Author Topic: Question for c5 owners  (Read 13416 times)

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ke100

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on: March 04, 2011, 02:20:38 pm
This my first post here I have been lurking for a while. I fell in love with the RE's a couple of years ago love the look and sound, just donot like the new look of motorcycles. My question is will a c5 handle a commute to work of 45+ miles( sometimes need to take the long way home) to work one way. Really like the RE's but donot want to over work it. The speed limit is posted at 55 most of the way. My current and first motorcycle is a 1986 KE100 2 stroke. Any advice would be helpful. Thanks and sorry for such a long first post.


prof_stack

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Reply #1 on: March 04, 2011, 02:42:22 pm
That is not the type of riding I would want to do on my C5.  Will it do it?  Sure, when broken in, it will be okay there but won't have quick passing power if you start at 60+mph. 

A Royal Enfield owner's cup is always half full.


r80rt

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Reply #2 on: March 04, 2011, 02:42:39 pm
My C5 will do that with ease, welcome to the forum.
On the eighth day God created the C5, and it was better looking than anything on the planet.
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ke100

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Reply #3 on: March 04, 2011, 03:17:45 pm
Thanks for the replys. I guess a better question is will a c5 comfortable cruise at 60 to 65 max for an hour to an hour and a half at the time. When I ride my ke100 I cruise at 45 to 55 for an hour or so then stop for a few minutes. I like to go 80 to 120 miles at a time. I was hoping a RE would be able to do that in the 60 to 65 range and cover a few hundred miles a day.


clubman

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Reply #4 on: March 04, 2011, 03:43:13 pm
The UCE engine will easily cope with a commute of 90 miles a day at 60-65. It will also do a few hundred miles with ease when you require it. I am sure you will really enjoy riding it. Welcome!


r80rt

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Reply #5 on: March 04, 2011, 03:44:16 pm
Mine is happy to cruise at 60, I've done several 300 mile days with no problems. The bike wlll cruise at 65 if you want, but it's a lot better ride at 60.
On the eighth day God created the C5, and it was better looking than anything on the planet.
Iron Butt Association


1 Thump

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Reply #6 on: March 04, 2011, 04:25:54 pm
There are ways to make it more comfortable at 65. OPen exhaust, knn filter, power commander all add up . Welcome to the forum.


ke100

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Reply #7 on: March 04, 2011, 05:00:54 pm
Thanks for all the replies. I guess now I need to start saving my pennies for a RE.


2bikebill

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Reply #8 on: March 04, 2011, 05:31:49 pm
Just to add another voice to the concensus. A UCE Royal Enfield is MADE for the kind of ride you describe. I regularly do round trips of 100 - 150 miles, cruising happily at 60 - 65 mph (G5). You'll need to get it broken in to be comfortable doing this - the engine is a completely different beast after 1000 miles or so. I recommend getting rid of the stock exhaust as soon as the bike's broken in, and fitting something less restrictive. This alone will raise the comfortable cruising speed by a good 5mph.
You can do 60-65 all day on these bikes, and there's enough left to give you a burst at 80 if the mood takes you....
They're made for it. They aint fragile. They don't need mollycoddling. R.E. wouldn't have been around for this long otherwise - would they...? 
2009 Royal Enfield Electra (G5)


Andy

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Reply #9 on: March 05, 2011, 01:28:02 am
I routinely commute 75 km to work. 
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Ducati Scotty

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Reply #10 on: March 05, 2011, 01:44:24 am
Wind blast at 60 gets a little unconfortable for some people, me included.  You might want a windshield.  The bike will be fine at that speed once it's broken in, say 1000-1500 miles.

Scott


Fox

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Reply #11 on: March 09, 2011, 03:39:33 am
45 miles each way?

At 80mi/day, you're facing some serious maintenance requirements for the bike you choose.

I think for the distance you are traveling, the question isn't can you do it on a C5, it's should you. For me, the answer would most definitely be no. I am not an RE owner yet, but I plan to continue using my beater KLR650 to commute. It's already ugly, it gets pretty decent mileage - the difference between the KLR and C5 on a week-to-week basis is pretty negligible - and the general cost to maintain is probably lower than almost any other motorcycle. It also has an obscenely huge aftermarket for things to make the ride a bit more comfortable.

Look at it this way.

KLR (or some other long-lived cheap Jap bike):
  • Dirt cheap
  • Fast
  • Ugly
C5
  • Expensive - relatively speaking, and for what it is
  • Slow
  • Pretty
I don't see the point in riding a nice bike like the C5 into the ground, in the long run. Personally, I'd rather see over traffic and go head to head with the big bads riding into Philly on something that, past general mechanical soundness, I don't really care about.
2000 KLR650 - Clack Clack the Sorry Green Bastard
2009 Royal Enfield G5 Deluxe


olhogrider

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Reply #12 on: March 09, 2011, 04:32:21 am
45 miles each way?

At 80mi/day, you're facing some serious maintenance requirements for the bike you choose.

I think for the distance you are traveling, the question isn't can you do it on a C5, it's should you. For me, the answer would most definitely be no. I am not an RE owner yet, but I plan to continue using my beater KLR650 to commute. It's already ugly, it gets pretty decent mileage - the difference between the KLR and C5 on a week-to-week basis is pretty negligible - and the general cost to maintain is probably lower than almost any other motorcycle. It also has an obscenely huge aftermarket for things to make the ride a bit more comfortable.

Look at it this way.

KLR (or some other long-lived cheap Jap bike):
  • Dirt cheap
  • Fast
  • Ugly
C5
  • Expensive - relatively speaking, and for what it is
  • Slow
  • Pretty
I don't see the point in riding a nice bike like the C5 into the ground, in the long run. Personally, I'd rather see over traffic and go head to head with the big bads riding into Philly on something that, past general mechanical soundness, I don't really care about.

All sound, logical arguments. If you agree with them I have a KLR650 I can sell you. If logic or reason had anything to do with what we ride we would all be riding scooters. Weather protection for your clothes,  automatic transmissions, under seat storage etc. My KLR is set up to go to Tierra del Fuego at a moment's notice but it does not "turn me on" the way that Enfield does.


Ice

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Reply #13 on: March 09, 2011, 05:49:33 am
The UCE mill is way over engineered for the task at hand.
 Much beefier bottom end than it needs, hydraulic lifters, super duper oil pump, EFI, modern from materials, by modern methods with modern machinery and  tools
Vastly better than the old Iron Barrel was.

Just ride it.
No matter where you go, there, you are.


2bikebill

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Reply #14 on: March 09, 2011, 08:44:57 am
"JUST RIDE IT"   There it is - all you need to know.
 
Now can we return to sanity here please?
If you seriously believe that 80 miles a day is running a C5/G5 into the ground, then
a) you've never owned one
b) you don't know anyone who does
c) you haven't been around this forum for long
d) you've entirely missed the whole ethos & history of RE
 
Ride your bike 80 miles a day. Lube the chain monday and wednesday. Check the rest at the weekend if you feel like it.
Here it is again for the UCE  
"They're made for it. They aint fragile. They don't need mollycoddling. R.E. wouldn't have been around for this long otherwise - would they...?   "
« Last Edit: March 09, 2011, 08:49:09 am by WillW »
2009 Royal Enfield Electra (G5)