[JVS]

Really great input by the others  The battle green is a nice colour indeed. I would also recommend keeping it under 60mph. Over that, and you're probably just riding an unstable tired camel. The vibrations part is a bit subjective as well, and varies person to person, less on the bike to bike perhaps.

Maybe I am biased, but the 'horror stories' are generally perpetuated to an unrealistic level, by people who probably have trouble changing a light bulb  You are purchasing something based on a design/tech that has been continued for decades, and replicates it very well. The manufacturing processes and development have come a long way. You shouldn't be disappointed. Comparing a classic Enfield 500 with current Japanese, German or Italian build quality is quite pointless.

Just my view, but I would definitely recommend it. There are various options, parts and mods that will keep you busy for a long time, and you would come up with something very unique and personal. It will be fun 

[ROVERMAN]

The only thing you need to know is that this forum is your friend. Welcome Batman!
Roverman....... Roverman & Batman, the dynamic duo!

[Royal Enfield Batman!]

Really great input by the others  ...

Thanks everyone for all the great responses!

There are a few things I am still concerned about (USA market please):

1) Brakes: Are there any upgrades (factory or after-market) to improve the apparent minimal brakes available on a stock Classic 500? Are they easily serviced (especially the rear)? Are cables and linkages smooth and of good quality?

2) Paint/Chrome: Some older reviews indicate poor paint jobs and early rust problems. Are the new powder coated finishes durable and long lasting? Is there "touch up" paint available? Is the chrome of a good/durable quality?

3) Tires: I guess the tires have tubes due to the "spoked" wheel design. Any particular pros or cons to these? Can tire sealers fix a leak in a pinch? If not, then has anyone ever tried doing a field repair of a tube (especially the rear)? Is it possible to do in the field or are you pretty much screwed? Are tires standard sized (easy to find sizes)?

4) Spoked Wheels: Any concerns with these? Are they plenty durable for average paved road use? Do they need continuous tightening or alignment checks?

5) Transmission: I realize that this isn't a high performance shifting tranny, but besides a little clunkiness (as I understand it) is shifting fairly predictable and safe? Has anyone ever replaced the clutch and is it pretty straightforward or a major project? Are cables and levers smooth and of good quality?

6) Air Cooled Engine: Any concerns with over-heating on this engine? (except in long idle situations of course).

7) Maintenance Parts: Are brake pads, shocks, light bulbs,  air and oil filters "off-the-shelf" or "special order" parts? Can you get them on the web? Are various engine and chassis parts readily available and "reasonably" affordable?

8 ) Performance Parts: Any factory or after-market performance parts available?

Sorry for all the questions (I'm not as anal as they might imply) but not only would I like to know some of these details, I also thought it would good for other people (like me) to be able to read this stuff in one place instead of relying on the randomness of the Internet to somehow provide it all.

Thanks again for any or all responses...

[ROVERMAN]

Brakes: Yes, some have had concerns. My B5 brakes work fine, seem well matched to the level of performance and have been trouble free.
Paint and chrome: It is what it is. Not Japanese quality but not too shabby.
Tires: Once again, nothing new here, tons of help on this forum regarding wheel and spoke maintenance.
Trans: Mine started a bit notchy but now works like butter, no biggy.
Air cooling: Actually runs on the cool side, no issue.
Parts: No problem, CMW (our hosts) or the dealer.
Aftermarket goodies: See above, or ask the forum.
Roverman.

[krimp]

Thanks everyone for all the great responses!

There are a few things I am still concerned about (USA market please):

1) Brakes: Are there any upgrades (factory or after-market) to improve the apparent minimal brakes available on a stock Classic 500? Are they easily serviced (especially the rear)? Are cables and linkages smooth and of good quality?

2) Paint/Chrome: Some older reviews indicate poor paint jobs and early rust problems. Are the new powder coated finishes durable and long lasting? Is there "touch up" paint available? Is the chrome of a good/durable quality?

3) Tires: I guess the tires have tubes due to the "spoked" wheel design. Any particular pros or cons to these? Can tire sealers fix a leak in a pinch? If not, then has anyone ever tried doing a field repair of a tube (especially the rear)? Is it possible to do in the field or are you pretty much screwed? Are tires standard sized (easy to find sizes)?

4) Spoked Wheels: Any concerns with these? Are they plenty durable for average paved road use? Do they need continuous tightening or alignment checks?

5) Transmission: I realize that this isn't a high performance shifting tranny, but besides a little clunkiness (as I understand it) is shifting fairly predictable and safe? Has anyone ever replaced the clutch and is it pretty straightforward or a major project? Are cables and levers smooth and of good quality?

6) Air Cooled Engine: Any concerns with over-heating on this engine? (except in long idle situations of course).

7) Maintenance Parts: Are brake pads, shocks, light bulbs,  air and oil filters "off-the-shelf" or "special order" parts? Can you get them on the web? Are various engine and chassis parts readily available and "reasonably" affordable?

8 ) Performance Parts: Any factory or after-market performance parts available?

Sorry for all the questions (I'm not as anal as they might imply) but not only would I like to know some of these details, I also thought it would good for other people (like me) to be able to read this stuff in one place instead of relying on the randomness of the Internet to somehow provide it all.

Thanks again for any or all responses...

To answer your questions:

1. You will find quality replacements from our host, Classic Motor Works. And the brakes are more than adequate for daily riding.
2. The paint will be fine, just be sure to keep it clean. The chrome that gets hot will turn brown or blue after a while, but that adds to the charm and lets people know that you really do ride it. When you purchase your bike, you will receive a can of touch up paint in the primary color.
3. The tires are fine, just make sure you check the pressure on a regular basis, about once a week. The C5 has a 19" front and an 18" rear. If you get the Avon's, expect to get 7000 plus miles out of the rear tire before it needs to be replaced.
4. In almost two years of year round riding (I live in Colorado), I haven't yet encountered any issues with the spokes and the tires have stayed true the entire time.
5. Shifting is very predictable, the only caution is shifting from 1st to 2nd. You may find a few drops into Neutral. This is fixed by holding the shifter up while releasing the clutch and accelerating. Like all bikes, just be sure to lube the cables and you won't have any issues. Also, you will receive replacement clutch and throttle cables when you get your bike.
6. No concerns with over heating. I ride daily and see temperature changes as high as 50 degrees in a day. She handles those changes without issue.
7. Almost every part you need can be purchased through our host. Go here to look at what is available and judge for yourself if everything is reasonably affordable: http://www.classicmotorworks.com/
8. You will find some upgrade kits via our host, but you can also IM Ace Café for information about his aftermarket work. He has produced some great upgrades that will significantly boost your Enfield's HP.

And don't worry about the questions, that's what we are all here for.

One more thing, here is an article that really does sum up the Enfield quite well: http://rideapart.com/articles/first-ride-royal-enfield-classic-500

I don't agree with their final assessment, but that is only because they didn't ride the bike until it was fully broken in.

[Rattlebattle]

Whilst I concur with what Roverman has said, I would add my own comments as the owner of a Limited Edition C5:

The front brake is basically ok for the speed one normally rides on the C5. I find that it is not particularly comfortable above 60mph because of the wind blast. I suspect a B5 (and definitely a CGT) is more comfortable above 60mph. The attraction (to me) of the C5 is that it feels lovely at 55mph. That said, I chose to fit a braided steel hose on the front brake. It has removed all trace of squidgyness (is that a real word? - should be) from the lever.

Re the tyres (I'm English) mine was fitted with tubeless Avons, though tubes are fitted. I haven't had any reason to remove a tyre yet (touch wood) though from experience I would say that it would be a bit of a PITA to get the tyre off the rim because tubeless tyres have stiffer sidewalls. Also, in my experience the various gloops designed to temporarily repair and inflate a punctured inner tube don't work well, if at all. Give me tubeless any day in this respect, though that in itself is no reason not to get a bike with spoked wheels.

[heloego]

Batman,
   +1 to ALL of the above!
   I have a 2012 Maroon C5 w/8525 miles on the clock, and haven't been more pleased with my decision to go for it. Also swapped to a braided steel line for the front brakes and consider them quite adequate.
   As for all the negative comments the internet coughs up: Almost without exception the bad reviews and bitching about the bike are from people who do not understand the mindset and philosophy of owning a real motorcycle instead of an appliance. In other words...biased toward their particular flavor of bike.  Not fair to compare apples and oranges.
   I bought mine because I've always loved the traditional styling, it was my intention all along to be its owner AND mechanic, and while I still have much to learn I'm pleased to pass on that not only is the newer RE affordable, it is exceptionally easy to maintain. I've been from Albuquerque NM to Aurora CO and back, encountering some really nasty weather and my C5 saw me through all of it without a glitch at an average speed of around 63mph. 
   That said, while the rear drum brakes are for the most part marginal compared to others, setup and maintenance is easy enough.
   The stock Avons will serve you well. I still have just over 3/32" depth to my treads even with the 8525 miles.
   You can expect some vibration which should gradually decrease as you rack up the miles. I now only feel a buzz in my feet when accelerating between 55 and 60mph. Each one is different, so the suggestion to test ride several is good advice indeed. The crank/piston is not counter-balanced and no two bikes will feel the same.
   NP regarding truing and spokes.
   Should come with a marginal tool kit, spare cables, and a can of touch-up paint.
   Shifting gets smoother the more you use it.
   Parts/Accessories are less expensive and readily available. OEM parts will soon not be available through our hosts due to the new distribution model for North America, but sourcing through the dealer or ebay should not present an issue.
   Remember that much of the RE is still HAND MADE, so misalignment is common, but easily corrected. It's also part of the appeal. 
   
   And last, but not least...
   THIS FORUM is the ONLY place you'll get truly good advice about any of the RE's! It's guys like Kevin (our host), ace.cafe, Bullet Whisperer, Gas House Gorilla, singhg5, and many others here that have set the benchmarks for honesty and technical expertise.
   I love this place, and if the RE is for you, you will, too!
   

[rtillery02]

Well, not too much to add to the input. My 2012 C5 has just over 2000mi & hasn't leaked or burned any oil. 1st 300mi. oil change & proper break in procedure determines future reliability..."I've been told". I have 2 Bullets, a 2002 4spd iron barrel(earlier design) & the new UCE design like your looking at buying. I'm a big 250lb boy & both machine seem to have no problems toting me all over these East Tx. hills, Plenty of torque/power. They do however have different "personalities", The new C5 shift is more of a gentle "kiss" into gear changes. The iron barrel is a more deliberate "clunk" gear change, like my old Triumph 500 twin. I've NO REGRETS & the UCE has been VERY reliable. I expect you'll have a good experience as well. Start reading up on R/E history cause you'll get asked a lot of questions from passer by'.

[Chuck D]

Just for fun, a link to a short vid of the coolest military Enfield of all time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWVdBwEjGBs
Enjoy!

[GSS]

The only Dealer I found in Minneapolis is called "Go Moto". Is that where you got yours?

Yes. Marty owns Go Moto. Give him a call or send him a PM as he is also on this group as Motomataya.

[dginfw]

R.E. Batman,  there were lots of good responses, to which I would add: don't pay attention to the online complaints coming from the riders in India. Im active on some Enfield groups on Facebook and they post complaints and questions about trivial things most of us would easily fix ourselves without much thought. I get the impression that not much gets warrantied over there, so perhaps the service stories have some merit. Who knows...
Just remember people will make an effort to complain but happy owners are often silent and smiling. I had a military C5 and they get LOTS of attention, and they are great fun.  Go for it!

[Royal Enfield Batman!]

Yes. Marty owns Go Moto. Give him a call or send him a PM as he is also on this group as Motomataya.

I believe you're right, I think his name was Marty.

I've already called Go Moto a couple times. They're suppose to be getting two Battle Green C5's in a couple weeks. I plan to take a trip there and give them a little more scrutiny.

I attached a picture that I took (below) of the one I saw at the motorcycle show...

[AmBraCol]

Thanks everyone for all the great responses!

There are a few things I am still concerned about (USA market please):

5) Transmission: I realize that this isn't a high performance shifting tranny, but besides a little clunkiness (as I understand it) is shifting fairly predictable and safe? Has anyone ever replaced the clutch and is it pretty straightforward or a major project? Are cables and levers smooth and of good quality?

6) Air Cooled Engine: Any concerns with over-heating on this engine? (except in long idle situations of course).

Sorry for all the questions (I'm not as anal as they might imply) but not only would I like to know some of these details, I also thought it would good for other people (like me) to be able to read this stuff in one place instead of relying on the randomness of the Internet to somehow provide it all.

Thanks again for any or all responses...

The Classic bikes are what caught my eye one day years ago as I was walking down Carrera 15 in Bogotá.  Went in, asked the price, raised my eyebrows, coughed a bit and walked out.   Then a couple years ago there was an overhaul of the system here.  Instead of one small importer with one outlet for the whole country, we now have 4 dealers in major cities and the distribution is handled by a major player in the national economy.  When I got wind of the change and started looking into Royal Enfield (much like you are now) I, too, cruised the Indian forums and magazines and such.  The over all negativity of some posts lead me to start reading between the lines and analyzing what I know of human nature.   Their culture is very different and many of them refuse to get their hands dirty, relying on what can be iffy dealership service.  And some of that iffiness is probably related to folks who are pushy about their desired service and who know it all and refuse to listen to the dealer or mechanic.  And there will be, of course, the dealers that really are not interested in dealing with problems - after all, they have waiting lists of new customers that are months long.  That alone indicates that in spite of the complaints, Royal Enfield has been doing something right.

Now, to address your questions quoted above.  I've got a Rumbler 500. It's the same as the Thunderbird 500 sold in India and the same engine/transmission as the C5 Battle Green bike you're looking at.   After researching, reading this forum extensively, considering what the bike should do for me and such it was an easy choice, especially after the test ride.  This bike is a huge step up from the Honda XL200 that it replaced.

The transmission on my bike was a bit stiff at first.  Finding neutral with the engine running was a pain.  But it would lock into gear reliably as long as I "shifted with authority".  The Rumbler has an advantage that it's got a "heel and toe" shifter.  Instead of lifting the shift lever with the toe, one steps down with the heel to go from first to second, to third, etc.  And one steps down with the toe to go into first and to go from fifth to fourth, to third, etc.  As the bike went through the run in process the shifting smoothed out.   This made things much more pleasant.  Now it's easy to go into neutral or to shift between gears.  Doing a proper run in procedure is vital.  As you go through it you get to know the bike and gain confidence in it.  Now, after 2,500 km, it's smooth and I only have troubles if I forget to step purposely on the shifter, but that's a matter of tightening the nut that holds the accelerator (if you get my drift).

As for over heating, these are low revving engines.  Much of my 2,500+ km have been in city driving. Here that means an average speed of 20mhp or so. No signs or symptoms of overheating at all. And the one trip taken to the Eastern Plains area took me into much hotter country - but no problems there either.  As with any aircooled engine, make sure you keep the cooling surfaces clean and don't leave it running for long periods at a standstill.

Ask away, the guys here are full of knowledge and are not skimpy about sharing it with each other.  It's a great place to learn about these bikes.  That Military Green bike is a cool looking bike indeed. Mechanically it should work well for you, depending on what you ask it to do.  They are great bikes for back road rambling and traveling back in time.  They're not so good for interstate cruising. My Rumbler does great at speeds up to around 70 mph - but seems happiest closer to 50-65.  This is great as the roads I ride are mostly posted at 50 mph or less with a few higher.  Revving up to pass a car, truck, bus or other conveyance is sweet - one can feel the torque of the engine kicking in and pulling you up to passing speed easily.  I'm not a small guy, 6'2" and too close to 270 lb, but this engine does fine to haul me and my luggage around the Andes. 

[AmBraCol]

I forgot to mention this.  You asked about performance parts.  Here's a place to start if you're inclined that way:

https://forum.classicmotorworks.com/index.php/topic,20350.0.html

[suitcasejefferson]

Royal Enfield is not up to Japanese standards, and likely never will be. They are probably of higher quality than a new BMW. Enfields are basically new vintage bikes. They are probably the only new bike in the world that doesn't even have a straight frame. If you really look one over, they look like they have been cobbled together by the village blacksmith, and that is probably not far from the truth. Their metallurgy is poor quality, I have seen many posts about broken frames and engine castings. But I have nearly 8000 miles on my 2013 model, and have had very few problems with it. I over maintain it, and do not ride it above 60 mph.

Despite my concerns about the quality of both materials and workmanship, the fun factor is off the scale. I have never had so much fun on a bike before, other than my former 1966 Triumph, which I sold more than 20 years ago. Vibration is part of the deal, unlike those high quality but boring Japanese bikes, when you ride an Enfield you know you are on a machine. You know there is actually an internal combustion engine down there. An Enfield is the real thing, not a cosmetic replica. If you are used to the reliability of modern cars and bikes, an Enfield might not be for you. I love them because I am sick to death of modern. Pretty much everybody here is going to recommend that you get one. But an Enfield is not for everyone. Their owners make up a tiny part of one percent of all riders. 99+% of riders wouldn't even consider one. If you can't get a test ride on one, see if you can at least sit on one with the engine running, so you can feel the vibration and hear the noises.

All I can say is that I love mine. But I have also been put down and laughed at on other motorcycle forums for buying one. Just get as much information as you can, and base your decision on that.

Oh, BTW, I first found out about RE back in the late '90s, and wish I had bought one back then. But I waited too long, and they quit making the Iron Barrel models. The new ones have unit construction engines, disc front brakes, and worst of all for me, EFI. I'm a carburetor guy through and through.