[ron_9191]

The bullet just happens to you. You would never find the reason. Many are called but a few are chosen.

[Sudarshan]

I was just wondering

What attracts a enthusiast ? Technology ? Looks ? whats that thing that draws you to it ?

Compare a bullet train to a completely restored, newly shining steam locomotive, which one will attract the enthusiast & for what ?

Bullet is just like that steam locomotive, full of character & thats it.


Sudarshan

[gearbox]

Originally Posted by Sudarshan

I was just wondering

What attracts a enthusiast ? Technology ? Looks ? whats that thing that draws you to it ?

Compare a bullet train to a completely restored, newly shining steam locomotive, which one will attract the enthusiast & for what ?

Bullet is just like that steam locomotive, full of character & thats it.


Sudarshan

To me the newly shining steam loco, reason is a one word answer - Simplicity.

[ArizonaJim]

Being the old American I am, I have always had a fondness for the old British motorcycles.
Their simplicity, sound and the very looks of them are all selling points to me.

When I decided to buy another motorcycle I looked at the many Japanese cruisers and crotch rockets available in the U.S. but they were either too large, to heavy or too fast. Many of them were almost impossible for a home mechanic to work on and none of them looked like what I think a motorcycle should look like.

I was plesently surprised when I found that two companies Olde British style of motorcycle was not only available but its price wasn't beyond the limit I wanted to spend.

I test rode a Triumph Bonneville and although it was a smooth, powerful and good looking machine it was totally silent and very Japanese feeling. It didn't have any character at all.

Then I found the new fuel injected Royal Enfield. It was everything I was looking for.
Basically a light, good handling simple machine that had not lost touch with its past.

I was a bit hesitant about buying it because in the past, India's mechanical products were not known for their quality.
I'm happy to say that after almost 3 years of riding my G5 (Electra) I have had no mechanical problems with it at all (except for the fuel level float failing).

Is my Royal Enfield the fastest, best handling motorcycle in my area? No.
Does it have the sound, and class that attracts total strangers to come over to look at it and tell me what a great looking motorcycle it is? Yes.
(By the way, these same strangers are the kind to frown at crotch rockets and big cruisers, so I must not be alone.)

[navin_v8]

I believe a member named alpha1 has already made a reference to the Bullet and a Steam Locomotive and all I can say is there is no other better reference/comparison to the Bullet than the Steam Locomotive of the yesteryears.

Purely from an enthusiast's point of view I would say the "Shining Steam Locomotive" would be my choice any given day. There are numerous reasons for it like the nostalgia of the bygone/forgotten era, mechanical movements with little or no electric inputs (I think even the horn of a steam engine is mechanically vacuum operated), rhythm of the synchronized mechanical parts, the beauty of an art while the steam engine moves, sound of the steam release pressure and exhaust release, melody of the intake and exhaust stroke in an external combustion engine, naked engine for all to see while being mesmerized with the delight of watching various mechanical shafts and connectors moving in tandem. I think I am going off topic here by emphasizing on the Steam Engine but yes I am also a Steam Engine enthusiast and you will find out the connection between a Bullet and a Steam Engine.

All these above factors and a million more attracts me to the steam locomotive. That reminds me the connection between the Bullet and the Steam Locomotive, although there are few mechanical similarities, I would like to go back to that day(some time in the year 2002) when I was a student doing my computer course. One day during our class one of the guys told that today Indian Railways celebrates its 150th anniversary today and as a part of the celebrations they are showcasing the steam engine that will run on a specified route that will pass the station which is close to our class. I and a few of my friends immediately rush out to the station just to find out it is filled to the brim as there were many other enthusiasts like us. We somehow got a place to stand and the next few minutes were the best moments of my life, there I see a steam engine approaching the station at a moderate speed I see all the waste papers, plastic bottles and what not lying along the railway sleepers being thrown into the air while the steam engine releases its pressure, the whole station begins to rock with the heavy steam engine approaching while still at a distance, I see the wheel taller than the platform itself, the various shafts, connectors, piston, steam, exhaust soot, etc. I was spellbound and stood numb for those few seconds and had goose bumps all over my body as if somebody had passed a 1000 volts through my body, I regain consciousness to find the steam engine thundering down the platform and disappearing into the horizon. We move out of the station and I am still in awe of that Steam Engine which I till now saw only on TV and Internet, next thing I hear is a distant and heavy but familiar sound like the steam engine only to see that a black standard CI bullet crossing right in front of me similar to how the steam engine rolled a few minutes back. I tell myself Bullet is the closest thing that comes to the Steam Engine albeit on two wheels and powered by petrol instead of coal and steam.

I never went back asking my other friends who stayed back the ones who were not interested in skipping the class and seeing the steam engine as to why they didn't join us to see the Steam Engine. They also never asked me as to why I bought the Bullet when I did. The answer to this might be known to many like me.

[grplr02]

Originally Posted by ArizonaJim

I test rode a Triumph Bonneville and although it was a smooth, powerful and good looking machine it was totally silent and very Japanese feeling. It didn't have any character at all.
.
.

Is my Royal Enfield the fastest, best handling motorcycle in my area? No.
Does it have the sound, and class that attracts total strangers to come over to look at it and tell me what a great looking motorcycle it is? Yes.
(By the way, these same strangers are the kind to frown at crotch rockets and big cruisers, so I must not be alone.)

ArizonaJim, re: modern Triumph Bonneville, I'm pretty sure your test-ride was a stock machine. I had an '06 Bonneville until recently, stock when I picked it up, sounded like a sewing machine, then I changed the exhausts (Predators from British Customs) and removed airbox, and boy! what a difference that made! Much deeper, throatier sound, more punch, and overall added so much more character and personality to the bike, was so happy with it, until an unfortunate incident with a car running red light. Triumph says their 2014 line-up will have better/louder pipes than before, so perhaps the bikes they'll be selling in India will have better sound/character in stock form than their earlier incarnations - just sayin' - current ride in the US is an '84 BMW R100RT fairing removed. Here too looks like I might be replacing the stock pipes. Otherwise quite happy with this big ol' beast, perhaps not the most appropriate bike for NYC urban city riding, but I'm having a lot of fun with it.

Anyways back to Enfields, otherwise I'll incur the wrath of moderators - I grew up in the military in the 70s and 80s - dad was an officer in the Indian Army - and my earliest memories of Enfield Bullets were military dispatch riders and military police on Bullets, as well as the Signals Corp. stunt riders (on Bullets) that used to perform at events - they looked so cool, so macho, so much fun, and the memory stuck. Of course, dad had ridden Bullets before, but by the time my brother and I arrived he was riding a Lambretta (which is pretty cool as scooters go). All of this, combined with a childhood of taking rides in military Jeeps and Jongas and 1-ton, 3-ton & Shaktiman trucks, and lots of time spent in steam-engine-powered trains moving from one end of the country to the other, by the time I was in college in the early 90s, there was no question, a Bullet it was for me. Currently I have an Electra 350, but am looking to get a Bullet 500 (carburetor version) or a Classic 500, let's see in a few months when I return to South Asia.

Oh and yes, here in New York and the Northeast US, I too see a lot more positive reaction from people on seeing classic and retro bikes like the RE Bullet,Triumph Bonneville, etc. There'll be a sea of modern sports bikes and Harleys and people will be gravitating towards the lone RE parked alongside. Gotta be something said for the classic old-school looks!

[DragonHawk]

Whooooooa!!

After going through the thread frankly speaking I am mesmerized by the passion thrown out by the fellow bulleteers out here. It is this passion which had dragged more towards owning a bull.
When I booked by Classic500 2 weeks back, I came across below questions
Q1-"why the hell you are buying a bike by paying such a premium?. Instead of it you can go for car"
I was not quite sure what to reply but I just said "if I had bought a car whether you would have asked this question to me"..
My answer was enough for other person to leave the place.

Q2-"Instead of going for a bike which is known for its troubles, its better to go for more reliable bikes"
I told "For me bike means its gonna be bullet and no other bikes will teach us how to live with troubles and still carve you out to go for a ride".

For me bullet is all about character, it depicts the riders personality and lastly it is all about the pride of owning the bull For all you guys out here, I am sharing below video of Matt Work Owner of Piston & Chain motorcycle club in San Francisco, California who shares how he ended up in his motorcycle.
Enjoy your ride

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTPQ7iIIgsE

[Leepower]

I own a 78 Bullet, been riding it for the last 5 years. Took it to Ladakh, Mizoram and Kerala. It has never let me down. I have pumped in a lot of money into it. People ask me why, but all my doubts vanish when I am going solo on a highway and the bike is humming at a steady 80km per hour. Here's a video which I can relate to. Hope it says it all and why I can't relate to the new generation Royal Enfield bikes (ie UCEs)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-JwZfLKX1U

[SHAHBAAZ]

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Please read our rules before proceeding any further. We request you to post ONLY when you have something substantial to add to a discussion.

[navin_v8]

Why Enfield Bullet? Even after so many posts including my own, this question still continues to intrigue me. I have three and a half bullets as of now, one is a 1996 Standard 350 Cast Iron, second is a B1 England made 1969 Bullet Standard 350(under restoration) and third is the 2004 AVL Lean Burn 350 Thunderbird 5 speed and I have an original G2 engine with original gearbox(that is half bullet).

Before I say this I am not sure if this is the correct thread as it says Why Enfield Bullet? Nevertheless I am one of those bulleteer's who thinks Royal Enfield has the right to use Bullet name as they created it and although it overshadows other steeds from their stable still others have their own character as I have owned and ridden most of RE's offerings so I know what I am speaking. Anyways coming back I went to one of the RE dealers to take a casual test ride of the new Thunderbird 500 EFi and the moment I rode it I saw a whole new angle to modern motorcycles brought out by our very own Royal Enfield although not cutting edge compared to competition but a massive leap for a manufacturer which stuck to stamping/baking out the legendary 50 year old cast iron just a decade and a half back.

Coming back to the Thunderbird 500 EFi, I started it and wringed the throttle and was thrown back by the staggering 41NM of Torque, immediately I regained my composure and rode to find out it has a smooth power delivery and torque that refuses to go down inspite of downshifting on slower speeds on higher gears thanks to the flat torque curve characteristic of this half litre engine. The whole bike has undergone a massive transformation from what it was before right from the foot pegs to the fuel tank to the EFi and swing arm. I was so very mesmerized that I booked it. YES I booked the Thunderbird 500 technically my fourth Royal Enfield motorcycle. Still haven't got the answer Why Enfield Bullet(read Royal Enfield)?

[desideep]

Originally Posted by ron_9191

The bullet just happens to you. You would never find the reason. Many are called but a few are chosen.

Originally Posted by Sudarshan

I was just wondering

What attracts a enthusiast ? Technology ? Looks ? whats that thing that draws you to it ?

Compare a bullet train to a completely restored, newly shining steam locomotive, which one will attract the enthusiast & for what ?

Bullet is just like that steam locomotive, full of character & thats it.


Sudarshan

As mentioned in above two post, i find it quite true the BULLET just happens to you.
Also the locomotive theory is true.

In my friends circle when one asks about buying a bullet, i tell them that its like getting married. You may hate your wife some times but you will still be madly in love with her.

here is a little show of my bullet since 2007 in the order posted.

i have made many changes and have lived with it, it performs really well rite now but needs TLC. it has a AVL bottom for the Oil pump and STD top for the old world charm of thump.

[LTAutoMad]

Aaahh, the good old Bullet! I had one, albeit a secondhand one, as a very young man (in college) in the 80s - loved it, hated it, loved it, hated it, loved it etc... the troubles it gave me & the pleasures it gave me! Nothing could match the feel of the bullet. Bullet yeh Bullet & all the ad jingles of those days..

Diehard Bulleteers will hate me for this, but I got over my Bullet phase when a fast, svelte, pretty young thing called RX100 showed up in India! Not only me, but several other young Bullet riders I knew swapped Stocky Old Uncleji for the PYT!

I always say a Harley is like a Bullet - if you go by logic, reason, calculation etc to compare it with its competitors re: power, weight, cost, maintenance etc, nobody would ever buy a Harley. But, for those who have the passion for Harley (or Bullet), nothing else will suffice!

[mehuel]

just as its mentioned in that old delhi motorcycle video, a good friend said to me long time back, once you ride an enfield, you are just stuck in that system,( putting it eloquently).

for me its the worst itch, cant help it but that itch of changing gears from right leg. to cut the story short, owned an enfield from 2000- 2009, acquired pulsar in 2003, toured on both extensively. but enfield started having wiring issues, a short , rectifier giving up, that bottle under seat, and so on, and in the meantime pulsar reigned with no issues,

so did the mistake of selling the enfield and buying R15 in 2009 and kept pulsar, had fun and loved r15. but soon the problem began when i started missing the enfield, a void that just kept getting bigger. and than the funny part is i loved the modern plasticy machines ( pulsar and r15) but the gear seemed on wrong side

only if they had gear like enfield(right side) ( not comparing, so no disrespect to anyone)

i dont know what to call it, but the right side shift pattern is embibed into nevous system and i knew i could ride what ever is wanted to for the rest of my life, but an enfield has to be there in the garage, my right leg craves for it and cant exist peacelfully without it, i could feel convulsion

had to buy a used one (2005 model electra) is the only downside, other than that

PS: The pulsar still remains, R15 is saldy gone.

[navin_v8]

Intriguing question isn't it?

Well after a long wait of 2 years and three months I finally accomplished restoring my 1969 B1 Bullet Standard 350. A lot of blood, sweat, money and many more things have gone into restoring this motorcycle to its full glory.

A little background history of procuring this motorcycle

This was September 2012 when was on a routine visit to my mech’s garage for some minor work on one of my Bullet Standard 350 1996 model. This is when I came across the B1 for the very first time. It was in a pity state but still had not bowed down to the lashes of time. It held its head high even while being half buried into the ground. When I mean buried it means literally buried up to its clutch case cover in thick mud and dust which had collected all over it during the past few years. Hesitatingly I went close to have a look and I was immediately smitten when I saw the engine was the legendary Type B1. I asked the mech which year model is it and he said it is 1969 B1. Caught your attention isn’t it?

I asked is it for sale? NO came the answer from the mech. I asked him why and he replied this is a military auction motorcycle and the owner who bought it has passed it on to his son but he is not interested on such an old beaten down motorcycle. Hearing this I inquired more about the motorcycles origin and how he ended up with it. Long story short the mech bought it from the owner for himself but didn’t have funds and time to restore it. I looked at the motorcycle once again and left. I couldn’t sleep that whole night as there was a constant line going on in my mind; the line said “Rescue Me”. I came back to my senses and rationalized the situation and told myself, “Come on you already have a Bullet Standard CI 350 why need one more? I pondered some more and decided to give the B1 a miss. Life was just going on and I used to visit my mech’s garage whenever there was a need. Every time I used to visit his garage I used to see the B1 and hear the same words saying, “Rescue me.” I used to turn a deaf ear on it and ignore it, but still the urge to buy it or rather rescue it was overwhelming. To my lucky stars or B1’s luck I got a distressed call from the mech one Sunday evening. He told he was in need of money and asked me if I could help and that he would return me the money in a month or so. I said yes I would but I want the B1 in exchange fully restored to the original factory specs. He asked me to meet him on the same day. I went to his garage and he explained saying, “Listen, this motorcycle has been lying unused for many years, it will take a hell lot of time to restore it and bring it to factory specs.” I listened to him calmly and asked, “Can you do the restoration?” and he replied “Yes I can, But…” I said “there are no if and buts just say yes or no? And he tensely replied with a Yes! I said “very well then, take as much time as you want but I want all the original parts restored to the factory specs. The deal was sealed at a very reasonable cost one would only dream of while buying a motorcycle of that vintage including complete restoration.

This is where the long painstaking journey began. We started the restoration in Jan 2013 right from digging out the bike from its muddy grave to bringing it to condition where it was rolled out of the factory in 1969. I gave strict instructions to the mech of not adding any fancy parts on the motorcycle. The paint was decided as long as it was black, jet black. I wanted it to look like a proper Enfield Standard Bullet 350. We completed the restoration at the end of March 2015 and I was adding some finishing touches to the motorcycle. I am satisfied with the end result. And yes I replied back to the B1 when I rode it for the first time saying, “You are rescued.” Should I say more as to Why Enfield Bullet?

Talking about the engine and other dynamics of the B1, I have given a description about the B1 elsewhere on this forum hence would not like to repeat it once again. The B1 has its own character which is distinct from the 1996 Standard model that I already own. The B1 talks to you, it makes you feel it while starting it and while riding it and even while being stationary, deep bassy thump is the central character which is very addictive and mesmerizing, the gearshift is typical hard my right foot and ears know that the gears are being changed, the acceleration is not very fast but is more like a locomotive which builds speed overtime rather than quick bursts, the braking from the cycle hub type single leading drum brake although not adequate but still does its job when both front and rear brake is pressed simultaneously.

Since this is a different thread, I think I will put up an ownership thread about the experiences so far on my Tbird500 thread so as to avoid multiple thread clutter.

Meanwhile let the pictures do the talking.

Shining in all its glory






Original rear cycle hub with speedo meter cable attached notice the dust cover on the rear suspension is still not added as you can see in other pics.


Original front cycle hub with original front fender



Original centre stand with a retrofitted fulcrum


The star attraction B1 Engine

[ebonho]

There is no more stress free bike to ride in the city than a Bullet.

Caveat: Preferably with an electric start, so even if it shuts off just as the light turn green (which it sometimes loves to do) you can get it moving again.

It truly is a dinosaur made for a simpler time when the world moved a lot slower.

Some people buy gearless scooters as their shut-off-brain-amble-along runarounds. For me its now my Bullet.