[ddavidv]

The new INTerceptors are the real deal. I have a 'modern' Triumph twin and the RE is every bit it's equal but at a superior price point. It has no relationship in design nor quality to the Bullet and is every bit a modern bike.

[Paul W]

I went out riding my old iron-barrelled 350 yesterday and despite the very cold weather there were many other bike riders out and about. The bike attracted some attention, as it usually does, when I stopped for a warm drink. One chap came out of another cafe as I was about to set off again, just to talk to me and to take some photos of the bike. As most bike riders do in UK, most of us nodded acknowledgement to each other as we passed by on the road. The one noticeable exception, who stuck his nose in the air and ignored my nod, was a new Interceptor rider! Perhaps he was a newly qualified biker- or do they consider themselves superior?   

[Boxerman]

The one noticeable exception, who stuck his nose in the air and ignored my nod, was a new Interceptor rider! Perhaps he was a newly qualified biker- or do they consider themselves superior? 

You aren't from the Lancashire area by any chance are you? I think I may have come across that person.

Frank

[Bilgemaster]

I went out riding my old iron-barrelled 350 yesterday and despite the very cold weather there were many other bike riders out and about. The bike attracted some attention, as it usually does, when I stopped for a warm drink. One chap came out of another cafe as I was about to set off again, just to talk to me and to take some photos of the bike. As most bike riders do in UK, most of us nodded acknowledgement to each other as we passed by on the road. The one noticeable exception, who stuck his nose in the air and ignored my nod, was a new Interceptor rider! Perhaps he was a newly qualified biker- or do they consider themselves superior? 

Here in the States we tend to give other riders a little wave instead of just a nod. Mostly it's become a sort of stylized flick downward off the left side of the handlebar...often just a couple of fingers. Still, it's a nice "we're all in this together" gesture of acknowledgement. As for me, I'll give anyone on 2 wheels (or 3) a proper wave: scooters, mopeds, even bicycles on a country road. I ain't snooty.

If you get out into the remoter stretches of the west, like West Texas, where one might not see another car for an hour or more, even car drivers give each other a wave.

[Boxerman]

In  my neck of the woods, if you need both hands on the bars, its a nod. If you don't, Its a raised left hand - a semi-wave sort of.

Frank

[Paul W]

Here in the States we tend to give other riders a little wave instead of just a nod. Mostly it's become a sort of stylized flick downward off the left side of the handlebar...often just a couple of fingers. Still, it's a nice "we're all in this together" gesture of acknowledgement.

Two fingers in UK is about the same as the middle finger in USA! 

[pushrod]

Two fingers in UK is about the same as the middle finger in USA! 

 Dam, and the whole time those guys riding British bikes gave me the two finger salute while I was on my Harley I thought they were being friendly

[mattsz]

Here in the States we tend to give other riders a little wave instead of just a nod. Mostly it's become a sort of stylized flick downward off the left side of the handlebar...often just a couple of fingers. Still, it's a nice "we're all in this together" gesture of acknowledgement. As for me, I'll give anyone on 2 wheels (or 3) a proper wave: scooters, mopeds, even bicycles on a country road. I ain't snooty.

I do the same.  It's rare a motorcyclist doesn't wave back - but when they don't it's always a Harley rider.  Jes sayin'.  We don't have hardly any moped or scooter riders, they're not all that useful in my somewhat rural environment.  There's plenty of bicyclists in the summer, sometimes I wave to them, too - they never wave back, probably don't know what to think of me.  Usually, though, the bicyclists are scoffing the traffic laws, which bugs me because they want to be treated like real vehicles on the roads but they don't want to follow the vehicular rules when it doesn't suit them - I don't wave at those guys and gals.

Once I waited at a 4-way stop while eight or ten cyclists, all single file with three or four seconds between them, blew right through the stop sign on my left, ignoring my right-of-way and just waving as they went by.  I finally got my chance to turn and threaded by them one by one, berating each for ignoring the stop sign.  Feels good to be a cranky old man sometimes...

If you get out into the remoter stretches of the west, like West Texas, where one might not see another car for an hour or more, even car drivers give each other a wave.

All drivers wave at each other on the Maine coastal islands.  But friends get a proper wave and eye contact - foes (and there's plenty of 'em out in these northern redneck communities) get a raised finger or two (no, not that finger!), but at the same time the driver turns his or her head and looks away, effectively waving and snubbing simultaneously.  They're great multi-taskers, those islanders...

[cyrusb]

O.K. So to get back to the original question, I think it probably doesn't matter what year the original pre unit mills were made as to quality. I believe every engine made was a crap shoot of a multitude of parts, well made and not. Remember Harley during the A.M.F years?  Not quite the level of bad finishes as some pre unit bullets but randomness of the quality was close.  I remember thinking when I first sat down and inspected mine was all that labor polishing the cases could have been spent improoving other , maybe more important parts. But I still love my crappy old bullet, warts and all. 

[Bilgemaster]

I dunno...in contrast with the finish of my '67 Norton 750's head, which is about as smooth and refined as Jimmy Durante's shnozzola, my '05 Enfield's head casting is like Audrey Hepburn's and the finish is just sleek and "loverly". That's not to say I won't find a rag or socket jammed by some sleep-walking factory worker into the timing case or somewhere else some fine day. But the castings and finish still impress me as tip-top. Maybe 'cause mine's a 50th anniversary Bullet? Could they have taken more care with that year's export run? Seems unlikely, but still...

[cyrusb]

Yeah ,that's why I called it a crap shoot. My 05e has well polished cases also, but frame welds that look like a worm orgy. Fasteners that are made to whacko tolerances, wowed-out threaded holes etc. But I'm quite sure there are a few perfect units out there. The bell curve applies to everything.

[ddavidv]

I've always felt it spoke to the quality of the original design that the Indian Enfield could be so haphazardly made and still work as well as it does.

[cyrusb]

I've always felt it spoke to the quality of the original design that the Indian Enfield could be so haphazardly made and still work as well as it does.

You are correct. Also the fact that it only produces 18 hp makes the design very forgiving. I gave mine "The Oil Lamp" nickname for that reason.

[pushrod]

Yeah ,that's why I called it a crap shoot. My 05e has well polished cases also, but frame welds that look like a worm orgy. Fasteners that are made to whacko tolerances, wowed-out threaded holes etc. But I'm quite sure there are a few perfect units out there. The bell curve applies to everything.

 My 2000 cases are painted so who knows what they look like under the paint but the frame welds look decent. Bolt threads seem pretty good too. But I haven't torn the motor down and there could be any number of surprises there.
  I have a 1994 Ural with a sidehack. It was the first Ural imported into the US by Ural America. I bought it from a guy in Washington state in 1995 or 96. I love that thing in all it's crudeness. I've had more fun with that rig than any other motorcycle I've owned and I've owned more than a few. Being the first of the Urals being approved for import and sale into the States it has some changes from the standard Russian Federation Urals being sold in Russia and elsewhere at that time. My 94 came with Mikuni carbs instead of the Russian flatside carbs of the domestic bikes and the headlight on all the time instead of an on and off switch. It also has upgraded larger drum brakes and rims. I thought man, this is one crude machine. But that's part of the attraction. at least to me.
 Well around that time I was living on my homestead in Montana and was good friends with a guy who lived about a mile away. When he saw my Ural he had to get his own and started lookin for a used one but none were to be had anywhere even remotely close. I let him ride the Ural and even borrow it a couple times. One day he stopped at my place with a six pack and said I'm not gonna be bothering you borrowing your Ural any more. I said what happened? He said; I'll have my own soon. I said; Hey man cool, you found one. No was his answer, I just ordered three of them, brand new in the crates with sidecars! Man I said: What did you just come from the bar lol?  Nope says he, I bought em from a guy in Canada who sells them on ebay for 25 hundred bucks apeice. They're brand new old stock bikes still in the crates from the 1970's and I gotta go up and pick them up just over the border. Man I said those Urals aren't approved for sale in the US how are you get them over the Canadian/US border and then get them titled in Montana? He smiled and said; I got it all worked out. And he did it.
 Now I thought my US import Ural was crude, well I tell ya, compared to the Russian Federation Urals of that time period my bike was a prize LOL.
 Now for any newer Ural owners out there reading this, I'm assured the newer bikes are of much better quality and more refined than my old steed so save all the hate mail LOL.

[ace.cafe]

I consider it like a "kit" bike that needs to be finished after you buy it.
It is what you don't see on the inside that is particularly horrific.
It can be the starting point for a very good bike, bit definitely is NOT one in factory form.