0
Bullet Blues
26 June 2005
After a year away from the saddle, I bought myself another motorcycle. No, wait, another Enfield Bullet. That's not just another bike.
I had a Bullet 10 years ago. I loved the bike, especially its classic British appearance, but we parted ways for several reasons:
So why not buy a new US model? Can't bring them into Canada. When the Canadian distributor went out of business in 97, Transport Canada in its wisdom decided to drop the Bullet from its list of allowable imports - even though exactly the same bike was being imported into the USA and met all the American emission and safety standards. I can only bring in one that's older than 15 years, because it then qualifies as "vintage" even if it's the same bike in all other manners except age. This is the "doh" factor.
In today's traffic, the Bullet - which makes a top speed of around 110 km/h - isn't the prime bike of choice unless you have access to backroads and smaller highways with lower speed limits. Which, of course, we have up here in great quantity. It's fine in town, too, for comfortable cruising the sidestreets.
I replaced my first Bullet with a Harley Sportster, then replaced that with a Triumph Thunderbird, then a VFR 800, then a Kawi W650, then... I've had about 20 bikes in the past 15 years... and this is the first time I've had the same brand twice.
This time I have a black-chrome 500cc Deluxe (my last one was red-chrome). It came with the original bench seat as well as the retro sprung seats. They look great, but perch the rider and extra 2 inches over the pavement. And they wobble a bit when you corner. That takes some getting used to.
Okay, it's 10 years old and the Canadian dealer is no longer in business. Fortunately there is a US Enfield distributor and there are many parts, add-ons and supplies available just across the border. Thanks to the Internet, ordering is easy, albeit expensive.
The Bullet needs some TLC, but it's not in too bad shape for a bike that's not been pampered (and apparently left outdoors a lot). It had 1,950 kms on it (not a lot for 10 years!). Some of the rubber and plastic looks rough and should be replaced. The paint is fair but the pinstriping is peeling. It needs a servious clean and shine (one of my few motorcycle-related talents).
More important: it's leaking some oil around the head gasket (has to be re-torqued, so it needs new gaskets). And when I brought it back home, I forgot to shut off the fuel tap, so the gas in the tank poured out all over my garage floor... bad news... hope it's just a sticky float bowl. Might need a cleaning or even new jets...
I'm not a mechanic, and profess no skills leaning that way. So why would I want a bike that requires some skills? Well, one to get me away from this computer and give me something more mechanical and less cerebral to do. And to learn something: I'm sure I can apply myself to the mechanical needs and learn to do at least some of them. And, as I said, the bike still looks great. There's some indefinable coolness about riding down the street on an old thumper that one doesn't get riding a new sportbike.
I have some good fortune in having a local mechanic who has worked on a lot of Brit bikes and some Bullets, too. That will make my life somewhat easier, if not less expensive.
I hope this doesn't prove a money sink: I've already had to order filters, gaskets, plus and a few other items to make sure the service and parts are up to par. I can't afford to be replacing carbs and alternators... it's a nice bike but if I have to do a rebuild, I'd rather have a real vintage bike instead (anyone giving away an old Triumph, BSA or Ariel, please call me first...
).
I'll post some pics soon, and chronicle my adventures getting it up to full road-worthiness. Right now it's time to head into the garage and stare at the carb, screwdriver in hand...
I had a Bullet 10 years ago. I loved the bike, especially its classic British appearance, but we parted ways for several reasons:
- * It was slow.
* It was cantankerous.
* It was constantly requiring tinkering and service.
* It required effort and attention to manage and maintain.
So why not buy a new US model? Can't bring them into Canada. When the Canadian distributor went out of business in 97, Transport Canada in its wisdom decided to drop the Bullet from its list of allowable imports - even though exactly the same bike was being imported into the USA and met all the American emission and safety standards. I can only bring in one that's older than 15 years, because it then qualifies as "vintage" even if it's the same bike in all other manners except age. This is the "doh" factor.
In today's traffic, the Bullet - which makes a top speed of around 110 km/h - isn't the prime bike of choice unless you have access to backroads and smaller highways with lower speed limits. Which, of course, we have up here in great quantity. It's fine in town, too, for comfortable cruising the sidestreets.
I replaced my first Bullet with a Harley Sportster, then replaced that with a Triumph Thunderbird, then a VFR 800, then a Kawi W650, then... I've had about 20 bikes in the past 15 years... and this is the first time I've had the same brand twice.
This time I have a black-chrome 500cc Deluxe (my last one was red-chrome). It came with the original bench seat as well as the retro sprung seats. They look great, but perch the rider and extra 2 inches over the pavement. And they wobble a bit when you corner. That takes some getting used to.
Okay, it's 10 years old and the Canadian dealer is no longer in business. Fortunately there is a US Enfield distributor and there are many parts, add-ons and supplies available just across the border. Thanks to the Internet, ordering is easy, albeit expensive.
The Bullet needs some TLC, but it's not in too bad shape for a bike that's not been pampered (and apparently left outdoors a lot). It had 1,950 kms on it (not a lot for 10 years!). Some of the rubber and plastic looks rough and should be replaced. The paint is fair but the pinstriping is peeling. It needs a servious clean and shine (one of my few motorcycle-related talents).
More important: it's leaking some oil around the head gasket (has to be re-torqued, so it needs new gaskets). And when I brought it back home, I forgot to shut off the fuel tap, so the gas in the tank poured out all over my garage floor... bad news... hope it's just a sticky float bowl. Might need a cleaning or even new jets...
I'm not a mechanic, and profess no skills leaning that way. So why would I want a bike that requires some skills? Well, one to get me away from this computer and give me something more mechanical and less cerebral to do. And to learn something: I'm sure I can apply myself to the mechanical needs and learn to do at least some of them. And, as I said, the bike still looks great. There's some indefinable coolness about riding down the street on an old thumper that one doesn't get riding a new sportbike.
I have some good fortune in having a local mechanic who has worked on a lot of Brit bikes and some Bullets, too. That will make my life somewhat easier, if not less expensive.
I hope this doesn't prove a money sink: I've already had to order filters, gaskets, plus and a few other items to make sure the service and parts are up to par. I can't afford to be replacing carbs and alternators... it's a nice bike but if I have to do a rebuild, I'd rather have a real vintage bike instead (anyone giving away an old Triumph, BSA or Ariel, please call me first...
).I'll post some pics soon, and chronicle my adventures getting it up to full road-worthiness. Right now it's time to head into the garage and stare at the carb, screwdriver in hand...
