Love Dem Bullets!
- by Pete Snidal (C)2003
More and more owners every year are discovering and falling in love with
the Royal Enfield Bullet single-cylinder motorcycles.
And what's not to love? Whether your turn-on is the snarl of a highly-tuned
single in battle, or the delightful putt-putt of a mildly organized back
road popper, there's something about that "big single" (350 or 500cc)
that, once it's in your heart, will never let go!
Join The Fraternity
It's easy to tell members apart from the rest. No, it's not a
handshake, or a secret sign with the fingers. But you know a fellow
single freak the instant he or she steps astride one and attempts to
start it. If you're dealing with a "jap multi" kinda guy, or even a Brit
Twin rider, you'll see him lay the weight on the kickstarter heedless of
where the piston is, or what stroke it's on - usually to be greeted by
a kickback of some kind, resulting in anything from a running-backwards
spitting out the carburetor to him being launched over the handlebars.
The cognoscenti, on the other hand, will be immediately distinguished by
the way they use the kickstarter to "feel" the piston to the proper
position on the compression stroke, then the compression release to ease
it over just that right amount, then an easy shift of the weight onto
the kickstarter, and presto!; putty-putty; the monster comes to life!
And there's no other motorcycle like
it! There's just something about the feel and sound of that
slow-running torquey single that sets it apart from any other kind of
motorcycle. Not a "zinger," not a potato-potato chugger, but a lovely,
simple little machine from a more innocent era, one innocent of a quest
for biggerbetterfastermoreexpensive, but rather one of "just how simple
can we make this thing? And how reliable?"
Getting Rare!
As with most other kinds of innocence, this one is getting rare. The
Brit Single is definitely a machine of another era. Its heavy-flywheel
high-torque slow-running feel somehow fell out of fashion by the sixth
decade of the last century, and the magic names Panther, Matchless, AJS,
Ariel Red Hunter, BSA Gold Star, (and B33, and B31), Velocette, Norton
ES2, and
others have somehow disappeared from the vernacular of all but the few
collectors lucky enough to have snared a piece of this glorious past.
Except for Royal Enfield. Saved, somehow, by some sort of miracle, this
one single example of the genre still lives, and is being produced to
this day - in India. Due to a lucky stroke of fate, the country felt a
need for this kind of transport in the mid '50's. A delegation made
its way to Redditch, Worcestershire, England, and Inidan production
began, making 350
cc Enfield singles in their own domestic factory. Perfect for a
developing country, these simple, easily-maintained and inexpensively
produced motorcycles proved to be just the ticket for the Indian
domestic market - primarily for the Army, the Civil Service, and the
Police Force, although they quickly became The Status Motorcycle in a
land otherwise populated by Yamazuki 50's and Hondaha 90's - the way for
Those Who Could Afford Them to pronounce their hardcoreness as Real
Motorcyclists.
No Gadgets
The Enfield Bullet is remarkably gadget-free. Supplied with moving-contact
points ignition, air cooled, mechanical speedometer, kickstarter (electric
start has recently been made available, but fortunately you don't _have_
to take it this way), the Bullet has retained the basic simplicity of the
1950's motorcycle. It's as if were frozen in time right after the happy
development of the swing-arm frame!
This simplicity makes it ideal for those who want not only to be able to
ride their machine, but also to learn to maintain it. With a good manual
and basic hand tools, the home mechanic can soon learn to master any and
all service procedures, from simple tune-up to complete rebuild. Or not -
there is an ever-expanding dealer network becoming readily available for
those who prefer to "let John do it."
How Many?
The Royal Enfield Bullet is now a truly Indian Motorcycle. Although
conceived and designed in England, the Bullet has been in production in
India for many more years than it ever was in its original home, and in
massively larger quantities.
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There are hundreds of times more Bullets
still in operation in India today than were ever made in England - and
more exported to other countries as well.
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Bullets For Sale - Take Your Pick!
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"Instant Collector Piece"
Lately - during the '90's, the Enfield Bullet was "discovered" by
motorcyclists from other areas of the world, and has now become a
valued "instant collector piece" for motorcyclists the
world over - there are Bullet Clubs in Sweden, Germany, England (a
given!) the US, in fact all over the planet, dedicated to helping
owners, new and old, enjoy their Bullets in every way possible. And an
ever-expanding dealer network as well.
What About Changes?
Although the Indian factory has lately been making attempts to "get with
the times," making newer models incorporating "modernized" changes, they
thankfully are still producing the Basic Bullets - in 350 and 500, in
"Standard," "Deluxe," and "Military" trim - virtually unchanged in
appearance from the models first produced in the '50's! These are so
true to the original genre, in fact, - parts are virtually
interchangeable - that the British Royal Enfield Owner's Club ruled a
number of years ago not to distinguish Indian Enfields from original
Redditch models in shows and contests. (The main reason being that so
very few existing Enfields, even original British models, may be counted
on to have NO Indian components somewhere.) So currently, it's the best
of all worlds - those who have been riding Bullets for so long they're
ready for something a little different have a choice of domestic models
from which to choose, but the dyed-in-the-wool originals are still
available. (although, perhaps regrettably, with some small modifications.)
Not Cheap
Unfortunately, due to import restrictions - EPA, Departments of Transport,
duties and customs regulations, the Enfield Bullets are quite "value added"
by the time they are imported into most countries. This, along with more
stringent dealer prep required for the more sophisticated European and North
American Markets, - and of course shipping - generally about doubles the
domestic price over that
for which the machines can be had in India. But they are still a bargain,
compared with contemporary motorcycles from the usual places, such as Japan,
Germany, Sweden, Italy, and (thankfully, again!) England. And truly unique
in their temporal aspect - no other solo make or model has been "frozen in time"
like the Enfield Bullet.
So, if you can spare half the price for four times the fun, or you're
just getting bored with your contemporary motorcycle(s), consider adding
a Bullet to your collection!
Where Do You Get One?
Simple! Just Google "Royal Enfield" on the
internet!
