Unofficial Royal Enfield Community Forum

General Discussion => Royal Enfield News => Topic started by: AK Mike on January 07, 2019, 01:04:22 am

Title: Scrambler 500?
Post by: AK Mike on January 07, 2019, 01:04:22 am

Been awhile since I posted, but I've been seeing some very interesting threads on line about the possibility of a "new" Bullet-based Scrambler due to come out this year.  From the few spy shots I've seen, it looks awesome and I really like the idea of a C5 with taller suspension, larger front wheel and an upswept pipe.  Any of you good folks know anything more?

Title: Re: Scrambler 500?
Post by: Adrian II on January 07, 2019, 10:48:13 am

There are some pictures around on Indian blogs. It appears just to be a re-hash of the old Watsonian-Squire Bullet Trials kit from years ago.

(https://news.maxabout.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Royal-Enfield-Bullet-Trials-500.jpg)

(https://mcn-images.bauersecure.com/upload/186855/images/6595731.jpeg)

https://news.maxabout.com/bikes/royal-enfield/royal-enfield-bullet-trials-350-500/

A.

Title: Re: Scrambler 500?
Post by: Bilgemaster on January 08, 2019, 01:39:07 am

It makes perfect sense to me that Royal Enfield might explore this Scrambler/Enduro/Trials angle as almost a matter of asserting the Heritage of their traditional Bullet line, what with their new Twins and Himalayan getting all the press lately. After all, the reason the vast majority of us even have  an Enfield of any type is because the young Indian Government happened to be shopping around for a rugged reliable bike for all terrains and challenging or non-existent roads for its new Army at just exactly the time when Royal Enfield's newly-redesigned Bullet was dominating the Trials and Enduro circuits and making a name for itself there. Remember: The '48 Bullet, coming out the same year that India got its Independence, was the first British production bike with a rear swing arm, and that gave it a HUGE advantage over other marques through the same sort of mixed terrain and lousy or just "notional" roads found near India's borders back then (or even now).

Thanks to the good folks over in Wales at Speedtracktales.com (https://speedtracktales.com/), you can read their transcription of a 1953 booklet first published by the original Royal Enfield Company in Redditch, England titled, Internationally Famous: Royal Enfield at the ISDT 1948-1953 (https://speedtracktales.com/2013/12/20/internationally-famous-royal-enfield-at-the-isdt-1948-1953/). The "ISDT" stands of course for "International Six Days Trial," which is currently known as The International Six Days Enduro (ISDE) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Six_Days_Enduro), and is widely acknowledged to be just about the most grueling competitive test of reliability, endurance and speed there could be for motorcycles over roads, often poor ones, and mixed terrain. The facts in this booklet may well have gone some way towards convincing a young Indian Government with its own poor or nonexistent roads in many of its border areas to hitch its wagon to the Royal Enfield Bullet. Perhaps today's Royal Enfield in Chennai, India is just getting around to acknowledging its own muddy hardscrabble "retro roots."

Title: Re: Scrambler 500?
Post by: Adrian II on January 08, 2019, 06:09:30 pm

...or a quick and derivative tart-up to show "look, new models" as they must be running out of new paint job options.

On the other hand it's nice to see a nod to the the works replica paint scheme and the small chrome panel fuel tank, as well as the old-style logo making a come back.

A.

Title: Re: Scrambler 500?
Post by: Bilgemaster on January 08, 2019, 08:30:52 pm

Indeed. It's a pretty bike that anyone should be proud to own. Not as pretty as my old "Iron Belly" Military, of course, or that silvery AVL. That's just gorgeousness incarnate. Whatever one may think of them, I still think those AVLs are about the prettiest engines you'll find anywhere.

Title: Re: Scrambler 500?
Post by: Adrian II on January 09, 2019, 03:36:19 am

Yeah...  8)

Title: Re: Scrambler 500?
Post by: Adrian II on January 09, 2019, 03:39:54 am

But then...  :o

Title: Re: Scrambler 500?
Post by: Carlsberg Wordsworth on March 26, 2019, 09:55:03 pm

Well it's launched. Thought I'd just a swell stick it here than create a new thread.

If I wanted to do a B5 though, surely I'd need just a new rear mudguard subframey bit? and a seat, rear light. maybe a carrier too. Think I'd prefer a mid level exhaust as well.


Ad below then.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3&v=1fyddp-a6Oc

Title: Re: Scrambler 500?
Post by: Adrian II on March 27, 2019, 09:57:49 am

I'm not digging the ad - IRRITATING sound track, too much use of slow-motion.

A.

Title: Re: Scrambler 500?
Post by: Bilgemaster on March 28, 2019, 02:35:22 am

Like I'd guessed, they're just milking another heritage angle to freshen up an older design--this time hearkening back to Enfield's trials/enduro glory days of the late '40s and early '50s instead of the faux military thing. I like it fine. If one lived a bit off the beaten track, as I once did, one of these might be just the ticket if one thought the Himi was just a little too "moderno".

Title: Re: Scrambler 500?
Post by: Richard230 on March 28, 2019, 01:15:29 pm

Here is a picture of my last "scrambler".  It was like riding a fat horse.  ::)

Title: Re: Scrambler 500?
Post by: Adrian II on March 28, 2019, 02:11:44 pm

Just for you, BM.

Title: Re: Scrambler 500?
Post by: Bilgemaster on March 29, 2019, 03:19:43 am

Thanks Adrian! That silver one checks all my boxes...Although I must confess that owing to my recent spraggy woes (https://forum.classicmotorworks.com/index.php/topic,26991.0/all.html)--now thankfully resolved at long last--I cannot help but now stare at that starter lumpage with dark thoughts of taking maybe a 5 iron to it...or perhaps better yet a 6 or even 7 for that little extra bit of lift, to really pitch it high over the hedgerows. That silver lovely bears a passing resemblance to my own Norton "Desert Sled," shown candidly below still in hibernation. While I also well appreciate the spare utilitarianism of that spindly greenish one, it doesn't grab me with quite the same firm grip.

(http://www.bukmop.com/RoyalEnfield/NortonInShed.jpg)

Title: Re: Scrambler 500?
Post by: Adrian II on March 29, 2019, 11:50:40 am

Losing the E/S lumpage is easy enough, plenty of K/S inner primaries on ebay. The only extra bit of work is having to re-do the three mounting holes in the crankcase in the correct (original) position, the factory had to reposition them for the E/S starter gear train. You will find that there is adequate ally there to drill and tap for 8mm or the 5/16" thread of your choice.

I did the same on my Electra-X after its sprag did what most of them do, though the relevant K/S only inner is harder to find.

A.