There is something charming about a motorbike that makes a virtue from being woefully out of date. Just one glance at an Enfield and you know you are looking at 1960’s technology. Everything is metal and handmade. A modern Japanese bike is a mix of modern materials built by machines to be light and cheap. The Enfield Bullet looks like it has been machined from solid metal. The Japanese may have moved away from chrome finishes but the Enfield shines with polished surfaces. There is no economy of material in an Enfield. Every part looks over engineered.
The price of such profligacy is weight. Here is a piece of heavy engineering. A Japanese bike is built like an electric appliance, the Enfield is built like a bridge.
But when a design lasts 40 years and outlives later models you know there must be a good reason. With the Bullet you are getting basic technology that works. The pushrod engine is proven in the most unfavourable conditions. It is not fussy about how it is set up or maintained. It requires the minimum of tools, can be fixed by the side of the road and will outlive its owner given half a chance.
If the Bullet looks old fashioned then at least the ride is not too much of a surprise. The engine boots into life not so much with a roar as with a gentle chuff. The gear change is suitably old fashioned but the clutch is good. It is a simple bike to get under way. The heavyweight pulls from idle. The gear change may not be slick but the Bullet is not fussy about what gear it is in anyway. The low revving engine defines the character of the Bullet. This is a relaxed bike. It won’t be hurried and you have to ride it the same way.
There is a moment after you first ride the Bullet, perhaps after 20 miles, when suddenly you understand its charm. This is a bike that forces you to relax. It is smooth at low revs. The weight makes the bike immensely stable. The suspension is crude but at low speeds it is perfectly adequate. This is a bike that can cover big miles, but slowly. The seat is comfortable with plenty of room for a passenger and, combined with the high bars, the riding position is perfect for slow cruising.
The Bullet is heavy, but the weight is low in the frame so the bike is stable down to walking pace and easy to push around. But low hung or not, that weight makes itself felt when you brake. The front drum is particularly weak and you soon learn to use the back brake and engine braking as much as possible.
Ignore the relaxed nature of the Bullet and it punishes you. Above 100kph vibration blurs the vision and unscrews every bolt on the bike. Run the Bullet too fast for too long and you will leave a trail of components behind you and at that speed the Bullet stops about as fast as an oil tanker. A run at 120kph vibrated loose the battery cover, swingarm pivot, footrest and mirrors. I can live without the mirrors but the spindle jamming under the brake lever left me with a bike which wouldn’t stop and handled like it had a hinge in the middle. Frightening, but serves me right for pushing too hard!
Ride the Bullet the way it was designed and it will reward you with reliability, reasonable economy and a relaxed ride. Push too hard and it will self destruct and maybe try to kill you.
Part of the bonding process is fiddling with the bike at the weekend. Here is a bike you can fix yourself without a degree in mechanical engineering. It needs frequent fettling, but is simple enough to fix with screwdrivers and a socket set on your kitchen table.
The Bullet requires more commitment from its owner than a Japanese commuter bike but is much more rewarding to own. Maintenance is simpler but the Enfield needs more of it. It demands a certain riding style and the build quality is variable. But the benefit is clear. This is a bike you form a relationship with and learn to love. It is not an appliance but a partner. a partner in time travel . to about 40 years ago.