[Yinzer]

Dad bought it new & had it sent to the Air Force base in Hawaii where he rode it around the island until he was discharged.
He picked up the bike in San Francisco and rode route 66 back to Western Pennsylvania.

I asked him what it was and he said "500 thumper".
I asked him what the model name was & he said he didn't know if it had one.
He thinks it was a 1956 or 1957 but isn't sure.

I'd sure appreciate anything you experts can tell me about it.
This is about the best image they can get from the old slide.

[Bilgemaster]

It looks like it could be one if those "Woodsman" models made by Royal Enfield and imported into the States and sold under the "Indian" badge. Basically, they were the Bullet 500 in a trials or mixed-surfaces-riding trim. I believe that high pipe may have been an option. There was also a very similar "Westerner" off-road competition magneto-only model, but I believe it had no lighting, and one can sort of make out headlamp ears and of course a brake light in your photo.

Shame that one cannot really make out the badge on the timing case, which would banish all doubt. But I'm sure someone more knowledgeable on these '50s breeds will be along directly.

There was a fulsome thread here on these beasties awhile back commencing at https://forum.classicmotorworks.com/index.php?topic=27133.0

Those interested in these Indian-badged Royal Enfield imports might also do well to look over this fellow Phil's website, who's oddly enough down under in Melbourne, though it doesn't seem to have been updated in about 15 years: http://www.re-indian.com/. Lotta good info, manuals, etc. are to be found there with a good rummaging.

[AzCal Retred]

Here's a 1956 350 Bullet & a 500 Woodsman. The frame is missing the "seat post" tube on both examples, that was the chassis design for those years. Likely you have a Woodsman. The front brakes are the double sided variant in all these examples. Parts are readily available from Hitchcock's Royal Enfield, as well as plentiful information. You can resurrect your Dad's bike to it's original glory, or you can easily replicate it with modern parts. It really impresses me that in 2021 we can still enjoy the same hardware & riding experience that the old boys in the early days did, and comparatively inexpensively, too.

[Adrian II]

Probably a 1957 Woodsman, first year with the later style frame. '56 models still had the last of the old-style Bullet frames shown in the photo AzCal posted, '57 still had the flatter timing cover for the rev-counter drive, while the '58 got the lump on the timing cover to allow for the ATD on the SR1 magneto which replaced the magdyno (two years after that happened on the UK roadster Bullets).

A.

[Bilgemaster]

Say, that thing isn't still hibernating in a Pennsylvania barn or something, is it?

[Adrian II]

Now THAT might be a rewarding bit of research...

A.

[Yinzer]

Talked to Dad again last night.
He's going to try and find out the year he was discharged from the AF. He thinks is should help with the year.
When I asked him about the tank he said that it was badged RE & not Indian although he was able to use many Indian parts.
There was an Indian dealer in Mercer Pa in the mid-late 50's.

One other thing he said was that he got the optional scrambler kit when he bought it.
It was dealer installed & very popular in Hawaii at the time.

He rode all the way across the US on knobby tires on he way home.

[Adrian II]

Having a RE badged tank is no big thing, in fact the '54 version of what was to be sold as the Woodsman the following year WAS RE and not Indian badged. That said, an Indian badged RE tank and a RE badged Indian (built) tank could be swapped around quite happily, however much confusion that might cause.

Here's a '54 pre-Woodsman photo copied from Hitchcocks' Instagram pages, forgive me if I've posted this before. Note (again) the older frame compared to the one in Yinzer's picture. Not also that Yinzer's dad's bike seems to have a GP carb fitted! As far as I can tell they were originally available in all sizes from ⅞" to the mighty 1½". Amal TT carbs were also fitted, my friend in NZ with an Indian Westerner 500 scrambler has one on his bike.

A.


 

[Yinzer]

Dad says he'd like to get another one but it has to have the shifter on the "correct" side.
I've been looking but can't find anything.

If anyone has an idea, please keep me in mind.
I'm in Western Pennsylvania.

[AzCal Retred]

David Blasco's labour of love Royalenfields.com blog is a wonderful place to find machines.

https://www.royalenfields.com/

A bit of time spent on Hitchcocks for special bits for this one would give you an electric start version of that trailbike for your dad.
( $3000 )  https://richmond.craigslist.org/mcy/d/richmond-2004-royal-enfield-bullet-500/7407883432.html

https://accessories.hitchcocksmotorcycles.com/trailblaster

https://accessories.hitchcocksmotorcycles.com/accessory-shop/4-speed/19282
PART No. 90145 ; 4 SPEED CONVERSION, LEFT SHIFT TO RIGHT SHIFT with painted brake pedal ; £260.00

Haunt Craigs List & do a bit of driving, It's easy to get what you want if you're up for a bit of "fettling". To buy a restored turn-key machine is very pricey. An ES500 with appropriate fenders & tires, maybe a tank, will replicate the flavor of that lost machine. It'll be a project you can both enjoy. Keeping the ES feature is easier on the right leg.

[Adrian II]

Making a '56 Woodsman replica or tribute bike out of a later Indian (built, rather than badged) Bullet is easy enough. I managed it with a 2005 Electra-X.

A.

[Yinzer]

David Blasco's labour of love Royalenfields.com blog is a wonderful place to find machines.
https://www.royalenfields.com/

These things apparently go fast.
I texted/e-mailed notes of interest for 3 of these and no reply (presumably sold)
This might take some persistence.

[AzCal Retred]

Get about $3K-$4K cash in hand & be willing to do a bit of driving, a machine will show up. A U-Haul rented trailer at the destination and some tie-downs will get you home, you just need a hitch. Look at it as a 2 - 5 day road trip opportunity. Be persistent.

[Willie]

Making a '56 Woodsman replica or tribute bike out of a later Indian (built, rather than badged) Bullet is easy enough. I managed it with a 2005 Electra-X.


WOW!  A really beautiful bike!  I have always believed that some bikes and cars are works of art.  Yours is a masterpiece.  Very well done!

[AzCal Retred]

Another possibility from Blasco's Blog.

2003 Royal Enfield Bullet 500 - $2,250 (Kirksville, Missouri) { 4 spd, LH shift }

https://kirksville.craigslist.org/mcy/d/kirksville-2003-royal-enfield-bullet-500/7416184648.html