Yesterday I donated to charity my 2000 Royal Enfield Bullet. It belonged in the first batch that was sold in the US with "Royal Enfield" on them. I had bought it wrecked in ebay and fixed it up. Since I got my 2009 C5 I found myself riding the iron Bullet less and less. The traffic here in Baton Rouge is not welcoming of a bike with the weird Albion box and drum brakes. People in Louisiana are extremely kind and gentle drivers when they are paying attention. Which is about 20% of the time. The rest they are talking on their cell phones or distracted somehow. I found myself many times with white knuckles clinging onto the fading brakes for dear life when someone distracted pulled out in front of me while going 50mph. Or being tailgated inches away by a Hummer because the low first gear didn't pull from a stop fast enough for them. Since I believe bikes should be ridden, I hope someone else gets a chance to enjoy it. Not to mention that Louisiana has terrible insurance rates (those distractions...), $300/yr just for liability. Interestingly the iron bullet costs $60/yr more to insure than the C5. I guess they know about those drum brakes.... This is a picture when I first got it:
Good riddance!
Well, you certainly did a beautiful job with the restoration. Lucky charity. It should draw a good price.
ReplyDeleteEven I have some similar thoughts while deciding on whether I should get an old cast iron Bullet from the mechanic and get it done my way as a vintage Black & Chrome beauty or to book a new the ‘Classic’ and finally I went on signing for a Classic 350 and brought it home on the last Valentine’s Day 2012.
ReplyDeleteJorge you did a great job with the restoration and I think you sometime gonna miss this old beauty and perhaps that strange Albion Box with that magic Neutral finder. Over these decades, these parts have actually become the peculiar experience of riding the Royal Enfield Motorcycles, but I guess things have to change & move on with time.
Warm Regards,
Manish
Hope she goes to a good owner..
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