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Which Bike? Comments and Questions on what is the best bike for YOU, for YOUR trip. Note that we believe that ANY bike will do, so please remember that it's all down to PERSONAL OPINION. Technical Questions for all brands go in their own forum.
Photo by George Guille, It's going to be a long 300km... Bolivian Amazon

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by George Guille
It's going to be a long 300km...
Bolivian Amazon



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  #1  
Old 12 Jun 2016
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Which Enfield 350
Hi all, firstly this bike will be UK only.
Every now and again, the Enfield bug bites. Just always fancied bumbling about in the summer. After a while my head gets into gear and the reality bites, do I really want one. I then buy something else. I have found two cheap enough to buy. So I can sell for similar money so I am going to go for it.
However, which one?
No 1, 2005 ,
5 speed
Thunderbird
No leccy start
Low miles lean burn engine
No 2 2007
4 speed
Bullet pre lean burn
No leccy start
Slightly higher miles
Which would you by?
Which is the most reliable?
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  #2  
Old 12 Jun 2016
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Unhappy
1) Buy the cheaper of the two.

2) Buy a Japanese 125 for the times when (not if) the Enfield is down for service.
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  #3  
Old 12 Jun 2016
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About the same price
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  #4  
Old 12 Jun 2016
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PM sent, but for for anyone else reading later, I think the Thunderbird may be Indian not export spec. If I aren't barking up the wrong tree this would decide it for me.

Enfields are brilliant fun if you accept what they are. Ride it like it's 1955, smell the roses and listen to the cricket and drink tea while you do the maintenance. Try to make a cheap Goldstar or use it like a CB500 and they do bite. My 2005 had a clutch cable and a loose wire, all fixed at the side of the road, no rides on the truck a la BMW

Andy
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Old 12 Jun 2016
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Registered 1/6/2005 guessing new at first registration.
How do you tell?
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  #6  
Old 12 Jun 2016
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Ask who the dealer was? Sounds better than it could be, it hasn't been ridden home from India, but could still have been a personal import.

You could call into Haywards too? Worth knowing them as with Hitchcocks they would be your obvious source of filters and gaskets.

Andy
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  #7  
Old 12 Jun 2016
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The 350 lean burns with 5 speed gearbox are a great combination. A few are known to have clocked very high miles without problems. But buy it and expect problems, once those have been fixed properly will run ( at about 50-55mph) like a champ.
What you will find is it will need small bits of maintenance from time to time the upside is they can survive and continue to run with problems that would kill a modern bike.
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Old 13 Jun 2016
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Threewheelbonnie View Post
Ask who the dealer was? Sounds better than it could be, it hasn't been ridden home from India, but could still have been a personal import.

You could call into Haywards too? Worth knowing them as with Hitchcocks they would be your obvious source of filters and gaskets.

Andy
The bike was bought new in Nepal by an Army guy, delivered to Germany , then brought to England. So I am guessing the non import models are inferior? I am unsure now. Are we now saying the old engine bike is now a better buy?
Thanks guys so far for your help
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Old 13 Jun 2016
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Enfield had a home monopoly for 20+ years. They basically sorted components and used the best for export models. If the indicators didn't work, who cares, its India. Export models were also often rebuilt by the European dealers. Conventional wisdom is to run away, but if its running and doing regular miles it could be better that some old boys failed Goldstar project.

Andy
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  #10  
Old 13 Jun 2016
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Tbqh, I am getting a bit put off again. Thunderbird has 3k on the clocks. Old hat has 12k kilometres. Thh I would prefer a lean burn engine model in a bullet shape. So basically bolacksd.
They are both a good price. Can't afford both though
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