I only mentioned the Suzi because someone else mentioned it previously in this post, and because it IS a mechanical competetitor to the RE. And if the "S40" name isn't very exciting, which it's not, it could always be referred to by its origial name, "Savage". Would that make it ride better?
I have always enjoyed the brand loyalty that is apparent on forums; trucks, cars, bikes, guitars, you name it, and I've also seen this on Suzi S40/ Savage forums. Lots of those folks apparently own REs AND S40s, but some of the Savage people are VERY passionate about their bikes, and are proud of how much power they've been able to get out of one, and the customizing the've done, just like here, Honda, HD, any other forums.
But, I'll stick with my original statement, no matter how much brand loyalty anyone has, or how much cool any bike displays, or the tradition involved, those are all SUBJECTIVE factors. Certainly they are important, and all you have to do is look at Harley Davidson to know that "perceived cool" has a very real financial value. As I said, I may get a C5 just because of subjective reasons.
But things like how much power, brakes, cost, reliability, etc., are objective factors, and I have always given a lot of consideration to those things, too. This is a discussion that will never have a resolution, because it its founded on personal opinions, but my only point, originally, was just to make some objective comparisons between the RE and Suzi bikes.
I know that someone who is a Royal Enfield person will not very go into a store like my RE dealer's, (who are VERY nice people that also sold me my Gold WIng, and also sell Suzis and Kaws) and end up buying a Savage instead of a Bullet. BUT, someone who wants a nice, smaller bike, and sees them side by side, may well look at the engine size, belt versus chain drive, Japanese rep. for reliability, and be unable to see what would make a RE 500 single cost probably at least 2000.00 dollars more than the Suzuki 650 single.
By the way, If you bought one, you could STILL be Blltrdr, if you kept your Bullet, AND you could go onto a S40 forum and be Savagerdr. That ain't too shabby! I'm Alawing, Alasport, Alanomad, Alaroyal, depending on where you find me. As far as gals, well, my experience of many years has been that gettin' a gal onto a bike is more about me than whatever I was riding.
" It's not WHAT you ride, it's THAT you that "