amp or whatever.  no problem and off i go.  not charged unless i buy it.  anyone ride the new 155 Click or the new automatic Yammy's which are a little bigger but same CC and look pretty good?

Had the same problem when investigating buying a CBR150. Ended up asking the dealer the name of a hire place where he had sold one. The  dealer rang the place and organised a days hire (at my expense). Not what I am used to but it was very worthwhile. I now own one.