Unofficial Royal Enfield Community Forum

Royal Enfield Motorcycles => Bullet Electra & AVL => Topic started by: Thumper on April 18, 2008, 12:14:33 pm

Title: Hot Rod Bullet
Post by: Thumper on April 18, 2008, 12:14:33 pm
Getting off of the bike at work this morning and turning to look back at it while walking in (a habit I'm sure most of us have), I thought to myself, "Now that's a runner!", followed immediately by "Now why did I think that?"

The answer is: throw our bikes back 45-50 years when big British singles ruled the roost and we really do have hot rod thumpers! We've got a front disc brake, gas rear shocks, electronic ignition, better tires and forks, brighter lights (better electrics all around), better metalurgy.

Not that that means much against today's bikes, but since I'm riding in the past, I've got...

A Hot Rod Bullet!

Matt
Title: Re: Hot Rod Bullet
Post by: LotusSevenMan on April 20, 2008, 08:46:57 am
You're not alone in looking back with that admiring glance!

Your bit about a hot rod Bullet reminded me of a friend who had a Honda CB175 back in the days when we really did run bikes on the lowest of budgets. Parts weren't replaced but sorted/bodged etc to keep 'em running.
He had come back to my place after a fast run of about forty miles from his girlfriends (no not 'cos she was chasin' him off ha ha) and pulled into my parents drive. I had heard the bike approaching so went out to greet him. He got off and was walking over and did that look back at his steed................ just as it self ignited!!!!!! Handfuls of dirt thrown at it put it out OK. Turns out the fuel cock/petrol tap had been leaking slightly for a while and he bodged it. Given the hot engine and a slight drip meant WOOF!!!
Aaah, happy days!  :o
Title: Re: Hot Rod Bullet
Post by: luoma on April 20, 2008, 04:23:44 pm
Hey Thumper, how hard is it to get off your bike and just walk away? Knowing that you will be tied up with work for at least eight hours?

That's one of the main reasons I don't commute with mine. I only live a few miles from work and I'm afraid I would just keep on riding past, or at least not be able to focus on the job while there.
Title: Re: Hot Rod Bullet
Post by: LJRead on April 20, 2008, 06:30:57 pm
I'm with you Thumper, I'm riding in the past, which came back again strongly as though I'd never left it.  Since I've never gotten caught up with later bikes (except for a short stint with a Honda CB 350 in the eighties), I'm totally back 'there', with nothing getting in the way to compare it with.  'Hot Rod' ?, well I don't know that I'd go that far.
Title: Re: Hot Rod Bullet
Post by: fredgold52 on April 22, 2008, 09:25:19 pm
When I was a kid (long ago in a galaxy far away) I cut my teeth on Whizzers and Cushman Eagles with open pipes.  Neither was fast at all, but often is the time my RE brings me back to the Whizzer days with the low rpm thumping and torquing.

So when we mention 'back in the day' that's what it was for me.