SPECIAL EDITION N°6 • COVID-19
Royal Enfield Motorbikes
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VINTAGE Motorcycle News A motorcycle publication for the motorcyclist enthusiast.
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EDITOR Pat Castel VMN.Editor@rogers.com COVER PAGE 1913 350cc Royal Enfield
Notice All information furnished herein is provided by and for Vintage Motorcycle News. Unless otherwise stated, none of the information (including technical material) printed herein necessarily bears endorsement or approval by any manufacturer or the editor. The editor and publisher cannot be held liable for its accuracy.
Next Edition This issue is a doozy because there is a lot to be said about the Vincent. This bike never gets old. It can be reshaped, modified the Russian way or just kept as original, it will still make your head turn...
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FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK
I grew up surrounded by French motorcycles of all kind and every summer hordes of young Brits would come to France on their motorbikes and pass thru our little town. When you are young, whatever is not from your country sounds exotic, and after spending lots of time looking at their machines at the nearby café, I would go back home and dream about fantastic adventures on two wheels… I was just a teenager, but I remember vividly those English bikes. Amongst them plenty of Royal Enfield, loaded like camels ridden by gents dressed in waxed clothing mainly. The dust of the road still attached to their garments. They were just passing by, not speaking French and I was much to shy to even say hi to those guys… Time went by and finally was old enough to ride a motorbike and like many young men of my days, my mind was set on British bikes and as you might have guessed, Dad was not really hot about the idea. They were green, blue or red and quite different from what the French had to offer with their brown, beige or black. Anyway Dad had the final word, he was paying of course but his common sense prevailed. The tools in our garage were metric and they would not work well with the imported bikes unless we would go thru retooling which he did not want… So, sadly it was bye to the Brits and hello local productions…. But I was in love with the English style, I just loved their look and their sound. Fortunately, I had a friend riding a Triumph 500 Tiger and asked him to borrow his bike. Bad mistake, this ride almost killed me. Got mixed up with the controls (gear shifter and brake pedal were NOT where I thought they should be). I managed to regain control but got the scare of my life. Dad of course heard about it and I got grounded for a month. That day I learned a very important lesson from my Dad, after lecturing me on the danger of my act for about an hour he concluded his monologue by “Son, a motorcycle is like a woman. You DO NOT borrow a motorcycle or a woman from a friend”. By putting this edition together, it brought me back in time. Not like the Brough (see last edition) which was out of my pocket change, the Royal Enfield was in those days still affordable and a lot less expensive than the BMW motorcycles which came later in my life. In the following pages, you will rediscover like I did, the different models made by Royal Enfield and by looking at those old advertising pages you come to realize they really belong to another era. A time where it was all about having a good life. No speed, no noise, just life as we used to know it… Our world being what it is today, everything we took for granted like family and friends seem much more important and precious than ever. Self isolation does not mean being isolated, keep in touch thru technology, keep busy and stay positive. Being confined could be taxing on some people so I want to take this opportunity to release the Royal Enfield Special Edition immediately. Enjoy, stay safe and healthy. Till next time... Ed. 2
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ARCHIVES Cycle World 1970 article
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The 1965 “Continental GT” was a fast 250 for the sporting minded riders. Fiberglass fuel tank - Five speed gearbox. Top speed 85mph.
The 1965 750cc Interceptor was very popular with high speed touring riders (120mph).
The 1961 “Crusader Airflow” was an effort to build a more comfortable roadster. The deep fenders and large fairing provided excellent weather protection
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The swinging arm frame that Royal Enfield pioneered in 1949 was well ahead of its time
The 1913 350cc V-twin
The 1927 side-valve Single
This Replica trial model was a classic
The 1935 TT Single
The 1930’s Bullet
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The 1962 250cc Trial
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ADDENDUM • ADDENDUM • ADDENDUM In 1955, Enfield Cycle Company partnered with Madras Motors in India in forming Enfield of India, based in Chennai, and started assembling the 350cc Royal Enfield Bullet motorcycle in Madras. The first machines were assembled from components imported from England. Starting in 1957, Enfield of India acquired the machines necessary to build components in India, and by 1962 all components were made in India. Frank Walker Smith (1888-1962), eldest son of Robert Walker Smith, joined Enfield Cycle Company in 1909. Appointed joint (with his father) managing director in 1914 he took over the full responsibility when his father died in 1933. After his death Enfield was bought by investors E & H P Smith who sold Enfield for £82,500 to Norton Villiers in 1967. While Norton Villiers acquired 33 per cent of Enfield India the assets of Enfield's diesel engine division and pedal cycle and spares divisions were not picked up. Royal Enfield produced bicycles at its Redditch factory until it closed in early 1967. The company's last new bicycle was the 'Revelation' small wheeler, released in 1965. Production of motorcycles ceased in 1970 and the original Redditch, Worcestershire-based company was dissolved in 1971. Enfield of India continued producing the 'Bullet', and began branding its motorcycles 'Royal Enfield' in 1999. A lawsuit over the use of 'Royal', brought by trademark owner David Holder, was judged in favour of Enfield of India, who now produce motorcycles under the Royal Enfield name. The models produced and marketed in India include Cafe Racers, Cruisers, Retros and Adventure Tourers.
Enfield India From 1955 to 1959, Royal Enfields were painted red, and marketed in the US as Indian Motorcycles by the Brockhouse Corporation, who had control of the Indian Sales Corporation (and therefore Indian Motorcycles) and had stopped manufacturing all American Indians in the Springfield factory in 1953. But Americans were not impressed by the badge engineering, and the marketing agreement Vintage Motorcycle News
ended in 1960, and from 1961, Royal Enfields were available in the US under their own name. The largest Enfield 'Indian' was a 700 cc twin named the Chief, like its American predecessors. The Indian government looked for a suitable motorcycle for its police and army, for patrolling the country's border. The Royal Enfield Bullet was chosen as the most suitable bike for the job. The government ordered 800 units of the 350 cc model. In 1955, the Redditch company partnered with Madras Motors in India to form 'Enfield India' to assemble, under licence, the 350 cc Royal Enfield Bullet motorcycle in Madras (now called Chennai). The tooling was sold to Enfield India so that they could manufacture components. By 1962, all components were made in India. The Indian Enfield uses the 1960 engine (with metric bearing sizes), Royal Enfield still makes an essentially similar bike in the 350 cc and 500 cc models, along with several different models for different market segments. In 1990, Royal Enfield collaborated with the Eicher Group, an automotive company in India, and merged with it in 1994. Apart from bikes, Eicher Group is involved in the production and sales of tractors, commercial vehicles, and automotive gears. Although Royal Enfield experienced difficulties in the 1990s, and ceased motorcycle production at their Jaipur factory in 2002, by 2013 the company opened a new primary factory in the Chennai suburb of Oragadam on the strength of increased demand for its motorcycles. The original factory at Tiruvottiyur became secondary, and continues to produce engines and some motorcycle models. In 2014 Royal Enfield appointed Pierre Terblanche as the head of new product design. In January 2015, the company announced the appointment of Rudratej ‘Rudy’ Singh as President of Royal Enfield. Singh was previously a Vice President of Unilever in Singapore. Royal Enfield announced its first takeover of another company in May, 2015 with the purchase of a UK motorcycle design and manufacturing firm, Harris Performance 7
Products, that had previously developed the chassis of the Royal Enfield Continental GT Cafe Racer. Royal Enfield currently sells motorcycles in more than 50 countries. Royal Enfield surpassed Harley-Davidson in global sales in 2015. In August 2015, Royal Enfield Motors announced it is establishing its North American headquarters and a dealership in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with the intention to offer three bikes, the Bullet 500, Classic 500 and Continental GT 535 Cafe Racer as they feel this engine size represents an underserved market. The dealership will be Royal Enfield's first company-owned store in the U.S., according to Rod Copes, president of Royal Enfield North America. The company wants to establish about 100 dealerships in American cities starting with Milwaukee. "I live here, so I am biased. But in my mind, Milwaukee is kind of the center of motorcycling in the United States," said Copes, a former Harley-Davidson executive. "We view this as kind of our first flagship dealership," he added. Later in August 2015, parent-business Eicher announced its entry in Indonesia as a part of its global strategy in the mid-sized (250-750 cc) motorcycle segment, initially starting retail operations from a dealership in Jakarta. From April to September, 2015, Royal Enfield's domestic sales were 50% higher than the previous year, despite a declining motorcycle market in India. In 2017, Royal Enfield added new variants of the Classic 350 and 500 motorcycles. While the Royal Enfield Classic 350 gets Gunmetal Grey as a new color option, the Classic 500 will now come in Stealth Black colour. Royal Enfield unveiled a 650 cc twin-cylinder engine at the Technology Centre in Leicestershire, England, in November 2017. This engine powers a new generation of Royal Enfield motorcycles. Royal Enfield showcased it at the EICMA (Milan Motorcycle Show) on November 7, 2017 in Italy, where two motorcycles based on the engine, the Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650 were revealed. Both models were introduced to the US market in November 2018 to positive reviews. COVID-19 Edition
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1927 Royal Enfield 500cc
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S E V d I H orl C AR cle W rticle Cy 9 a 196
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1928 Royal Enfield Vintage Motorcycle News
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73 Years Ago Britain’s Motorcyclists Still Felt Effects of WWII Quote from Motor Cycling magazine, Sept. 4, 1947 By September 1947, World War II in Europe had already been over for more than two years, yet the nation still struggled with rationing, restrictions and other privations they had experienced during the war. This rare issue of Motor Cycling magazine, dated September 4, 1947 tells the story, starting with the Royal Enfield advertisement on the front cover.
so-called “pleasure” motoring announced by the Government last week.” He went on to foretell the further breakdown of the already-overtaxed public transit system and the virtual end of British club motorcycle racing, the Isle of Man TT, trials and scrambles competition in 1948.
“Recapture Pre-war Rapture,” the ad wistfully says above an artist’s image of a couple frolicking on a beach with their Royal Enfield 350cc Model G thumper in the foreground.
Later in that same issue of the magazine a writer pen-named “Carbon” resumed the discussion of the implications of the government’s action: “It is sad that most motorcyclists will not be able to get any petrol at all; what is really serious is that it will become an offense to use a motor for pleasure.”
The ad hints at the problems of the time, saying, “Travelling easily and enjoyably wherever they go Royal Enfield Motorcycles provide a standard of reliability, as well as independent mobility, which is appreciated by the many Royal Enfield Riders who are doing their utmost to cope with the present demands.”
Though the restrictions did go into effect, some competition did continue. The Isle of Man TT and Manx Grand Prix did take place in 1948 and Motor Cycling magazine did have some trials competition to report on in 1948. Ultimately, the “ban on the basic” as it came to be known was lifted and things began to normalize.
One of the major privations that directly affected motorcyclists and other members of the motoring public was denounced by the magazine’s Editor, Graham Walker.
Enfield, for its part, was one of the brands that survived and thrived after the war. The company began manufacturing motorcycles in India since being incorporated there in 1955 when the Redditch Company partnered with Madras Motors in India to form Enfield India, Ltd.
Walker wrote in his editorial about the announcement by the British government of new fuel austerity measures effectively banning “pleasure” motoring and limiting vehicle use to “essential” transportation only. Walker said, “Stunned by the sudden nature of the blow, motorcyclists in the British Isles have probably yet to recognize all the hardships entailed in the ban on Vintage Motorcycle News
However, product development at the Chennai manufacturing facility has continued to gain momentum in updating the product as well as at the firm’s new technical center in the English county of Leicestershire, U.K. Royal Enfield has been on a roll in recent years and in 2016 reported it had “achieved 50 percent growth in sales every year for the last five years.” In 2016, the company showed its intentions to be a bigger player in the North American market with the opening of its corporate headquarters in Milwaukee, Wis. The motorcycle market changed after World Ware II, not only in Britain, but around the world. Not all the British brands endured the post-war years. For example, Sunbeam and Vincent HRD, one of Britain’s true early superbike brands foundered in the post-war period both were out of production by 1956.
When Enfield folded its U.K. operations in 1971, manufacturing continued in India. Initially only the 350cc single-cylinder Bullet model was manufactured in India; 800 of which were for the government in India. 17
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1939 Royal Enfield Type G
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1950 Royal Enfield Vintage Motorcycle News
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Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Royal Enfield 1. Since the first Royal Enfield was produced in 1901, the company is the oldest motorcycle manufacturer in the world that has remained in constant production since its founding. To make things even more interesting, the Royal Enfield Bullet 350 is the world’s oldest motorcycle that is still in production. Since 1955, the Royal Enfield Bullet 350 has been a part of the company’s core line-up. 2. The Bullet isn’t the only famous Royal Enfield motorcycle though. After the success of the Super Meteor and Constellation, Royal Enfield released the Interceptor: a sporty motorcycle with a 740cc parallel twin engine which was the fastest motorcycle of its day, completing the quarter mile in under 13 seconds. Despite its performance, it was destined to be the last of the “English” Royal Enfield motorcycles ever produced. 3. Like most motorcycle manufacturers, Royal Enfield originally began life as an arms manufacturer. The original Royal Enfield logo was actually based around an image of a cannon, with a slogan that read “Made Like A Gun, Goes Like A Bullet.” Interestingly, other Royal Enfield products were also branded with this logo, including their more mundane items, like lawnmowers! 4. Royal Enfield is one of the few motorcycle manufacturers that have taken the risk of building a diesel production motorcycle. In 1990, the firm pulled the covers off of the highly innovative “Taurus” model. It certainly was innovative, but it was an absolute commercial failure from the very start. Despite the sales flop, Royal Enfield continued producing the Taurus until 2002. However, against all odds the unusual Taurus has become a cult classic among Royal Enfield fans and they can sell for high prices to die-hard collectors. 5. Royal Enfield was the first motorcycle manufacturing company in India to produce a four-stroke engine to the Indian market, and what’s more, Royal Enfield was the first company in India to provide rear disc brakes for their motorcycle products. While Royal Enfield isn’t known for innovation, bringing these two things to a massive market was pretty innovative, to say the least!
Royal Enfield FAQ Does Royal Enfield Have Tubeless Tires? The vast majority of Royal Enfield’s current line-up comes equipped with old-school tires that require tubes. Tubeless tire conversions are possible but they require you to buy new aftermarket rims. At present, only the new Thunderbird X models in Royal Enfield’s range are equipped with tubeless tires as standard – and those models aren’t available in the USA. Is Royal Enfield An Indian Company? Enfield India was first established in 1955 to manufacture licensed Royal Enfield motorcycles in India. After Royal Enfield collapsed in 1970, Enfield India continued producing Royal Enfield motorcycles and in the 1990s, it changed its name to become the only “Royal Enfield” company in existence. If you’re buying a Royal Enfield from after 1970, you can guarantee that it’s from the Indian Royal Enfield company. Vintage Motorcycle News
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12 Innovations For Which Royal Enfield Deserves Credit As far back as 1901, the British manufacturer was pushing motorcycling into the future By Kevin Cameron from Cycle World Royal Enfield was one of the original and classic English motorcycle manufacturers. The company built its first bike in 1901 and ceased operations in 1970. Present-day Royal Enfield is entirely separate and operates in India as part of the Eicher Motors Limited group. In 1954, when the Indian army ordered 800 Bullet 350cc singles, a relationship began that gradually morphed from importing whole bikes to assembling knocked-down kits to more and more actual manufacturing in India. Finally, the Bullet became 100-percent Indian-made. Royal Enfield in England ended in the usual way; longtime leader Frank Walker Smith died. He and his successful network of personal business relationships were replaced by “numbers men” who knew little about the motorcycle business. They played mergers and acquisitions with what was left until nothing remained. India actually began to export the Bullet to Britain in 1977. To this day, it remains a 1955 model, updated with AC electrics. 1901 Today, reverse-rotating engines are appearing on sportbikes like Ducati's Panigale V4, but Royal Enfield's 1901 prototype had that very feature just by crossing its drive belt. What was Enfield's reason for doing this? Not to speed up roll maneuvers, as in MotoGP. Almost certainly its reason was to get more "wrap" on the engine pulley—to stop slippage. 1911 Normally we honor Indian for bringing a two-speed countershaft gearbox and all-chain drive to the Isle of Man TT races, but Royal Enfield had those features on a production model in the same year. 1912 This one is with us today, but Royal Enfield was the first to build a vanes-and-rubber-blocks cush drive to protect its Model 180's drive chain from roller-splitting engine firing impulses. 1913 Royal Enfield became the first British motorcycle maker to adopt a pumped recirculating lubrication system. One pump supplied oil to the big-end bearing through drillings in the crankshaft, supplied from an external tank. The other pump picked up oil in the crankcase and returned it to the tank. Yet most other makers persisted right through the 1920s with total-loss systems that relied on splash. All modern bike engines have pumped recirculating oil systems. 1934 Having reservations about the fatigue life of roller connecting rod big-end bearings, engineer Tony Wilson-Jones made a white-metal-coated floating plain big-end bearing for Cecil Barrow's TT racer. It worked. Today the vast majority of bike engines have plain rod and main bearings. Normally we credit Triumph's Edward Turner for his adoption of plain rod bearings on his 1937 Speed Twin, and Honda for use of plain bearings on all crank journals of its 1969 CB750 inline-four. 1935 Harley-Davidson's EL of 1937 featured partial enclosure of its OHV valve gear, but Royal Enfield's three-valve Model LO had full enclosure in 1935. 1938 Normally we credit Velocette with adopting Y alloy for the cylinder head of its KTT roadracer in 1937, but Royal Enfield put such heads on its 70.0mm x 90.0mm 350cc Bullet production bike just a year later. Y alloy's extraordinary hot strength made it possible for the first time to retain valve-seat inserts in air-cooled aluminum heads that cooled much better and weighed one-third to one-half what previous iron or bronze heads had weighed. Vintage Motorcycle News
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1939 Floating plain big-end bearing became standard on Royal Enfields. 1946 Royal Enfield engineer Tony Wilson-Jones designed the company's telescopic fork with hydraulic two-way damping. Its design was very similar to what I found on Japanese roadrace forks of the 1970s. 1948 In November, Royal Enfield's 500cc parallel twin was given a highly fatigue-resistant hollow crankshaft of nodular iron only a year after the material had been commercially introduced in Detroit. Nodular iron became the standard material for mass-produced automotive crankshafts. 1948 Late in the year, the Royal Enfield Bullet 350 appeared with swingarm rear suspension. Yes, Velocette pioneered a swingarm on racebikes of the late 1930s, but Enfield put it into production at a time when other English production bikes had crude, stiff sliding-pillar or spring-hub rear suspension. 1950 Wilson-Jones delivered a paper to the Institution of Mechanical Engineers on the subject of wobble and weave, the two major forms of motorcycle instability. This was one of the earliest formal treatments of motorcycle stability.
Old Vintage Cranks Southern Ontario's Largest Royal Enfield and Ural Dealer 59 Willow Street North, Unit #1 Acton, ON, L7J 1Z8 Telephone: (519) 853-9269 Email: oldvintagecranks@gmail.com Hours of Operation: 9:00am - 5:00pm Tuesday to Saturday
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The Essential Buyer’s Guide: Royal Enfield Bullet Review Royal Enfield is one of the oldest motorcycle brands in the world, having built its first production motorcycles in 1901. With the recent establishment of Royal Enfield’s North American headquarters in Milwaukee, Wisc., earlier last year, the brand’s footprint on this side of the Atlantic is certain to grow. When sales of new motorcycles of a given brand increase, so do the sales of used motorcycles. Buying any used motorcycle can be tricky business, but it is particularly true when vintage or unfamiliar models are being considered. That is where the Essential Buyer’s Guides from Veloce Publishing come in. Written by motorcycle experts with experience in the brands and models covered, the series has already sold more the 100,000 copies and is designed to give the buyer an edge in avoiding problems and to provide expert advice on what to look for—and what to look out for. The Buyer’s Guides are at once user-friendly and reassuring while being brutally honest, disclosing any common weaknesses or problem areas certain models are known to have. They share a common format; only about 64 pages in length and pocket-sized at 5.5” x 7.75.” They are written with an emphasis on clarity and are well-illustrated with dozens of clear color images and include key specifications. Whether you’re considering an early Royal Enfield or late model, Henshaw provides some sage advice that could help ensure the best bike for the best price and avoid potentially expensive—and disappointing—problems. Book Data: • Title: The Essential Buyer’s Guide Royal Enfield Bullet • Author: Peter Henshaw • Published: 2016 Paperback. 64 pages. Measures 5.5” x 7.75.” • Publisher: Veloce Publishing, Parkway Farm Business Park, Middle Farm Way, Poundbury, Dorchester, DT1 3AR, England • ISBN: 978-1-845849-40-5 MSRP: U.S. $25.00 U.K. £12.99 CAN $34.00
The Royal Enfield Owners club (REOC) exists for the benefit of its Members as a forum for the interchange of ideas and information on the use, restoration and maintenance of Royal Enfield motorcycles and machines both old and new. The REOC is publishing The Gun, it’s bi-monthly member’s magazine. www.royalenfield.org.uk Vintage Motorcycle News
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A Royal Enfield Journey by Brad Babcock My lifelong fascination with motorcycles is a mystery. There were virtually no motorcycles where I grew up in rural Pennsylvania, and I had no friends or relatives with motorcycles, yet I always knew I wanted one. When my friends were smuggling copies of Playboy into the house, I was doing the same with Cycle World and Motorcyclist. It wasn’t until I was in university, 3000 miles from home, that the opportunity arose to have a bike of my own. It was the mid 1960’s in California, and the motorcycle boom was beginning. Several of my friends
had motorcycles, mostly Triumphs, and I was determined to join them. My budget wouldn’t allow for a Triumph, but I found a much abused 1951 Harley Servicar at a dealer for $150. I rode that for a year, then bought a solo frame, rebuilt the engine, and transplanted the engine and transmission into that frame. In some ways, that’s still my favorite bike, like your first love. Unfortunately it was stolen and never recovered about three months after I’d finished the work. That was the end of two-wheeled transport for a few years.
The Viet Nam war caught up with me, so I enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. My wife and I were both working and we needed a second vehicle, so I bought a 90cc Kawasaki as a commuter bike. That was a lovely little bike, which also met an unfortunate end. I was the victim of a hit and run collision on the way home from work. I came out of it rather worse than the Kawasaki, but my then wife and my mother prevailed upon me to sell the bike. Fourteen years passed, there was a new job, a farm, two children and a divorce, but no motorcycles. I’d remarried a couple of years after the first marriage ended, and lucky for me, my new wife was supportive regarding motorcycles, so in 1985 I bought a leftover new 1983 Suzuki GS450, which I still own and will never sell. In 1990, my financial status improved to the point of being able to consider a second motorcycle. After some discussion, my wife and I decided that a vintage bike of some sort would be fun, and I began the search. My first thoughts were of another Harley, or possibly a Triumph like so many of my college friends had owned, but I had intriguing memories of the Royal Enfield Interceptors I’d seen in California in the 1960’s. At that time and place there was a fairly successful Royal Enfield dealer not far away and with the exception of Triumphs, they were the most commonly seen British
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twins, so I began looking. Little did I know how uncommon they were, with only about 4000 total built. In pre-internet days, the search was long and complicated. Eventually I located one for sale in New Hampshire, and contacted the owner. That’s when my Royal Enfield education began. The seller told me he had both a Series 1 and a Series 2 for sale, which was I interested in? My first lesson. All I’d ever seen in California were what I now know were either Series 1A’s or Series 2’s. He sent me pictures of both and I fell for the Series 1, so I drove to New Hampshire with a trailer and pocketful of cash. I was now a Royal Enfield owner. The bike was quite complete, with a bit of what’s now called patina, but needed a complete engine rebuild. I was fortunate to have locally a dealer who’d been in business since 1957, selling Triumphs, BSA’s and Indian badged Royal Enfields. More money and more time, but my Interceptor was finally ready for the road. It’s a real treat to ride, with a lovely sound and loads of torque. The next step was to join the Royal Enfield Owners’ Club of North America. That turned out to be one of the better decisions I’ve made in my motorcycling life. The members have become some of my best friends and are a wealth of knowledge.
The whole world of Royal Enfield singles opened up, too. In the late 1990’s, I decided that I needed to have an early 50’s Bullet. I found my 1953 350 Bullet in Ontario, in what appeared to be fairly complete condition. Once it was in my garage, the magnitude of the project became apparent. There were some missing or unserviceable parts and the engine needed a rebuild. This is where my REOC contacts became invaluable. Roy MacMillan did the engine rebuild, Dave Bogg found missing bits for me in England, Gregg Kricorissian rebuilt the magdyno, and Hitchcock’s Motorcycle supplied the rest. Then Mike Waller of Britannia Motorcycles did the painting and assembly. It was a long and expensive process. The results were worth it, though.
The finished bike is a joy to ride on the secondary roads of rural Pennsylvania. I’m biased, but I also think it’s a very attractive motorcycle. It’s been an award winner at a few rallies, too, but mostly it, like my Interceptor, just feels right to me. My friends in the Royal Enfield and vintage bike communities have given me nearly thirty years of good times and great experiences. My wife, Jackie, has supported me through all this obsession, and several different vintage rallies are the high points of every summer. Although I’ve owned and ride many other motorcycles, The Royal Enfields best fulfil the dreams I had as a teenaged boy in the early 1960’s. (We need more story like this. Ed.)
For several years, I enjoyed the Interceptor and added to my knowledge of the marque. In addition to learning about my own bike, I learned about the other twins, including the early VAX 700cc Interceptors and the 500 and other 700 twins. Vintage Motorcycle News
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1967 Royal Enfield Interceptor 750
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THE ROYAL ENFIELD INTERCEPTOR When you think of the archetypal British parallel-twin, Triumph, Norton, BSA and possibly AMC/Matchless immediately spring to mind. But the lesser-known Royal Enfield was also the purveyor of a flawed but individualist and charismatic twin. For some reason, the Royal Enfield twins were never wildly successful but they offered a handsome, beefy alternative to the mainstream British twins. For many, the ultimate Royal Enfield twin was the Series II Interceptor of 1968. Ironically conceived after the sale of Royal Enfield to the newly formed Norton-Villiers Group, production was moved from the Redditch plant, near Birmingham, to an underground cave at Westwood near Bath in Wiltshire. Amid the acrimonious politics between Norton-Villiers the new company was called Enfield Precision Engineers; it was owned by the Smith group but contracted to NV.
To quell expected vibration from the big twin, the one-piece c r a n k s h a ft w a s d y n a m i c a l l y balanced at the factory. The crank also weighed nearly 20kg and was supported in a pair of massive ball bearings. For the Series II Interceptor, the 736cc (71 x 93mm) overhead valve engine was completely redesigned. Overheating and oil leaks saw the introduction of an automotive wet-sump lubrication system. Other improvements extended to a revised clutch and capacitor ignition. Carburettors remained 30mm Amal Concentric and the grunt was around 38.2kW (52hp) at 6500rpm. This was enough to provide a top speed of around 190km/h with plenty of midrange acceleration. The Interceptor’s Achilles’ heel remained the ‘love-it-or-loathe-it’ Albion four-speed gearbox. Although it had the unique Enfield neutral finder, the gearbox’s slow
change and mismatched ratios marred the riding experience. Although Royal Enfield twins generally shared cycle parts with the singles, the Series II benefitted from a Norton front end, including the famed ‘Roadholder’ front fork, chrome front mudguard, and an 8in front brake. Unfortunately, this brake was only a single-leadingshoe arrangement but the Norton fork allowed the substitution of a Commando twin-leading-shoe brake (as on the example pictured here). With its small, chrome-plated fuel tank, 19/18in wheels, upswept exhaust system and Road Scrambler styling, the Series II Interceptor was clearly aimed at the US market. Although the seat was tall at 800mm, the 193kg weight was moderate and vibration under 150km/h was not intrusive. But like most British twins of the 1960s, the Interceptor was obsolete as soon as it was introduced. Flashy trim couldn’t really disguise the antiquated technology; the
Only around 1300 new Interceptor engines were built before Enfield Precision ceased trading to concentrate on other projects. As a result, the Series II Interceptor is now a rare and sought-after model. Royal Enfield twins were always different to other British paralleltwins. The engine featured two separate, interchangeable cylinder castings and two separate cylinder head castings, but the 360° crank still didn’t include a centre main bearing. Vintage Motorcycle News
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contemporary Triumph Trident and Norton Commando always outclassed the Interceptor. Despite this, the handsome, meaty and purposeful Royal Enfield
Interceptor was one of Britain’s finest motorcycles and serves as a reminder of a time when Britain was at the forefront of the motorcycle industry.
Many thanks to Jon Munn of the Old Classic Motorcycle Warehouse, Seaford, Vic, for the use of the 1969 Royal Enfield Series II Interceptor featured.
1960 ROYAL ENFIELD ROAD INTERCEPTOR "Made Like a Gun" by Joe Tokarz Background
Made Like a Gun
This bike was born February 18, 1960 in Redditch, England and dispatched to Tozer Kemsley, an English exporter. Identification of the US importer is not known.
The Royal Enfield motorcycle company logo used a military field cannon to emphasis that their products were tough and reliable.
The bike somehow found its way to the town of Deer River in Northern Minnesota and was titled to Lee McGibbon in 1962. Unfortunately Lee passed away in 1995 but according to Lee's mother and uncle, he bought it used.
The Enfield's were machines to buy and ride. No complex mechanicals. The firm was run by men knew the conservative nature of the market place and allowed others to build the glamour machines.
This Royal Enfield was acquired for its out-standing "macho" presence. Restoration Facts Only a small amount of effort was needed to get the RE Interceptor road worthy. Some clutch work, a fair amount of cleaning and polishing has turned this 36 year old, into a beauty with less than 2700 original miles.
Lee rode the bike some and took it to Kentucky when he joined the Army. He kept it for 22 years putting on less than 2500 miles. During that time, it was taken apart and stayed that way until it was reassembled sometime in the early 80's. It is during that time it's believed that the frame acquired its green color. An interesting and attractive change from original black. Still in Kentucky, it was bought by Dennis Scanlon in 1984. He kept it for 7 years adding only 100 miles. The bike changed hands again in 1992 to Gary Rask of Pennsylvania. Gary owns a repair and restoration shop. Gary put the bike in good enough condition and brought it to the South Fork Motorcycle Auction in October 1995 where Joe Tokarz acquired it. Vintage Motorcycle News
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10 and Rare In the process of research, it was learned that this Enfield comes from a rather limited line of special Interceptors. The engine number carries the prefix of VAX. While the exact purpose of the VAX is not known, it is believed that X indicated an experimental engine that included performance modifications to the 700cc vertical twin engine such a specially lightened crank.
It appears that only 211 VAX units were manufactured. Discussions with Mark Cain of REOC/NA and a Model 700 Interceptor freak, indicates that this bike is one of 11 known survivors from the original lot of 211.
However the market did not respond well to the reliable and powerful but heavy machine. So some bikes were refitted with street trim and sold that way. It is believed that this example, is of that origin.
While the external appearance of the machine differs somewhat from archive pictures, namely the headlight and front fork covers, it is known that the factory did try to market machines configured for off-road use.
Today The bike today, is with my oldest son Joe Jr., REOCNA member #646. I gave him the Enfield because I wanted to include him in on my love of old 2 wheeled British machinery. Regards, "Joe"
THE ROYAL ENFIELD OWNERS CLUB OF AMERICA The Bulletin Is a bi-monthly publication of the Royal Enfield Owners Club of North America. The purpose of this not for-profit club is to promote the maintenance, use and utility of Royal Enfield motorcycles and related products. The club's operating year runs from June to June, with annual dues of US$20 for U.S. residents, CAD$20 for Canadian residents and US$25 for residents of other nations. Interested in joining the club? Fill in the REOC contact info and membership form on the next page. Vintage Motorcycle News
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1968 Royal Enfield Interceptor
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1968 ½ Royal Enfield Interceptor “Custovation” by Joe Tokarz of a damaged and disassembled bike, Jim’s great expectation of a full restoration skid to a halt, as interest in the project’s second phase dwindled rapidly.
1968 ½ Royal Enfield 750 Twin Interceptor Series IA The 1968 ½ Interceptor Series IA is a rare limited production transition model that paved the way for final version of the 750 twin. The project is a professional quality mild custovation completed in March 2005 and built from a very sound donor.
How We Met Sometimes bikes find owners when they meet on the showroom floor. Sometimes they meet in a dimly lit garage with an odor of oil and gasoline in the air. This Rockers life story has none of that. It’s about patience and determination that lead to its ultimate survival. A while back, I passed my 1960 Royal Enfield Road Interceptor to my oldest son, but that “Made Like a Gun” motorcycle still holds a special place on my list of most desired manly bikes. During the summer of 1999, I got a second chance to own a Royal Enfield twin, but this time it would be the biggest of the twins and acquired under unusual circumstances. As it turns out, a chap named Jim acquired the 1968 Interceptor 750 in 1971 while running a motorcycle shop in Dallas, Texas. Jim got a call from a lady who wanted to dispose of a bike that her son rode before leaving town for Arizona. He wouldn’t need it anymore since he Vintage Motorcycle News
met his ultimate fate someplace in the desert. Jim acquired the bike for free. All he had to do was pick it up. Since Jim’s only mode of transportation those days was a motorcycle, he enlisted the help of a friend with a trailer. When he got there he clearly understood what the woman meant by “pick it up”. Jim had to pick up a lot. In fact, the bike was an explosion of parts all over the backyard of her duplex. So he gathered up all the bike pieces he could find, and loaded them into the trailer. Initial inspection revealed a failed attempt at repairing severe damage caused when the Big Twin threw a rod. Undaunted by the task ahead, Jim spent the next couple of years acquiring a new set of cylinders, pistons and rings and other needed parts. Contacting dealers and scouring motorcycle junkyards, his resourcefulness paid off and eventually he got the bike running. Next came the hard part of restoring the Big Twin. After suffering through the resurrection 36
The appearance was modified to show a modern ACE café style. The bike is comfortable to ride, 100% reliable and starts on the 1st or 2nd kick. It’s powered by a mighty 750 cc long stroke vertical twin with a sound that turns heads, has tremendous torque and the gathers a crowd wherever it’s parked. Improvements include Boyer ignition to eliminate points hassles, ACE handlebars, Avon Venom X tires, stainless spokes, and stainless hardware wherever possible, maintained are the original carbs, wheels and seat. A custom crankcase breather system was designed and installed to eliminate the crankcase oil breathing mess.
Bike Specs • Engine: Air-cooled 4-valve OHV pushrod parallel twin • Stroke: 71 mm • Bore: 93 mm • Capacity 736 cc • Power: 60 bhp (at 6,000 rpm) • Weight: 450 lbs • Top speed: 105 mph • Price in 1968: $1400 COVID-19 Edition
The years passed on like a slow ride out of town. Still holding strong affection for the bike but knowing it was time to move on; Jim decided to find the bike a good home with someone who would restore it to its former glory. Fate intervened about this time and through pure dumb luck, he and I met. He made me the same offer that his benefactor made him 28 years before: Pick it up and it’s yours for free, with one condition — treat it right. That’s was a heck of a deal for the Big Twin and me. After almost four years of waiting in my shop, I started work to hold up my end of the bargain. Previously scheduled projects are completed and in January 2004, the Big Twin custovation work started. Custovation is a blend of customizing and renovation to build a one-of-a-kind motorcycle. In this case, it’s about capturing the late ‘60’s café’ racer and Rocker heritage by blending the British big bore, long stroke vertical twin with some personal touches to turn heads. My attraction to the Interceptor is its macho image — alloy and chrome are the Interceptor’s middle name and good looks are its game. A handsome tough guy held together with an understated frame and plenty of bright-work. The bike I acquired is the 1968 ½ transition model called the 750 twin Series I; The main difference between the Series I and II are oil cooler, better lubrication design and more efficient brakes. An interesting feature that all Royal Enfield’s share is the separate lever on the gearbox; a clever device used to find neutral, regardless of the Vintage Motorcycle News
current gear selected. I found it more of a conversation piece than useful.
Will It Run? Unless the engine of a project bike is seized or otherwise incapable of running, I always like to test the engine condition by attempting to get it to run. I figure if it ran recently, I can take it apart and get it running again. First the compression was checked — good news, the right cylinder reads 130 psi and the left 100! Not great on the left but certainly enough compression to squeeze the air and gas mixture into explosive submission. The carbs and points were cleaned, fresh oil and plugs were added and a new battery was lashed up to push the electrons around. Much to my surprise, the horn, headlight, taillight and ammeter worked, sparks were strong and even though the electrical system was a tangle of original and add-on wires, there was no smoke or smell of melting insulation. Finally, the moment of truth — bring it life with a little gas and a big boot for kicking. Because of previous engine experience, I had to make sure the oil pump is doing its job so the rocker covers were removed to confirm circulation. Three stout kicks later and the Big Twin grumbles to life blowing out bits of rust and loose carbon that a moment before were living happily inside the silencers. The ammeter shows a good charge and the basic throttle response is good, no hesitation or backfiring, no unusual noises, just the sound of 750 cc alloy giant waking up. 37
After 25 years of silence, the Interceptor tells everyone who’s listening, that the BRITISH BAD BOY ROCKER is back in town. After a detailed oil flow inspection, the left intake rocker was a bit dry compared to the other three rockers. Blowing some air in the oil feed line doesn’t fix the problem, so this will be fixed when the top end is removed.
Decisions, Decisions Custovating this bike was supposed to be easier on my pocket book than some of my previous projects, so the functional components of the bike wouuld be left stock. I envisioned the Interceptor to be a good looking, good sounding, nostalgic café style rider but neither a garage queen nor high-speed runner. The fundamental engine, frame and brake design platforms have roots in the post War era, so it’s not practical to expect the package to perform near modern standards. A Royal Enfield sets the bar on how polished alloy and chrome should blend with paint to make a clean and simple, good looking bike. The frame is understated and not much of an appearance element; it is spindly but with the right color, could be a strong visual compliment to the bright work. That conclusion meant that a black-painted frame wouldn’t add any attention to the package. Several color schemes were tried on a Photoshop version, but the search ended when the fine-grained metallic cobalt blue color was found. Lay down some clear-coat for the ultimate gloss and what you have is a tasteful but spiffy visual combination. COVID-19 Edition
Parts Is Parts Like writing to Santa, the missing and needed replacement parts list was made and checked at least twice. The bikes from the late 60’s are remarkably simple, so there just wasn’t much to the entire parts list. The big ticket items are stainless spokes, chrome fenders, complete exhaust system, complete headlight assembly, center stand assembly, shocks and tires. To get that café look, ACE bars were chosen to smooth out the side profile and to lean the rider forward. The chain, front wheel bearings, cables and fork seals were worn and needed replacement.
Getting To Work The project was separated into two main assemblies, the complete engine and the frame assembly. Th e f r a m e , s u s p e n s i o n a n d electrical was tackled first to establish a finished rolling frame waiting for the engine. I found this to be the best way to keep motivated during the time period when a custovation is in process. The frame and its attachments were pressured washed to remove most of the caked on goo. While moving the frame around, a loud metallic clunk materialized when the frame
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was tilted to and fro along the line of the backbone. Much to my surprise, a prankster in the Redditch frame assembly area installed a gift in the form a large brass natural gas line coupler. The huge lump of brass was just the right size to slide around inside the end of the backbone tube under the seat. This was no accident — the only way the coupler could have found its way into the backbone is just before the final cross tubes were welded. Pity the bloke that rode this bike home and had to listen to that mysterious intermittent banging as the coupler methodically slid back and forth hitting the frame tubes in a ghostly manner. I exorcised the coupler by cutting open the tube section and re-welding. The coupler is now mounted as a trophy dedicated to the anonymous frame builder at the Redditch works.
The Dirtiest Jobs Buffing is by far the dirtiest job in the shop, but it pays off big in appearance. I use a three-step approach with decreasing degrees of abrasion and spiral wound cotton buffs.
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All the steel frame parts were blasted with aluminum oxide and immediately primed. The frame was too big to fit in the metal blaster box, so I got a large-screen TV carton from a retailer and used it as a temporary blasting box. The media was siphoned from a bucket using the blaster box gun and regulator. It worked perfect! There was a fair amount of dust so I wore a NIOSH-approved respirator and goggles. The box captured the media so it could be vacuumed up and dumped in the bucket for more blasting. Before priming, the original weld splatter nibs and casting seams were removed for a more finished look. The hubs were cleaned and polished. The brake shoes are in good shape so they only needed cleaning. The front wheel bearings were replaced with sealed units. The wheels laced with stainless steel spokes and nipples using my homemade truing stand. I like building and lacing wheels since this is something I learned a long time ago from my Dad. Finishing off this part of the project called for mounting fresh Avon Venom X’s, ready for the road.
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Fuel Tank In my mind’s eye I saw the Interceptor with its signature chrome gas tank gleaming from every angle. With the years of crud on the chrome the tank appeared to be in pretty good shape, but then I cleaned and polished it to reveal what was hiding underneath — several small but pointed dents and lots of scratches and a few places where the chrome failed to keep back the rust. So the tank and I went looking for a chroming shop willing to tackle the repair / re-chrome project. I came up blank, with only one motorcycle chrome specially shop estimating at least a grand for the task but then declining to get involved. Frankly, I wasn’t surprised.
results made the tank look longer and more noticeable. All the painting took place in the garage inside a plastic sheet spray booth.
Engine The bottom end appeared to be sound; besides the rod damage from the old days, the fully assembled bottom end was cleaned with repeated kerosene flushing to remove as much of the sediment as possible. New rings, gaskets, clutch plates and primary chain tensioner were all that was needed to complete this stage.
Head Ache The top end presented a special problem. When the engine was damaged long ago, Jim replaced one of the cylinders from an earlier 750, but Royal Enfield twins use two separate cylinders rather than one cast unit. The replaced cylinder had some leakage problems that were cured by a fresh head gasket and some sealant. The alternator stator also needed rewiring to refresh the connections to the charging system.
Bling One of the most rewarding events of the project was seeing the fully
Over the years the tank has seen its share of wear and abuse leaving noticeable character marks all over the shinny surface, so the solution was clear: paint the entire tank. I’ve seen some BSA tanks that were intended to have chrome sides painted over with tasteful silver paint in the chrome places, so that’s what I did. To make the paint stick better, I chose to bead blast the entire tank to remove the chrome glaze. In the process of applying the body filler I decided to remove the ugly front mounting flange by blending the sides of the tank forward. The
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grade wiring because it holds up well under vibration and resists breaking.
assembled polished engine, waiting to be reunited to the frame. Royal Enfield designers had an eye for the bling! The 750 twin engine is one of the most stunning examples of mechanical jewelry ever.
Assembly With help from Bill and jack, the engine slid right into the frame. A few bolts, Ace bars and the transformation into a ride-able bike began. The wiring came next; the needed connections are simple since there’s not much to connect. The Royal Enfield has a remarkably simple electrical system; a distributor, two, coils, battery, shunt Zener regulator and a couple of switches to control the lights and ignition. The entire wiring loom was rebuilt to ensure there would be no future electrical connection problems. I like to use multi-strand marine
The points were replaced with a Boyer electronic ignition, the same type used for vintage Triumphs. They are easy to install and once adjusted, never need attention. That’s a big change from the stock dual-points setup that per factory suggestion needed cleaning and adjustment about very 1500 miles! All standard hardware was replaced with stainless. For bolts that are in prominent view, I smooth the bolt tops on a sander and then polish. For the effort, they look like chrome and are a lot cheaper. This adds an eye-catching detail to the any project and raises the quality of the build. The original bike had an alloy front fender and chrome rear — neither looked very good. The new rear shocks were slightly longer and hiked up the fender too much for my liking, so both fenders were replaced. However, to get the proper rear tire to fender spacing, I lowered the rear-most mounting with shims. This made a big difference in appearance difference. The final
assembly came together with-out a hitch.
Riding With the fluids topped off, gas and a little tickle to the Amals, the Bad Boy Rocker roared to life on the second hefty kick. What a sound! This is a man’s bike with a throaty sound and engine girth sporting bulbous cylinder fining. Its long stroke engine is designed for torque and it gives the rider a sensation that there’s a giant magnet pulling him forward. Open the throttle in top gear and you unleash a load of power that makes your hair prickle up. At idle, it’s subdued and ticks over with big thumps coming out of the silencers. The Bad Boy Rocker became an instant head-turner at stoplights. The silver / chrome / blue colors and textures make sure it gets a second look. People not familiar with vintage English bikes mistake it for anything but British. In fact Royal Enfield strikes no reference point for them. That’s fine with me. It gives me another opportunity to talk about the bike, the makers and how we first met.
This article is a courtesy of: Web Bike World
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1968 1/2 Interceptor MKI by Joe Tokarz 1960 Road Interceptor with VAX engine by Joe Tokarz
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Photo by Nigel Lomas Vintage Motorcycle News
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Overland to India
Royal Enfield
An 8400 Mile Adventure on a 55-year-old Motorcycle
The Complete Story by Mick Walker Hardcover
by Gordon G. May Paperback
Amazon.ca CDN$28.68 The firm of Royal Enfield was one of the best-known names of the British motorcycle industry, but curiously its products have never received the adulation bestowed on the products of Triumph, BSA and others.
Amazon.com US$24.95 or Amazon.ca CDN$71.28 A total of 8,400 miles from Manchester, UK to Chennai, India, in just under seven weeks. A challenge for most vehicles, but on an antiquated 1953 Royal Enfield .... "Your bike belongs in a museum, not on the road," was how one doubter tried to discourage Gordon from undertaking this journey.
In this complete history, top motorcycle authority Mick Walker shows that there was, in fact, much for the Redditch-based firm to be proud of, in the shape of good-looking, innovative machines that inspired a generation.
Despite intense heat in excess of 40°C, a crash in the Baluchistan desert and some of the worst roads and driving standards on the planet, Gordon's old Bullet did indeed make it triumphantly to Chennai.
And what other company can boast a model still in popular production sixty years after its launch? Topics covered include: Complete history of Royal Enfield, including Enfield India, numerous specifications, Royal Enfields in competition.
In his new book, Gordon describes in detail the restoration of his motorcycle and the build up to departure, the larger-than-life characters he met and the many challenges he faced.
About the Author:Mick Walker started his own business, Mick Walker Motorcycles, in 1969 and was a leading race sponsor during the 1970s.
He also recounts the more personal highs and lows of life on the road.
In 1994 he formed Mick Walker Racing, following the death of his son Gary at Brands Hatch that year. The team has achieved no fewer than five British Championship wins.
Above all, Overland To India is a heartwarming book that illustrates human kindness and hospitality and encourages other riders to take their own motorcycles on a long-distance journey.
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CLYMER VINTAGE COLLECTION SERIES (FOUR STROKE MOTORCYCLES) The Clymer Vintage Collection Series includes condensed service manuals for both four and two stroke motorcycles.
Book Data: • Title: Clymer Vintage Collection Series Four-stroke Motorcycles • Published: First edition, 1990, Fourth printing 2006. • Publisher: Prism Business Media, PO Box 12901, Overland Park, KS 66282-2901 • Library of Congress Number: 90-055414
The books focus on bikes from the late sixties and into the seventies, and it includes comprehensive service and rebuild data. It covers single-cylinder four-stroke models from BMW, BSA, Benelli, Ducati, Gilera, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Moto-Guzzi, Norton, Triumph and Velocette. It covers key multi-cylinder models from all of those same brands (minus Ducati), and Kawasaki, Royal Enfield and Yamaha in addition.
Amazon.com: US$29.00
If that sounds like it has to be a load of content, you’re right—it is. The book’s 375 pages is packed with black/white photos, diagrams and exploded view illustrations of engines that you’d have to get a bookshelf full of factory service manuals to match. It even includes a full-page degree wheel in the back to allow it to be duplicated. To help new wrench-spinners visualize the operation of the engine they are about to work on the book starts out with an excellent discussion of the basic operation of the four cycle engine. That includes carburetor fundamentals, ignition systems, spark plug tech, and essentials of troubleshooting, and various repairs including fastener basics and threaded fastener repairs. Chassis, brakes, suspension and drive chain basics are handled in brief form—but in many instances are treated in detail in the various make/model-specific sections. Each section includes detailed engine specification sheets, and the detailed exploded assembly views are particularly helpful in that they provide the name of the parts in the assemblies.
Royal Enfield le Site: Le Forum www.royalenfieldlesite.fr => Pour échanger autour des Royal Enfield Vintage Motorcycle News
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The Royal Enfield WD/RE The Royal Enfield Flying Flea WD/RE was probably the greatest small capacity motorcycle of World War II. Why? Because it was light enough to be dropped by parachute or to transport by glider; ideal for quickly carrying messages and signals between different troop units in areas without an established radio communications system. Powered by a rather small 126cc air-cooled two stroke motor, the little machine was capable of speeds of up to 45 mph, and thanks to its two-stroke nature it had enough grunt to tackle a bit off moderate off-roading. All in, it weighed less than a mere 60 kg (132 lbs), making it lightweight, durable and as tough as old boots. Royal Enfield produced a number of awesome motorcycles for the war effort, but this one is our favorite. When you’re on a ride behind enemy lines, you’re going to want something simple to repair. Especially if it was made in Ready to be deployed... Great Britain. Vintage Motorcycle News
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Who Invented The Motorcycle by Alan Liptrop
Good question, but I have to ask you one; gas or steam? No, that's not what my Dental Hygienist asks me before she sets to work cleaning my gnashers. You see Gottlieb Daimler invented the first gas powered motorcycle in 1885, when an engine created by Nicolaus August Otto was attached to a wooden bicycle. Just to clarify things here; 'gas' is not a reference to gasoline, but fuel in a gaseous state rather than liquefied. As two extra wheels were used on this bike as stabilizers, the more pedantic amongst you will disqualify this vehicle as being a four-wheeler, but let's be fair; he didn't have a lot to go on did he? So that's it then. Germany takes the glory; Daimler invented the motorbike........no,no,no. There's a dispute, for eighteen years earlier in 1867 an American, Sylvester Howard Roper invented a two-cylinder steam driven motorcycle. Vintage Motorcycle News
It had a forged-iron and hickory frame and iron shod wooden wheels which must have provided a very uncomfortable ride. I don't know how practical this machine was, but suffice to say, it was powered by coal. The firebox and boiler were suspended on springs from the frame between the wheels, so I suppose it was just the job for commuting work on those cold January mornings. Some people consider this to be the first motorcycle. I'm going to leave you to argue amongst yourselves, but just imagine if the idea had caught on; today we be talking about MPS or miles per sack, and Barnsley would be awash with money. Alas, poor Roper came unstuck. In June of 1896 he took his invention to the Charles River bicycle racetrack in Boston. He had an idea that it would make an ideal pace-making machine for bicycle races. First he completed a few laps while the best bicycle racers tried to 52
keep up with him, then the track was cleared to allow him to show just how potent was his machine. His initial attempt covered a mile in two minutes and 12 seconds for an average speed of about 30 mph. But why stop at that? He knew his bike would perform at an average speed of 40mph as it had done the previous week in unofficial tests. However, as he circled the wooden track and his speed increased, the bike began to wobble causing him to be thrown from the machine. He landing in the sand that surrounded the track, but when worried onlookers reached him, it was clear that he had expired. His death was not a direct result of the accident, but heart failure. The announcement of his death was covered in many newspapers including the Boston Daily Globe. Early in the 20th century, motorcycles were been offered for sale to the general public. These were very basic, low powered COVID-19 Edition
machines, devoid of such luxuries as headlights and gears, but nevertheless, motorcycles, and sales rose year upon year. They were generally started by pedalling, In 1901, a bicycle racer Oscar Hedstrom designed a motorcycle for the Hendee Manufacturing Company of Springfield, Massachusetts, which later became the Indian Motorcycle Company. Whilst Daimler and Roper shifted their attention to cars, a certain William Harley and his friends Arthur and Walter Davidson focused very much on motorcycles, and in 1903, three years after the death of Gottlieb Daimler, the Harley-Davidson Motor Company was launched. Their first bike had a well powered engine which could prove itself in races, but the boys had other ideas and launched it as a transport vehicle, the first being sold in Chicago through merchant C.H. Lange. In the early 20th century and throughout BMW manufactured aircraft engines. In 1923 they launched their first motorcycle, the R32 which reached sales of 3000 in just three years. This machine became the foundation for future models. However impractical and cumbersome these early attempts, they were the forerunners of today's machines, and as such we owe a debt of gratitude to men like Roper and Daimler who provided inspiration for inventors that followed. Roper’s steam-powered bicycle still exists in the National Museum of the Smithsonian Institute of American History. The following article sheds more light on S.H. Roper Vintage Motorcycle News
THE AMA MOTORCYCLE HALL OF FAME SYLVESTER H ROPER 1823 - 1896 American inventor and transportation pioneer who built a steam-powered motorcycle in 1869. Sylvester Roper built the first self-propelled two-wheeled machine in America. Roper's steam-powered bicycle made its first public appearance in 1869 in his hometown of Roxbury, Massachusetts. The bike was a hit with the public and Roper toured the fairs and circuses of New England for the rest of his life, demonstrating his inventions. Roper died in a crash while riding exhibition laps at an indoor bicycle velodrome aboard one of his steam-powered bikes. Roper was born on November 24, 1823, in Francestown, New Hampshire. His father was a cabinetmaker and young Sylvester followed in his father's footsteps and became a craftsman. As a boy, all things mechanical fascinated Roper and as a teenager he became an avid inventor. By age 12, he'd constructed a small stationary engine and two years later a locomotive engine. Roper left home early to pursue a living as a machinist. He worked in several towns before settling in Boston in 1854. Roper proved to be a tireless inventor. He designed and built a wide range of products including sewing machines, guns, machine tools, furnaces, automatic fire escapes and eventually steam powered carriages and bicycles. His son, Charles, joined him in business and ran a company that made screw-making machines. 53
In 1869, just four years after the American Civil War, Roper attached a twin-cylinder steam engine to a hickory-framed velocipede. Roper's bike, which rolled on iron shod wooden wheels, had one cylinder on each side of the frame connected by rods to driving cranks on the rear wheel axle. A firebox and boiler were spring mounted and suspended between the wheels, and a short chimney projected up from behind the saddle. A charcoal fire was built in the grate beneath the boiler. The fire's heat boiled the water in the boiler and produced steam to power the engine. Water was supplied from a reservoir in the seat. A cable attached to the handlebars operated the throttle valve. Tightening the cable activated the valve and rotating in the opposite direction applied the spoon-type brake on the front wheel. Footrests were attached to the front axle ends. While his steam-powered bike was popular at exhibitions, Roper's neighbors were less thrilled Roper's steamer was described in local news reports as loud and emitting an acrid odor. When riding into town, Roper would spook horses and often annoy townspeople. Roper was once arrested on one of his rides, but quickly released when it was determined that he had broken no laws. COVID-19 Edition
In 1895, with backing from the Pope Manufacturing Company, Roper built an improved version of his steamer bike. Pope foresaw the possibility of adding new business to its bicycle empire. By the end of the century, gas-powered motors were already beginning to prove viable, but Roper was by now in his 70s and had more than 30 years of experience with steam power, so he continued in vain with this project. His latter steam-powered bicycle had a one-gallon water reservoir, which was good for a journey of eight miles. On test rides into town, Roper would remove the burning coals on arrival and place them in a small covered bucket. When he was ready to leave, he would re-stoke the fire, get up steam, and return home.
While Roper's two-wheeled inventions never found commercial success, his innovations provided inspiration and direction for inventors in the gas-powered motorbike era at the turn of the century. When 73-year-old Sylvester Roper showed up at a local bicycle track in Boston aboard this machine-a steam-powered motorcycle he invented, the young bicycle racers just laughed. Here was this old man riding a strange contraption who wanted to race the local hotshots around the one-third-mile Charles River Park track.
Initially, Roper covered a mile in two minutes and 12 seconds. He was so elated, that he decided to try for an even better time. He scorched around the 1/3-mile wooden track, but he went into a big wobble on the back straight and was thrown off the track and into the sand surrounding it. When the spectators rushed up, it was apparent that Roper was dead. It was later determined that he had died of heart failure, not as a result of the accident itself. Vintage Motorcycle News
"The machine was cutting out a lively pace on the back stretch when the men seated near the training quarters noticed the bicycle was unsteady," the paper said. "The forward wheel wobbled, and then suddenly, the cycle was deflected from its course and plunged off the track into the sand, throwing the rider and overturning. All rushed to the assistance of the inventor, who lay motionless beneath his wheel, but as soon as they touched him they perceived that life was extinct," the paper added. "Dr. Welcott was summoned and after an examination gave the opinion that Mr. Roper was dead before the machine left the track." It was later determined that a heart attack killed Roper, who left behind a legacy of steam motorcycles that dated back nearly three decades.
By 1896, Roper felt he had his new machine perfected. On June 1 of that year, he took the steamer to the Charles River bicycle racetrack in Boston to test its viability as a pace-making machine for bicycle races. Roper made a few exhibition laps around the track and several bicycle racers attempted to keep up with him but were unable to do so.
The Boston Daily Globe reported the tragic events that followed:
His first, on display at the Smithsonian Institution, was built in 1869, nearly 20 years before Gottlieb Daimler created the first internal-combustion motorcycle. It wasn't until the race was on that they realized the old man had come up with something truly amazing. On that day June 1,1896 Roper took three laps, covering the distance in a little over two minutes for an average speed of about 30 mph. Then he tried to go even faster. After all, just a week earlier he had marked off a mile on Dorchester Avenue and completed that with an average speed of about 40 mph.
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About 10 other steam-powered vehicles followed, culminating in this machine, now owned by Robert Boudeman of Richland, Michigan, and on display at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame museum. In this final design, Roper's engine consisted of a small boiler over a coal firebox that was good for about 7 miles on each stoking. As the inventor liked to say, "It would climb any hill and outrun any horse."
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Hildebrand & Wolfmüller The World’s First Production Motorcycle (Source:Wikipedia) There was no flywheel other than the rear wheel, and it needed heavy rubber bands to provide the return impulse. The Hildebrand & Wolfmüller patent of 20 January 1894, No. 78553 describes a 1,489 cc ( 9 0 . 9 c u i n ) t w o - c y l i n d e r , four-stroke engine, with a bore and stroke of 90 mm × 117 mm (3.5 in × 4.6 in). It produced 1.9 kW (2.5 bhp) @ 240 rpm[1] propelling a weight of 50 kg (110 lb) up to a maximum speed of 45 km/h (28 mph).
The Hildebrand & Wolfmüller was the world's first production motorcycle.
used an aviation-style radial five-cylinder engine, but never went into mass-production.
Heinrich and Wilhelm Hidebrand were steam-engine engineers before Alois Wolfmüller agreed to finance them to produce their internal combustion Motorrad in Munich in 1894.
Gottlieb Daimler is sometimes known as the "Father of the Motorcycle" but supporters of H & M point out that his Einspur "boneshaker" motor bike was actually a "hybrid" motor-driven bicycle with a wooden bicycle frame, and wooden wheels.
Alternate claims The Hildebrand & Wolfmüller is credited as the world first because other possible claimants tend to be based on a bicycle chassis (eg de Dion-Bouton and Orient Aster, and the E. R. Thomas) or were never put into production. Or both, eg Gottlieb Daimler’s Reitwagen of 1885 was a one-off test-bed for an experimental engine in a bicycle chassis. The Felix Millet designed 'Motocyclette,' of 1893 Vintage Motorcycle News
Examples exist today in the Deutsches Zweirad- und NSU-Museum in Neckarsulm, Germany, the Science Museum in London, the The Henry Ford in Detroit, Michigan, the Wells Auto Museum in Wells, Maine, and the Museum Lalu Lintas in Surabaya, Indonesia. Production run Several hundred examples of this motorcycles were built but with a high initial purchase price and fierce competition from improving designs (this model was entirely
Mechanical Details Th e m o t o r c y c l e f e a t u r e d a water-cooled engine (the coolant tank/radiator of which is prominent over and around the rear wheel) mounted in a purpose-designed tubular frame. The rear wheel was directly driven from the connecting rods (a similar arrangement to that of steam locomotives). 55
"run and jump" with neither clutch nor pedals) it is not thought to have been a great commercial success. The Hildebrand & Wolfmüller factory closed in 1919 after WWI. COVID-19 Edition
Many of you will possibly cite Gottlieb Daimler as the inventor of the motorcycle. Once again, you would be correct in aspect only. Mr. Daimler’s “boneshaker” motor bike was actually a hybrid motor driven bicycle.
motorized bicycles and motorcycles. Note the rotary engine built into the back wheel.
It sported a wooden frame, wood wheels, as well as wood outrigger wheels to steady the contraption (It’s to be noted, Daimler only accorded this frame to demonstrate his engine. (It is thought he never accepted it would be a working model.)
The Hildebrand Brothers along with Alois Wolfmuler and his mechanic, Hans Geisenhof discarded the steam efforts in favour of developing a two stroke gasoline engine.
The period from 1868 to 1900 is considered the “invention” time period of the motorcycle.
It soon became clear, the larger four stroke engines would be the new wave of the future, so the
According to several sources, once Daimler revealed his “motorbike” Félix Millet's 1897 motorcycle to the world, D e Dion-Bouton brought forth his version and then an American; E. R . Th o m a s revealed his motorcycle, also utilizing a bicycle frame for his chassis. Th e ER Th o m a s deserves a write up of its own. There was also something known as the Motocyclette, designed by Felix Millet that was introduced one year prior to Hildebrand and Wolfmuller’s.
Hildebrands and Wolfmuler as well as Hans Geisenhof were soon developing water cooled four strokes for their motorcycles.
Millet used an aviation style radial five cylinder engine, but this motorcycle never saw mass production.
The second period, titled "Time, Space and Speed," runs from 1894 to 1919. It includes a 1489cc Hildebrand from 1894 that was the world's first series production motorcycle.
Félix Millet's 1897 motorcycle, showing the common ancestry of
The Hildebrand and Wolfmüller was the first mass produced TWO
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wheeled motor vehicle to be dubbed a “motorcycle.” Actually the Germans were the first to call it “motorrad”, meaning motorcycle in German, the word was now (1894) patented by Hildebrand and Wolfmüller. So now you understand how this bike became known as the first “Motorcycle.” It was the first practical motorcycle to be put on to the market, and many were built in Germany and France up to 1896. The Hildebrand and Wolfmüller had no clutch. Power was delivered to the rear wheel via l o c o motive-style pushrods which were l i n k e d directly to the engine's pistons. The solid rear wheel was used as a flywheel. The pushrods were returned by the force generated from two large rubber straps - one on each side of the motorcycle. It is said this motorcycle sported a price tag regarded as high end. This fact along with technical problems such as NO CLUTCH, hindered the popularity of this bike. The partnership between the Hildebrand’s and the Wolfmüller’s came to an end with financial failure the result. The factory closed in 1919. COVID-19 Edition
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The 2019 Royal Enfield INT 650 was one of two new twin-powered models from Royal Enfield for that year, and it marked a major turning point for the brand. Over the last 50 years, Royal Enfield’s presence in the North American market has been rather light, with changing importers, a limited dealer network, and not much cultural impact. The once-British and now-Indian owned company is hoping to change that with the first multi-cylinder motorcycle from Royal Enfield since 1970. 1. A traditional standard motorcycle has one of the toughest jobs in the motorcycling community. Not subject to narrow definitions that other categories can use as shielding against criticisms, a standard bike needs to be all things to all people—commute, entertain, inspire, be affordable, approachable, and satisfying. The 2019 Royal Enfield INT 650 endeavors to achieve those goals. 2. The 2019 Royal Enfield INT 650’s 648cc air-/oil-cooled parallel twin is what motorcycling is all about. Royal Enfield’s goal with its new engine platform was to create a powerplant that could satiate riders at any place on the spectrum. The extremely tractable motor—with 47 horsepower at 7250 rpm and 38 ft/lbs of torque just 2000 rpm sooner—does just that. 3. The counterbalanced 270-degree crank gives this middleweight twin serious charm. The twin gives new riders an unintimidating but soulful engine to learn on, while experienced riders will revel in extracting every ounce of performance with glee. When you whack the throttle and indulge in its exhaust note, a positive side effect is that the motor incredibly smooth at virtually any speed. Trundle along at 65 mph or so, and you won’t be asking much of the INT or when your whip-hand becomes greedy in the canyons. Royal Enfield has nailed it with its peppy twin. 4. A six-speed gearbox and long gear ratios keep the work to a minimum. The relatively high gearing allows you make use of your torque and chug your way out of When enjoying the cold reality that we call the urban sprawl, you don’t have to be too particular about gear choice. It is a trait that riders, new or old, will appreciate.
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5. INT 650 Riders will stay comfortable with the classic, neutral riding position. Standard machines have some of the most forgiving riding positions around, as they are focused on providing good mobility, comfort, and The INT is no exception with a 31.6-inch seat height and a narrow chassis that’ll allow just about anyone to get their boots on the ground. The stylish handlebars keep your arms at a comfortable angle and provide a good amount of leverage when riding, while also maintaining a completely neutral upright riding position. Better yet, the rear-set footpegs didn’t grind when we got into the twisty stuff thanks to the ample cornering clearance. 6. The 2019 Royal Enfield INT 650 is about as effortless as it gets when it comes to handling. Arguably, this motorcycle’s biggest strength is how user-friendly it is when cornering. It’s petite wheelbase of 55 inches and 24-degree rake give the INT 650 a nimble yet controlled personality when tipping into the corners, regardless of the situation. It’s stiff steel double cradle chassis keeps everything in line and the wheels planted, providing loads of confidence for riders across the board. Better yet, if you botch a line and need to correct, the INT 650 is forgiving enough to accommodate you. 7. Curiously, the INT 650 weighs in at a substantial 466 pounds. It weighs 56 pounds more than a Kawasaki Z650, which made me do a double take. Fortunately, the Royal Enfield INT 650 carries its weight well, thanks to a low center of gravity. Before checking the specs, I would have guessed it weighed in the high 300s. 8. No frills suspension can get the job done. A non-adjustable 41mm fork and twin Gabrielle shocks with spring-preload adjustment is par for the course when talking about traditionally COVID-19 Edition
2019 Royal Enfield INT 650 Review: Twin Time You cannot just talk about the past and not having a look at what is happening today. Royal Enfield is making a come back and they deserve to be aknowledged.
Photography courtesy of Royal EnďŹ eld
styled middleweights. We know this is where manufacturers can pinch a few pennies.
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However, despite being budget hardware, it works well enough in most situations. 59
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Photography courtesy of Royal Enfield 9. Around town or at lower speeds, the Royal Enfield INT 650 suspension does a good job of protecting the rider from the worst of rough streets. The rear suspension is the weaker point with just 3.5 inches of travel, and a decent hit will be felt in the rear a bit.
Royal Enfield is putting a braided line on a middleweight motorcycle price under $6k, so can the other manufacturers. 13. The 2019 Royal Enfield INT 650’s Pirelli Phantom Sportscomp tires fit the vintage motif with much more than vintage. Royal Enfield worked directly with Pirelli to get the compound and characteristics of the Phantom Sportscomp tires right for the INT 650. The 100/90 front and 130/70 rear are laced up to choice looking wire-spoke 18-inch wheels give ample traction for the application.
10. At higher speeds and when the tarmac gets choppy, the fork can pogo. That is, most likely due to a bit too much rebound, but that didn’t stop us from hauling the mail on the 650. The chassis still stays in line in less than ideal conditions, and with a choice bit of road in front of you, you’re in for a good time.
14. Though this model is known as the INT 650 in the United States, it’s an Interceptor 650 in the global market, and even has it emblazoned on the side covers. The INT 650 sports the motif and Interceptor name from a performance-oriented Royal Enfield that tooled around the US in the 1960s.
11. Single rotor brake setups will prevent you from getting into trouble. A single 320mm rotor up front works in conjunction with a two-piston ByBre caliper (made in India by Brembo) while a single-piston caliper clamps down on a 240mm rotor in the rear. Stopping power is adequate for the speeds you’re hitting, though I would still like a little more in the front. Dabbing a bit of rear while piling on the front will get you stopped in a hurry ABS is standard.
15. The major components of the 2019 Royal Enfield INT 650 show a great deal of care and highlight how their manufacturing has improved. Between the high-quality paint and
12. Feel at the lever is better than expected, most likely thanks to the use of a steel-braided line. If Vintage Motorcycle News
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Photography courtesy of Royal Enfield chrome finishes on the teardrop fuel tank, frame, and fenders, it’s evident that the manufacturing processes are changing at Royal Enfield. Analog and digital clocks have a fuel gauge and fit the motif perfectly, while also being functional, though a gear indicator would be a welcome addition. Lovely detailed badging elevates the whole package as well. The only sore spots are the finishes on the upper triple tree.
narrowing parts to individual sources. From our vantage point, some of that is evident in the build quality of the bikes. 18. The 2019 Royal Enfield INT 650 begins at $5799 and features a three-year warranty with one year of roadside assistance. In the middleweight class, where price is everything, RE has successfully beaten everyone to the punch—it is even $200 less expensive than the Chinese-made Benelli Tornado TNT 600.
16. Like all the Royal Enfield bikes, the 2019 INT 650 was designed in the UK and is manufactured in India. All modern RE bikes are designed at their Leicestershire testing facility, while final builds happen at their Chennai factories.
19. The exhaust note alone will have people fighting the urge to scrawl their name on the dotted line, while the twin-cylinder engine’s friendly characteristics will help seal the deal. Its congenial handling and upright riding position make the 2019 Royal Enfield INT 650 an extremely versatile platform, excelling at all the things a happy little standard bike needs to do. Of course, finish options will set you back a little extra. At its core, with great retro looks, nice engine, and a respectable chassis, the INT 650 should be getting some attention, and, with the aggressive pricing structure, Royal Enfield is about as serious as you can get about shifting the tide.
17. For the past several years, RE has focused on modernizing and streamlining its manufacturing process and facilities, achieving and exceeding ISO 9001 standards. Royal Enfield’s quality control processes have improved dramatically, and hopefully, it translates to more reliable products from here on out. For example, previously, frames and other critical components were outsourced to a variety of builders, which can create quality discrepancies between the same parts. Royal Enfield says it has refined its material procurement, making sure that everything meets its standards, and Vintage Motorcycle News
Article courtesy of Ultimate Motorcycling 61
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Photography courtesy of Royal EnďŹ eld Vintage Motorcycle News
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Royal Enfield Announces New 2020 Himalayan with Key Updates
The Himalayan receives
switchable ABS and host of other changes for 2020.
Royal Enfield has announced the launch of a new Himalayan with an engine tuned to meet the new BS6 Indian emission regulations. In addition, the bike receives several other important functional updates based on feedback from riders.
Inspired by the newly launched motorcycle, Royal Enfield will also bring in a new range of apparel. The collection will offer an exclusive range of dual sport helmets to match the colorways of the new Himalayan as well as a lifestyle apparel range.
Along with the regulation compliant engine, the new Himalayan now includes a feature riders have been wanting for a while — switchable ABS. Switching the ABS off allows the rear wheel to lock, and lets the rider slide the bike while riding off-road if desired.
The Himalayan’s touring capability is enhanced with Royal Enfield’s Genuine Motorcycle Accessories that offer storage, safety comfort and control while riding. Genuine and homologated accessories such as the aluminum handlebar with cross brace for easier handling, a set of 26-liter aluminum panniers for ample storage space, touring seats with 3D mesh for added comfort on long rides, and large engine guards for protection, are some of the vital options to choose from alongside a host of other accessories. Accessories are fully compliant and are backed by a comprehensive 2-year warranty.
With more focus on rider safety, the 411cc Himalayan is also equipped with a hazard switch that warns other motorists in proximity in case of an emergency by activating all the blinkers simultaneously. In addition to this, the bike receives an improved braking system which ensures a smoother riding experience with a shorter stopping distance. The new motorcycle will also come with an improved side-stand that will make parking on any kind of terrain easier.
The bike has been released in India starting at Rs. 186,811. No official word yet on when the new Himalayan will be available in North America or whether the Indian BS6 emissions updates will be included on bikes outside of India. For more information go to royalenfield.com
Minor cosmetic changes will come in the form of color options. The Royal Enfield Himalayan will be available in two new color schemes — Lake Blue and Rock Red — adding to the existing portfolio of Snow White, Granite Black, Sleet Grey and Gravel Grey. Vintage Motorcycle News
Photography courtesy of Royal Enfield 63
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ROYAL ENFIELD 838CC KX CONCEPT BOBBER REVEALED Royal Enfield has revealed their biggest & meanest motorcycle of this generation, and it’s an absolute beauty. They have been looking at older variants for inspiration in the past few models and this one follows a similar line. Specifically, the KX Concept is a modern take on the 1930’s KX– the company’s largest motorcycle till date. Release date Price Engine Power
2022 $ TBA 838cc 90hp
DOES IT LOOK LIKE THE ORIGINAL MODEL? The Concept KX is obviously more advanced but the RE engineers have done a wonderful job in providing a proper ode to the previous model.
Forty-Eight and the Indian Scout Bobber. ROYAL ENFIELD 838CC KX CONCEPT- DESIGN AND SPECS The Royal Enfield 650 twins, the Continental and Interceptor, while good-looking, stuck to a conventional design standards. The KX however, is not your typical bobber and there are some very interesting bits going on. Design wise, it is low and narrow with a flat fuel tank, and get increasingly modernistic as we go from rear to the front. Royal Enfield has provided an interesting monoshock (connected to single-side swingarm) and girder
set-up at its front and rear respectively, the details of which we are dying to know. The integrated circular headlight at front comes with LEDs, and its design is a nice retreat from convention. Coming to its engine, the KX has a new 838cc, oil cooled V-twin reportedly delivering 90 hp of maximum power. Developed by Royal Enfield and Polaris Industries in the UK, this mill provides an imposing figure on its profile. That’s all we have now. Stay tuned for more news and updates. SOURCE: autopromag.com
In its time, the KX was claimed to be the biggest, fastest, classiest, most luxurious bike on the marketa tall order, but from what we see at least, it looks promising. WILL IT REMAIN A CONCEPT? When the Royal Enfield started work on this bike in early 2017, it was mostly to see if they could build something of this magnitude in the first place. Their line-up has however opened up since, and two 650cc models and four new platforms are on their way. If and when the bike launches, the Royal Enfield KX Concept could be based on a new K platform. It will compete with the likes of Triumph Bobber, Harley Davidson Vintage Motorcycle News
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7 Must-Know Facts About The Royal Enfield Bobber 838 Royal Enfield Bobber 838 (Concept KX) is the most powerful and influential design from the Indian brand after their reincarnation in the country. As most buyers are familiar with round headlights and basic fuel tank designs that stay more or less common on all RE bikes, the innovative designing on the Bobber 838 has made it an eye candy for the masses. The Bobber 838 (Concept KX) made its world debut at the EICMA 2018. For those who have not yet been familiar with the concept, here are 7 must-know facts for the Royal Enfield Bobber 838: 1. Based on the Royal Enfield KX 1140 – The paint scheme and design lines are based on the vintage KX 1140 from the brand, pushing the same low seat and huge tire combination into the 21st-century concept. The selection of the engine casing and modern-looking girder forks has also been made by keeping KX 1140 in mind at all times. 2. First Modern V-Twin RE Engine – The 838cc engine with V-Twin layout features 80mm of bore and 83.8mm of stroke for the perfect torque production. Royal Enfield can tune the engine for any value under 100HP as this threshold is achieved by modern litre-class cruiser engines. The engine comes mated to a 6-speed gearbox.
3. Premium Components – The Royal Enfield Bobber 838 comes with single-sided swing arm, premium brake callipers from ByBre and dual-tone alloy wheels with machine-finished 7×2 spoke layout. The fenders are chopped while the front comes with LED headlight with daytime running lights. The attractive-looking twin black exhausts complete the package. 4. All-Digital Console – The motorcycle comes with an all-digital instrument console with smartphone integration and other features like Bluetooth, GPS, and more. The display shows green section for the 10,000 rpm limit while the Bobber 838 has a gear indicator over the speedometer section.
Royal Enfield KX 1140
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5. Dimensions – Royal Enfield offers massive 2160mm of length, 778mm of width and low 998mm of height for the Bobber 838. The seat height is practical at 760mm while the low handlebar position confirms that every rider could enjoy the feel out of the motorcycle. The long 1530mm of wheelbase is available on the concept. 6. Expected Launch Date – The RE Bobber 838 is expected to launch in the Indian market in 2022 as the production version is expected to be unveiled at the EICMA 2021. The motorcycle you see here is a non-working prototype and thus, changing parts won’t be a big step on the production version.
Royal Enfield Concept KX (Bobber 838)
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7. Expected Ex-Showroom Price – The price for the upcoming Bobber 838 will fall around INR 5 lakh, keeping in mind how Royal Enfield undercuts the rivals in the 650cc segment by almost half the pricing. Some of the premium components will be skipped if the INR 5 lakh price tag is taken as a target.
Concept KX (Bobber 838) Specs • Engine Displacement: 838cc (OHV) • Bore x Stroke: 80mm x 83.4mm • Engine Layout: V-Twin • Maximum Power: 90HP (Expected) • Fuel Supply: Electronic Fuel Injection • Front Brakes: Twin Discs • Rear Brakes: Single Disc • Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS)
Royal Enfield Bobber 838 Console
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• Chassis: Harris Frame with Integrated Airbox, Stressed Member Engine • Front Suspension: Girder Fork, Single Damper • Rear Suspension: Single Damper with Progressive Link • Front Wheel: 3.50 x 19 • Rear Wheel: 4.00 x 19 • Wheelbase: 1530mm • Ground Clearance: 128mm • Seat Height: 760mm
Royal Enfield Bobber 838 Custom Design Mufflers
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Royal Enfield Concept KX (Bobber 838)
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Biting the bullet Challenges for Eicher Motors while reviving Bullet Source: Business Today, India
Executive Summary: Senior managers at Eicher Motors faced a tough choice. They had been given one final chance to revive the loss making Royal Enfield - their motorcycle division. For that they wanted to modernize the bikes to appeal to a wider customer base. But existing customers wanted their Bullets just the way they had always been. By modernizing, Royal Enfield risked losing traditional fans without possibly gaining any new customers. The case study details how it met the challenge. The year 2000 could have been decisive. That was when the board of directors at Eicher Motors decided to either shut down or sell off Royal Enfield - the company's Chennai-based motorcycle division, which manufactured the iconic Bullet motorbikes. THE PROBLEM Despite the bikes' fan following, the motorcycle division was bleeding THE WAY OUT Appealing to a wider base, making the products more reliable THE CHALLENGE Modernizing the bikes without taking away their unique identity THE SUCCESS Modern technology used, but vintage look retained; improved management practices Vintage Motorcycle News
For all its reputation, the sales of the bike was down to 2,000 units a month against the plant's installed capacity of 6,000; losses had been mounting for years. Though the bikes had diehard followers, there were also frequent complaints about them - of engine seizures, snapping of the accelerator or clutch cables, electrical failures and oil leakages. Many found them too heavy, difficult to maintain, with the gear lever inconveniently positioned and a daunting kick-start.
by doing so risked losing existing ones," says R.L. Ravichandran, whom Lal brought in as CEO in 2005 as part of his revival effort. Ravichandran had earlier worked with both TVS Motor and Bajaj Auto. "We were in a peculiar situation," he adds.
Just one person stood up to the board, insisting Royal Enfield should get another chance. He was Siddhartha Lal, a third generation member of the Delhi-based Lal family, promoters of the Eicher group of companies.
The change had to be a calibrated one. The mistaken notions of prospective customers had to be addressed, and any reservations about Bullet and Thunderbird, which was launched in 2002, removed. At the same time, Lal and Ravichandran were clear that the individuality of Royal Enfield bikes should not be compromised. "We did not want to go down the commuter route, but instead looked at the leisure segment," says Ravichandran.
Lal, then 26, was an unabashed Bullet fan: he even rode a redcolored Bullet while leading the baraat (procession) to his wedding venue, instead of the traditional horse. "The board agreed to give me a chance," says Lal. "It was not because of its confidence in me, but because the business was doing so badly it could hardly get any worse."
Retaining the bikes rugged looks was a given, including the build, the design of the head lamp and the petrol tank. But should the gears be shifted close to the rider's left foot as in most bikes - or retained on the right side? The question gave Lal and his team many sleepless nights, since long time users were dead opposed to the change.
Lal felt Royal Enfield could still be saved. The bike had its reputation, a cult following, an instantly recognizable build, and aspirational value.
The engine was another thorny question. The old cast iron engine was a relic of the past. Its separate gear box and oil sump design made it prone to oil leaks and it seized up very often. Its ability to meet increasingly strict emission norms was also suspect. A modern aluminum engine would eliminate these problems, but it would lack the old engine's pronounced vibrations and beat - which Royal Enfield customers loved. Laws of
Changes had to be made to keep up with the times and make the bike more acceptable, and therein lay the problem. Royal Enfield fans liked the bikes exactly the way they had always been. "We needed changes to attract new customers but 70
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physics made it impossible to replicate these with the new engine.
bridge the gap between customer expectations and the reality."
There are many global examples of auto companies going under following a radical change in the engine of their products. Yet Lal and his team proceeded to both alter the position of the gears and design a new engine. "We retained many of the old engine's characteristics - the long stroke, the single cylinder, the high capacity with push rod mechanism," says Ravichandran. But the new engine, unlike the old, had hydraulic tappets, a new engine arrangement, new metal and fewer moving parts.
Slowly, the tide turned. Engine related problems and oil leakages in Royal Enfield products almost disappeared. By 2008 dealers were reporting lower workloads. Warranty claims fell sharply too. Malfunctioning of the sprag clutch, on which the electric starter depends, declined, for instance, from five per cent in 2005/06 to 0.2 per cent in 2010/11.
Obviously, it did not produce the vibrations and the beat of the old, but international experts were consulted and sound mapping carried out for over 1,000 hours to ensure it produced the maximum rhythmic vibrations possible and a beat, which was 70 per cent of the amplitude of the original. The new engine had 30 per cent fewer parts and produced 30 per cent more power than the old, with better fuel efficiency. By 2010, all Royal Enfield models had begun to use the new engine. Two other problems needed to be addressed: the quality of some of the components Royal Enfield bikes were using, and the sales experience. To tackle the first, shop floor processes were fine tuned, while suppliers were exhorted to improve quality levels. Royal Enfield also embarked on a large scale internal exercise to tone up performance. "We declared 2006 as the year of getting back to the basics," says Ravichandran. "We also formed a field quality rapid action force to
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Royal Enfield also began conducting marquee rides to promote leisure biking. "Such steps removed the fears about our products' reliability some customers may have had," says Venki Padmanabhan, who succeeded Ravichandran as CEO earlier this year after Ravichandran was elevated to the board of Eicher Motors. To improve sales experience new company-owned showrooms were launched and dealerships expanded. In October 2008, Royal Enfield launched in Germany its newly designed 500cc Classic model inspired by J2, a 1950 model Bullet - with the new engine. It was a success, admired for its performance and fuel economy. Th e n e w a l u m i n u m e n g i n e improved the bikes' performance, but could not recapture fully the beat of the old one Emboldened, Lal launched it in India in November 2009 initially as a 350 cc bike, priced at Rs 1.20 lakh. This proved a hit too. "Now, our capacity utilization is 100 per cent. Yet there is a six months waiting period for deliveries,'' says Venki. "We plan to double our capacity soon to 1.5 lakh bikes."
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Today, Royal Enfield's problems are of a different kind. How should it scale up without diluting brand equity? It also faces challenges from iconic global brands such as Harley-Davidson which has entered the Indian market. With other options available, will its customers continue to sit out the six-month period it takes to provide deliveries? Driving change when the chips are down is easy: there is no other option. In Royal Enfield's case the change worked for it. But can Siddhartha Lal and his team do the same when the going is good?
The petrol tank's design was left largely untouched as it contributes to the bike's sturdy, vintage look
After much testing, the silencer was extended to capture, to the extent possible, the throb of the old engine
Diehard fans opposed shifting the gear lever to the left side of the bike, but the company went ahead anyway COVID-19 Edition
Royal Enfield joins hands with Bengaluru Police to form an all-women motorcycle brigade to keep the city safe. (Photo courtesy: Royal Enfield)
in common between all of them - a passion for riding. These 15 women officers were trained in two phases. During the first phase of training in October they were introduced to Royal Enfield motorcycles including the Himalayan, Interceptor 650 and the Classic 350 Signals. This is probably the first instance when the Interceptor 650 will be inducted into the police fleet.
Riding Royal Enfield motorcycles, these women brigade to make Bengaluru safer
Source: HT Auto Desk , Written By Sabyasachi Dasgupta • 15 women officers were picked after rigorous training on Royal Enfield motorcycles • The brigade aims to break the gender stereotypes and work towards women's safety in the city Bengaluru police has tied up with Royal Enfield to launch all-women motorcycle riding brigade-'We for Women’. The brigade-on-wheels is dedicated towards making Bengaluru a safer city for women and children.
Divya Sara Thomas, DCP, City Armed Reserve Headquarters, Bengaluru, who is leading the project, was quoted as saying: "We want these women to lead by example and inspire other women as well while keeping the city safe."
The brigade aims to break the gender stereotypes in the society around areas which has been considered to be male dominant.
The team has 15 women police officers of the rank of Police Sub-Inspectors. There is one thing
In the second phase in December and January, they were exposed to riding them in Bengaluru city traffic conditions. The training was conducted in collaboration with Team Royal Enfield who aimed at equipping the women officers with the professional riding skills which would help them to confidently patrol the streets of Bengaluru. To commemorate the newly formed brigade, a ride was conducted to Nandi hills. The ride was flagged off by Shri Bhaskar Rao, IPS, Commissioner of Police, Bengaluru city, at the office of City Armed Reserve Headquarters, Bengaluru.
1948 ROYAL ENFIELD 500cc This Royal Enfield was purchased new in Melbourne for £242 by my Dad, Stan L. It was his pride and joy and ridden daily. In 1956 he moved to Toowoomba, Qld and 1963 moved to a property near Yarraman where family commitments & farming took priority and the bike was retired to "the SHED" for some 30 years. In 1995, his son Trevor, restored the bike back to it's original glory. Thankfully Dad got to see & ride it once again, bringing back wonderful memories, before passing away in 1996. The Royal Enfield still remains within the family and is proudly ridden & displayed by his daughter Jill. Vintage Motorcycle News
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Tel: (613) 967-0301 www.sidecarcanada.com 73
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Royal Enfield Garage Cafe Inaugurated In Goa The Royal Enfield Garage Cafe is a cafe, motorcycle museum, gear store and motorcycle customisation area with a service bay, all under one roof, in Baga, Goa.
A bit like the English Ace Café, Royal Enfield has inaugurated its first ever Royal Enfield Garage Cafe in Arpora - Baga, Goa.
According to Royal Enfield, the Garage Cafe is a catalyst to deepen personal associations with Royal Enfield enthusiasts and customers.
The ambience of the cafe is inspired by the Royal Enfield motorcycling way of life laid-back, unpretentious and relaxed.
The Garage Cafe is a massive 120-seater cafe and exhibits a Royal Enfield motorcycle museum and exhibition area, an exclusive gear store, a motorcycle customization area, and a service bay.
However, it is designed to be an inclusive and engaging space that is open to riders, non-riders, travelers, explorers and their families.
The Garage Cafe is a celebration of exploration in a Royal Enfield way through food, beverage, music, entertainment, and personal expression," a statement from Royal Enfield adds. The Garage Cafe is inspired by the central traditional Portuguese style structure which is reflected in the interiors of the cafe. In addition to that, the Cafe is built around the core values of Royal Enfield that are an expression of timelessness and craftsmanship and an unadulterated love for motorcycling.
1963 Continental GT cafe racer and 1965 MK-2 750cc
Interceptor at the RE Garage Cafe Vintage Motorcycle News
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The cafe is set up on a half-acre plot of land as a series of independent yet interconnected structures, each of them having its own story. COVID-19 Edition
The cafe has a motorcycle museum showcasing the 1939 Flying Flea
The industrially crafted Gear store building with its zinc roof, laterite infill walls and the now distinctive 'Royal Enfield' charcoal grey metal and glass facade effortlessly bridges its Goan setting with industrial craftsmanship. The facade of the main building has been treated with specially commissioned locally executed artworks inspired from a Royal E n fi e l d iconography based Azulejos inspired installation hand painted on tiles by Goan artisans. The bar area and the first floor dining space has incredible Vintage Motorcycle News
views of the Baga creek. The double height bar wall has a hand painted backdrop by Monde Art, which takes the viewer through a meandering Goan road trip. The first floor lounge wall has an exciting book art installation by Hanif Qureshi.
The main building houses a multifunctional gallery and a mini museum that visibly speaks of the past and present of Royal Enfield from the 1939 Flying Flea motorcycle to the original 1963 Continental GT café racer and 1965 MK-2 750cc Interceptor among other replicas from the brand's rich history.
The cafe also has some of the most famous custom Royal Enfields on display 75
Flanking this structure at the rear is a state-ofthe-art Service centre with a motorcycle customization zone. Some of the most f a m o u s custom built Royal Enfield motorcycles are also on display at the cafe. COVID-19 Edition
Royal Enfield Clipper Imagine finding a classic British motorcycle, stored for nearly half a century, just like the one your dad rode. That’s how this Clipper found itself a new owner, and Roy Workman tells its tale…
Spare parts have been easy to source and Hitchcocks are very helpful.
This bike was first seen at a Newark autojumble by a friend of Joss, who thought that it was a Bullet. However Joss spotted that it was a Clipper and sometime later on he bought it.
The pushrod for the clutch had seized so Joss bought a new one, but this was a bit of a tight fit. He solved this problem by using a small round wire brush in an electric drill, gently working away until the rod worked perfectly – job done!
The Enfield Club confirmed that the matching engine and frame numbers are correct.
His father had owned a similar Enfield from 1958, a 350 single, until 1972. Joss had heard about this Royal Enfield Clipper hidden away in a barn, and that it had last been taxed in 1972, so he felt he had to have it. The bike had sat in a damp barn for 46 years when it was pulled out and taken to Newark.
The gearchange on British bikes of this era is on the right side; the other way around to the bikes with which Joss is familiar. On one occasion he got it wrong, locked up the engine and bent a valve, so the head came off and the valve was replaced and the Clipper was ready to go again. Despite that mishap, Joss is pleasantly surprised at how easy the engine is to work on.
Joss has run the motorcycle section of the Swaton Vintage Day for many years, and this year the bike was on display at this meeting. It doesn’t look a lot different now to how it did when he first saw it. This is the first Royal Enfield he has owned.
The machine is running well now and Joss reckons it’s faster than his BSA 350 military spec B40, which is lower geared.
Joss didn’t fancy riding around on old tires and tubes, so these have been replaced. The brake shoes were relined and a new chain fitted. A new carburettor has also been fitted, as has a wiring loom.
The Enfield’s engine still smokes a bit; hopefully this may clear up but if not a new piston will be fitted. The paintwork is ‘as found’ and the paint on the petrol tank has been worn away revealing the shiny metal.
Hitchcocks Motorcycles supplied a folding kick start, as Joss did not like the fixed-style one originally fitted. Vintage Motorcycle News
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Joss feels that the previous owner may have regularly ridden with a bag resting on the tank. He is impressed with the quality of the ďŹ ttings and the aluminum on the machine, which should polish up nicely. Joss loves barn-ďŹ nd bikes and he has another that is waiting for a little work and TLC. Meanwhile, this one was the star of the Swaton Show! This event gets better every year and it is well worth a visit. Source: real-classic.co.uk Words and photos by Roy Workman, with thanks to Joss Bourne
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Royal Enfield Meteor Minor As a young boy I always remember seeing my father’s motorbike in the garage under a cover, gathering dust.
parked up in the middle… and then had to push the Minor back out of the arena as she refused to start again! There were a few choice words said, and she stayed on the stand on display for the rest of the weekend.
Some days, if the weather was nice and he was having a clear out of the garage, I would sneak in and lift the sheet to have a sneaky look. Little did I know of the project that he had undertaken to put that bike back into one piece. All I’d heard were the stories from both my elder sisters about how they had to go round all the autojumbles, bored out of their minds…
The Minor was then pushed into the garage, and that’s where she would stay for a few years.
After a few years of the bike gathering dust, I remember coming home from school and hearing banging and clattering in the garage. Dad was taking the occasional tea break, red-faced and in no mood to talk.
I sonic cleaned the carburettor but the bike still had the same issue. The electrics were then under investigation, and the plan was to have her running again for my newly-born daughter to see the Minor up and running.
After a few weeks of this, I was in my bedroom when I suddenly heard an almighty roar. I’d never heard anything of the sort: my toys cars were rolling off the shelves! I ran outside and there it was, all dusted off and ALIVE!
Unfortunately, due to a short illness my father, ‘Gerry Attric’, passed away. The Enfield was once again be left in bits in the garage.
After my father had retired it was once again time for the Enfield to come back out. This time it had developed a misfire and flat spot.
When I stepped into the garage for the first time after he had passed, and saw the bike, it made me and my sisters and mother determined to get his pride and joy back up and running for all the grandchildren to see.
With the bike now up and running, it was dad’s idea to display it at the Enfield pageant of motoring. My biggest memory of this was when all the family came to see us. I hopped on the back of the Meteor Minor and we rode off into the arena with the other bikes and Vintage Motorcycle News
After some research into specialists who could help, I came across the Motorcycle Restoration Company. These guys weren’t that far away so I made a quick call 78
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to them to explain the situation and the bike’s state of repair. We decided to ask them to give the Minor the TLC that it deserved. I cannot recommend these guys enough; she has come back in full working order and even with an MoT. Hearing the Enfield start for the first time brought tears to the whole family. I brought back the memory of me running down the stairs all those years ago, wondering what that noise was. Finally, she is in one piece and sounds great. She sits in pride of place in the garage now. So when I visit, I go to the garage, start her up, take a trip down the road and place her nicely under cover again. One day she might even make it to the Enfield Pageant again and be able to ride OUT of the arena! So finally the restoration of ‘Gerry Attric’s’ Meteor Minor is complete. And great memories are kept forever. My dad was a great fan of RealClassic, so the family and I wanted to share the completion of his build with you all. Source: real-classic.co.uk Words and photos: Gerry Attric Jnr
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Royal Enfield Quadricycle Key facts Year: 1900 Capacity: 244cc Cylinders: 1 Maximum speed: 30mph/48.28kph Price new: Not quoted Tandem-seated Quadricycles were commonplace at the turn of the century. This was Royal Enfield Work’s prototype and contains parts from four different years. It languished at the factory for many years before coming to the Beaulieu Museum in 1958. The seating arrangement puts the passenger in a hazardous position and, with only 244cc, the crew often had to dismount to push on hills!
Royal Enfield 3hp Key facts Year: 1914 Capacity: 425cc (originally 346cc), Cylinders: 2 Valves: side valve Maximum speed: 60mph/96.56kph Price new: £53 This motorcycle was ridden to third place in the 1914 Isle of Man Junior TT by F J Walker, who also took the lap record. Following a number of falls on the last lap Walker crashed into barriers after crossing the finish line. The original 346cc engine was later replaced by the standard 425cc unit at the factory. It was first registered for road use in 1960. Royal Enfield’s first Isle of Man TT entry was in 1911 when H Greaves finished fifth in the Junior race. Although moderately successful, Royal Enfield never won a TT race.
Royal Enfield Experimental Key facts Year: 1919 Capacity: 846cc Cylinders: 4 Maximum speed: Not known Price new: Not produced
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Traditionally, British manufacturers concentrated on single-cylinder engines and left the marketing of four-cylinder machines to others until the success of the Ariel Square Four, introduced in 1930. Many drawings of four-cylinder units were made, however, and occasionally, a complete machine would be produced for experimental purposes. This exhibit is one of them. It was deemed too expensive to produce for sale and remained in the secrecy of the experimental department for decades. COVID-19 Edition
THE 70’S STYLE CHOPPER Source: Royal Enfield news 2017
Two years ago when I really got my American V-Twin brain wrapped around the Royal Enfield platform I fell in love with the styling of the motor. Do I wish it was a 750cc two lunger, yes, but the styling of the motor just screams old British bike! The rest of the bike’s styling is great but it’s the motor that has captured my attention. After digging into the company’s history I realized the brand never had its 1970’s chopper hay day. All the British bikes got to live life as long, skinny crazy creations but Royal Enfield just missed that part of motorcycle culture. The Continental GT that Royal Enfield NA provided me deserved a better life as a complete bike. But I knew that 535cc motor was begging to be thrown into a long, skinny chopper. The 70s didn’t offer up a lot of custom motorcycle parts to the masses. Arlen Ness, Dave Perewitz and their buds had to modify parts off of other bikes or build what they had in their heads. And it’s with that in mind that I Vintage Motorcycle News
attacked the build. The frame is a one off with a 6 inch engine cradle, 8 inch wide rear end attached to a 10 inch over girder front end with a spool wheel out front and a 19” dual disc narrow hub sporty wheel out back. An exaggerated gooseneck on the frame harkens back to the Digger as does the prism tank. The seat pan comes up to shroud the driver seat just a bit while the passenger rides on a really thin narrow strip of “how much further.” The rear fender first lived life on a 1973 vintage cruiser but has now been cut, trimmed, beaten, welded and rolled as an homage to the early bike builders recycle, repurpose, reuse ethos. This bike is not going to be everyone’s cup of tea. It is an era specific bike that pushes form far ahead of function. The paint, by Darren Williams of Liquid Illusions down in Kansas City, will have as much to do with performance as the 10 ½ feet of length the bike has and the 48 degrees of rake. But it’s going to do 82
what I wanted. It’s going to give that Royal Enfield brand a proper chopper. Chop Docs, no doubt, will build something sensible. Ron Harris will play it safe and build a café racer or board track racer out of a bike that already had a café racer, board track racer stance. He’s a great painter so it’ll be pretty and it’ll be clean. But will it have soul? Will it have a personality? Will it look significantly different than anything else builders have done with a Royal Enfield? I don’t know. I guess we’ll have to see. Sin Central Garage looks for the unusual to create the incredible. When we see a nice ’69 Mustang convertible we go out and find a ’69 Mercury Cougar convertible to show it up. When restoration and vintage rods are popular we restomod a 1962 Cadillac (4 door, oh yeah) with an LS motor. And when given a sexy new Royal Enfield engine we build a 70s style chopper. Be Bold, It’s Beautiful! COVID-19 Edition
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We need your stories, your anecdotes, your photos and your input. Put your bike on the cover page... We need articles for future editions on the following topics:
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ROYAL ENFIELD - THE EARLY HISTORY - 1851 to 1930 About the author in his own words… I was a relatively late comer to both motorcycles and authorship. By my late forties I was keen on vintage cars and three-wheelers, but had only a passing interest in motorcycles. It was my son’s enthusiasm for two wheels that prompted me to acquire an Ariel Square Four combination in order to pass my motorcycle test. This late start to riding meant that I did not have a youngster’s craving for speed and was more content pottering on vintage and pre-war machinery. I was also fascinated by the history and mechanism of the early machines. When opportunity arose I took early retirement from the nuclear industry, where I had worked as a radiation physicist, to allow more time to enjoy my cars and bikes. Amongst the first motorcycles I had acquired were two Corgi scooters and a Welbike. My son became the British Two-stroke Club’s marque specialist for these machines only to pass the task to me when he went off to university and to travel the world. Being a marque specialist was by no means an onerous task but I did find I was relaying the same information over and over again; hence the inspiration to write and publish my first book – From Welbike to Corgi. Other books followed with subject matter selected on the basis that it should relate to machines I owned and enjoyed, but whose histories were poorly documented. On this basis Royal Enfield might appear a strange choice, but previous RE histories tend to concentrate on the Thirties/Post-war machines rather than the machines of the Twenties and earlier. Book Review by Jonathan Hill which appeared in December edition of The Classic MotorCycle The origins of Royal Enfield date back to 1851 and the decision made by George Townsend to set up a needle manufacturing works at Hunt End, near Redditch. By 1885 the company had commenced manufacture of cycles and cycle components to exploit the new cycling craze. The expansion of the business created financial difficulties and provided an opportunity in 1891 for the factory to be taken over by Albert Eadie and Robert Walker Smith. Albert Eadie was claimed to be the country’s finest salesman and Roberts Walker Smith was a talented and innovative engineer, both men were keen to enter the cycle manufacturing industry. The first Royal Enfield motorcycle, a 1½hp Minerva-powered machine, was announced in 1901. Other machines, including water-cooled and chain-driven models, would follow before manufacture ceased in 1905 owing to limited demand. It would be November 1909 before the company re-entered the motorcycle markets with a 2¼hp lightweight machine. Lightweight solo and heavy weight combinations were subsequently offered, with a more Vintage Motorcycle News
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comprehensive range made available from 1924 onwards. It is interesting to read that the famous Royal Enfield patented cush drive rear hub was available as long ago as 1912. Scalloped-edged and cellulose- finished saddle tanks were introduced in 1928. Particularly handsome was the 9.76hp (1,000cc) four-speed Sports Model 182 with its impressive 8in brakes. Enfield’s hubs and brakes were highly regarded and supplied to other manufacturers including Norton and Brough Superior. A handsome range of sidecars were also produced. This book presents a history of the company – the world’s oldest surviving motorcycle firm from its birth as a needle manufacturer in 1851 through to 1930 and its position as a major bicycle and motorcycle manufacturer. Details are presented of all Enfield models produced during this period. Competition and racing is discussed only when relevant to the ongoing story of the machines’ development – here we read of a young Stanley Woods (later to become a TT legend), as a member of RE’s 1925 Junior TT team. Peter Miller is to be congratulated on the extraordinary amount of research he has completed to produce this superb high-quality hardback book, not just for reference use but for its myriad of fascinating photographs and illustrations of machines, employees and customers from the official works albums. A very good read and highly recommended. Review by Bob Murdoch, Archivist of the Royal Enfield Owners Club, to appear in the January edition of The Gun Plenty of books have been written about Royal Enfield motorcycles, most of which concentrate on the popular and most numerous post war models. Peter Miller has filled the gap most admirably, spending four years researching the origins of the company, from the production of needles in Victorian Redditch to the forming of Royal Enfield in 1893 and concluding with the very recognisable sporting 350cc motorcycles of the late 1920s. The first four chapters cover the company’s pursuit of the personal transport revolution commencing with the lucrative production of safety bicycles, before investing in motor quadricycles, motor bicycles, tricycles and motor cars, powered by well-developed engines imported from continental Europe where horseless vehicles were unhindered by speed restrictions. The engineering talent of Robert Walker Smith, a former technical assistant to D. Rudge of Coventry combined with the business skills of Albert Eadie, a jeweller from Birmingham took risks and false starts until the Enfield Cycle Company Ltd became a byword for reliable two wheeled transport. Initially I was surprised at the total lack of modern photographs until I realised just how good the original material has been reproduced in the 280 pages, completely funded by the author to avoid clumsy editing or compromise in print quality. Peter’s meticulous research and use of reference material, together with his easy but interesting style of writing make this THE Royal Enfield reference book for of this period. The author has written four other books and was the chairman of the Vintage Motorcycle Club.
Available only from Peter Miller, who will supply signed copies if requested. email: corgiking@aol.com About £30.00 plus shipping Vintage Motorcycle News
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www.MotorcycleClassics.com Subscribe to our Magazine or visit our Store
Contact us at: 1-800-880-7567! and get those Special Collector Editions
MOTORCYCLE CLASSICS PREWAR PERFECTION…………………………$9.99 Take a trip down memory lane with the Motorcycle Classics Prewar Perfection special issue! Packed with stories about all different kinds of bikes (from a 1936 Harley-Davidson EL and 1941 BMW R75 to a 1927 Cleveland 4-45 and a 1933 KTT Velocette), this collection features something new and interesting on every page. Read about the enduring legacy of the inventor of Carmex lip balm (his grandson rides and fixes up motorcycles), travel to Berlin to discover the roots of the 1939 BMW R51, and learn how the 1930 Henderson KJ Streamline was used as a police transportation vehicle. This is the perfect read for the history lover and motorcycle collector! Other articles include: • Refined Pioneer: 1921 Reading Standard – Some antique motorcycles are time travelers. They do much better in current conditions than they did when they were built. One of these is the Reading Standard. • Diamond in the Rough: 1931 AJS S8 Deluxe – Restorer John Whitby was flipping through ads for cars when a motorcycle in the background of a photo caught his eye. • A Little Fun on the Side: 1941 BMW R75 – Owner Mark Dunn urges us to retain our historical memory while keeping it light at the same time with a military sidecar BMW. • And more!
MOTORCYCLE CLASSICS STREET BIKES OF THE '50S…………………..$9.99 Motorcycle Classics dedicates this Special Collector Edition to the remarkable street bikes of the 1950s. Numerous classic motorcycles were designed and built in the ’50s, and Motorcycle Classics has put together a 96-page special edition featuring articles that explore the decade and what it brought to the motorcycle world. The Harley-Davidson KHK, Honda JC58 Benly, Devil Lusso Extra, and many others are all covered in this glossy-page, full-color guide. Whether you’re just discovering these bikes or have been riding them since they first came on the market, you’re sure to enjoy this special edition. Articles in this guide include: • Unapproachable: 1957 Norton Model 30 – Joe Block’s rare 1957 Model 30 is one of just 70 built that year, but that doesn’t stop him from riding it. • Big Sid’s 1950 Series B Vincent Meteor – A towering man, Sidney Biberman left a monumental legacy as a Vincent aficionado, tuner, and lover of speed. • Dad’s 1958 BMW R50 – Shortly after the death of Richard Costello, his son Bill found a note attached to his father’s R50 in the garage. Since then, Bill has devotedly restored his dad’s BMW. • Speed Twin: Ed Turner’s Triumphant Twin – Emulated by everyone, Triumph sold a parallel twin first. Vintage Motorcycle News
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OLD Delhi Motorcycles, a one stop shop to get Royal Enfields customized. The man behind this 16-year-old restoration workplace is Bobbee Singh and he is all you need if you want to give your Enfield a vintage makeover.
Meet Bobbee Singh, The Delhi Guy Who Turns Old Royal Enfield Bikes Into Vintage Works Of Art Source: Manav Parhawk Photography | Facebook If the dug-dug-dug sound of Royal Enfield Bullet is the kind of music you like, then you've got to meet this Delhi-based customized bike designer.
He said to GQ India: "I've grown up on stories which romanticized these motorcycles - stories about British officers meticulously polishing their Triumphs after Sunday Mass within the cantonments, of riding them to events like the Jabalpur Ball. These motorcycles were designed for India."
At a young age, he, in his own words, was dreaming about bikes while other kids around him were playing cricket. His love for motorbikes started at a tender age when he saw his uncle's Yezdi and all the much-required inspiration that was left came from his neighbor who used to work at the American Embassy. When speaking to The Indian Express he said: "Every night in his one-room house, he used to bring a bike, dismantle and rebuild it. I used to sit there with him, pretending to be a part of the work. I even used to apply
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grease and oil on my face and hands for effect." The two words that describe his way of looking at bikes are 'old school'. Singh is one of the firsts to be notified by his 'informants' when an Enfield is up for sale, one which is usually later turned into a modded beauty. He seems to have a fetish for Nortons, BSAs, Triumphs and Royal Enfields and leaves no stone unturned while customizing these. 90
When asked what matters more for him, functionality or bling, he said : “Functionality is bling! What the fuck is bling anyways...who came up with this! An old line by Ayn Rand - Motion & Purpose (form & function) does for me. Alloys on Enfields can go and fuck themselves.” Old Delhi Motorcycles not only caters to Indian audience but also has European and American clients. COVID-19 Edition
Have you heard about the Royal Enfield Books Website? Author and historian, Gordon G. May, has been riding classic motorcycles for around 35 years. He toured India and Nepal for six months on a 350 Bullet in 1988 and has since owned many other Royal Enfields as well as a small collection of other classic British motorcycles. Gordon's passion for Royal Enfields led him to create The Bullet-In (TBI) magazine in 2001. This small but sought-after publication quickly became the magazine for all Royal Enfield Bullet enthusiasts. The Bullet-In magazine encapsulated everything that is special about the Royal Enfield Bullet. With in-depth reviews, stunning photography, a full restoration guide and useful question and answer sections it proved invaluable to readers. Gordon is a regular stallholder at motorcycle shows in the UK where he sells his books, gel pads and other classic bike accessories. During the week, he runs the Royal Enfield Books website, gives talks to motorcycle clubs and other interested groups about his overland adventures and has also worked for Royal Enfield as their consultant historian for a number of years. Both a British and New Zealand citizen, Gordon lives near Manchester in the north of England. Publications by Gordon G. May: The Bullet-In Magazine 2001 - 2003 Made In India 2002 Made In Redditch 2003 Royal Enfield - By Miles The Best 2004
Royal Enfield - The Legend Rides On 2005 Overland To India 2008 Overland To Egypt 2012 Overland To Vietnam 2015
Gordon May Email: mail@royalenfieldbooks.com
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Tel: 0161 408 6310 www.royalenfieldbooks.com/index.html
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V TWIN ROYAL ENFIELD BULLDOG In collaboration with Fuel Magazine an interview with Guy Brown, founding member of Carberry Motorcycles.
Carberry was a Melbourne based company that developed a double barrell engine using Royal Enfields 500cc single as a base. This bike which Guy affectionately calls the Bulldog, is one of only a handful of the Carberry Motorcycle in existence and this is the story behind the Carberry business and how they took Enfield low powered thumper and turned it into a twin cylinder beast. Carberry Motorcycles was the brainchild of Paul Carberry who, along with Guy and engineer Ian Drysdale, produced 11 Enfield “Double Barrel” V-twins.
for typical Australian riding conditions. The Enfield design had remained frozen in time since India took over their production back in the fifties; from the mudguards through to the pistons they didn’t change a thing for almost 50 years. While this was fine for Indian riding conditions, in other countries where prolonged, higher speeds are demanded, engine component failure was a reoccurring issue. The Carberry was designed to be a reliable and affordable revision of Enfields original design.
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Guy’s Carberry, started out as a stock 500cc Royal Enfield that he had acquired during the development of the company. Two 500cc Enfield heads, each bored to 535cc were mounted on the sand-cast, Carberry bottom end at 55 degrees to form the V-twin. High compression Accralite pistons and aluminum barrels were added to avoid any of the old high speed problems and a new cam, 5 speed gearbox, Nissan hydraulic lifters and Daihatsu oil pumps completed the engine transformation. The resulting V-twin produces around 50bhp which is almost three times the power of the original motor and with the COVID-19 Edition
upgraded lubrication system, it has more than 90 times more oil flow than Enfield’s design. To accommodate the Carberry V-twin the Enfield’s frame was extended by 60mm at the backbone. A twin down tube configuration was added to fit the crankcase and additional gussets provide extra strength. Finally minor adjustments to the tank and the seat were made and it was ready for the road. “The Bulldogs power comes on at around 1000rpm and pulls hard right up to its 4500rpm limit.” Through the twisty roads of the Yarra Valley, Guy says he’s played tag with many modern sports bikes and although it doesn’t have the straight line performance to match, it can easily hold it’s own.
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The V-twin will happily cruise at 140kmh and can even comfortably sit on full rpm thanks to the de-stressed design of the Carberry motor.
Bulldog and it’s never skipped a beat. For more photos of the Bulldog grab yourself a copy of issue 10 of Fuel Magazine.
Since it was completed Guy has done over 25,000kms on the
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ROYAL ENFIELD OWNERS CLUB www.royalenfield.org.uk
The Royal Enfield Owners club (REOC) exists for the benefit of its Members as a forum for the interchange of ideas and information on the use, restoration and maintenance of Royal Enfield motorcycles and machines both old and new. The REOC will continue to achieve that aim by publishing The Gun, it’s bi-monthly member’s magazine and maintaining regular monthly Branch meetings across the British Isles for the social and technical benefit of its Members. In 2017 the REOC reached its 40th anniversary and hosted a special event to celebrate this landmark occasion. Such events along with a full annual rally calendar demonstrate our commitment to the REOC Mission statement.
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ROYAL ENFIELD PARTS https://burtonbikebits.net sales@burtonbikebits.net
Burton Bike Bits own one of the largest ranges of Royal Enfield Parts in the world. Please note, we have a much larger range of parts than our website shows. Please contact us if you need any help finding anything! GENUINE ROYAL ENFIELD PARTS In 1981, Burton Bike Bits purchased the Royal Enfield ex factory stock from the late Matt Holder at Aerco Jig and Tool. This meant that Burton Bike Bits would be the number one supplier of genuine Royal Enfield Parts in the World. The volumes of this huge stock of Enfield parts meant that we still carry a great range to this day, but we also stock Newly made Royal Enfield Parts.
restorations. This is not possible all of the time, but we believe that availability of Royal Enfield parts is as good as, if not better now than it has ever been! Royal Enfield Interceptor Parts We are big fans of the Royal Enfield Interceptor! So much so that we started up the Royal Enfield Interceptor register. We also carry a huge range of parts for the Interceptors, from the early VAX Model, right up to the MK2 Interceptor and even Rickman Interceptor Model.
However, as of 2018, there is a new Royal Enfield Interceptor on the market. Made by Royal Enfield India, this bike uses the all new 650cc twin engine. Styling harks back to the Mighty Interceptor of the sixties and feedback has so far been good! Royal Enfield Bullet Parts As well as a range of Classic Royal Enfield parts, we do also stock parts for the Enfield Indian Bullet. We can help with parts to restore your bullet, but also a great range of aftermarket Bullet parts which can help transform your bike!
UK Made Royal Enfield Parts Where genuine Royal Enfield parts are not available we try our hardest to get parts made in England to make sure that our customers are not stuck for parts during their Vintage Motorcycle News
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The Goose
Motorcycle Tent
Source: The return of the Café Racers
I feel the need… the need to go camping! I don’t know about you, but the idea of heading out on a motorcycle for a few days of camping sounds like the perfect getaway. What could be better than riding all day then sleeping under the stars free from the stress of city life, just you and your trusty steed? Unfortunately, without the proper gear, you may struggle to make that dream a reality.
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Motorcycle travel is nothing new and there are plenty of bikes and luggage systems designed especially for it. If however, you don’t ride that kind of bike or feel like bolting extra bits to your slick ride you’ll need to find another solution. Introducing the Wingman of the Road ‘Goose’ a new motorcycle tent system designed especially with motorcyclists in mind.
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Created by Kendal and Callie Sants the Goose is a swag style all-in-one motorcycle tent. This means it solves all of your camp shelter needs in one go. Best of all the whole thing rolls up into a 10kg package that’s under 65cm wide and 34cm round. All you need to do is secure it to the back of your seat using tie-down straps.
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The Goose is constructed from heavy duty rip stop canvas similar to the stuff the military use. The canvas has been treated making it waterproof and insulated. All of the seams are double stitched and the zips are heavy duty to create an all-around sturdy and weatherproof package. Wingman of the Road’s Goose also comes with an integrated sleeping bag and high-density foam mattress that’s packed inside the tent. This removes the need to carry additional sleeping gear. The Goose is also well adapted to dealing with different conditions. During wetter months you’ll stay dry thanks to the tent’s canvas exterior and heavy-duty waterproof PVC base. You’ll also stay warm most of the year because the sleeping bag is rated for 3 season use.
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On warmer nights you can open the two large entries on each side that feature mosquito netting to keep the bugs out. Then on each end, there are additional ventilation windows that can also be closed to keep the warmth in. One of the other appealing aspects of the Goose is how easy it is to set up and tear down. Performing either task takes a mere 5 minutes. I was lucky enough to have a Goose to try out so here’s how it went on my very first attempt setting it up. • Step 1: After removing the Goose from the bike I placed it on the floor and opened the buckles. I rolled the tent out and positioned the cover how I wanted it. Goose suggest placing the cover to the right of the tent so you can create a ‘dry space’ to store your helmet and other riding gear out of the elements.
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• Step 2: I removed the poles and pegs from the pocket in the cover. There are 3 poles in total. Two elastic core curved fibreglass poles and one telescopic. After piecing together the curved poles I fed them through a canvas sleeve and each end of the tent, clipped on the edges and anchored at the base. All the securing points are cleverly built into the structure. • Step 3: I put the two halves of the telescopic pole together. I place the points on the ends of the telescopic pole into the eyelets at each end of the tent and extended the pole out. This raised the centre of the tent up and taught. I then pushed the lock on the pole down to secure it. At this stage, I pretty much had a freestanding tent! • Step 4: I used the pegs and tiedown ropes to secure the tent to the ground and extend the ends.
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• Step 5: (optional) I rolled my bike alongside the tent making sure it was parked on stable ground. I then extend the side panel out and secured it to the bike. This created my create dry storage space and completed the setup.
Taking such a short time to erect means you can set up late and pack as much riding time into your day as possible. With everything rolled into one all that needs to be considered is what other gear you’ll need.
The Wingman of the Road Goose motorcycle tent retails for £310 and comes with a 3-year warranty. Sure it’s not the cheapest option out there, but compare it with non-motocentric swags of the same calibre and you’ll see the value.
On a weekend trip, you’ll probably If you’re yearning for an open road Sounds easy right? That’s because it get away with just a backpack and a escape the Goose motorcycle tent is was! In fact, it was so easy I was left few other essentials. ready to be your wingman. feeling like I’d missed something out. info@wingmanoftheroad.com - https://wingmanoftheroad.com
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