[Bilgemaster]

Thanks buddy! And I'm sort of glad for your sake that you're not parting with your lovely ride just yet. I believe you'd regret its sale for the pittance you'd get for it nowadays. I also fully expect it'll only grow in value the longer you hold on to it, especially now that ANY Bullet, Iron, AVL or UCE is on the verge of entirely disappearing from US showrooms. Back in the '90s, I think, 'Money' magazine had an issue with the cover story "Best Ways to Invest $1,000". One of their recommendations was to buy a Norton Commando. They weren't wrong. Try to get even a "basket case" Commando now for $1,000. There's something "visceral" enough about a Bullet...Yes, even the UCEs...that folks will really miss once we're all whispering around electrically in autonomously-driven Uberlyft Robots hailed instantaneously by our Amazon Primax implant chips.

[Adrian II]

But don't fear the smaller bottle muffler it's not much louder.

Small bottle mufflers vary in quality and loudness. Best one I had was a genuine RE accessory, probably these haven't been around (new) for a while.

A.

[axman88]

U.C.E a rideable relic?

I think so, yes.  Hardly a day goes by where somebody does not mistake my 2012 Desert Storm for a MUCH older machine.  That's the standard opening question, "What year is that?"
You are a bike guy, so you see things like the 02 sensor on the headpipe, and you realize the significance of a disc on the front wheel, but most people see the sprung tractor seat, the oval shaped tool box, see me kick start the machine to life, and think they are looking at a vintage machine.
Put it next to my 1999 CI Bullet and I wouldn't be surprised if most people are fooled by the more modern appearing seat, and choose the Bullet as the more recent machine.

As for the experience, I'd think I could make a strong case that the thing a UCE engine Royal Enfield is MOST like, is a CI engine Royal Enfield.

My 2012 does ride just a bit like a Honda.  A Honda I remember very fondly, a 1968 CB450.   The CB450 was arguably a bit more "modern feeling".

[cyrusb]

Up to 2008 Bullets were dressed up to look like modern bikes for sales sake. These were the original pattern machines warts and all. After 2008 Bullets are new pattern bikes dressed up to LOOK old. But to each his own. At the beginning of this thread is a pic  mine with the tractor seat. Different things matter to different people. For me it was the pre unit engine construction that proved this was no pretender . But I am fully aware that these details only matter to very few people.