Unofficial Royal Enfield Community Forum

General Discussion => Trips/Ride reports => Topic started by: TakeMeToSeeIce on August 28, 2013, 08:02:46 pm

Title: Across America on an Enfield?
Post by: TakeMeToSeeIce on August 28, 2013, 08:02:46 pm
Hi folks. I'm a journalist and writer. I just went from Brooklyn to San Francisco on a 2011 C5, using only backroads. Clocked in at over 5,000 miles.

I'm working on an article now about it, and I'm wondering if anyone else out there has done anything similar?
Title: Re: Across America on an Enfield?
Post by: rvcycleguy on August 28, 2013, 08:43:23 pm
I'd be interested in reading your trip report when it's ready to share.  Thanks,  RV
Title: Re: Across America on an Enfield?
Post by: barenekd on August 28, 2013, 11:03:56 pm
Well, A guy bought a C5 a couple of years ago and ran the bike for 50 miles on a dyno and then headed out to North Carolina. He didn't do it all on back roads as in the last couple of days he jumped on the freeway. But the the bike made it and we never really heard from the guy again. In fact, most of the reporting on the trip was from an acquaintance. I'm sure, over the years, several Enfields have made it coast to coast.
No reason why the bike wouldn't make the trip with a little preparation. Check it over and loctite everything
Bare
Title: Re: Across America on an Enfield?
Post by: mattsz on August 28, 2013, 11:39:14 pm
No reason why the bike wouldn't make the trip with a little preparation. Check it over and loctite everything
Bare

He's already made the trip!  I'm wondering how many miles were already on the bike at the start.

I've ridden my 2011 B5 using only back roads; clocked in at over 50 miles.  That's similar, right?  Just two zeros different...

There are going to be so many details that so many of us here will want.  You're a journalist - does that mean you will publish your article somewhere?  Other than here?
Title: Re: Across America on an Enfield?
Post by: Arizoni on August 28, 2013, 11:47:11 pm
Here's a link to that Seattle to Virgina ride you were thinking of bare.
It's called Dirk's Big Adventure and your right.  We never did hear a word from Dirk.

http://www.enfieldmotorcycles.com/forum/index.php/topic,12266.0.html
Title: Re: Across America on an Enfield?
Post by: TakeMeToSeeIce on August 28, 2013, 11:55:27 pm
I am indeed planning on publishing something, and will of course post here when it happens, but I'm at the very beginning of the writing process, so it could take a while. I'm thinking of putting up a small website too, which I'll li too as soon as it's done.

It was a wild trip. The bike had only about 1,500 miles when I started. I did about 200 miles off-road, and generally traveled in very, very rural areas.

Mechanical problems included a burnt exhaust gasket (a classic problem; fixed it in Cody, WY); a broken crash bar after I went down in Te rain in Ontario; and a rattled-off fuel tank bolt that caused some odd noises that took forever to locate.

Had a batch of bad fuel in central Nevada. Crashed again on a dirt road in the Nevada mountains on my way to a ghost town. Blew a main fuse and flooded the fuel tank vent, and it took me a while to reset the rollover sensor, but I was moving again after an hour of tinkering.

My longest day was 450 miles, which damn near killed me. In total, it took me 31 days. Generally I aimed at about 300 miles per day. Stayed with local folks the whole way, and only paid for lodging four times. Averaged about 75 mpg over the course of the trip.

I bought a sheepskin at the Sturgis rally (you should have SEEN those Harley dudes dueling over my bike) that helped with comfort, but only a bit. I still have some weird nerve damage in my forearms from the vibrations, but I'm told this will go away...

On the whole, I didn't modify the bike at all before setting out. I added a crash bar and a luggage rack. I abandoned the shitty rack in Jackson Hole and just strapped my luggage down with bungees. That's about it.

Lesson learned: if you cross America on an enfield, EVERYONE will talk to you. You'll meet everyone and anyone, and they'll love you and admire you right away. It was a hell of a thing.
Title: Re: Across America on an Enfield?
Post by: TakeMeToSeeIce on August 29, 2013, 12:01:58 am
*drueling. Not dueling. An important distinction in the Harley world.
Title: Re: Across America on an Enfield?
Post by: Ice on August 29, 2013, 03:03:47 am
Triumph96driver did it a couple years back and on an Iron Barrel too no less.

http://www.enfieldmotorcycles.com/forum/index.php/topic,5084.0.html (http://www.enfieldmotorcycles.com/forum/index.php/topic,5084.0.html)
Title: Re: Across America on an Enfield?
Post by: nisonov on January 11, 2014, 06:49:48 pm
This girl did the same with the old iron barrel and much more:

http://travelluna20.blogspot.com

Very interesting travel she had...

Title: Re: Across America on an Enfield?
Post by: ace.cafe on January 11, 2014, 10:16:49 pm
Congrats!

You definitely qualify for some kind of award for that.
Title: Re: Across America on an Enfield?
Post by: High On Octane on January 12, 2014, 12:04:37 am
Very cool and inspiring!  :D
Title: Re: Across America on an Enfield?
Post by: mattsz on January 12, 2014, 01:21:47 am
Yes, but we're still waiting for the big write-up!!!  What is it they say here... without pics, it didn't happen?  ;)
Title: Re: Across America on an Enfield?
Post by: tooseevee on January 17, 2014, 04:41:31 pm
*drueling. Not dueling. An important distinction in the Harley world.

            I've owned harleys all my life (well, not quite all yet) & I don't druel, I drool, thank you very much   ;)   ;)(http://)
Title: Re: Across America on an Enfield?
Post by: cyrusb on January 21, 2014, 06:14:48 pm
This girl did the same with the old iron barrel and much more:

http://travelluna20.blogspot.com

Very interesting travel she had...
I'll say, she was beautiful, had a german accent, and a chest like a dead heat in a blimp race.