Royal Enfield pin-up gains classic status

The racy pin-up girl in the ad for the Royal Enfield GT 500 motorcycle is now a "classic."

Apparently.

The Royal Enfield Parts & Accessories catalog produced by Classic Motorworks slyly refers to the poster babe I call the Enfield Girl as a sort of historical artifact.

According to the 2009 catalog, the 17-inch by 23-inch full-color image is available as a "Genuine poster of a 'Royal Enfield' advertisement from the early part of the century (21st Century)." In other words, the buxom beauty astride a Royal Enfield cafe racer dates all the way back to, maybe, 2004.

Item Z90511 thus can go up on your garage wall (for $7.95 plus shipping) with no danger of offending anyone. After all, she's time tested art, much like the Venus de Milo, but with arms and even some over stretched clothing. But don't call the Louvre to order, call Classic Motorworks at 1-800-201-7472.

Classic Motorworks catalog description of the Enfield Girl ad as being from the early part of the present century go back at least to 2007. As readers of this blog know, it's perfectly true she's a timeless beauty. The Enfield Girl was drawn from a classic pin-up by one of the master artists of the genre. She was set to canvas (so to speak) long before 2004 and you can read the full story here.

Royal Enfield Continental GT, the perfect cafe racer?

English designer Charlie Trelogan wrote "How to Build a Cafe Racer" on the BikeExif.com blog. He established basic guidelines for the ideal cafe racer and illustrated how these lines worked to turn a Honda motorcycle into a cafe racer.

I thought it would be fun to superimpose the lines he drew onto the new Royal Enfield Continental GT, to see how well it does in comparison.

You'll have to read the original article to learn the justifications Trelogan provided for the lines he drew. But just looking at them surely provides some idea.

How does the Royal Enfield do, all told? Very well, but not perfectly.

The Foundation.

The Foundation, a straight line (bumps and bends are distracting) above two equal size wheels.

The Cut Off Points.

The Cut Off Points run through the wheel center lines. No bodywork should extend past them.

The Height Limit.

The Height Limit. Low and lean. Nothing should extend above the top of the tank.

The Bone Line.

The Bone Line. Widest part of the bike. Best if it runs through the center of the headlamp.

Visual Weight.

Visual Weight. The mass of the bike is here, ideally topped by the tank. Peak of the tank should fall right on the center line of the cylinder.

The Swoop.

The Swoop ties the seat and the tank together.

Main Angles.

Main Angles. Straight, not spaghetti.

Secondary Angles.

Secondary Angles. Your eye likes things to line up.

Fork Distance.

Fork Distance. Tuck in that wheel. Makes it look mean.

Evaluated this way, the Continental GT looks a bit too long. To achieve the rough, tough look of the ideal cafe racer it should be more tucked in and less open around the motor. Note the Visual Weight illustration: cladding behind the motor (where the tool boxes would be on a Bullet) creates mass where openness is wanted.

Ironically, while working for Tata in India Trelogan built his own design based on the Royal Enfield Bullet 350!

The designer crafts his own Royal Enfield.

Looking at it tells us where he might have taken the Continental GT.

Royal Enfield Super Five was too special for 1962

Roy Poynting's Super Five. Terry Joslin Photo.

The Royal Enfield Super Five is the subject of a super story by author and motorcycle journalist Roy Poynting in The Classic Motor Cycle.

Like so many really special and innovative designs in motor vehicle history, the Super Five was too special, too innovative and too expensive to be a success.

"Not for the first time, Royal Enfield lived up to its ‘Built like a gun’ motto, and shot itself in the foot over the styling, cost, and the mechanical details," Poynting recounts. He tells how he restored his 1962 Super Five, gaining an appreciation for what Royal Enfield had in mind, rather than for what it accomplished.

The Super Five was the first British production motorcycle with a five-speed gearbox but that was not the only departure from normal practice:

• The five-speed transmission and 250cc motor were all one unit, in the advanced format pioneered by the Royal Enfield Crusader.
• Complex leading-link forks improved handling.
• The front fender was fixed to the forks instead of the wheel, to reduce unsprung weight.
• Deep valences on the front fender — so deep they could display the registration number on their flanks — kept road grime off the rider.
• An extra large nacelle without pilot lights enclosed the entire top of the forks.
• The tank was large and shiny.
• The rear of the motorcycle was semi-enclosed for improved weather protection.

The overall effect was ungainly rather than lithe, as a sporting 250cc single should have been. Worse, Enfield painted the original Super Fives gray. Poynting suggests that the color and styling would have sunk the Super Five, even if its price had been competitive. Instead, the price was 30 percent more than the competition.

On top of this, the five-speed gearbox was considered fragile and, on Poynting's machine, was changed to the conventional four gears by a previous owner, a common modification.

One lucky thing, for Poynting, at least: in the midst of restoration he found that his Super Five originally had been a non-standard Peacock Blue. The pleasant color almost — but not quite — saves his Super Five from  being the barnyard ugly duckling.

Royal Enfield would improve the Super Five into the better looking and better loved Continental.

Poynting's story fills in the story of a very fascinating missing link in Royal Enfield history. Recommended reading.

Vintage motorcycles shine in Florida sun

1950 Imme (German) carries a spare wheel and tire.

My Royal Enfield Bullet took a "First Available Parking Space" award last weekend at the vintage motorcycle show in Dania Beach, Fla. True, this was a self-awarded honor. The Antique Motorcycle Club of America Everglades Chapter assigned real winners in categories honoring American, British, European and Asian motorcycles.

Winning Brit was Triumph TR6C SR.

A 1965 Triumph TR6C SR took first place in the British class. The owner generously pointed out that the 1967 TR6C parked next to him was just as perfect.

Proud tank of 1965 Triumph TR6C SR.

The club also exercised great common sense. The 1911 motorcycle entered had already won a prize so the award for "oldest" motorcycle went to a 1929 Indian Scout.

British competitors muster around Union Jack.

The award for "Most Unique" went to a motorcycle I would not have believed existed had I not seen it. The 1950 Imme carries a spare wheel and tire! It also had a very neatly fitted tire pump.

I am a sucker for low mirrors and bar end lights.

Bullet lights on 1957 AJS casquette.

This was the third year for the Dania Beach event and 87 motorcycles were entered, almost triple the number of the year before. Harley-Davidson was well represented, of course, but British motorcycles abounded. There was a nice line up of Japanese motorcycles, but only a few BMWs.

1971 Velocette only a mother could love.

Mine was the only Royal Enfield on hand, even in the parking lot. This was an event for vintage motorcycles that actually are old, and my 1999 machine wasn't eligible to enter. But it wasn't the only bike doing mundane duty. A lovely 1952 Vincent Black Shadow was helping prop up its owner's art show tent. A concrete block would have done as well but the owner just smiled when I asked about it.

It was a sunny day, a good day for a low-key motorcycle show.

Vincent Black Shadow props up booth.

Winner of "First Available Parking Space" award.

Royal Enfield Great Stories

Great Stories

Wanted: Great stories
I welcome news, information and tips about Royal Enfield motorcycles. Share your stories and pictures with me.

Some of my favorite stories have come from Royal Enfield riders who have written to me. Here are some you might like:

Chatting with the Call Center Guy: You've probably had many occasions to talk on the phone to help center workers in India. Have you ever been tempted to talk about Royal Enfields with the help desk guy? Gary Pinchin did it.

Victoria returns: Storybook endings happen in the world of motorcycles, too. Malcolm Fisher of the United Kingdom parted with his Royal Enfield Bullet , then decided he missed it and wanted another one. The one he found was his own, beloved Victoria. Here's his story.

His 'cheat sheet': Ted Wetzler, of North Ridgeville, Ohio, decided to make his own "cheat sheet" to pass out to curious people, giving them something to answer their questions and remember their encounter with his unusual vehicle. One side had pictures. Read what he wrote on the other side.

 A 'Big Head' hillclimber: Denis Gagne of Maine told us about his father Jerry's exploits on an Indian hillclimber powered by a rare Royal Enfield Big Head Bullet motor. He sent shots of the motorcycle as it looks today, and photos of his dad in action in the 1970s. There's even a video of Denis' son Bruce riding it.

Better than ever: Don McMahan of Lino Lakes, Minn., has had his 1967 Royal Enfield Interceptor since 1971 — except for three years, when it was stolen from him. He got it back and made it better than ever with the help of Royal Enfield guru George Helm. Here's the story.

A mystery is solved: An unusual looking Royal Enfield is a very rare model, sold in the United States for one year only, 1961. Its owner, Jim Luzier, hadn't been able explain what it was to daughter, Aimee. Jim died in 2009. But he left a picture of himself, taken in 2008. In what Aimee says was a playful mood, Jim had posed for a picture for a friend. Jim is shown holding up a sign that identifies the motorcycle!

The call center man's dream: a road trip

The call center man's dream: a road trip

Ever been tempted to talk about Royal Enfield motorcycles with the Help Desk guy in India?

Gary Pinchin did it. Here's what happened, in his words:

I live in the UK and have a 1999 350 Bullet I bought for 500 quid a while back. Needed a bit of tidying up but it's ready to go (well it has been since March). Only trouble is, I've been sidelined with a non-motorcycle related knee problem since February, which means I've not had a chance to ride it yet!

I'd been having trouble with my British Telecom broadband so I rang the help desk. The guy on the other end of the line says he needs to share the screen of one of the two laptops in the house to sort out the problem, so I hand him over to my partner.

Anyway, he does the job then she gives me back the phone and the guy says: "Do you work for Royal Enfield? I spotted some folders on the desktop with their name on on it." My partner does indeed do some work, dealing with the UK importer.

Turns out the guy is working in a call center in India and we strike up a conversation about the whole Enfield thing. The conversation went something like this:

Me: So you have an interest in Enfields?

Him: Oh yes, it's is my lifelong passion to own one.

Me: So why don't you buy one?

Him: I can't afford it. The price of a new Bullet in India is around £1,000 but the average wage is only £150 per month. How much is a new Enfield in England?

Me: Around £5,000 for the new EFI model. Just a bit cheaper than a base-model 883 Harley.

Him: £5,000 (in deep shock)! If you could afford to pay that much for a motorcycle in India you would be one of the richest people in the country. £5,000 would buy the very best luxury car here!

Me: Can't you afford an older model?

Him: It's not such a good idea. They always need a lot of work so it costs money for spare parts and repairs and my passion is to do a road trip. I don't want to keep breaking down. Have you seen the film Wild Hogs? I want to do that sort of road trip, just touring around. But the Enfield is a heavy bike and our roads are very, very bumpy. Have you been to India?

Me: No but I'd love to. I've seen what the back roads are like though. I bought Gaurav Jani's DVDs, One Crazy Ride and Riding Solo To The Top Of The World. They are truly inspirational.

Him: Really, I've not heard of them.

Me: Mate, you really must check them out if you're planning a road trip around India. Gaurav is in a club called 60kph Motorcycle Travel Club. Their website is just amazing.

Him: I will do that. Thank you so much for talking to me.

Me: No, the pleasure is all mine.

So, purely by chance, I've been talking to a guy in India who watches American-made motorcycle movies and loves Enfields and I'm telling him to check out Indian-made DVDs and websites on Bullets? Does it get any weirder? Sad thing is the call came to such an abrupt end when he had to get back to work, that I didn't get his name. But to bastardise an old Honda ad slogan, you meet the nicest people through Royal Enfield ownership.

Cheers. Hey, keep up the fine work with the blog!

UPDATE: Pinchin provided this picture of his Royal Enfield Bullet 350, a private import from India that still retains its Indian style front license plate. He adds:

"Sorry but been off-line sorting out wireless issues. Had to ring BT call centre again twice but no more Enfield chat!"

Mystery bike was Royal Enfield Hornet

Mystery bike was Royal Enfield Hornet

The mystery is solved. The unusual looking Royal Enfield motorcycle that appeared for sale in Rocklin, Calif. in July is the very rare Royal Enfield Hornet model, sold in the United States for one year only, 1961. Its owner Jim Luzier knew it, and he had worked on restoring it for many years, but hadn't been able explain what it was to his daughter Aimee, who placed the ad.


I wrote about the motorcycle, noting that, while it resembled the 250cc Royal Enfield Crusader, it had a slim rear fender not seen on U.S. Crusaders. I guessed it might have been a transition model, intended to use up parts Royal Enfield made for the motorcycles they provided the Indian motorcycle company for sale in the U.S. as Indians. The deal with Indian ended in 1959 and Royal Enfields were sold under their own name after that.


With help from Aimee, U.S. Royal Enfield blogger Jorge Pullin and a Hornet owner named Nate, I guessed the pretty little motorcycle must be a Royal Enfield Hornet, although I'd never even seen a good picture of one. Jorge found the drawing shown above. The Hornet was the equivalent of a Crusader Sports, but had parts mixed in from the earlier Indian Hounds Arrow, a trail bike.

Sadly, Jim Luzier died July 15, of an apparent heart attack. Aimee performed CPR until paramedics arrived, but could not save him. Before he died, though, Jim Luzier left the answer to the question where Aimee could find it.


In 2008, in what Aimee says was a playful mood, Jim posed for a picture for a friend in England named Alun. Jim is shown in the picture holding up a sign that reads: "I need a wiring diagram from UK for this Hornet RE and/or a (Indian) Hounds Arrow. Jan. 20, 2008. Jim Luzier, USA."

As part of the joke, the motorcycle was festooned with extension cords from Jim's shop; it sure did look like he had a wiring problem!

Aimee also found a 1977 picture that showed her on the motorcycle, before restoration began. It shows the black frame, Chinese red tank and alloy fenders a Hornet would have. "Dad decided to paint most of the frame white for visibility when he was restoring it," she explains.

The little Hornet's immediate future is unclear. Aimee is leaving the U.S. for Norway, for a position as a teacher at the Red Cross Nordic United World College.

"I may have to just put the bike in storage until I return in two years, although I will be looking for a new owner who can lavish the same kind of love on it that my Dad did... I do have a lot of material (maintenance, wiring diagrams, paint, etc.) that Dad used in restoring the bike... I will hold onto it until I find the right person," Aimee writes. She signed herself "Aimee Luzier - daughter of James E. Luzier 1934-2009."

Royal Enfield Interceptor is better than ever

Royal Enfield Interceptor is better than ever

Don McMahan has had his 1967 Royal Enfield Interceptor since 1971 — except for three years, when it was stolen from him.

He got it back and made it better than ever with the help of Royal Enfield guru George Helm, of Pease, Minn. Here's the story McMahan tells:

"I bought it used when I fried the clutch on my new Honda 750 on a sand road. Convinced my banker that the loan of another $700 was worth it so he wouldn't see me go nuts in the remaining weeks of our short Minnesota summer.

"It was stolen from me in the mid '70s, out of my sight for three years. Then one snow melting, spring day a Minneapolis police officer got curious about a fellow unable to kick start a motorcycle between the snow drifts in a city alley.

"Turned out that the license plate was registered to a Honda; curious cop knew that this was not a Honda. I had to pay the towing charge and impound fee!

"(The late) George Helm overhauled and rebuilt the engine for me between 1985 and 1987. George took his and my time, but it still starts with one kick, idles, etc. Good thing too, because it is a leg breaker to kick over. George had a touch for building honkers.

"I've been in fiberglass all my working life, so there are many modifications, improvements to original parts, when I could construct a mold and fabricate a part that filled the space and did the job better.

"I'm from Lino Lakes, Minn. George Helm was a legend in these parts with a lot of people. He sold and worked on any British and other machinery, but had a real soft spot for Enfields. When I first met him in 1985 his wife said, 'You know he's retired now.' The problem was George never knew he was retired.

"Correctly, this is a 1967 Series 1A, GP7 Roadracer. You will note that it has the TT exhaust. George said that back in the day, dealers would swap out any parts the buyer wanted to get the sale. I believe that this bike came from the West. The original monoblocs were jetted for mountain air when I first bought it in 1971 and boy did it run rich. Also originally there was no air cleaner, just wide open velocity stacks.

"At the time George rebuilt the engine he put in an electronic ignition; later we added the Amal Mk 1 1/2 carburetors (no flooding) and a Triumph Trident air filter between a fiberglass housing that I built. I built the fiberglass battery cover, fiberglass battery carrier (designed to hold a larger battery), and fiberglass tail light housing/bracket to replace the original, which was destroyed in a mild rear ender.

"George provided the NOS rear fender after that accident; there just aren't any of those around. Other updates are the correctly shrouded Hagon shocks and Avon tires. And, of course the tank got the proper chrome side panels, badges and knee rubbers. George came to my rescue again, tapping out the screw holes in the tank that had been filled with bondo in the '70's, so I could mount the panels and badges.

Back in the day, about 1973.

"As bought in 1971 the gas tank had the yellow faded-to-orange paint with the barely visible webbing, all under 40 coats of lacquer. The brothers I bought it from did the paint and were so proud of it that they couldn't bring themselves to put the red lettered decals that they had bought from the dealer on the tank. The first day I rode it some guy asked me, 'How old a Norton is that?' The decals went on the tank the next morning.

"When I got it in '71 I went to the old dealer in the twin cities, who was still very much in business, bellied up to the parts counter demanding a stock air cleaner. They still had a new 1970 Interceptor (last year of production) on their sales floor, and proudly pointed out to me that they came from the factory with no air cleaner; that's the way there meant to run, thank you.

"You can see that I had put air cleaners on the monoblocks by '73 and replaced the stock saddle with a solo and pillion cushion. Oh, and I was responsible for the gold paint on the frame; the '70's — yikes.

"I had painted the Interceptor with spray cans out of the rack at three local auto parts store in the '80s. There was a little of the original Enfield blue left on the underside and I found a General Motors color called Mariner Blue metallic that was very close to the British paint.

"I just repainted this year, spray cans again, but that color is no longer in the racks. The color I chose was the closest I could find — it is a slightly bluer tint with less green in it."

Addendum: McMahan had this interesting piece of information to add:

"Another minor detail that I left out is the reason I had to buy the Interceptor to make it through the summer of 1971. The blown clutch on my new Honda was covered under warranty, however there was a longshoreman's strike on the west coast. No Honda parts were getting through the work stoppage. The dealer's service department was accommodating, but they couldn't begin to guess when parts might be available to fix the four cylinder Honda.

"I had always lusted over those little, black and white ads that Royal Enfield had in the back pages of Cycle World. Just at the right time, I heard from a friend that there was a used Royal Enfield for sale for about half of what I'd paid (I should really say, owed the bank) for that Honda, and my banker was very understanding.

"He even left his desk a couple of times to walk out to his parking lot and survey his two wheeled investments when I'd ride in after work on Friday to deposit my check and make payments on my loans. Small town banks were just as different as the motorcycles are from today's in 1971."

Royal Enfield Big Head Bullet motor powered Indian hillclimber to the top

Royal Enfield Big Head Bullet motor
powered Indian hillclimber to the top

Back in July, Denis Gagne of Maine told us about his father Jerry's exploits on an Indian hillclimber powered by a Big Head Royal Enfield motor. At the time, Denis didn't have pictures to show us, but recently he sent me a treasure trove of photographs.

He sent color shots of the motorcycle as it looks today, and black and white photos of his dad in action. There's even a DVD of the 1994 documentary Indian Summer, a Fiasco Films feature about Indian motorcycles by Timothy Cataldo. It includes takes of Denis' son Bruce talking about the hillclimber and then riding it.

Here, again, is the story of this rare Big Head Royal Enfield hillclimber, in Denis' own words:

"My father bought this bike, around February, 1959 from an Indian dealer in Springfield, Mass called Albert Thibodeau (Tibby's Indian Sales).

"In the show room there were other bikes — Westerners, Woodsman, Apaches — and three motors in their crates.

"(The dealer) told my father, Jerry, if he wanted to build a hillclimber, the crate motor would be the better choice over all models, because it was a race tuned engine, special from the factory.

"So he bought the crate motor for $200 and, during that winter, he and his cousin Gates Pinsonnault built a hillclimber with that motor. They started hill climbing it in the summer of 1959.

"It was No. 1 in the 500cc class for over 12 years! It was faster than others that came along; BSA, Matchless, Triumph, Woodsman, Westerner, etc. All the newer bikes.

Bruce rides the Big Head hillclimber in "Indian Summer"

"Around 1971 my dad quit hill climbing and the bike retired. Around 1988 the bike was brought out by me and restored to running condition. Although it is not competitive with today's machines, I just wanted to keep the bike alive and the memories to go on. This motorcycle was an important part of my father's life and (the source of) a lot of memories in my life.

"I didn't want this special machine to be forgotten."

Royal Enfield sidecar owner hands out 'cheat sheets' to explain what it is

Royal Enfield sidecar owner hands out
'cheat sheets' to explain what it is

If you ride a Royal Enfield motorcycle, especially one with a sidecar attached, you get noticed. People stop you to chat, and they ask questions.

Ted Wetzler, of North Ridgeville, Ohio, decided to make his own "cheat sheet" to pass out to curious people, giving them something to answer their questions and remember their encounter with his unusual vehicle.

Printed on two sides, it offers facts on one side and pictures of Royal Enfield motorcycles downloaded from the Internet on the other. He has handed out about 50, so far.

Wetzler explains why he needs it:

"I have the good fortune of living not too far from a remarkable (and l-o-n-g) parkway meandering its way through a Cleveland park system here. It loops Cleveland and is called 'the emerald necklace.' I try to use it wherever I drive, be it to Lakewood (20 miles), downtown, or hauling my high maintenance mac in for a little TLC. Yesterday I drove 55 miles, most of it on the parkway.

"I am ever so pleased to receive smiles and waves from people walking the path, on 'bike' bikes, auto drivers, kids etc. It's just like rolling the clock back to the Eisenhower years. People who you have to believe are completely locked down and have been for most of their lives. A smile. a wave. a thumbs up. To me, this bike is not just a way to get places, but a way to 'get through' (to people). In the morning, at stop signs, exchanging greetings with folks waiting for their bus. Whodathunk, in these harsh days?"

Giving the people he meets a briefing sheet on the Royal Enfield is a neat idea. Naturally, he includes a mention of the local dealer, in case someone is inspired to buy. Wetzler was kind enough to share his cheat sheet with me. Here's an abbreviated form of what he wrote:

"(This) white Royal Enfield motorcycle with sidecar is new. Although many folks think it is a restored vehicle or a replica, it was actually built in late 2007 as a 2008 model...

"This model is called a Bullet. The manufacturing plant is in Madras (now called Chennai), India.

"This bike is pretty much the original design of the '50s. Drum brakes. Traditional carburetor, points, condenser, coil. It has a displacement of 499cc, with a rated horsepower of 22. The transmission is a five-speed. The current design is compliant with all emission and safety standards both here and in Europe. In 2010 Enfield offers four variations of this basic bike now, with engines upgraded to fuel injection and electronic ignition for better performance.

"The sidecar, an option, is also manufactured in India, but by a separate company. The design of the car was originated in the '30s by a German manufacturer, Steib. It mimics the design of the German dirigibles, which were a leading technology (able to fly the Atlantic) until the crash of their Hindenburg.

"This unit with a sidecar and rider will travel at about 55 mpg tops. It is mostly for recreation and is designed for the back roads, not Interstate speeds. You can look for up to 30-35 mpg. Weight of the bike is 375 pounds, sidecar 200 pounds. Plus driver, plus passenger. It handles quite differently than a two-wheel motorcycle.

"These bikes are imported by a company in Minnesota and sold by dealers in most states. Price on the bikes are in the range of $6,000 to $7,000. Sidecars run $3,000, plus about $400 installation. FYI: These models require hands on. We may be used to our new cars coming through trouble free now. This bike is not. For instance, my bike wouldn't start for a week when I got it. After investigation, it turned out to be simply a failed spark plug. At 200 miles! But let me say this is more than offset by the fun ride."

Wetzler is spreading the word about Royal Enfields, but he's also spreading good will, on many levels.

Happy ending: His Royal Enfield is back

Happy ending: His Royal Enfield is back

Storybook endings happen in the world of motorcycles, too. When Malcolm Fisher of the United Kingdom announced to the Royal Enfield Yahoo group that he just purchased a Royal Enfield he'd sold, I asked for full details.

Fisher lives in Cannock, Staffordshire. Here's his story:

"I didn't ever see a Royal Enfield Bullet until around 2004. It will have been winter 2004 because I'd just been put off work (I was an 18-wheeler driver) by two heart attacks in September, 2004.

"My wife and I were walking to the local hospital, and this black bike came down the road towards us. I walk slowly with a stick, so I notice lots of things faster people might miss! But this bike was pretty hard to miss as the exhaust note was glorious. The bike looked superb, as good as new; then I was amazed to see that the bike was in fact brand new! We watched the fellow thump away, and I said to my wife, if I survive my operation (quintuple bypass and ablation) I'm going to get one of those bikes.

"I had to wait 'til '05 for surgery as part of my heart is pretty dead due to the attacks, and I have heart disease to this day, but thank God I'm still here.

"After the year it took me to get over my op, I decided now was the time to get a bike. I researched the Bullet on the Internet, and was aghast at the horror stories I was reading, all about bulls tumbling to bits and general unreliability. I even found an R.E. dealers in Kiddeminster to go and see one for real. The seat was hard and the kickstart dug into my leg. I said to my wife, no way will I buy one of these. But the thought of them would not leave me.

"Then one day a friend and I were riding out, it was cold, and we decided to visit a Stafford bike dealers called Chell's. They were very old established and sold Japanese bikes, all the main brands. By a quirk of fate, he had three Bullets in the shop! Two 500 Sixty-5 Models, and my beautiful 500 ES De Luxe! I was instantly drawn to them.

"Cyril told me that a dealer in Stoke-on-Trent had gone bust, and the UK Importers had collected the bikes from the store. They knew the owner of Chells, and had decided to call in for a chat or something. Anyway, they had the bikes in boxes on a trailer.

"Cyril is a man that likes to do a deal, and he told me that he settled a price and bought all three there and then, never having had anything to do with Bullets before. Well, I couldn’t buy a bike without a test ride, and these were definitely not available to demo. So I called Watsonians at Blockley, and they kindly offered to demo me two bullets, a Sixty-5 and an Electra. They didn’t have any classics available. As soon as I rode them I liked them. But of course, I didn’t buy an Electra or Sixty-5, it had to be the four-speed classic!

Victoria in 2006.

"Well, I had a roller coaster relationship with my bull, who I named Victoria, after the Indian steam train in the film Northwest Frontier. A genuine love-hate relationship developed and many times I threatened to burn the bike, or sell her. But every time I wanted to sell her and was offered a deal, I just could not. It was only when a Big Twin Harley came at a deal price I couldn’t resist did I part with her. Oh yes, it was from a childhood dream to own a Milwaukee V-Twin; but soon the gloss wore off the Harley, and I wanted my Bullet back!

"I never dreamed I would ever see her again, let alone own her, and so I consoled myself by getting a cheap '91 Royal Enfield 500 Superstar off eBay last year. Last winter I finally got fed up and sold my Harley, and sold it for a good price of £5850, so I got my money back, which was a first for motorcycles I've ever owned and sold!

"My Superstar is in a nut-and-bolt restoration and a 612 conversion with belt-drive racing clutch and all the works! That bike is still in (very shiny) bits. But, I still had a bit left in the kitty for another bike to ride. My mate said why don't you phone and see what Cyril's got in? So I did, and they said that today (Saturday, April 11), a Bullet was coming in, as a part exchange on a Harley!

"You've guessed it — it turned out to be my own very sorely missed De Luxe. The bloke dropped it off at 10 and got his Harley (another weird fact was he came from Stoke-on-Trent, where Victoria came from!). I was over at Chell’s by 11:30, did a deal for £1600 there and then, and at 3 p.m. I was back in the saddle of my dearly beloved, with a 12 months MOT and like I never was away.

"I'm convinced that there was a karma type thing going on here. It’s great to have her back, and I’ll not ever sell the bike again!"