[aikischmid]

Hello everyone! I'm a new rider waiting to get my first motorcycle. I've got a 2011 British Racing Green G5 Classic on order, due to be delivered to my local dealer in Toledo, Ohio by the end of this coming week! I can't wait!
I've definitely been enjoying this website, looking through members' galleries to get ideas on what I should do with mine, to make it my own!
Other than this site, David Blasco's blog, and Her Majesty's Thunder, anybody know of any other cool RE/British bike/big single resources I can check out?
Cheers everyone!
Matt

[Ice]

Welcome aboard aikischmid !

Besides ours there is;
 
http://www.royalenfield.co.kr/ RE Owners Club Korea ( chaired by our own forum brother soulforge )
http://www.hitchcocksmotorcycles.com/home in G.B.
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/royalenfield/ is the Yahoo group
http://www.royalenfield.com/ is in India,
http://ride.aussieenfields.com/ is in Australia

There are more out there.

[aikischmid]

Killer, thanks Ice - I'll check those out! I swear I've read like every recent RE review on the Internet. It's been an interesting process, finding my way to the G5 Classic.
I found myself searching through a huge list of motorcycle manufacturers on some motorcycle magazine's website. I knew I wanted something different from all the Japanese stuff, and I also knew that Harleys were significantly out of my price range, especially anything they had that I'd be interested in. When I clicked the "Royal Enfield" link, I couldn't believe it. It was exactly the thing I'd been hoping for. Affordable, with a rich history, retro-stylings, Steve McQueen, I mean - c'mon! Are you kidding me?! Plus that whole 50's scene - I love me some rockabilly/psychobilly music too, so to have a bike like this is kinda like having a '57 Chevy Bel-Aire or something.
So then I just started reading reviews, and they were all so great - especially these newer models with the UCE and electric start, 5 speed gearbox. The whole Jay Leno thing just lends tons of credibility to the quality of the product. Then I found out there was an authorized dealer in my town! They actually didn't have any in stock - plenty of Hyosung and Moto Guzzi and Vespa scooters - but no physical RE inventory. He told me had a new Military on order that was due in the following week. So anyway, long story short - my new G5 Classic is on order - I even have the VIN number already! I've got big plans for it too!
Man - I'm rambling. Just excited to get it finally - seems like it's been way too long!

[Desi Bike]

Congrats on an excellent choice of bike.  There is a India based  forum in english on a website called BCMTouring as well. Lots of pages of reading about what the 'locals' are up to with their enfields on one of the threads. mods, repairs and rides...  Keeps me interested in going one day to India.

[Ice]

Killer, thanks Ice -

 Your welcome man,  just helping a brother out.

Good choice getting a new one too those UCE machines are Sa-WEeet !

I took a spin on a C5 once, same Bullet goodness as my Iron Barrel just more of it  

[Arizoni]

aikischmid

Here's a link to the Team-BHP site in India.
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motorbikes/

The link will take you to their Motorcycle site which covers a wide range of motorcycles that are ridden in India (who knew that JAWA was still making motofcycles?  I hadn't even thought of them after 1962) .
.  It  has a lot of posts which deal with the Royal Enfield with a lot of good information.

[jartist]

Congratulations on your new bike!  Once I made up my mind to buy one I couldnt wait to get on mine- it was torture until I had my hands on the grips of my shiny new G5. Now two months and a thousand miles later I couldn't be happier!

[olhogrider]

Great choice! You're gonna love it. Our sponsor sells a set of saddlebag mounts for that bike. Having bags makes the bike much more useable for every day transportation.

[barenekd]

Congrats, you're gonna love the G5. Just take it easy on the breakin and you'll have a great machine.
Bare

[r80rt]

Congrats! you gonna like that new bike

[aikischmid]

As far as accessories go, are there any "must haves"? I've already ordered some slick saddlebags, also one of those classic British 1955 tax papers with the holder, a front fender RE mud flap, a front fender number plate (that I'll have my buddy paint "US-1134" on), some black exhaust wrap tape. I plan on getting some black rims, or painting them black, as well as replacing the mirrors with some black ones. Oh, and getting some "union jack" valve stem covers.
I guess I was curious about the velocity stack especially. Is its purpose only to make the bike louder, or what else does it do? Would anyone recommend it is a "must-have"? Any other accessories, parts, or mods I should be looking at as "must-have"?

[Arizoni]

Just my humble opinion but a velocity stack is something you must NOT use.

Velocity stacks are meant to be used with a carburetor.  They establish a laminar airflow that will usually increase the amount of air to the engine under full throttle conditions.  They usually do not have any air filtration system because it will offset the benefit of the stack.
No filtration results in rapidly wearing out your engine.

Your G5 is fuel injected and the design of the air filter and  the air duct leading to the injection body should not be messed with.
This is especially true on a brand new bike that won't be broken in for at least 600 miles.
Putting on things that can shorten the engines life can also limit or void your 2 year warranty.

I don't know what saddle bags you ordered but for the G5 you will need a metal mount to install them.  There are several different kinds available form our host in the ACCESSORIZE section of this forum.

[barenekd]

As far as accessories go, are there any "must haves"?

Oddly enough, there are only "wanna haves." Nothing is absolutely necessary to change. On the other hand, the things I changed on mine include; a different muffler (English EFI), 7" headlight, bar end mirrors, Then just for my own very personal reasons, NGK Spark plug, K&N filter ( you can wait until the original is used up.), and an AGM battery.
All these things can be changed at any time and there is no reason to rush into any of them. The spark plug is probably the most widely recommended change though, NGK BPR6ES.
The biggest change not to ignore are the oil changes, especially early on.
Bare

[prof_stack]

The 7-inch headlamp is a must, imho.  The NGK plug is also a good swap.

The OEM torpedo is often replaced with EFI or upswept muffler.  If I had to do it again, I would not haved touched it.  The enhanced sound makes it seem like you are going faster or accelerating quicker, but the overall improvement is very small, again imho.  You gain some high end breathing, but remember that the stock air intake hold is pretty small for that.  My shop found that just opening the airbox door gave the biggest HP boost on their dyno.  Without mods there, I think the aftermarket pipes are just for show.  Plus, they don't have cats to scrub the exhaust fumes for cleaner emissions. 

One thing TO make sure you have is a battery tender so that the battery is always charged and ready for the next ride, especially if you don't ride every day.

[aikischmid]

Awesome - thanks so much for the great advice everyone. I won't mess with any velocity stacks then. As far as battery tender goes, I fortunately do plan on riding every day, except of course during stupid Northwest Ohio winters - so I'll have to learn about "winterizing" the bike for storage from December to April. But yeah, over the winter I was hoping to do the 7" headlight, and perhaps a solo seat. Again, thanks for all the great advice! Today's Wednesday, and the deal told me it should be in by the end of this week... hopefully tomorrow it will be under my butt! And if not tomorrow, then dear God let it be Friday!!!