[palace15]

 Well then, out of all the bikes on the market why did you choose the Enfield?

Reasons you did not!
Price...............................can be matched and bettered by many.
economy.........................." "    "   "   "     "    "     "     "    "      " "
Speed............................... you must be joking!
reliability........................... pretty fair, but certainly better out there.
Handling............................Its no Ducati.

I once had a 500 AJS, I fancied a new bike and I was hoping the Enfield sounded, and rode very much like the old 'AJ' and to be honest I am not disappointed.
so what was the deciding factor for you guys? especially the younger owners who probably don't remember much about the old brit iron, There were still a few old brit bikes on the road when I started riding but it was, like it still is, mainly Jap.

[Ducati Scotty]

There's nothing else like it out there that you can buy new.  Nothing.

Scott

[palace15]

I don't know how old you are but are you old enough to have had British bike experiences? The only downside for me is electric start only(C5) and too many 'electrics' in general, if it was not for the poxy Euro emissions a C5 with a carb would have been great.

[fzr400]

to save my license

[Ducati Scotty]

I don't know how old you are but are you old enough to have had British bike experiences? The only downside for me is electric start only(C5) and too many 'electrics' in general, if it was not for the poxy Euro emissions a C5 with a carb would have been great.

No, I'm 42 and didn't start riding street bikes until about 12 years ago.  Some days I want the kicker and other days I like the clean look without it.  I'm old enough to have started on carbs and moved on to EFI, I'm at home with both.  I prefer EFI because it's so much simpler once you understand it.  That said, it's generally less approachable for the backyard mechanic who wants to tinker so I understand why some people want a carb.

I like the UCE bikes, perfect combo of old and new.  Old where classy looks and simple mechanicals give it character but new with brakes that stop the bike and an engine that doesn't need fusiing with all the time.  I'm old enough to value my time.  I like to wrench but I like to ride more.

Oh, and when my Ducati was totalled (no accident, someone just knocked it over) it seemed like a great time to move to something a little more tame that didn't beg me to seek every apex of every trurn.  The RE is a fun bike to ride at moderate speeds.  I need that since I have very little self control.

Scott

[fzr400]

have you pushed a ducati?  mr. rossi and hayden are sure having trouble.  k

[MegaMoo]

This is my first bike ever (C5). I wanted to learn how to ride but didn't want to buy a big bike that would be hard to master. I also didn't want a sports bike so started looking at cruiser types. After looking at a few I decided that I didn't really like the way the rider sits on a cruiser, the seat height of most is low (I'm 6' 2) and they are often a bit too showoffy, not my style.

I had an image in my mind of the 70's British style bikes so started looking at those. Then saw the Triumph Bonneville but thought the 850cc engine would be a bit powerful to learn on (I will still own one in addition to my RE one day!). Next I saw was the RE and fell instantly in love. Understated but different and cool. The fact that people were saying it was a 500 but not too fast sounded perfect to me. The speed limit in Nassau is 45 miles per hour on the "highway" and about 30 miles on the rest of the roads so cruising around on my Enfield is simply amazing!

[barenekd]

Not being a Ducati fan, I can certainly bypass that one.
Frankly, I'm quite happy with the handling. If I were looking for ultimate handling, I'd look for another Superbike. Does not include Ducatis. But then I'd be more uncomfortable, and the economy wouldn't be there.
Unless you're riding a moped, there isn't much that is more economical than an RE.
Speed? It's fast enough to get a ticket, if you work at it.
I have no complaints with my bike's reliability.
The price was fine as far as I was concerned. I could've gotten a lot of other stuff cheaper, but they just don't have the panache.
I had been looking at these since they started importing them over here. I'm sorry I waited so long to get one. I coulda been having all this fun for years! This bike will definitely be near the top of the list of favorites that I've owned., maybe at it. It keeps getting higher.

Bare 

[Kevin Mahoney]

I first bought three bikes. One for me, one for my buddy Manley and one for us to sell to pay for ours. We opened the first crate in my basement (drive in basement). It was a Blue Deluxe. When I first saw it I was overwhelmed. Within two hours I had decided to try to make a go of Royal Enfield USA and worked out a deal with the then distributor. I still feel that way when I see one. I have had and still have a lot of bikes including a 2002 Bonneville. None of them are as much fun nor as nice looking but I am not a neutral party.

[Arizoni]

I grew up in the '50's and early 60's and always liked the looks of the British bikes.

The Royal Enfield is the only new motorcycle that still looks just as it did back then so when I decided to buy a new motorcycle it was the obvious choice for me.

I considered buying an old Triumph or BSA but I found parts for those can be pretty expensive.
They also have the same life they had back in the '50's.  It was very uncommon back then for a motorcycle to go 10,000 miles without needing a total overhaul.  Come to think about it, some of them back in those days needed rebuilding after only 5,000 miles.
I can live without that sort of hassle.

I do wish RE offered a 750 vertical twin like the old Interceptor series but the 500 fits my riding style and will do everything I want except riding at 80-85 mph to keep up with the other vehicles on the Interstate highways.

Before buying my 2011 G5 I also considered a new Triumph Bonneville and although they are big vertical twins they just don't seem to have the old school look.
Their prices are also several thousand dollars higher than the RE.

Of course, after putting 5000+ miles on my G5 I have not given up on the idea of buying a Triumph but if I do I have no doubts that the RE is going to be parked right next to it and it (the RE) will probably get ridden more often.

There are absolutely no new Japanese bikes I would want to own.
They are either crotch rockets, hump backs or poor imitations of a Harley cruiser.
Speaking of Harleys, they are just too damn big.  I like a bike that is fairly light and very responsive.  The RE fits that wish.  Harleys don't

The RE is just a very fun bike to ride and the maintenance and insurance costs are low enough to make it a keeper.

[Ducati Scotty]

I should say, I think Kawasaki still makes the W650 and I know the make the W800, but they're not sold in the US.  I would have looked at those for sure if they were available here.  They are more like the old Triumphs than the new Triumphs.

Scott

[ace.cafe]

I liked the idea of having a vintage bike that I could still buy brand new parts at the dealer.

[Ayers Garage]

I'm the opposite of all you guys. My last bike which I sold to buy the Enfield was a Triumph Bonneville. I rode it a lot and it was perfect. Zero maintenance issues, zero repairs. Absolutely nothing but fresh oil every so often. Lots of week long road trips and commuting.

I hated it. The bike had no soul. I was going to buy a Scrambler, but after my first Triumph purchase, I vowed to never use that dealer again and there's only one local Triumph dealer around here to shop with.

[wildbill]

My purchase was a bit different from most. I went out to buy an old 67 MGB sporty - couldn't get the owner to negotiate on the price so i decided to buy a motorcycle.
I knew about the Royal Enfields - I had the 4 speed right gear change iron barrel 4 years ago. hated it - really hated it and sold it within two weeks.
Looking about on utube I saw the UCE model. Ticked all the right boxes -fuel injected-electric/kick start-left gear change.....................Old bike world charm which still looks good.
The rest is history and I'm very happy with the bike. That much  if the cafe racer comes our way .......I'm very interested. not as a replacement but a new addition.
Guess I've got the bug!

[Hobbydad]

Your first two points where actually major considerations for me. Price & economy. How many street bikes (cruisers) offer this style & displacement for the money? I looked and there are almost none. You can find cheaper sure, if you want a modern style and half the displacement, but there's really nothing like the Enfield at it's price point.

I did in fact look for a Ducati Hypermotard, couldnt find the color (had to be red), and didn't want to drive 2-3 hours to look at one. I also made 2 trips to a local Harley dealer, but I must not have looked like I could afford one, because I was ignored both times. But really, the bottom line was that both bikes where almost twice what I wanted to spend.

As for economy, even if the bike gets 60 mpg, that's all I could ask. Much better than my Avalanche getting 12 mpg, and I think that's easily up to modern bike standards.

But having said all that, if I where asked why and had to give the most basic one word answer, because it's cool. Really cool.

[REpozer]

I walked away from riding for almost 20 years to feed a family. I had found memories of my  1981 Honda XL 250s that I purchased new for $1350 (no joke). I was 15 years old at that time.

Fast forward to 2008, I was able to purchase my RE out of the crate, I live 800 miles from our dealer, over land and sea . The crate was a practical shipping solution. The dealer could tell talking to me over the phone that I would be okay opening a factory crate( that's what I wanted)
Parts availability and price remind me of old Honda prices when they were affordable.(Not so with Honda anymore)
I am not a speed demon either,so RE fits that too. I'm afraid of crashing so I don't fall anymore.

Royal Enfield has been a good experience. I don't think I will every like the C5. I may purchase a B5 someday. But my AVL Classic is fine for now and is holding up.

I am becoming concerned with parts availability for AVL engines.  Time will tell.

[GreenMachine]

I brought it because I just love the way the demo  sparkled and said "Buy Me"..I was shopping for a bike anyway ..I had the cash and figured tax and tags out the door for 5k ...At the time, the dealer was 7 miles from my house on a country road...The stars were position just  right to write a check and order one..Been good ever since..

[Jack Leis]

    My love for thumpers started at a very early age. My Father had a 1947? BSA 350 single he bought in 1952. He used to pick me up and sit me on the tank and give me rides around the block when my Mom wasn't looking. man how i used to love that !  I bought a BSA Victor after Vietnam and man did I get the bug again. I beat the crap out of that thing racing desert with it and stepped up to a BSA B50. That bike was a little better. Raced 2 Honda singles in 2 different classes and within a few years gave up Desert Racing. I still had the love and passion for 4 stroke singles. I could never get it out of my blood . Then came the Yamaha SR500 I bought in 1979. God that bike was a blast. I hadn't ridden a motorcycle since 1982  when last September I found the Royal Enfield website while looking for something else. Found a dealer in my hometown and bought their demo bike . A beautiful G5. Now that I'm retired and have a great riding partner ( bare )  the passion is still going strong . I eat , drink and sleep Royal Enfield. I absolutely love that bike. It gives me something to look forward to and above all, keeps me off drugs and out of gangs ! LOL

[2bikebill]

My intention to get back into motorbiking had been on the back burner for a long time - decades!  I'd nearly bought an Enfield in 1980 - after only ten years away, and when you could get a new 350 for around £1000 - but I was just embarking on a full time university course as a "mature" student, and just couldn't find the money.
When the moment finally came round again, I still had a strong preference for the style of bikes I grew up with, but after so long I just didn't have the nerve or knowledge to buy something old. I also didn't want anything too scary, so a beautiful old style 500 single - available brand new! - became the irresistable option.
Some of you will know about my 2 year love/hate relationship with my delinquent Royal Enfield G5 DL......
Even though it now has to share my affection and riding time with a 650 twin, I still think it's an absolutely beautiful looking machine, and I still love riding it. In spite of all I have said during that bike's delinquency, I doubt I will ever part with it. It changed my life, and was the only brand new vehicle I've ever had!
Now I am getting old and my bones ache more and more - I think, realistically, the long tours I hoped for on the W650 are unlikely now - and when it comes to it, as it must, I probably already know I'll be more contented, and a sight safer, on the leafy byways of Devonshire astride my steady old thumper than thrashing dangerously along the highway on the other hooligan....

[The Garbone]

I have an addictive personality and it seemed like a bad idea at the time so here I am.....

[Lwt Big Cheese]

I'd had bikes over the years and used to commute on them. The last one was 40 miles each way, raiin or shine. Then one day I found I was faced with an icey hill and decided that I'd had enough of taking my life in my hands twice a day.

Fast forward a few years and I got the urge for a bike again. I'm thinking that Japanese bikesare like white bread. They're OK, but if you want a real treat get a proper loaf!

All the British bikes have suffered from the recession. Speculators have put the prices sky high. Besides I want to ride not polish an investment!

A RE appeard on eblag locally. Then I find that the guy is a specialist in them and brings them in from India when he returns from holiday. Long story short I bought a cheap one from him.

I then read everything I could find on them. And rapidly came to the conclusion that the road testers in the mags are barely out of their teens and next week will be reporting on trains, cars or whatever. They weren't enthusiasts at all!! Thier comments weren't valid!

Of course they're are cantancerous if all youve ever had is white bread! Er I mean easily started and forgiving motorcycles with too much power.

I watch the point and squirt bikes zipping up the road and then over braking for the bend and don't feel the need to compete there. I'd rather try to get the very best out of the old school machine. If you can ride an Enfield to the best of ITS abilities you won't be doing too bad at all.

Then you have the cheapness and knowledge and the spares availability, longevity etc.

Oh the knowledge. There are guys out there who have been tuning and racing these things for years and are friendly enough to pass that information on. Ones that can make an RE out perform a Gold Star - and on a budget too!

I love the way that mine looks sh1t. But the engine, gearbox and clutch were all rebuilt and it's now 12 volt. It's just the tin wear and cosmetics that make it look that way. And parked up it gets more attention than the custom harleys or the hot jap bikes - not that I'm doing it for that, you understand.

Bottom line? I don't know of anything that gives better smiles per pound (dollar!).

[palace15]

Lwt Big Cheese, good points you made there, unfortunately British bikes have been subject to investment purposes, I believe this was something to do with some UK law and bikes being able to be used for 'retirement' funds, I suppose a bit like paintings. When we had one of our many recessions it was noticed that classic cars lost far greater value than classic bikes, and realising that bikes take up far less room, bikes became the thing to 'collect'
It begs the question, how many classic bike owners know anything of what they own?
A couple of years ago a Vincent V twin from the Brian Verrall collection fetched around £206.000, the other week at the Stafford show the same bike sold for £225.500 incl buyers premium, how many Vincent owners now think their bike is worth around the same?
There are more so called BSA Rocket Goldstars around now than the factory ever produced, I know someone who has just paid over £8000 for one of the copies.
For outrageous prices, google Bonhams the auctioneers.
Heres a link!!
http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/19766/59907/

[Pauly]

here"s my motorcycling story

about 2 1/2 years ago I was doing s routine tune up on my 98 jeep wrangler. i bought this jeep nearly 12 years ago, we've lived in 5 states together and i can"t see life without her.  as i was taking the distributor cap off to put a new one on, the bolt sheared in the distributor housing, no efforts to remove the sheared bolt were succesful so i found myself with a new $189 dollar distributor for what should have been a routine 1/2 hour job.  This led me to a descsion, I love tinkering with engines, but it was time to leave the daily driver repairs to a professional.

but then what to tinker on, the Dog? she"d tolerate it it, but it would disturb her naps.

not more than 2 weeks later a buddy was leaving town and needed to get rid of his bike and pick up some extra money, so for the some of $300 I becam the owner of an '84 honda V45 magna in almost running condition. the rub, I had never ridden a motorcycle before and really had no interest in them, but i got it running a little more reliably and took a MSF course.

That was it, as they say, it was over, i was hooked.

well, this bike has a hydraulic clutch and for the life of me i couldn"t get more than about 20 pulls out of it before i had to pull over and bleed the air out of it. winter came and other, more indoor projects took over, that december i worked the maintainence shut down at the plant.  this is where the story starts to relate to the enfield by the way.  We had purchased a new explosion proof shop vac, a really quality piece of equiptment. and me being the geek i am, decided to research the company that made it online.  turns out the company is the old Nimbus bike company, they now make industrial shop vacs.

I am obsessed with British culture thanks to a combination of P.G. Wodehouse and Douglas Adams.  This led me to wonder which English bike companies were still in bussiness. so the fateful google search was entered, being familar with firearms i clicked first on the Royal Enfield link, and was instantly taken by the G5. love at first sight, no, not strong enough, i fall in love at first sight at least 3 times a day, more during the summer when the skirts get short and necklines plunge.

a little research only furthered the obsession, here was a machine without a hydraulic clutch and four @#$$%ING carburators to tune and synch. and to me the best part seemed to be that they rattled themselves to pieces every now and then and you got to put the back together

it took a year and a half to secure financing and this march 10th i borrowed a pickup a nd drove the 210 miles to Ralston Wyoming to bring her home. The rest is history, in the making.

Sorry to be long winded, but you asked

Pauly 

[rbelyk]

I was actually looking for a vintage vespa when I saw an ad for the new enfield c5
I fell in love and had to have one, luckily there was a dealer here in town
went out and sat on it and bought it, I hadn't had a bike in 25yrs...
I just love the vintage look but modern reliability (ok ok)   
I don't mind it being a 500cc, I ride with a bunch of guys on norton's, I can keep up most of the time
cheers

[Weltlich]

Well, since I just bought a 2011 C5 Military, I might as well weigh in.

For me, it really boils down to to economy and aesthetics.  I'm 32, and started riding about 13 years ago.  Like a lot of young men, I was drawn to sport bikes initially, and went through a couple of Suzuki's GSXR's (a 600, then a 750).  I never went "full-squid," but hey, I liked going fast.  Rode those for about eight years, then due to military obligations, I sold off the 750, and I've been bike-less ever since.

So, I ended up moving to Boston to go to school and for the past 4 years, I've been using the MBTA (public trans) to get around.  It's had it's ups and downs, and lately, it's been mostly downs.  The "T" decided to raise fees and cut services, so I said to my fiance, "I think it's time for me to get a bike again."   She was for the idea, but wants to get a sidecar, so that's the next big item on the list.

Anyhow, I'd been looking at the Triumphs, starting with their Street Triples, because I was still in the "go fast" mindset.  That led me to looking at their "classic" line, which led me to look at Brit bikes as a whole, leading eventually to Royal Enfield.  I really dug the look of the C5 series, and especially the Military, and it ultimately led me to re-think my whole stance on speed.  You can't go fast in Boston - the streets suck and the traffic is horrible in that stop-go-stop way.  And then I remembered how much sport bike seats sucked.  And then I saw the gas mileage that the C5 got, and I saw what Triumph wanted for a new Street Triple.

So I picked up a new Enfield two weeks ago, and I've had an awesome case of reverse-buyers-remorse ever since.

[FiRE Comms]

Back in 06 I was looking at the triumph line kicking around the same ideas as everyone else...  Somehow i ran across the enfield site, and caught the bug.  At that time the AVL was either out or getting ready to come out, and there were rumors of the UCE bikes.  I waited, then saw the C5 but no deluxe!  Something that really brought me to the enfield was the chrome tank of the deluxe, so I waited.  And the chrome came about!  Talk about happy days.  I called my dealer from Afghanistan and put the deposit down the day the C5 Deluxe was made official.  I'm still stuck over here, but on my trips home I've completed the 2nd oil change and look forward to many years of perpetuating my adolescence! 

[Jack Leis]

   I hear you guy's ! Realistically, buying an Enfield just makes all the sence in the world. Fire Comms, I hope you are able to come home and STAY home soon.

[Ducati Scotty]

Fire Comms, I hope you are able to come home and STAY home soon.

+1.

[Ozinwa]

I have been riding since 1969, hodakas, tohatsu,Puch most all of the common ones Honda, Kawi etc, and quite a few of the letter ones DKW, KTM,BSA. Greatest love was for a TR 650 that was probably a time period in my life more than anything else.
I sat down and figured out what I really wanted in a bike. I like simple maintenance / tinkering in the form of single ignition and carburetor, spoke wheels, low seat height, disc brakes narrow feel and one that celebrates it's mechanical being. Also this time I was going to be selfish and make it a single seat.
 The Enfield fit my perfect bike list, anyways who could say no to such a beautiful bike.
For dirt riding I have a Tiger cub and family rides it is a Stella with a sidecar, when I want plain pleasure to ride I take the Enfield and as always when you ride a Brit bike (most don't know where it is from) you can be accepted by the rocket and Harley riders alike.

OZinWA

[Chiefharlock]

y'know, same reason as everyone else: Zombies


LoL!!!

[Ice]

 It hits all the marks of what I like want and need in a single bike.
Some bikes hit some of those marks harder but none hits them all save for the Bullet.
That and I have always liked the way Britt bikes handled.

 BSA's were more more gettable than Bullets and that is what I was looking for in '04-'05 when I started looking for a Britt single in earnest until I found that Bullets were being Imported. My focus changed on the spot and I have yet to look back.

 The land mass of America is supposedly 3.79 million square miles.Of that, I don't know how much is covered with with pavement but with right tires on my Bullet I can pretty much cover the rest as well  

[hillntx]

Plain and simple, we bought our set of RE C5s due to the color:  Royal Maroon (what we like to call Fez Red). 

Our Shriner motorcycle team has been competing since 1959 originally on 1958 Cushman Eagles, then 1968 Honda CD175s, 1974 Honda 350s and finally on 1981 Kawasaki KZ440 LTDs.  After rebuilding carbs every season, we decided it was time to start looking for a replacement for our 30 year old competition bikes.   We needed a small displacement bike that had a tight turn radius, visual appeal and ideally fuel injection and we didn't want to spend a ton of money.  We had been kicking around the idea of REs for a couple years and finally found what we wanted. 

One of our members bought the first bike and negotiatied a deal for the remaining three.  Michael Baker and the staff of Royal Enfield of Fort Worth were very helpful and even delivered some of the bikes to our unit building.  To our knowledge we are the only Shrine Motor Corps in the country riding Royal Enfields.

See the pic below and you'll know why it was the color that made the deal.

[The_Rigger]

Because I've had GoldWings for the past 32 years, and my new C5 is about as far from a GL as you can get and still be riding a motorcycle.

(you can't get a brand new Whizzer.... Can you?)

[FiRE Comms]

Thanks Jack and Scott!  I'll be home for my little sister's wedding in 2 weeks.  Hopefully, HOPEFULLY something will break loose and I'll be able to stay home.  We all know how bad the job market is, and as bad as this place is, it is a job...

[tooseevee]

          History, mine & the bike's, after many years of staring at brochures from Popular Mechanics & Mech Ill at 11, 12, 13 in the late '40s. And I'm very glad I finally got the one I did (a leftover '08 unsold 'til 2010) & not a newer one. Fate was on my side for once.

[Alan LaRue]

Well then, out of all the bikes on the market why did you choose the Enfield?

Reasons you did not!
Price...............................can be matched and bettered by many.
economy.........................." "    "   "   "     "    "     "     "    "      " "

Actually, those were two of the main reasons. Although buying used might be a better choice if these are the reasons, when buying new it really is hard to beat. The only better alternative available in the U.S. would be a 250, either a Honda CBR250R or a Kawasaki Ninja 250. As far as I know, the RE is the only 500cc motorcycle sold here anymore. Both of the 250s would beat it on economy and price, and probably power, but they have not-quite "standard" ergos. They aren't overly aggressive, but they aren't what I was looking for.

I paid less than $6000, and I'm getting 65 mpg on my freeway commute. (If you see my "Fuelly" sticker below, it says 61 point something. I was getting 59-60 until I installed a Givi Aerotech windscreen, at which time the mileage jumped to 65. It'll take a few more tanks for the average indicated on Fuelly to catch up.) Other options would have been a Honda NT700V (much more expensive, over $9000, and probably can't match the mileage) or a Suzuki V-Strom 650 (somewhat more expensive, and still can't quite match the mileage).

The retro-vibe was important to me, just like to probably everyone else here. The sit-up-straight riding posture was important, too. I'm very happy with it, using it like a completely modern transportation vehicle.

[shamelin]

The first time I ever wanted a bike, it was after seeing this NY Times article about the new Royal Enfields.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/17/automobiles/17ROYAL.html?pagewanted=all

Before that day, I never even thought about riding a bike.  I never owned one, never been on one, didn't even have a friend who rode.  But the Royal Enfield was just so beautiful, I couldn't stop thinking about it.

It took a little time to talk my wife into it, but thankfully her dad grew up riding, so it wasn't a lost cause.  I passed a MSF course, got my endorsement, and bought my B5 from Polaris West in Katy TX.

Now I ride all the time and haven't regretted it a moment.  You can argue about price, performance, and reliability all day long, but there isn't another bike as beautiful.

[fzr400]

because of the economy. if it ever crashes where is the paper money is worthless. i can trade it for 2 chickens and maybe a loaf of bread.

[Alan LaRue]

Hey, shamelin, we have the same dealer!

[aikischmid]

When I bought my 2011 G5 Classic, I'd never even ridden a motorcycle. I had a helmet, boots, and some gloves, and was all scheduled to take the motorcycle classes offered at the local college through the State within a couple weeks of the purchase. I just knew I wanted a motorcycle to have better fuel economy on my daily commutes to work. So I searched "motorcycle manufacturers" on google. I seriously went through this giant list, visited every website, and finally came to Royal Enfield. I couldn't believe it, I fell deeper and deeper in love, and I knew this is what I wanted.
The old British style style immediately caught me. I'm generally a nonconformist and so I wanted something most other people didn't have.
Plus the fact that a new base model Sportster/Bonnie/Guzzi was a good 9 grand. The G5, brand new with 2-year warranty from a local, authorized dealer, was just barely over 6 grand. So the price was right for me. Coming to this website alot also helped, because I saw how Jay Leno bought one and gave it a solid review. And this forum here filled with knowledgable, helpful people, guiding people (like me) through everything from oil changes to Lucas headlight conversions.
So in a nutshell, that's why I chose to buy my RE. And I love the direction of the company and focus on the future.

[Alan LaRue]

Yes! Being a nonconformist definitely influenced my decision!

[barenekd]

The only better alternative available in the U.S. would be a 250, either a Honda CBR250R or a Kawasaki Ninja 250. As far as I know, the RE is the only 500cc motorcycle sold here anymore. Both of the 250s would beat it on economy and price, and probably power, but they have not-quite "standard" ergos. They aren't overly aggressive, but they aren't what I was looking for.

By all the road tests I've read on the Sporty 250s, and I did do a bit of looking at them before I bought the Enfield, they do not beat the Enfields on economy!
My last 32 fillups have resulted in 68.5 mpg
Bare

[The_Rigger]

Because I've never ever seen another one on the road hereabouts.

[gremlin]

1. EFI
2. Kickstarter
3. It kinda resembles my first bike ( Sears Allstate 250 )
4. I'm done riding like a maniac
5. I'm also done riding the big bagger bike
6. NOBODY would steal it.....   

[john hut]

I wanted something to take me back to my youth and give me something to keep me active in my old age,,,Life is not a rehersal,,