[jayprashanth]

I manage an automobile blog called Indiancarsbikes in India and here is what we managed to snap up during the 2010 Indian Auto Expo at Delhi, India. These motorcycles will be launched in the United States shortly.

http://www.indiancarsbikes.in/motorcycles/royal-enfield-new-500-classic-chrome-battlegreen-2010-auto-expo-1377/

http://www.indiancarsbikes.in/motorcycles/royal-enfield-cafe-racer-bike-auto-expo-2010-1353/

Cheers,

Jay

[Cabo Cruz]

Thank you, Br. Jay!  Luv the Cafe Racer!

[1Blackwolf1]

  Well it's now official, love the batle green color!!  Thanks for the pictures.  Will.

[ace.cafe]

I think the C5 in Battle Green is very good, and I like it just as much as the old OD green.
They did fine with that.

The new C5 DeLuxe with the chrome is totally stunning!
It is going to be very tough to beat that. All the other makers with bikes in anywhere near a similar price range are going to be worried. That C5 DeLuxe with the chrome and that gorgeous red color on it, is going to look "head and shoulders" above the other "retro bikes" out there that cost more.
I think this is the bike that is going to make RE a bigger player in the US market.
When you put a chromed-out bike next to a plastic "competitor", it's really hard for the plastic bike to even get noticed. There just aren't any chromed-out bikes out there anymore, and especially at this price. This bike is going to really turn some heads, and move out of  the showrooms. Americans LOVE chrome, and this bike has plenty of it. And the way they worked in the color panels with it is very very good. I just love that new color red they use,and the gold striping on the borders and all that chrome just makes me drool!  I loved that color on the first C5 bikes, but when it has chrome on there with it, I'm just gobsmacked by it.
I want one!

The Cafe Racer is really well done.
I'm picky about details on Cafe Racers, so I'll make some comments.
I think that the yellow needs to go. The yellow makes the color scheme too "busy", and I think  the yellow graphics and number plate would look better in white.
All the rest is teriffic. I really think they did it well.
The seat and tank are perfect, the dual gauges and separate headlight really look right, the rear-sets are nice, and the shocks look good.
Very nice job on the airbox, and the front fender brace is cool.
Perhaps I might like a little more "swept-back" angle on the header pipe, but it's okay.
The muffler has a good shape and angle, which is very 60s in style.
The graphic on the seat which says "Cafe racer" needs to go.
There should be a simple white "Royal Enfield" lettering on the very back of the seat hump, facing rearwards, like all the old seats used to have. It doesn't need to say "Cafe racer" on  it. We know it's a cafe racer because it's self-evident. Writing "cafe racer" on it just looks cheesy.
Outside of that,it's very well done. And those few things are minor in the overall execution of the bike, and I think it's a very good effort.
It really reminds me of the old Continental GT, which has always been considered one of the nicest looking cafe bikes ever.
This bike has the makings of a modern "cult classic".
I really want one of these too.

Things are really looking good for RE here.
I'm pleased to see what they are doing with this new model line.

[clubman]

Firstly, thanks Jayprashanth for posting these. I think RE are really reading their market and will do very well with these.

Ace, I completely agree with you on both bikes. Well, 99% anyway. Personally I'd dump the number plate on the cafe racer altogether but if it has to be there then white would be much better. The "cafe racer" on the seat must go! What next - "hyper sports" on the tank? And I think the existing front mudguard is more practical and looks fine.

I suppose Watsonian will import it to the UK and stop making their own version, (which I bought), but I'm happy with the one that I've got. Firstly I've got it now and not in 2012, secondly I like having the option of removing the single seat hump and taking a pillion. But RE have done a great job here and may yet revise it even more to our liking. It reminds me a lot of a Ducati single and there's not much wrong with that!

[jonapplegate]

I tend to agree with the both of you on the color scheme although i would point out that it's a concept bike being shown at a bike show and as such, yellow and red matched together is a very photogenic combo from the view of a camera. Reminds one of a Continental and a full on Manx Norton. I would feel stupid riding this thing on the street with it's colors. It does photograph "pretty" though. I am very intrigued by the possibility of a "new" Continental. It doesn't have to have the short stroke. It could have all the looks, the unit construction, the 5-speed, all the improvements of the UCE. Take a moment to imagine an old Continental but with subtle, improved, modern tech built into it. My mind is racing as we speak, thinking of just how cool a bike that could be. Where I live, there is a huge cafe subculture but they pretty much ride old Japanese bikes Something like this with all of the "modern" improvements might just blow the top off for RE.

[jayprashanth]

My pleasure.  :-) As a fellow owner of an LB500, I am very excited to see the modern direction Royal Enfield is taking while retaining the classic character that has so endeared the Bullets to us. Meanwhile, Royal Enfield is investing no less than a billion   Indian rupees($22 Million) to expand capacity at the Madras plant back in India.

Cheers,

Jay

[HMR]

I manage an automobile blog called Indiancarsbikes in India and here is what we managed to snap up during the 2010 Indian Auto Expo at Delhi, India. These motorcycles will be launched in the United States shortly.

http://www.indiancarsbikes.in/motorcycles/royal-enfield-new-500-classic-chrome-battlegreen-2010-auto-expo-1377/

http://www.indiancarsbikes.in/motorcycles/royal-enfield-cafe-racer-bike-auto-expo-2010-1353/

Cheers,

Jay

The classic chrome and battlegreen UCE's are slated for 'summer 2010' for the export markets. I spoke to a few people from RE at the Expo and they are looking to launch the Cafe Racer in 2011 and work is on for a bigger displacement UCE with revised gearing--the aim is to get 8 to 9 bhp more.

Though i dont like the paint scheme of the cafe, it's a very cool looking bike and it generated huge interest at the Expo. My favourite was the battle green Classic!

HMR
Mumbai

[Bullet Bill]

Dare I hope for that most classic of British engines, the 650 twin?  The horsepower sounds about right...

[Kevin Mahoney]

OK boys now for a reality check. The "Chrome bike" it is getting known as at the factory will most likely NOT make it's way to the US this year. The design isn't even frozen yet.
As those of you who follow this may remember the Sixty-Five with the 5 speed, the Electra and the C-5 all came later than they were scheduled to come to the US. Also bear in mind that Europe usually gets this stuff first.

 The one I saw some time ago in the design lab had a much nicer looking Tan solo (different design than the C-5) and some other differences. As for the Cafe bike, it is a concept bike only. RE did announce that it would be introduced in 2012 but I would be shocked if it happened on that time table. I would prefer that something like it came out in 2011 but Enfield has never been that nimble. On the other hand things have been changing fast there so who knows.

I will be going over again in a month or so and will let you know what I find.

[Bankerdanny]

That exhaust and the dual clocks were the two mods I wanted for my bike that I hadn't gotten to (exhaust) or couldn't get (dual clocks). You really need to add this to your catalog for the c5/g5 and the older Bullets.

[Kruiser]

OK boys now for a reality check. The "Chrome bike" it is getting known as at the factory will most likely NOT make it's way to the US this year. The design isn't even frozen yet.
As those of you who follow this may remember the Sixty-Five with the 5 speed, the Electra and the C-5 all came later than they were scheduled to come to the US. Also bear in mind that Europe usually gets this stuff first.

 The one I saw some time ago in the design lab had a much nicer looking Tan solo (different design than the C-5) and some other differences. As for the Cafe bike, it is a concept bike only. RE did announce that it would be introduced in 2012 but I would be shocked if it happened on that time table. I would prefer that something like it came out in 2011 but Enfield has never been that nimble. On the other hand things have been changing fast there so who knows.

I will be going over again in a month or so and will let you know what I find.

I would be particularly interested in if the US is going to get the kickstart, and if no why not.

[holodeck]

Me too on the kick start. Also 19" tires.