Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Scotty]

I've been watching the Hairy Bikers cook show and have been very taken by their Indian Royal Enfield, so much so in fact I did a little digging and found I could buy a "classic" 500cc brand new over here for just over £2000.




Has anybody here had dealings or knows about these Indian RE's as my friend tells me to steer clear of them as he reckons they'll be rubbish? My thoughts are, granted there will be hiccups, but in essence the bike is a 50 year old model that still is using the same technology - and I know India keeps their basic transport technology simple to ensure simple repairs, so could I really be buying a problem?

[buzzy bee]

Hi

I like the sound of the price, but I would have to take my bike test! I was toying with buying a 125 bike a while ago, and am starting to want one again now, must resist I keep saying, although the insurance is quite cheap now I am a bit older! Of course it would have to be a classic!



Cheers

Dave

[Penman]

Hi Dave

[buzzy bee]

Hmmmm, this isn't helping my temptations! hehe

Cheers

Dave

[pigtin]

Have been watching these Enfields for years now, both in the motorcycle press and where people I know have had them.
A chap I knew actually used one as a courier bike in London for quite a while back in the 80s, and that was one he had personally brought back from India.
For some reason (I don't know what) the ex-WD ones were not as highly regarded as the (ex WD)Matchless and BSA M20 back in the 50s when I was looking for my first bike. They could be had, complete with pannier frames, from Pride and Clarke for around £20.
I have read that the the quality control etc' has improved considerably over the years and I personally have never heard anything negative about the recent Indian ones, If I hadn't lost my "bottle" with biking I would think seriously about buying one myself .

Incidentally: do you know where the name 'ROYAL ENFIELD' came from?

The factory is reputed to have been built on the site where Queen Victoria
used to keep her chickens!!!

I think I'll lay low for a while now. Don.

[Uncle Joe]

It seems like the people I know are well divided as regards the quality of these Enfields. One or two have used them for pottering about, with not a spot of trouble. Others, that have used them in ''the english way'' nothing but trouble...!

If you are into the replica bike market, has nobody seen the chinese built Harley / BMW replicas?

Pigtin: Pride & Clarke on Stockwell Road....theres a name from the past. Do they still exist?

UJ

[pigtin]

http://www.realclassic.co.uk/opinionfiles/opinion07053100.html

I did three years of my apprenticeship at Philips Electrical in Brixton and used to spend many lunchtimes wandering around the "Red Valley" in Stockwell road.
My first bike was one of the ex Pride and Clarke 250cc Red Panthers; bought in 1954 about a mile from where it was originally sold by P&C.
It cost me £10 and I used it for over a year.

Don.

[Uncle Joe]

Good grief pigtin, your link brings back memories of a bygone age.....remember the magazine 'Motor Cycle' P&C's always used to advertise in there....and the journalists, Bob Currie, John Ebbrell, Mike Evans, and my favourite 'Nitor'.......

UJ

[pigtin]

Glad I stirred your memory UJ, can't be many of us left.
On top of the temptations of P&C in Stockwell Rd, and at the top of Brixton Hill about 300yds from where I worked, there was the Claude Rye showroom with a cellar type area underneath stuffed with desireable s/h bikes.
And me on only £2. 14s 6d. pw, I remember that before I left London in 57 Claude Rye had taken over the old tram-sheds opposite as another showroom.

Ah! memories. Don.

[Uncle Joe]

Guess you are right there Pigtin....there cant be many of us left.....!

I guess it must be the yorkshire bitter thats kept us going!

Going back to that time, do you remember Kings of Oxford? I've got family connections with them!

UJ

[Penman]

Hi
I bought a S/H Ariel Leader from P&C in mid Feb '63 and the following W/end rode from Guiildford down to Bristol, (to learn how to do it).
That was the winter that it had started snowing on Boxing Day '62 and there were still high banks of snow at the sides of the roads, down Tog Hill between Chippenham and Bristol they were above my head height, I had to stop off in virtually every town to find a cafe to warm up in.

[pigtin]

I remember Kings of Oxford well UJ, didn't they use to send a box combination to the I.O.M for the TT. (with spares, not taking part).

The winter of 62 Penman; the thought of riding a bike in that is awful, and Shackleton thought he had it rough.
That January is indellibly marked on my memory, it started for me, at about 1.30 am on Jan the first. Coming home from a dance I stuffed my Rover 16 in a ditch (hidden by a snowdrift) and it took 3 days before anyone could extract it. The day after it was extracted I had my first date with my future 'Memsahib'.

[pigtin]

The say "speak of the devil"... This morning I recieved my copy of, that excellent publication, 'Old Bike Mart' and (I hope I'm not infringing copyright) I copied this section for you.
http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t103/donthebat/Enfields.jpg

[Scotty]

That's excellent pigtin - thank you very much!