I agree that the Enfields have an “authenticity” that these other bikes don’t, because of their unique history of being continuously in third-world production since I was a baby. We’ve all seen “retro-bikes” come and go – the Honda GB500, the Kawasaki W650. They were not sales successes. We’re on the third or fourth reincarnation of Indian, at least the third version of Norton, Excelsior-Henderson is dead (again). Triumph, which has the strongest “memory lane” brand, is producing Bonnevilles that have only “styling cues” in common with the 60’s models, and for that reason I’ve not been all that tempted to buy one even though I understand they are perfectly nice and reliable. Enfield is my only and unique opportunity to buy a bike that has been in continuous production since the 50’s and still looks like it, but has now been modernized in function so that it’s not just a curiosity in the garage. It’s “authentic” in a way nothing else is.
Which leads me to my plan to save General Motors, which got tossed in their trashcan. GM is the exclusive owner of the design of the ’57 Chevy. If they brought it back “for real,” I’d go without food to buy one, and so would 100,000 other boomers. By “for real” I mean exactly as it appeared in 1957, body panels interchangeable with the originals, bench seats, the whole shebang. Sure, it would have disc brakes and airbags and catalysts, but otherwise give me the real, original look, not like the SSR’s and HHR’s and quasi-pony cars and PT Cruisers Detroit has churned out that are just “impressions” of classics. The Ford Sunliner. The Hemi Cuda. I wouldn’t care if they had the four-banger from their cheapest econobox, I’d want one.
That’s why I’m awaiting delivery of my Enfield C-5. And every time I park it somewhere and collect a couple gearhead boomers, I will give them a sales pitch. If we can get 10,000 UCE’s on the road in this country, there will be a healthier aftermarket, we’ll be able to get parts until the world ends, the fine people in Minnesota who made this all possible will be better rewarded, and GM will maybe stop throwing away my letters.