Everything Joe Berk has written about the Bullet’s shaky performance on our Baja tour is true, but like our President’s spokeswoman has said, there are alternative facts in addition to real facts.
The first alternative fact is that motorcycle reliability is highly over-rated. For me, being broken down on the side of the road with the Bullet is much more preferable to gliding by silently on a plastic-encased, soulless appliance. Some of the funniest, most enjoyable times on our ride were when the Bullet did something strange requiring me and Berk to use our brains and not just our wallets. Besides, most of the Bullet’s issues were easily resolved with a hammer or by burning some sage (except for the chain and sprocket wearing out), and we were back on the road in a matter of minutes.
Another fact I dispute is the 70 miles-per-hour top speed of the Bullet. I swear I saw 80 miles per hour plus on the run down California’s busy Highway 15 and we were staying with traffic just fine. The Bullet may have gone even faster but I was in no mood to tuck in. Anyway, if you want speed a used Suzuki ‘Busa will set you back 3 to 5 thousand dollars and you’ll have all the speed you can stand.
The bike was a bit bent up in the rear. Not knowing the history we didn’t know if it had been dropped at some point or if the factory jigs put a twist into the operation from Day One. The Bullet’s steel kickstand was easy to bend so I offered to straighten out the rear frame but Berk felt we might just cause other problems in the process. I’m guessing other Bullets are not so crooked.
Even though the exciting new Royal Enfield 650 was supposed to be our focus on this Baja trip, the Bullet dominated the conversation and our thoughts. Good or bad, that’s a sign of an interesting motorcycle. Do I like the Bullet better than the new 650? Oh, hell no! I love the 650 and would buy one, but if you prefer the Bullet with all its faults you’re my kind of motorcyclist.
I caught the RE bug a few years back, with the purchase of a Classic 500 in 2015. Over the past 2 years, I’ve acquired 2 more REs. A Himalayan last summer and a leftover 535 GT, just this past January. I love these bikes! Simple, fun and (so far) reliable enough. 10,000 miles on the Classic and aside from me over tightening some fasteners, now real “issues”. I really hope Royal Enfield gains some traction in the USA. The Himalayan seems to be getting a lot of attention. I hope the 650s do well once released here in the states….. Loving this blog by the way. If you guys get out to the Smokey Mountain area, give me a heads up. I would love to show you guys some great rides. (Other than the Dragon) 😄
Thanks very much, Greg. Yeah, these bikes are fun to ride and have tons of character. One of these days we’ll make it back east.
After getting and riding a Himalayan, I am a RE convert, now I am very interested in a classic 500, especially after your story and looking at some YouTube videos of a British guy living in Spain having a grand time on rural roads over there. There is something about riding at a leisurely pace and stopping at will to admire the scenery, don’t know why, maybe age,? All I ask for is reasonable reliability and 70 mph cruise for those ocasions when it’s needed.
Well, if I’ve gotta have, may as well go with the real deal. 1949 Bullet or thereabouts.
That Bullet left it all on the playing field. We crept home at 10mph with the chain trying to jump up and wrestle Berk.
If I see any REs on the side of the road, should I stop and help? I don’t want to ruin anyones fun, so I might just have to go ripping by on my plastic-encased, soulless appliance! LOL
Just toss a cold beer to the Bullet rider as you go by. He likes the side of the road.