I dunno, Bare, I've seen several reviews of Enfields which "get it." I mean, no one hops on expecting them to keep up with a Yamaha R1.
Then again, if it's competing with the Triumph Bonnevilles (or the Guzzi V7
) in a consumer's mind, he should have a clear picture of the performance differences he's facing in the neo-retro market. I think the newer UCE/EFI Enfields are heavier on the "retro" and the others heavier on the "neo," but let's face it...neither is really Fonzie's bike, and if you're compromising the authenticity anyhow, some people would rather add more modern performance to the equation.
Still, most reviews I've seen give the Enfield high marks for fun while cruising secondary roads and freely admit that's the point...
Anyhow, Grizz, an Enfield is a great first bike, or a last bike, as long as you know what you're getting and that's what you want! They're small, easy to handle, and won't scare you. And the newer ones really don't need too much in the way of special care and feeding. The fuel injection means you're not tinkering with a carb adjustment and behaves well at all altitudes...the hydraulic tappets mean you won't have to adjust your valves, etc.
Still, you probably don't want to treat it badly on purpose, just in case...note that "break-in" on these bikes is far from the notional matter it can be with other modern vehicles. Treat it right in the beginning and you'll have little trouble later one...unless you simply lost in a game of Chennai Roulette, which does happen. Quality control is spotty.