Enfield cafe racer

[dxhall]

The local Enfield dealer is advertising a couple new cafe bikes.  The bikes look great, but 29hp is not much.  Anyone ridden one of these?  I'll be in that part of Denver this Saturday and may stop for a look.  I'm thinking that in November in Denver they'll be willing to deal.  Internet price is around $5300 + shipping.

[professor]

I owned one. I one word....Don't.

[leafman60]

Hey, wait a minute.

Here's our answer.

Buy an Enfield and it will make you appreciate the V9!

[M0T0Geezer]

I owned one. I one word....Don't.

You owned an Enfield Cafe Racer?
"Don't" - How about a few reasons from your personal experience?

'Geezer

[Triple Jim]

The bikes look great, but 29hp is not much. 

Just for reference, my Ninja 250 has has more power than that and weighs something like 330 lbs.

[Yeahoo Whoyah]

But they do have a nice visual, something to look at but not ride perhaps?

[Rox]

I never rode one but I have ridden a bunch of Enfields.
The Continental GT is a bike that has potential to be more but for whatever reason they didn't. It's got some zip until 80mph where it falls on its face. I just wish it was more like my old srx-600 . If it was I would of bought one a year ago. Im sure with some tweaking it can be a seriously fun motorcycle. As it sits from the showroom it's just fun. About as quick as a V-7 but lacking the top end of one.

[huub]

i own a couple of enfields nothing wrong with them
i used them for daily commuting for years, even the old iron barrel ones can be reliable.
the most important thing , first do a test ride , and decide if you can live with 25 HP
with another pipe they are just as much fun as any 25 hp bike can give.

personally i dont mind the 25 hp,
i also run a nuovo falcone , and that is a lot slower.

if i am in a hurry i have faster bikes ,but i rarely need them

[Chuck in Indiana]

I met a guy on the Angeles Crest with a cafe Enfield that he'd done himself. He said it was the most fun he'd had on a bike. Also the most problematic..

[ohiorider]

Our WG forum member, Nick, did a nice write up on his two trips thru the UK recently.  Had his choice of various bikes, and went back with RE for the second trip as well.  Maybe these bikes are an acquired taste, vs instant gratification.  I need to ck one out at ClevelandMoto this spring.

[leafman60]

i also run a nuovo falcone , and that is a lot slower.

Heyyyy! Cut that out!

[Kev m]

Our WG forum member, Nick, did a nice write up on his two trips thru the UK recently.  Had his choice of various bikes, and went back with RE for the second trip as well.  Maybe these bikes are an acquired taste, vs instant gratification.  I need to ck one out at ClevelandMoto this spring.

But it's also possible that renting one for a week that comes with a support crew might be the way to go.

I want to like them. Checked out a couple last week.



You think it is a coincidence that this GIANT dealership has them parked all the way at one end (next to a door labeled LAW OFFICE)?

<shrug>

[ohiorider]

But it's also possible that renting one for a week that comes with a support crew might be the way to go.

I want to like them. Checked out a couple last week.



You think it is a coincidence that this GIANT dealership has them parked all the way at one end (next to a door labeled LAW OFFICE)?

<shrug>

That was too funny!

[Kev m]

Let me be clear, when I say GIANT dealership they carry:

Victory
Triumph
Honda
Kawasaki
Suzuki
Yamaha
Ural
Royal Enfield
Artic Cat
Ski Doo
Sea Doo
Polaris
Can Am
Slingshot

I'm sure I'm missing something.

https://goo.gl/photos/32WDeJbNZ6za3F5t9

[M0T0Geezer]

I see the RE Continental GT as a work of rolling art - like all Moto Guzzi. 

BTW, the RE CGT has 29 throbbing hp (not a mere 25) out of 535cc.

It gets about the same power as any 2-valve pushrod engine.  A 750 twin version of the same design would be about 45 hp - similar to a Guzzi V7.

Here's a video review:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DX-YjX9yhiM

[MGPilot]

I like REs. I like the simplicity. I like the styling kits so they look like vintage bikes, but one you can get parts & service for.

After spending time on the RE forums & talking to RE owners, decided that they are appropriate if you are going to use them in the city or have secondary roads for riding. Really a lot of fun.

But....I live on freshwater island. Other than boats, the only connection off the island is a major highway that runs across it. As best as I could tell, an RE just isn't up to the task of merging into and keeping up with modern highway speeds. That kept me looking and ended up with the V-7II. For me, it was a better choice unless all I wanted to do was ride around the island and could truck it to the dealer when necessary.

[jas67]

I've ridden the RE Bullet G5.   Until I rode the RE, I always said that the V7 was the closest thing you could buy new today to a vintage bike with the true vintage experience.

I was pleasantly surprised.  Sure it wasn't fast, but, it was enjoyable.   I think I had it up to 70 MPH, which means that I could take it on the highway if I had to.     It certainly had enough power to maintain any speed I want to do on back roads.  It was smoother than I thought.  I expected a lot more vibration.  I actually found the vibration it had to be soothing, since it is a lot lower frequency, than say the buzz of a 350cc non-counter balanced twin at 5,000 RPM.

It is a pleasant bike to ride, and has stunning good looks IMHO.  As for the Continental GT, it looks great, but, I already thought the V7 Racer looked to racy for it's performance, well the CGT is definitely that.    But, like the V7R, it would be a great bike to ride to the MC breakfast rallies if you want attention.     

I certainly don't have any experience to speak as to their reliability, but, from what I've read, if you do a through QC on it upon delivery, it isn't half bad.

At the end of the day though, I'd rather spend the couple thousand more to get a V7.

[Loftness]

The Enfield Continental GTs are fun enough little around town-type bikes.  Their power is weak and the riding position gets old after 30 minutes (or less), and if you take them over 40 you start to feel like you're riding a snowblower with the amount of shaking going on.  No matter the amount of PDI we do on them many of them end up coming back to us within a couple weeks due to minor issues (usually a clamp coming loose or a switch malfunction).  Though after that first fix, if it even has to be done, they're generally trouble-free. 

It probably sounds like I'm just ripping them to shreds but actually I like the bikes.  I like the Continental GTs with the performance kit, which is very affordable, and I like the B5/C5 series as a leisurely cruiser.  I could ride one of those all day long.

Another thing of note is that Enfield is in the process of changing their US business setup, so make sure your local dealer is going to maintain their Enfield relationship past 2015. 

[steven c]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAFheyFew3A

[pikipiki]

i own a couple of enfields nothing wrong with them
i used them for daily commuting for years, even the old iron barrel ones can be reliable.
the most important thing , first do a test ride , and decide if you can live with 25 HP
with another pipe they are just as much fun as any 25 hp bike can give.

personally i dont mind the 25 hp,
i also run a nuovo falcone , and that is a lot slower.

How does the Falcone compare to the Enfild?

[Travman]

I have been enjoying mine for the past few weeks.  It works well for the roads I ride.  The riding position is fine (I'm 5'10" and 165lbs).  It will do about 10 mph more than the regular 500cc Royal Enfields. 

[jas67]

I have been enjoying mine for the past few weeks.  It works well for the roads I ride.  The riding position is fine (I'm 5'10" and 165lbs).  It will do about 10 mph more than the regular 500cc Royal Enfields. 

Nice!   I didn't know you got one.   Did you replace the CB360 with it?

[Travman]

Nice!   I didn't know you got one.   Did you replace the CB360 with it?

The CB360 left last spring. My wife never really ended up using it.  It was a little too tall in the seat for her at 5'4". It sold to a local kid.  I saw it around town several times over the summer. 

I bought this RE a few weeks ago.  It was a shop demo bike, although I don't think anybody really demo'ed it except for the shop owner.

[huub]

How does the Falcone compare to the Enfield?

they are remarkably different , the falcone is a lot heavier , basically a single cylinder gold wing.
it will do everything you want, just not in a hurry.
the 4 speed gearbox is slow, the enfield has a modern 5 speed box
brakes on the falcone are adequate at best, the enfields disk brakes actually work.
suspension is a different league too ( the falcones front forks are undampened)
in comparison the enfield is a modern bike , compact and responsive.

having said that , the lazy power delivery of the nuovo falcone is addictive,
i can spend hours just pottering along, enjoying the sound.

[Arizona Wayne]

Sounds like these Enfield 500s are comparable in performance to my Piaggio 250 MP3.  It'll do up to 77 mph, cruise @ 65 mph all day and gets 70 mpg w/22.5 hp.(w/c, 4 valve, EFI).

[Loftness]

Sounds like these Enfield 500s are comparable in performance to my Piaggio 250 MP3.  It'll do up to 77 mph, cruise @ 65 mph all day and gets 70 mpg w/22.5 hp.(w/c, 4 valve, EFI).

Not quite...the MP3 is much better suited to higher speeds.  At 70mph the vibrations from the Enfield would shatter your teeth.

[jas67]

Love the fairing on this one:

[oldbike54]

Love the fairing on this one:

 Yep , that's the cat's meow 
 Hmm , maybe more accurately , that's the cat's pajamas 
 
  Dusty

[Arizona Wayne]

Love the fairing on this one:

Oh my!    Think I'm In love...............

[Tom]

Gives meaning to the term "chasing tail".