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.