Author Topic: Bullet 350?  (Read 8539 times)

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rivers

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Reply #15 on: June 02, 2011, 09:37:29 pm
I was riding a Suzuki Boulevard GZ250 before, it was quite nimble and in a pinch it could toodle down the highway if needed. Fairly decent looks, cruiser style and dirt cheap as far as small bikes go. Quite a few bike schools use them for training as well. ... But its not an Enfield.
Yeah the little Zuks are fun reliable bikes. I too would love to have a 350 bullet as a back up bike. Presently my backup is a Yam tw200 that I'll prolly get rid of this year and prolly replace it with maybe a Zuk TU 250. A little small but great fun. For the money I should just get another used 500 bullet but I've had two of the same bikes in the past. Didn't work out that well for me cause one of em ends up a parts donor and in short time looks like a week old Thanksgiving turkey carcass.
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GSS

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Reply #16 on: June 03, 2011, 12:54:48 am
Anyone know if there are plans on bringing the UCE engine Bullet 350 here?  I can't afford $5,500 for the Bullet 500 and have been looking at the Suzuki TU250X as an option for $4,000 but I'd rather have a Royal Enfield in the driveway.  If the Bullet 350 came to the US for somewhere in the $4,000-5,000 price ranger I'd be ordering one ASAP.  MPG must be excellent too.
I have seen several C5s with 300-1500 miles for sale at around 4K. Maybe that would be a potential option? We would love to see you on a RE!
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Ice

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Reply #17 on: June 03, 2011, 02:41:01 am
I doubt the 350 UCE would meet US emissions standards unless it was fuel injected and then it would cost the same as a 500 not  to mention it would have to go through the costly and time consuming EPA certification process.



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Fox

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Reply #18 on: June 03, 2011, 03:56:30 am
I got my G5, out the door, for a little over 5k. It was a previous year leftover, but otherwise brand new.

If you can't find a good deal on one though, weigh your options. If I were suddenly without bike, and a RE was not in my price range, I would very quickly find myself on another bike that is not a Royal Enfield.

I had the pleasure of taking my MSF test on the TU250. If you can look at the TU250 and Bullet side by side, and can't decide which one is speaking to you more, get the TU250, it is a sweet little bike - perhaps the simplest, most well-mannered motorcycle currently available anywhere at any price. And I think you could find one for considerably less than 4,000.
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joecool85

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Reply #19 on: June 03, 2011, 01:39:00 pm
I had the pleasure of taking my MSF test on the TU250. If you can look at the TU250 and Bullet side by side, and can't decide which one is speaking to you more, get the TU250, it is a sweet little bike - perhaps the simplest, most well-mannered motorcycle currently available anywhere at any price. And I think you could find one for considerably less than 4,000.

Yeah, $4k is the brand new price.  I could get a used one for $3k or a little less.  Odds are I will end up with a Honda CB250 Nighthawk or something for a while till a nice shiny new bike comes out that meets my needs.  I really don't need more than 20hp to get around.  The roads I'm on are all 45-55mph and I like to keep things as efficient as possible.  A 125cc wouldn't cut it, but 250-400cc would be perfect especially with fuel injection. 

I was just curious if they were planning on bringing a fuel injected Bullet 350 over because that would be the perfect bike for me and a lot of other folks I know around here.  I suppose they probably won't.  Too bad, it's quite a large niche market and I think they could really sell a lot of bikes.


olhogrider

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Reply #20 on: June 04, 2011, 06:10:31 am
Couple of points. The 350 is basically a smaller bore 500 so where would be the savings? Manufacturing, shipping etc. would all add up and make it cost too much. Harley made a 500 single, the Buell Blast. A fun bike but NOBODY wanted them. Even Eric Buell made a table out of the crushed carcass of the last one made.

Look for a used RE 500 or a Japanese bike. They can be had for dirt cheap and when you drop it you are not out big bucks.


GreenMachine

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Reply #21 on: June 04, 2011, 04:10:59 pm
I'm not going to pay 5k for a 350 cc bullet..If anything I rather have a bullet 650cc twin for say 6-7 k (if that's possible)..
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olhogrider

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Reply #22 on: June 04, 2011, 04:19:01 pm
Or a 1000 V-Twin.  ;D Just add another 500 to the engine.


GreenMachine

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Reply #23 on: June 04, 2011, 05:10:49 pm
true...I forgot about those....
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barenekd

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Reply #24 on: June 04, 2011, 07:45:07 pm
Quote
Harley made a 500 single, the Buell Blast. A fun bike but NOBODY wanted them. Even Eric Buell made a table out of the crushed carcass of the last one made.

The Blast was Buell, not Harley. It had a Rotax engine in it and it had to be one of the world's ugliest ever motorcycles. It was just wrong, and that belt drive really looked terrible. there was nothing there to sell! I think they were donating then to rider's schools just to get them out for people to see. But there was never much of a market for them. Kind of a modern day Edsel, a total market flop. It was certainly not a bike that anyone looking for a retro type machine would notice. The GB500 was probably the last reasonably sellable pure street 500 thumper. But that was only after they dropped the price to the point it should have been when they were released. There have been some successful dual sport bikes out there, but it caters to an obviously different market. Most of the existing marketable streetable thumpers are 650s.
Actually, it would seem that most of the Rotax powered street bikes were destined to failure, ie, Matchless, MZ, Buell, et al.
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Reply #25 on: June 04, 2011, 07:53:17 pm
OVC - old vintage cranks in Hillsburg Ontario imports rebuilt 350 Bullets. They are at lest 25 year old, and have full papers for registration here. Should be able to import to USA with minimal problems. The out the door price is around $4000 Canadian. Last time I was in he had a pair sitting there ready to go.  The website is www.uralontario.ca  OVC is also one of the better RE dealers out this side of the pond.
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olhogrider

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Reply #26 on: June 04, 2011, 08:00:06 pm
Saying a Buell is not a Harley is like saying a Chevy is not a G.M. The Blast engine was not a Rotax, it was a Sportster engine with one cylinder lopped off. The Rotax designed engine powered the Buell 1125 to the AMA champinship 1st place 2 DAYS before Harley pulled the plug on Buell. But that's all history.

My point was simply that we Americans think a 500 is a beginner/girl's bike. An 883 is considered "Half-a-Harley" and anything less than 2000cc is barely capable of powering its way out of the state. Where does that leave a 350? In India.


olhogrider

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Reply #27 on: June 04, 2011, 08:03:10 pm
here's what they are doing with that Rotax design these days.


http://www.erikbuellracing.com/


« Last Edit: June 04, 2011, 08:14:06 pm by olhogrider »


Ducati Scotty

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Reply #28 on: June 08, 2011, 06:16:26 am
Where does that leave a 350? In India.

+1 unfortunately :(


joecool85

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Reply #29 on: June 08, 2011, 01:16:46 pm
+1 unfortunately :(

That's too bad.  Oh well, I'll probably end up with a late model CB250 Nighthawk to start with just to save money.  Then maybe I'll get a Royal later when I can afford it.