[Kruiser]

You could probably cruise pretty close to 70mph with one of the newer bikes.
It's doubtful if it can hit 85mph top speed. The speedometer might say 85, but the radar would probably say 78-80mph.  The factory only claims 82mph max, and they are usually optimistic.

Mods for the new bikes aren't really available yet.

That doesn't sound much different than my slightly modded Electra.  I cruise at 70 for a couple of mile stretches all the time and I could easily go 75+.  My replaced speedo is accurate too.  I've also done 70 with two up.   Not sure of the top speed, I'm not a speed demon but the previous owner said he had it at 85 with the old speedo.  I sure wouldn't want to do that for an 80 mile round trip though.

[Ducati Scotty]

Your Monster chassis was designed for speed, the Enfield chassis wasn't.

Yes.  One thing I know of is that the RE has a pretty short trail, made worse on the C5 because it has smaller wheels than the G5.  Makes it very maneuverable at lower speeds but more unstable at higher speeds.  Also lets you add a sidecar without completely replacing the front suspension to shorten the trail.

I think emskee has it right on, you need to ride, not just sit there.  Though I'm not sure if he insulted me or not when he called my chubby butt a 'sprung mass'

Scott

[r80rt]

 

[Ice]

 I ride my Iron Barrel on the freeway for a few miles each way on my daily commute.
(a) Traffic is either very light or its rolling gridlock at 25 to 40 MPH.
(b) 55 MPH tops maybe 60 on a cold day.
(c) I keep my spacing because of drum brakes.

 With a combined rolling weigh of 600 to 625 Lbs and no plastic body works to act like sails, side winds are no problem.

[REpozer]

An Oldie , but Goodie.

http://www.enfieldmotorcycles.com/forum/index.php/topic,384.0.html

[emskee]

Ducati Scotty:

Just got back to this thread and, nope, didn't mean to insult. 

Shoulda read "One's body sitting on the seat is a sprung mass..."

There, that's better.

Mike

[csbdr]

Thanks all.  The answers matched my guess, but after lots of looking I'm still stuck liking the RE more than any of my other options - was hoping there was some way to make it work.

singhg5: triumph is my second place bike - either the scrambler or thruxton - but its the second-place-to-secretariate-at-belmont sort of second place.  Not real close.

Thanks again everyone.

Check out the Ural ST.  Twin cylinders, 750 cc, easily more retro than the Triumph

http://imz-ural.com/solo.aspl

[1 Thump]

This is a side-by-side comparison of the Ural, Bonnie, RE.....

http://imz-ural.com/downloads/brochures/2010.Ural-sT_comparison.pdf

This will help !

[Ducati Scotty]

Ducati Scotty:

Just got back to this thread and, nope, didn't mean to insult. 

Shoulda read "One's body sitting on the seat is a sprung mass..."

There, that's better.

Mike

I fell more svelte already! 

[Ducati Scotty]

On another note, I looked at the Bonnie and Ural too.  The RE is certainly cheaper than either, with or without a hack aattached.  More importantly, it's the quintessential motorcycle.  Small, simple, stylish, mechnical looking, the minimum you need to feel you're riding a motorcycle and not a Whizzer.  It may not be highway capable, or at least not meet everyone's definition, but it's got more charm and minimalism in any version than either the Ural or the Bonnie. 

That may not make it right for everyone but another machine I see out there with similar character is the 4 stroke Stella scooter.  Unabashedly retro styling with just enough update/improvement to the mechanicals to mke it palateable to a modern rider.  It's a personality thing.

Scott