different strokes and all that.some people want to travel on a bike and enjoy the trip, not be grovelling in the dirt at the side of the road working on bikes.
some people aren't mechanically minded...others are, some people like to take stuff others don't. doesn't make you more of an adventure rider coz you can fix a broken crank in the jungle with a shifter and a pen knife, like sleeping on rocks and can survive on half a dog biscuit a day.
if they are out there riding - good for them however they choose.

Thanks Mate,
You just confirmed everything I was saying.

Hi Hendi, interesting read!. What made you use the RE and not another bike?. What bike are you currently riding? and how many miles riding do you do a year on average?. Oh one other, if the valve clearances are closing up so frequently is it due to poor hardening of the valve seats? atb Floyd

"A denial of progress" is music to my ears.

I have no idea why I like sitting out in the middle of the heat thinking, "Damn, I wish I was a mechanic" while I fettle with bits until the bike runs again. It's fun.

Move to where? I'm not in a hurry to see anything. My time is open. Using, not just collecting, an old bike or car is an open invitation to meet other similar minded kooks.

Sadly, I couldn't get my 1965 Ducati into India, so I bought a RE 350. Almost all of the cars and bikes I've owned have been from the 1960s. This one, a 1996, is by far the newest vehicle I've ever owned but it has nothing to do with a 1996 vehicle one can buy in the USA.

My next bike, with some luck, will be a girder forked Norton single. I'll update my 1960s outlook with a bit of pre-war. It'd be a nice bike to ride from Alaska to Argentina.

""""My next bike, with some luck, will be a girder forked Norton single. I'll update my 1960s outlook with a bit of pre-war. It'd be a nice bike to ride from Alaska to Argentina """


Now you're talking !!!!!!!!!
My dream ride .
But on an Ariel Red Hunter !
But an ES2 would be fine as well [ good enough for Che ]

Sometimes it's nice to be able to hurry to the destination in a hassle free quick manner so that you have more time to explore/enjoy there rather than admire a boring highway leading to your destination.

The Enfield may be one manufactured in '96, but technologically, it is probably a lot older than the rest of the stuff you have used!

Oh yeah, if I lived in India, I'd want something more reliable. That's why I have a 1978 Yamaha SR500 (close to a big Brit single with quality control).

It was almost "flip a coin" to figure out if I'd get a Baja/Vespa scooter, a Honda Hero, an Enfield, an XR185, or an auto rickshaw (tuk tuk). But the Enfield came up first.

"No matter how may Corn Flakes packets I used" is what got me around Australia and New Zealand, but I couldn't figure out the right amount of corn flake packets to use to make a new piston.

An ES2 or even a 16H would be good. I got to ride a Brough Superior once which was wonderful. So was the 1990s Honda Dream 50 that's based off the 1960s CR110 race bike. My two favorite bikes I've ridden.

-Dave

Royal Enfield
 

Hi Floyd,
Sorry for the late reply , you ask why I choose to ride a RE in India . I like to ride local motorbike when I travel and the mistic of the RE attracted me for this reason, as far as what I ride at home , I have a R1200GS, a KTM450SXF and an XR650R tagged for dual sport. I ride about 30.000 a year more or less and usually change bike every few years ,just for the fun of it. I am now preparing for RTW 2 up and still looking for the bike to pick (Vstroom look like the right one at this time. I am part of these guy which cannot be entirely satisfied with one bike?

New bike to me
 

I finally bought myself an Enfield, had it about two months and have done just under 2,000 miles on it. That includes a 900 mile trip back to the UK two weeks ago.
I rode it around lh shift for three weeks before i fitted the RH shift kit I bought with the bike. I have to say I now realise that my dislike of the BMW was as much to do with bMW being too big, too heavy and too unergonomic for me. Sadly I had blamed all my woes on the left shift. I actually was at home on the Enfield with a left shift, but now gearchanges just happen as does braking, I dont have to think about it anymore. I really feel at home and as one with what I think of as 'my little bike'.
The trip to teh uk consisted of 400 miles in the French hot dry summer and 500 miles of winter rainstorms in the UK. During that time my (original) rear chain went from usable to worn. The 14.5 litre tank gives a good range.
For the 894 miles I used 43.1 litres of fuel. I make that to be about 94 mpg :) So an 18 litre tank would give me a good touring range. On teh good french roads I was poodling along at around 60mph, which is aboutthe same as I would do on the BMW. The BM of course could cruise much faster when i wished. The Enfield had plenty in reserve, it just seemed to want to run at that speed. I think it may be just a bit overgeared as it needs noticeably more throttle to maintain 60 up hill than down it. Generally it slows going up, and speeds up coming down. When I got it at 6800 miles I did a full service on it..and checked and adjusted the tappets. Now at 8200 miles it has not used any oil, and I havent looked at the tappets. ( starts easily on the kickstart) I noticed the chain when I went to clean the bike.
The bike does not leak oil. Yet.
which is a pity, as an engine breather blowing on the chain would be an improvement.
I think, when it comes to changing out the sprockets, I may reduce the gearbox sprocket by one tooth to make slow speed riding smoother and gradients easier. After all, I only have 25hp to play with :)