[RagMan]

I am building up strength in my ankle now - the bones are healed, it took about 12 weeks to get healed, now all I got to do is get the strength back in the muscle. I should be able to start the bike, when the weather is good enough to ride it.

[charte]

For me it's the whole aesthetic of the RE that y'all described above better than I can.  Frankly, I bought a Bullet, not a motorcycle, in my mind.  They're are my first real bikes, and I wasn't searching for one.  Kind of like when I met my wife....I wasn't looking for one........just hit me like a ton of bricks suddenly and I really had no choice.

[Anon]

I bet theres an old VW beetle connection in a good many bullet owners. I drove em right up till the pans went away. Certainly, details like pre unit construction and 19 inch wheels were not available on any new bikes I knew of. Couldn't resist...All that plus points ignition!

Well, my most recent was a '70 VW Bus, but it's the same thing (except the poor engine's gotta work harder)!  Yeah, I have to say that aside from the Bullet being one of the only bikes made that still looks like I think a motorcycle should, the simple technology was a very big part of the appeal.  I always tried to do as much of my own work on my VW's and it seemed that a Bullet would treat me the same.  They are also similar in that they are underpowered by modern standards and neither is suitable for modern freeway speeds.  The funny thing is, I never felt it took too long to get anywhere in my VW Bus and I feel the same with my Bullet - the ride is too fun.

Eamon

[fredgold52]

I had a 72 Beetle as a family car for a few years and lover the thing.  We kept it around for a long time.  I'm older and more fragile now so having a decent heater and AC is something I wouldn't want to do without.

Having admitted to being captured by many of the modern conveniences in my newer car,  aside from the electric start feature of my 65, there is nothing a modern motorcycle has that I would want more than what my RE already has.  And I must admit, that includes the blistering power and speed of the new bikes.

I believe this is the most pure form of motorcycling there is short of restoring your own 'barn find' classic bike.

[C.C.]

For me it was two things. 1. Identity theft is out of the question and 2. Untainted by technology. There is nothing that looks or sounds like a Bullet. The bike is old school all the way. The feeling of satisfaction you get when you have everything working perfectly on these machines. The satisfaction you get from working on it when everything is not perfect. I absolutely love this bike 

C.C.

[Chuck D]

As was remarked on elsewhere on this site, the bike chooses you. when I went to the dealership on saturday (formula 1motorsports on Long Island), the first thing that greets you when you walk in, is the Ducati line, in all it"s brutal and muscular glory arranged at various dramatic angles. Say what you will, the Italians have style. Next up a small flight of steps you come to a sea of generic looking cruisers, and plasticky crotch rockets so cowled over that you can't see the engine. Then at the far end of the room there she was. It was like that scene in West Side Story when Tony first sees Maria at the dance ( I swear). The rest of the room got all gauzy and out of focus. Sitting there waiting for ME was Magic Black in all of her quiet elegance.  I just hope that things work out a little better for us!

[fredgold52]

Isn't it great how the RE Bullet, in whatever trim, just stands out in a room full for the latest technology iron!!

These things are simply classy.  The others are nice (faster, more reliable, etc.) but they don't measure up

[VMAX]

So Chuck & Fred:

Have you christined your new "lady's" with a name? Seems like most of us have. Some male, some female, & some I have not quite figured out yet! 

[Chuck D]

To quote Dragline (the late great George Kennedy) in Cool Hand Luke, "anything that beautiful just gotta be named Lucille!"

[birdmove]

    What drew me to the RE Bullets first is that I think they look exactly like a motorcyle should look like. The bike looks great. I also like the looks of the old Triumph Bonnevilles,BSA 441 Victors and the street thumper (Shooting Star I think?), the old Nortons and the RE Intercepters etc. I also like the HD Sportsters-at least the standard models-not so much the "Customs". Also I like thumpers.I think right now in the USA there are only the Bullet and the Blast as far as street thumpers,though there are plenty of dual sport thumpers.I think the Blast is a fine ride too, but it feels a bit small in physical size to me and my 5'9" and 170 pound self, while the Bullet feels roomier.The old Yamaha SR500  was another nice street thumper as was the Honda Ascot 500 and the MZ/MUZ Scorpian,Traveler and tour. The Suzuki Savage is a good ride, but its a cruiser with forward controls etc.Hey, the Bullet doesn't have to use a cam chain tensioner since its a pushrod motor.Those tensioners are notorious for having problems.So the relative simplicity of the Bullet also grabbed me.

    And also having the electric start AND kick start capability is a very good thing in my opinion.

    Jon in Puyallup.

    2007 RE Bullet 500 Classic

[cyrusb]

So Chuck & Fred:

Have you christined your new "lady's" with a name? Seems like most of us have. Some male, some female, & some I have not quite figured out yet! 

         One ride and I had the name "LUCIFERS HAMMER"

[fredgold52]

So Chuck & Fred:

Have you christined your new "lady's" with a name? Seems like most of us have. Some male, some female, & some I have not quite figured out yet! 

No, I won't be naming my bike.  Other than to call it "Mine!"  If I were to name it, I'm sure it would be a feminine name to go along with what I believe it's personality will be.  I may be jumping to conclusions or making false assumptions, but I've found motorcycles - especially the older ones - to have many of the traits of my dear wife.  You can fill in the blanks from there, I'm sure.

Fred

[cyrusb]

Heres something you'll get a kick out of. When I bought mine, riding friends really did not know how to react. They did not understand and generally had no comment at first when I described the new ride. They slowly came by to see it, still no comments. Now they come by just to see it, and cant wait for the weather to warm up for a test ride. Go figure..

[LotusSevenMan]

I bought mine having never ridden a British bike having lived in UK all my life!
I bought my 2003 bike about 4-5 months ago on a bit of a whim of having ridden a Yamaha XT 500 a long while back and then suddenly seeing then what people saw in a large single 'thumper' and saying to myself I must have one one day. OK, so it took twenty years.
I wanted a 'modern' classic not a retro looker; one still in production for getting spares easily as all my machines (be it car or motorbike) tend to be two or three or more models back in time etc. Well now they have stopped making the iron lump too so I caught the RE just at the right time I guess. I had to have an Army for the utilitarian looks and all that storage space with crash bars as std. It just 'looked right' IMHO.
Can't say I'm unhappy with my choice so far!!!!! 

[VMAX]

Cy, Chuck, & Fred:

Just saw Cool Hand Luke the other night. Yep there's nothing like a "Lucille". I wish I could watch her wash & wax my RE 

I fully understand about a bike having the temperment of a wife  That's why I named mine Bernadine. Afigment of my imagination  When my wife asked about the name & why I didn't name the bike or my boat after her,  I just bit my lip and decided no response was better then the alternative.