MCN features an Enfield! - GREAT!
The test rates the C5 at 4/5 (very good)! – GREAT!
So, why do I feel bitter after reading it?
While the article is favorable for the bike overall, it is not the first time that this magazine disappoints with its lack of journalistic professionalism. I wouldn’t mind reading articles about how certain bikes live up to the expectations of a circle of motorcycle enthusiasts if it wasn’t published in a highly acclaimed motorcycle medium. Probably I should lower my expectations in order to accept that an industry publication called “consumer news” measures the product against its testers’ expectations. Gerry Picket writes in the testers’ log “I often find myself the disappointed victim of my own unrealistic expectations”. Who cares about his expectations, if I may ask? Tell me what the product is about, what it is doing well and what it is not doing well, in the context of its intended purpose.
This article completely and totally misses the point by repeatedly talking about high speed stability, long distance comfort, peak performance and everything else this bike is NOT made for. Let’s revive a Ford Model T and introduce it to the consumer by focusing on Dyno tests, highway performance and cross country comfort. Brilliant! Oh, and the stopping distance is worse than that of 2010 Ferrari. What a bummer! Surprise, surprise a 500 single which – for historic fidelity - was intentionally built without a counter balancer vibrates at its peak performance.
I can only imagine how much the testers abused this bike if they got only 57.7 mpg. Either they measured it incorrectly or they must have squeezed the heck out of this poor bike. We run three of these bikes in our rental fleet at AZride.com and nobody ever experienced fuel economy under 70mpg. Read Jonathan Hanson’s article in his Overland Journal
http://www.overlandjournal.com/blog/?p=491 . He gets 71 mpg riding off-road! One way to get to 57mpg is running the engine at 95-100% of its maximum performance all the time and you wonder why some complains about vibration. MCN suggests Royal Enfield to rubber mount the engine. Rubber mount the stressed member engine. Why not? I’m pretty sure that Royal Enfield engineers are already leaning over their drawing boards to meet the challenge.
According to their Test Notes it is a “pan” that the Enfield is a cult classic, which means it is not for everyone. Though I’m not sure about the “cult” part, these bikes are not for everyone indeed. Hey, finally these guys seem to hit the nail on the head, but sadly from the wrong direction. I’m so glad I can ride a bike that is not for everyone and I’m proud to speak for it just as much as I love the soulful vibration of this 500 thumper. This is exactly why I prefer my Royal Enfield over the Triumph I had earlier and even if the stopping distance is shorter than on the BMW K1300GT my smile is much, much, much wider when I ride the Bullet.