Day: March 14, 2019

Tecate!

We had an easy run down the 15 freeway today, then it was the 805, then California’s magnificent SR 94 to a quick turn on the 188, and wow, Mexico!

Rolling up to the Mexican border in Tecate on a Royal Enfield 650. Wow!
…and, we’re there!

Joe and I processed through Mexican Immigration (we were the only ones there), and then it was a quick right to that fabulous restaurant I told you about a couple of weeks ago…the Malinalli Sabores Autóctonos.  It was an early dinner for us (we hadn’t had lunch) and it was fabulous.  We both ordered flautas and Joe grabbed a photo of my good friend Alicia with me…

Joe G, astounded by my flautas. We each had the same thing. The total bill was about $12. Incredible. I couldn’t finish mine.
Alicia, the proprietor. We’re having breakfast there tomorrow before we continue our trip south.

After that, it was a quick putt around town and we switched bikes.   I rode the 650 INT today and Joe was on the 500 Bullet.  Joe said he thought the Bullet was running rough.  I hadn’t picked up on that when I rode it yesterday, so I wanted to see if it felt funky to me.   I didn’t have any issues with the bike, but I wasn’t riding it at high speed all day like Joe was.  I’ll get my chance tomorrow for some extended high speed miles as we continue to roll south.   Sometimes these old big single cylinder bikes are easy to stall (I stalled it once or twice in town), especially thumping around in traffic when you’re trying to see the stop signs.    I think it’s fine.   There’s no question that the 650 is a much more refined bike than the Bullet, but I’m a happy camper with either one.

We stopped near a photo of the Tecate cerveza brewery and hung out downtown for a bit.  It’s cold here, but not nearly as cold as it was a few weeks ago when I did the Janus Baja run.

Tecate, Mexico. On Royal Enfields. Good times.
Near the Tecate town square. I wasn’t sure we could park there, so I asked a Mexican police officer and he told me we were good.
Uncle Joe, delighted to grab some seat time on the 650.

As walked around town, I saw a hot dog delivery dude (hey, I can’t make this up) on an Italika 150 and we had a good conversation.  He didn’t speak English, but Joe G speaks a little Spanish.  Joe’s Spanish wasn’t cutting the mustard, though (pardon the Oscar Meyer analogy), because our new friend called his girlfriend (who speaks English) and we had an interesting four-way conversation.   It was fun.

Riding, the universal language.

I was impressed as hell with the 650, but truth be told, I was even more impressed with the Bullet’s performance.  Joe took the lead on the 15 because he knew the roads to the 94.   That little Bullet is fast…he was cruising at 70 pretty consistently all the way down and there were a few times when he was touching an indicated 80.   And the 650…wow!  It’s smooth, fast, comfortable, and it handles very well.   I’ll tell you more about the performance of both bikes as the trip progresses.  I’ll be on the Bullet tomorrow and Joe’s riding the 650.   More to follow, folks.

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Snapshot!

So far I’m not meshing well with the 500cc Royal Enfield Bullet. I keep stalling the thing at stops and unless its pulling under load it hits and misses like a two stroke. Other times it runs flawlessly. Berk has ridden the thing and says it’s fine and that I don’t know how to ride a heavy flywheel, old fashioned motorcycle. Being the senior member of the Royal Enfield tour team he should know. Although, in my defense he stalled it twice. Berk is going to ride the 500cc single all day tomorrow and we will see if it’s me or the motorcycle.

The Bullet runs great on the highway, though, loping along at an easy 70 miles per hour. There is a bit of vibration but it seems like the faster you go the smoother it gets. I wound it up to 80-85 and it was remarkably smooth for an engine designed back when fuel was sold in one gallon tin cans at hardware stores.

Actually, that’s not true. This 500cc single is quite a bit different from the old 1950s Enfields. It’s unit construction for one. (Transmission and engine all in one case.)  It’s fuel injected and starts at the push of a button. Still, the Bullet wouldn’t raise an eyebrow if it was sent back in time to the Eisenhower era.

The Bullet gets astronomical gas mileage. Our freeway run from Los Angeles to San Diego netted 75 miles per gallon and I wasn’t sparing the throttle. On long uphill grades I’d whack her open in 5th gear and the Bullet would slowly gain speed, passing semi trucks like they were semi trucks.

I’ve only ridden the new 650cc twin around Tecate but what a sweet machine. It revs in a peppy, mouth-full-of-pop-rocks sort of way, the transmission is slick as a Yamaha’s and the steering is light. It lifts off the side stand easily and comes with a center stand. Mechanically, this motorcycle works.

I love the thing. I haven’t stared at it too long but I don’t see any glaring faults in the fit or finish. It fires up so fast and runs so smooth. The seat is long and seems comfortable, it’s almost like a Brat Bike seat except good-looking. The cropped front and rear fenders are adorable yet tough. How is that possible? Clutch pull is light and the action is perfect. Foot pegs are slightly back, the bars place you in a slight forward lean. The Royal Enfield 650 is a shiny orange piece of Moto-confection. If I wasn’t such a cheapskate I’d run out and buy one of the things.

Whoa…what am I saying? Buy a new motorcycle? I’m getting way over my head with this 650, let’s burn a few thousand miles into the odometer and see if I’m still madly in love with the Royal Enfield twin.

We’re off 2

We’re about to head off to Baja and if you would have asked me what new motorcycle I’d most like to ride I’da told you the new Royal Enfield 650cc twin.

A 650 twin is the perfect size motorcycle for any type riding you care to do. You can tour, scramble or bop around town like you own the joint.

Royal Enfield has nailed the styling on their (Interceptor?) and styling is 90% of a motor cycle for me. The other 52% is performance and we will see about that.

Berk has pulled rank and gets the first stint in the 650 relegating me to the 500cc Bullet single. Hey, that’s not a problem since I like singles more than twins.

Now, where can I strap that extra gas can in the Bullet?

We’re Off!

Joe Gresh arrived here at ExNotes Central late last night (after driving 850 miles in a single day), and it was good to see old Arjiu again (that’s Joe’s Chinese name, I’m Dajiu, and you can read all about how we picked up those names in Riding China).

We’re going to be on the road as you read this, and you can follow our adventure right here on the ExNotes blog.  If you missed the first few preparatory Enfield posts, here they are:

The Bullet hits home!
18 again!
BajaBound on Royal Enfield!

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