ROAD TEST ROYAL ENFIELD
WORDS: Michael Esdaile PICS: Geoff Osborne
Something old, something new, SOMETHING BORROWED…
T
he longest running model in motorcycling has finally been updated. As reported in Kiwi Rider in December last year, the Indian-built Royal Enfeild Bullet has a completely new engine, housed in a frame that harks back to the original J2 model of the early 1950s. Interestingly, the Indian company handed over the chassis engineering to Vepro UK and Engines Engineering of Italy while an in-house design group looked for additional input in the styling. English company Xenophya Design took part in this and the in-house designers made several visits to the British National Motorcycle Museum
for inspiration and to ensure ‘the look’ was historically correct. The engine was built in collaboration with England’s Ricardo company with input from Dr. McGuigan of Cranfield University. The result is a machine that looks very much like a 1950s motorcycle but with a modern, fuel-injected all-alloy unit construction engine that in turn is styled to look correct for the 1950s. GOOD START Compared with the older models, the new bike starts easily with the press of a button, idles quietly but has more mid-range and
top-end power than the model it replaces. It’s easy to swing a leg over the new Royal Enfield 500 – the seat height is low and there’s no pillion seat – although there are passenger pegs fitted to mate with the optional rear seat. Local importer Royal Enfield NZ Ltd provided us with an older 500 Bullet with which to compare the new machine. Unless you prefer drum brakes, kick-start only and carburettors to electronic fuel-injection, the new bike is definitely the one to have. We took both out for a half day’s spirited riding and the new bike showed KIWI RIDER 37
ROAD TEST ROYAL ENFIELD
SPECIFICATIONS ROYAL ENFIELD C5 CLASSIC ENGINE Type: Air-cooled OHV single cylinder w/ wet sump Displacement: 499cc Compression ratio: 8.5:1 Bore x stroke: 84 mm x 90 mm Starting system: Electric Engine management system: Electronic Fuel system: Electronic fuel-injection with Keihin 30mm throttle body Air filtration: Paper element Clutch: Wet, multi-plate Transmission: Five-speed constant-mesh. Final drive: Chain
New Royal Enfield 500 is a credit to the Indian company which took over manufacturing from the British factory for good in 1970. Modern technology and manufacturing techniques mean latest 500 model combines the best of the old (timeless looks) and the new (reliability and fuss-free performance).
a clean pair of heels to the older machine everywhere. The new engine is also a lot smoother running and gear changing is smoother. Curiously, the new bike is a little heavier than the model it replaces, (186 kg to 183.5) despite an all-alloy engine. That old-style frame evidently weighs a bit… As part of the re-styling exercise, Royal Enfield has gone from a 19-inch front wheel to an 18-inch unit, but has not changed the steering geometry (fork rake and off-set). Thus trail has been reduced enough by the fitting of the smaller diameter front wheel so that at full speed there is a hint of instability that the old bike does not exhibit. We think the Indians should have stuck with the 19-inch front wheel. It is interesting to note that the 350cc version sold in India retains the 19-inch front. VERY COMFORTABLE The riding position is traditional, which is to say, very comfortable. The single seat is sprung, which along with the twin gascharged rear suspension units, helps reduce road shock to the rider’s spine. Our only complaint is that the springs on the seat need to be a little firmer – we noticed we started rotating backwards at times… No doubt they are designed to support a 55kg Indian, not a lard-arsed Westerner. There’s a (small) business here in replacement seat springs for someone. The handlebars are fairly wide and upswept enough that the rider’s forearms are almost horizontal, which is a comfortable position. Hop off the new C5 Classic onto an older drum-braked Bullet and the first thing you need to do is re-adjust your braking 38 KIWI RIDER
points. The old bike just does not stop as well as the new disc-braked model. RADICAL DEPARTURE In a radical departure from previous Bullets, the new engine is of unit construction, meaning the engine and transmission cases are made as one casting. Just like almost all other motorcycles made today. You get the idea that things move at glacial pace at Royal Enfield. The bore and stroke remains unchanged. The cylinder bore is 84mm and the piston runs through a stroke of 90mm. So it is a little ‘under square.’ As well as unit construction, the new more compact engine features wet sump lubrication and is fitted with Keihin electronic fuel-injection with a 30mm throttle body that increases the characteristic raw torque, improves combustion and reduces emissions. Indeed, it is to pass the Euro III emissions tests that Royal Enfield has taken this route, which is also why there is a catalytic converter in the exhaust.
FRAME Type: Tubular steel, single loop. Swing-arm: Double-sided steel tube Suspension: Hydraulically damped telescopic forks with 130mm travel front & twin gascharged coil over hydraulic damper units, 80mm stroke rear. Brakes: Single 280mm dia. stainless steel disc front & 153mm drum with internal expanding single leading shoe rear Wheels: Wire-spoked 1.85 x 18, 2.5 x 18-inch Tyres: Avon Road Rider 90/90 x 18-inch 51V front & 110/80 x 18-inch 58V rear DIMENSIONS Wheelbase: 1370mm LxWxH: 2130 x 800 x 1050 mm Seat height: 800mm Measured fully fuelled weight: 186 kg Fuel tank capacity: 13.5 litres RRP: $11,990 Test bike: Royal Enfield NZ Ltd.; www.royalenfield.co.nz GEAR Helmets: Nolan & KBC Jackets: Spidi & RacerX Pants: Triumph Boots Styl-Martin
By Michael Esdaile
T
he story of this still surviving ‘British’ brand is convoluted, to say the least, particularly as it is an Indian brand. You could say the story started back in 1851 when George Townsend established a small manufacturing business near the English town of Redditch, making needles and fish hooks. Not long after, his son wheeled one of the rather crude first bicycles into the plant. And we mean crude – the backbone was cast iron, it had wooden wheels, iron tyres and pedals made of triangular pieces of wood. George decided he could improve on this, as did many other manufacturers. What Townsend did was improve on the seat design, using a single length of wire for the two springs and the framework. FROM SMALL ACORNS This was adopted, patented and marketed as the ‘Townsend Cyclist’s Saddle & Spring.’ He had entered the bicycle parts trade. Then he developed his own bicycles, ran into a spot of financial ‘bother’ and in 1891 was eased out by some financiers from Birmingham whom he had invited into the business. Sound familiar? With new management and a lucrative military contract – is there any other? – to produce precision rifle parts for the Royal Small Arms Factory in Enfield, the company was re-named Enfield Manufacturing Company Limited with the legend ‘Made Like a Gun’ appearing above its trade mark field cannon. The ‘precision rifle parts’ were for use in what was to become the longest serving military firearm in history – the .303 Lee-Enfield. FIRST MOTORCYCLE But back to two-wheelers. By 1893 the company’s new range of bicycles were being sold under the Enfield name. Sixteen years later, the company produced its first motorcycle, a 2¼ hp V-twin and in 1932 the first Royal Enfield to carry the ‘Bullet’ name arrived in the form of a four-valve 350cc single. This was a far different machine to the Bullets that followed. These appeared in 1939 and were fitted with telescopic forks, putting the company right at the forefront of motorcycle design. Following World War II, production of the Bullet resumed and in 1947, they featured swing-arm rear suspension, something Triumph did not offer until the later 1950s.
THE INDIA CONNECTION Meantime, the Indian Army decided it wanted motorcycles for border patrol work and awarded a contract to Madras Motors which was assembling the 350cc Bullets from kits sent out from England. It wasn’t long before the Indian company was building the frames and installing completely built-up motors. Then the Brits started sending the engines in parts which were assembled at the Madras plant. It wasn’t much longer before the Indian company was building the complete bikes, something dictated by the Indian Army which insisted that it would only continue buying Bullets if they were locally made.
ROAD TEST ROYAL ENFIELD
ROYAL ENFIELD 101
HARD TIMES While the Indian operation was doing just fine, the Brits hit hard times under the onslaught of the Japanese and in 1967 the Redditch factory closed, followed three years later by the Bradford-on-Avon plant. The name Royal Enfield was all but history. At the same time, Enfield India was running strongly with regular orders for police, military and increasingly, civilian, motorcycles. Various versions of the 350cc Bullet were produced, the six volt electrics were upgraded to 12 volt and by the 1980s the Indians were exporting bikes to the Poms. STILL GOING STRONG With 350cc production in full swing, the company decided to make a 500cc version of the Bullet, which arrived on the market in 1993. A year later the larger Eicher Group acquired the Enfield India Company and renamed it Royal Enfield Motors Limited and it is still going strong.
The old and the new. The new C5 Classic with its new all-alloy unit construction engine is a substantial improvement on the iron-engined, drum-braked 500cc Bullet. The new bike starts easily, stops well and handles similarly to the old machine. Not surprising as there is little changed in the chassis department. Apart from the all-new engine, the fitting of electronic fuel-injection is a major advance for Royal Enfield. Twin gas-charged rear suspension units team with double-sprung saddle to isolate the rider from road shocks. Sturdy rear sub-frame supports the rear guard and will ensure luggage is securely mounted. Instrumentation is sparse, in keeping with a retro bike.…
KIWI RIDER 39
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ROAD TEST ROYAL ENFIELD
had not ever expected that I would feel the same way Pamela Anderson feels. But when people stare at my asset(s) rather than look at me while talking, I know how she feels. I can tell you it feels unashamedly good. Small crowds of people have gathered around and gawked, some uncouth keen to touch when stationary. When turned on and aroused, fathers have pointed, mothers have waved, old men’s eyes have misted (and babies have cried). I am talking of my Royal Enfield Bullet 500 ES. ES stands for ‘electric start’ (but that is another story). I had been hankering for one ever since I was a kid. The distinctive throb of the single cylinder 4-stroke engine, and the machismo that went with it. The ride of choice of Bombay Police Inspectors. And also Hindi film villains – they who had all the fun with the girls. SHOPPING & ACQUISITION So when in India last Christmas/New Year for the annual break, I visited the Royal Enfield dealership conveniently located on Linking Road, Bandra West. The dealership could not entertain an export inquiry and referred us to the factory. I spoke to the export manager who wanted me to send him an email. Stonewalling I thought to myself. So I Googled. I Googled Royal Enfield New Zealand. And to my delight not only did I find an authorised dealer in Auckland, a couple for sale on TradeMe, but also NZREOR – New Zealand Royal Enfield Owners Register! Keep away from the domestic Indian bikes that have been privately exported was the word. Poorer components, parts and assembly, and may not comply with our WoF rules. NZREOR was most helpful. “Let us know,” the secretary said to me in June, “if you do not have a Bullet by August and we will put a word in our newsletter.” “Ha,” I thought. “A Bullet by 15th August, India’s Independence Day would be great.” Within 48 hours, a Bullet owner from Auckland looking to unload ‘only to an enthusiast’ was on to me. Appears this was only the second Bullet sold in New Zealand by the dealer. 500 cc which was what I was looking for. Electric start, even better. One careful owner, only 18,000 kms on the clock. Looking at the photographs, I was prepared to buy it ‘sight unseen.’ But then there was the issue to do with gears. Knowing how Bullets are so ‘torquey’ at the low end, and struggled to cruise on open roads, I had wanted a five-speed bike. This one was only four speed. BUT the owner had changed the sprocket so
WORDS: Sunit Prakash
OLD MEN’S EYES HAVE MISTED… that it sacrificed low end torque for better open road cruising – exactly what I was looking for, although this modification needed a test drive.
answered the phone.
LOVE AT FIRST RIDE
Got home in the evening after work, voice mail from Mum.
Serendipity played a hand and work took me up to Auckland the following fortnight. I had not ridden a motorbike for at least 12 years. And a Bullet is not the lightest of bikes (think cast iron motor casing). So the ‘test’ drive was a short one, but it was love at first ride. The bike was immaculately maintained and I could not fault it one bit. Money changed hands and I finally had a Silver Bullet! And so after a tune up in Auckland, it was shipped down to Wellington. The dealer in Auckland could not do enough to make sure I was satisfied. He sent me manuals and instructions and was always available to me at the end of the phone for any questions I had. Good old fashioned service I thought, if only IT vendors could provide technical support like that…. THE LICENCE SAGA Now the fun bit. The licence. I used to ride a bike in Wellington, so I have a valid local driving licence I assumed. Checked licence. Wrong. Not endorsed. Checked previous ‘lifelong’ paper driving licence. Not endorsed. So have bike, but no licence. Racked brains. Idea – call Mum in India! So I have an Indian driving license which I keep in India for use when I drive there. It is endorsed for a motorbike. Dad
“Yup.” he said. “No problem, will have it couriered this afternoon.” “Cool,” I thought.
“Your brother has your driving license. He is using it since his has expired.” “Oh, OK (??)” “Can you get him to send mine back please?” “Sure, “she says, “when he is back from the US.” Aaaaargh !!!! Anyway, the brother arrives that weekend, scans the license, emails it to me as a precaution, and organises a courier. In the mean time Wellington spring is showing promise and the Bullet is fretting for lack of exercise. Off we go for a ride. Shelly Bay, Scorching Bay, Seatoun, Breaker Bay, Airport, Cobham Drive, Mt Vic Tunnel (aaah the acoustics in Mt Vic Tunnel!), down Cambridge Terrace and on to Oriental Parade heading back towards Miramar. Practising all the time. First gear up, down to neutral, second, third and fourth down. Stop at signal. ‘Please don’t stall on me, please don’t stall on me.’ Stall. Bugger. Kick. She kicks back. I kick again. She fires. Anyway, cruising down Evans Bay, trying to bond with the bike and find the optimum speed and gear combination – I hear a siren behind me. “You were doing 68 km/h in a 50 zone KIWI RIDER 41
ROAD TEST ROYAL ENFIELD
Sunit’s Bullet was the second sold here by the New Zealand importer and came complete with (look closely!) bullet shell choke lever. A nice touch!
In the mean time I have more pressing things to tackle. As I drop the handlebar into a corner around Massey Memorial, the corner winds even tighter as I go into it, as they do only in Wellington, and at the peak of the turn, a smidgen of wet dirt from the bank above, right in my line. “Oh s**t, oh s**t.” In the rear view mirror I catch a glimpse of Wellington in the light of the setting sun… and all is good again. And my relatives in India nod approvingly when I tell them about my acquisition. And at the Indian Independence Day function, the boys came around and gawked at it – all pleased, proud and surprised.
sir,” she says. “Can I see your licence.” I hand her my New Zealand licence cursing my luck. She goes back to her car and does the checks. Comes back. “This is not endorsed for a motorcycle.” “Oh yes. I am on an overseas driving licence for the bike,” I said. “When did you come to New Zealand?” “This Easter.” And so on and so forth. Net result: speeding ticket and a traffic offence notice. “I will have to escort you home now sir, and I have to tell you that if you are stopped again without a New Zealand driving licence, we will have to arrest you”. With that, the Royal Bullet, accustomed to escorting the Indian President
along Rajpath was given a New Zealand Police escort home. Got home. The DHL van was in the driveway.
And I open up the throttle, she sings. And fathers point. And mothers wave. And old men’s eyes mist. And babies cry.
“Would you like to see my overseas driving licence?” I offered.
IN A TIME WARP
So that was that. With the speeding fine I am now certified as the world’s fastest Indian in New Zealand; and certainly faster than a speeding Bullet. Since then, and on the basis of my overseas driving licence fast-tracked my way to a ‘full’ New Zealand motorcycle driving licence.
I am in a time warp. Am I in New Zealand? Or am I in India? 20 years younger. With my first love. And like a bat out of hell I am gone, gone, gone....
THE RIDE AND DYNAMICS Now for the leathers. Imported to New Zealand from Sialkot, Pakistan. How would the dynamics work out I wonder. Or will they at all, with an Indian rider, on an Indian bike, with Pakistani leathers…….
About the Bullet, India and two wheelers The Royal Enfield Bullet was originally manufactured in Redditch, UK and assembly of R.E. Bullets began in India in 1955 from parts sourced from Britain. By 1962 the bikes were being manufactured by Enfield of India, which purchased the rights to the Royal Enfield name in 1995 and is now known as Royal Enfield of India.
economy in the early 80s, Indian manufacturers entered into joint ventures and technical collaboration with major Japanese manufacturers and the market exploded with motorcycles. Some like Hero from a bicycle manufacturing heritage, some like Escorts & Eicher from a heavy earth moving heritage.
Their website says; ‘from North America to Europe in the West, and Japan to Australia in the East today Royal Enfield has pride of place across the globe. In fact Royal Enfield was ranked among the top 10 selling brands in UK in the 125-500 cc category.’
Anecdotally the author can tell you, anyone who used to walk in India now bikes. Anyone who used to bike now is on a scooter or motorbike. Anyone who had a motorised two wheeler has a car. Anyone who had a car, now has two cars.
India is the world’s largest manufacturer of two-wheelers. Up to the early 80s the lion’s share of the market was held by scooters of the Vespa and Lambretta variety. Bajaj is the generic name for a twowheeler in many South Asian countries, just like Honda used to be in the past for mopeds (at least in India). With the opening up of the Indian 42 KIWI RIDER
India has been exporting two-wheelers for many years. Vespas from India are sold in at least one Wellington scooter shop. Bullets however are a different matter. These are exports of a heritage marque, to a class of people in developed countries hankering after a bygone era – Nortons Triumphs, BSAs, Ariels – and do not carry the Bad Boy image that Harley has. A whole nostalgia/adventure travel
industry has grown around the exports of the Royal Enfield Bullet. You can now join groups of riders in India to ride in the Himalayas, or ride from palace to palace in Rajasthan. The author can also tell you from personal experience that interest in Bullets is exceedingly high. A twitter tweet on IT Service Management or India-NZ Free Trade Agreement will get you one or two uninterested comments back if you are lucky. One single FaceBook post or tweet on the Bullet on the other hand, gets instant worldwide attention. About the author Sunit Prakash is an IT and management consultant based in Wellington. He writes on India, IT Service Management, Lean Management and sometimes on the intersection of some of these. In his spare time he enjoys 4 wheel driving, following cricket, travelling and of course riding his motorbike. For more information: www.sunit.co.nz