[Royal Kiwa]

Hello,I'm interested in a 500 Bullet/classic Bullet.
I'm rather tall:About 76 inch.
Will this bike fit me?

[Bilgemaster]

Welcome to the Forum! From your user name one presumes you may be in New Zealand? We have quite a few members there, so you're in good company.

This very topic of a tall rider on a Royal Enfield single came up over on the ADVRider Forum  some years ago at https://advrider.com/f/threads/royal-enfield-for-a-tall-guy.860491/. One of the postings there mentioned a very interesting online ergonomic tool whereby one can easily visualize a rider (and passenger!) of a certain height and leg length on various brands and models of motorcycles, including a Royal Enfield Classic 350, which is hardly different in rider position from their 500. The tool is found at http://cycle-ergo.com/.

Otherwise, as you'd expect, it comes down to personal preference. One rider there in that ADVRider thread who is exactly your height adores his Bullet, preferring it to a Triumph he had owned previously, while others mention worrying that they might look like "a circus bear on a tiny bicycle", while yet others suggest different handlebars or risers to suit the individual. Again, the truest test of whether YOU might be comfy on an Enfield single is to just get up on one. As for that online tool, shown below are some results. Since it doesn't resemble any particularly challenging contortions from Cirque de Soleil, my hunch is you'd be just fine and not bring shame and disgrace down upon your family as you are mercilessly mocked in the village square nor pay for some chiropractor's new boat.

Attached below is that program's depiction of rider position for 6'4" (76 inches or approx. 193 cm) with a 34 inch inseam (about 86 cm). If you wish to use the program to help visualize Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, the Indian actress often touted as "The Most Beautiful Woman in the World" as your passenger, I understand she is 5 foot 5 inches tall. Also, if that is the case, you may want to opt for the optional "Sari Guard" as delivered standard in their home market models.

[Karl Fenn]

Well let me see 6 x 12 is 72 inches 6ft, which is about 4 inches less than you my height, ,it will be fine the last thing you want is a bike where your feet can't touch the ground it will slide out from under you in the wet if soles not making proper contact with Road, standing on tip toes does not cut the mustard especially if you forced to stop where there is steep camber.

[Nitrowing]

My RE feels like a toy! I'm 5'11" and 140lbs but have been riding the Wing for 18 years...
I don't see anyone taller than me fitting comfortably on a 500

[Karl Fenn]

Oh you will do especially if you live in the county, l was out doing some mini touring on my BMW RT one day, and saw a medieval church, l thought l would park up and go take a look, came out went up to the give way sign and stopped, went to put my right leg down and there was nothing there the camber of the road dropped by 4 inches l could not touch the ground, l was lucky l managed to tip the bike to the left and balance on one leg, a fully loaded RT going on top of you would not do any good, would do serious damage to the bike and you, a lot of roads have such steep camber you can't even use a side stand without the bike falling over, being a tip toe Bally dancer is a no way situation, we all see these short riders doing a tip to balance at junctions very bad riding the bike to big. Wait till they get on a small hill junction like l did.

[Karl Fenn]

Anyway what you see is not based on real like experience, you can always get a higher seat if needed, a goldwing is not that tall anyway.

[Karl Fenn]

The rule is both feet flat on the floor comfortable stationary position not on tip toe.

[Karl Fenn]

Mind you we live in a democracy, anyone who wants to end up in a hospital bed eating chew chew gums and reading the paper has every right to do so, but l dammed sure l won't.

[axman88]

My RE feels like a toy! I'm 5'11" and 140lbs but have been riding the Wing for 18 years...
I don't see anyone taller than me fitting comfortably on a 500

I'm 6'-1" and 220 dripping wet from the shower, and taller with my boots and trousers on.

I'm quite comfortable on my 2012 C5, no fit complaints.

I do occasionally get comments about how I'm a big guy and should ride a big bike, but I'm not riding for people to look at, I'm riding for myself.  I pass by many big cruising and touring machines while commuting during the summer months.  Apparently the riders either enjoy sitting in traffic (it does give them more opportunities to be seen), or don't feel like they will fit in the margins that I am using to slip by the long lines of lemmings.  For city riding like I'm doing, small is superior.  65+ mpg is nice too.

[Karl Fenn]

Well l am a bit of a lone wolf, spent most of my time touring on my own, just do what you feel like doing and be comfortable and relaxed best way, l don't pay any attention to free advice most of it is rubbish, if l would have listened to them l never would have rode an MZ, l am glad l didn't very good bike indeed.

[Royal Kiwa]

76 inch = 6' 4   ?
in metric values is that 193 cm.

Thanks for all the input so far.

BTW,I'm from The Netherlands.

Wonder if there are taller riders than me riding a 500 Bullet?
 

[Stanley]

I'm 77 inches tall, 210 pounds with size 14 feet and my stock Bullet Iron Barrel fit fine with no mods needed. The stock dual seat allows a little room to sit back versus the aftermarket solo and pillion pad setup. It is a little tough to reach the neutral finder on earlier Bullets but not applicable to the later bikes.
I've owned about 30 bikes and long ago got over caring how I look on any bike.  That online simulator is fine for a rough idea but it omits your weight and the bike's width. My CB750 K1 was like straddling a refrigerator compared to my sweet narrow Ducati 900SS. I sold that 900SS to short chap with such a huge belly that he couldn't reach the clip-ons. I think he was a dealer in poor disguise.

I'm currently considering a Vespa 300 GTS as my next muse. 
 The only bike I found too small was this Mondial Record I once lusted for:

[Royal Kiwa]

Stanley,got a pic of you on the Enfield?

[Stanley]

I just checked with no luck.

[AzCal Retred]

A full-on seat, taller bars (& cables to match)  and some 4.00 x 19's front & rear will lift it a bit. The front fender will need to be raised a bit to accommodate the 4.00" tyre.

[Karl Fenn]

65 to the gallon is very nice after riding BM's you only have to fill up every two weeks, makes some way in compensating for all the inflation figures they Mickey Mouse. Guess some people just like taste of chew chew gums.