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Hello from a new rider! Deciding on my first Royal Enfield - advice welcome

B

BradH1701

Total noob
Location
UK
Hello,

I recently completed my Direct Access. I am looking into getting my first bike and am interested in one of Royal Enfield's 650 models or a smaller-displacement model. I am planning to take some test rides with some of the models, but I thought I should ask if anyone has any opinions or advice.

The models that pique my interest are;

  • Bullet 650
  • Bear 650
  • Super Meteor 650
  • Continental GT
  • Interceptor 650
  • Goan Classic 350
  • Guerrilla 450
  • Himalayan 411/450
  • Hunter 350
  • Scram 411
 
Well, that's almost RE's complete line up! 😁
But before we can advise you, what do you want to do with your bike? Long travels around the world, daily commuting or small trips on Sunday? Are you gonna ride alone or with a pillion? Do you want to go off road or are you staying on paved roads/tarmac? Do you want to use the bike in all weather types all year round or just on sunny days? Some info about yourself (age, length) might also help.
 
Hi and Welcome from an 'Old Git'.........try a few before you settle. i have a Hunter and a Classic.....both 350cc.....i have seen good reports on the Interceptor and a couple of mates have Himmys.....so i guess its down to choice......there is bound to be something to suit your plans in the RE lineup.(y)
 
Don't make the decision on aesthetics, especially if this will be your first bike. What you've listed represents basically the full gamut of riding postures and purposes. Meditate on the sort of riding you'd like to do and narrow your options based on that. For example the Continental GT (650) has rear-set footpegs and clip-on handlebars, much sportier riding position but consequently not the most comfortable thing to commute or spend hours on. The Himalayan has half the cylinders and half the power, much more sedate handling, taller with good suspension travel, and more agreeable for commuting and longer days.

Those are the two starkest examples I can think of, but even the minor differences between the options might not surface on a ten minute demo ride.

Do you have sheltered parking for it? If not, I wouldn't buy new, and I'd advise against one of the shinier models.
 
Focusing on a Royal Enfield is a good start. They are well made and affordable. They capture the look and character of bikes from a simpler time. Which is why they are as popular with veteran riders as beginners.

My favorite riding is going fast on twisty roads. Not crazy fast like in my youth, but fast enough for big lean angles. That can be done on a low powered thumper, or modestly powered twin. All that's needed are good tires and sharp handling. My Interceptor is perfect for that. I would have rather had Conti GT, (for it's ton up boy vibe), but my old body couldn't handle the riding position.

Here's the important thing. Low end torque makes low speed rides enjoyable. With the exception of the new water cooled 450s, RE's entire line up is considered underpowered (by modern standards), but they are delightfully torquey.

What works best for you will depend on where, and how, you ride. The difference between the 350s (and 650s) is mostly style and riding position. The difference between the the 411s (and the new 450s) is how much time will be spent in the dirt.

I don't think you can make a bad choice, but the perfect choice may take a while to figure out.
 
I also found the post from @StefArmstg (#7) very on-point ... as well as what everyone else said.

I just want to make a slight caveat, re "The difference between the 350s (and 650s) is mostly style and riding position." And that is there's also a difference of (don't make me look this up, please) 100 lbs. or so.

I think a new rider should start with a very light bike. As a former MSF RiderCoach (this was 20+ years ago, when I had better knees and ankles), I've seen my share of riders stopping with the front wheel cocked, which makes the bike want to tip over. Unless you're a well-muscled guy, a lighter bike makes dealing with such, and similar, occurrences much easier. As does having a low-ish bike, unless you're really tall.

Me, I went with the 350J bikes for their lightness, their low price, their looks, and in particular the Meteor 350 because my knees can't take being bent backwards for all-day rides. Otherwise, I'd probably have gone with the Hunter.

The M350 was supposed to be a stop-gap solution for me, while my C 400 GT was in the shop for months with an engine problem (and BMW eventually replaced the entire scooter). The scoot is a substantially more powerful 350, but also weighs about 50 lb. more. However, the M350 constantly brought smiles to my face whenever I rode it, so I decided to become a full-time two-bike owner.

Bottom line, IMO, is light, low, and low-powered is my general recommendation for a first bike, assuming that it fits reasonably well for the owner's use-case. OTOH, if that use-case is a 50-mile commute on interstates with a posted 75mph speed limit, or a lot of two-up traveling, then my assumptions won't work out. I've had big bikes over the years -- a Valkyrie Interstate and a Victory Cross Country Tour, for instance -- that can handle those situations with aplomb, but I don't recommend them for newbies.
 
Yes, I was comparing the 350s to each other, not to the 650s. The 650s are heavy for their displacement. And although they are lighter than the cruisers, the Interceptor, GT, and Bear carry the weight higher. That takes some getting used to. (I dropped my Interceptor in the driveway on day three).

What they won't do, is overwhelm you with power. The torque starts at low revs, builds smoothly, and peaks out well before redline.

If your brain is wired for motorcycling, the bike will eventually become an extension of your body. Operating it will become instinctive, allowing you to concentrate on the road and traffic.
 
wspollack said:
I also found the post from @StefArmstg (#7) very on-point ... as well as what everyone else said.

I just want to make a slight caveat, re "The difference between the 350s (and 650s) is mostly style and riding position." And that is there's also a difference of (don't make me look this up, please) 100 lbs. or so.

I think a new rider should start with a very light bike. As a former MSF RiderCoach (this was 20+ years ago, when I had better knees and ankles), I've seen my share of riders stopping with the front wheel cocked, which makes the bike want to tip over. Unless you're a well-muscled guy, a lighter bike makes dealing with such, and similar, occurrences much easier. As does having a low-ish bike, unless you're really tall.

Me, I went with the 350J bikes for their lightness, their low price, their looks, and in particular the Meteor 350 because my knees can't take being bent backwards for all-day rides. Otherwise, I'd probably have gone with the Hunter.

The M350 was supposed to be a stop-gap solution for me, while my C 400 GT was in the shop for months with an engine problem (and BMW eventually replaced the entire scooter). The scoot is a substantially more powerful 350, but also weighs about 50 lb. more. However, the M350 constantly brought smiles to my face whenever I rode it, so I decided to become a full-time two-bike owner.

Bottom line, IMO, is light, low, and low-powered is my general recommendation for a first bike, assuming that it fits reasonably well for the owner's use-case. OTOH, if that use-case is a 50-mile commute on interstates with a posted 75mph speed limit, or a lot of two-up traveling, then my assumptions won't work out. I've had big bikes over the years -- a Valkyrie Interstate and a Victory Cross Country Tour, for instance -- that can handle those situations with aplomb, but I don't recommend them for newbies.
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@wspollack hit's the hammer on the nail, listen to him, this is almost the same comment I was going to make to you.

My previous bike was a Yamaha 900 Diversion, beautiful bike for single and 2 up, cruising and touring long distance, previous to that a kwaka z250, we, my wife and I did a complete circuit of oz with it, and then some, previous to that: first bike a TS 90 suzi, now I have a 411, next bike shortly is a Classic 350, do you see what I am implying and where this is heading.
 
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Hi, welcome. Where are you? There may be a member nearby who can let you have a look at their bike. The Guerrilla is not far behind the 650s in power, but weighs a lot less and is a lot less in road tax..
 
You are probably going to drop it so I would start with the cheapest lightweight you can find, maybe a old 411 Hima or a Hunter.
Then after a couple of months you will have a clearer idea of what is going to suit you and the type of riding you do, and perhaps proceed to something better.
In Oz S/H bikes a couple of years old with less than 5000 km are not unusual and if the same in the UK they might be a decent choice rather than new.
 
First, congrats on the DA!
I went for an Int. and the reasons might help you decide if it's the right choice for you, too.
It had to 'look' right - the cream tank with red flash certainly does that for me (see the profile pic). Be aware: almost every journey will take longer because you'll frequently find people want to ask questions or reminisce about their biking days.
It needed to be comfortable to ride without me needing to practice my limbo or whatever. A big tick there, too (for the record, I'm 5'8 and average build)
I'm not a speed merchant these days (I'm older and wiser now) and don't wish to rev the nuts off something just to get it to move. The torque from that twin lump is just wonderful to drive it out of corners and I have no issues with traffic flow; even motorways are perfectly do-able (just horribly boring!)
Something that I can service and maintain myself. I live in West Scotland now and the nearest dealership for RE is a three hour round trip. The Int has no service warning light that needs to be reset and everything you routinely need to do is accessible to an average mechanic using standard tools.

Downsides:
It's a little heavy. Getting it on its centre stand requires a really good push on the pedal bit while hauling like hell on the side handle; the slope on my gravel driveway needs to be handled very carefully, too. However, once it's moving I don't notice its mass at all: My previous address needed two right-angled turns on a pathway to get to the front door and they were done feet-up.
The headlight isn't great. I swapped to an LED - not one of the ultra-white ones but a warmer colour that's more in keeping with the looks of the 'bike - and I feel it's made me more visible. It also reduces the stress on the electrics as it draws significantly less current.

Mods:
Headlight as mentioned.
Swapping to Enfield Precision pipes, I think, enhances the look. It also makes it 'sound' very 60's with the odd pop and bang on downshifts or lifting off the throttle. For the record, my insurance people were perfectly happy that this was purely cosmetic change and not a performance upgrade.
I have foam grips on the bars. They were there when I picked the 'bike up and I rather like them; cuts out any vibration (I see some in the mirrors though) and make the bars feel more chunky.

However, I'm sure someone will chime in with why their Himmy is better in every regard!
If you can, take your shiny new license to a dealer and see if they'll let you have a go on a few different models so you can see what feels right to you. It's a very personal thing at the end of the day.
 
donkeypower said:
A lot of good advice, but where is the OP?
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I sometimes have doubts about the noobs who post once and disappear. More so when they spin imaginative tales about their bikes or lives. I suspect one noob has appeared several times in various guises but the stories are credible and we all jump. Which is how he gets his jollies. Some are genuine posts and they just disappear. But others where the guy was too terrified to ride or his bike was smashed up by an enraged ex boy friend, don't always ring true.
 
Woodstock said:
I sometimes have doubts about the noobs who post once and disappear. More so when they spin imaginative tales about their bikes or lives. I suspect one noob has appeared several times in various guises but the stories are credible and we all jump. Which is how he gets his jollies. Some are genuine posts and they just disappear. But others where the guy was too terrified to ride or his bike was smashed up by an enraged ex boy friend, don't always ring true.
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You may well be right - but for every new member, there's countless more who never sign up and probably hopefully benefit from the comments us fools contribute. If our collective mutterings help one of these anonymous users to make a good choice of bike, fix a fault or not experience a sudden and unplanned dismount then we all win.
Example: I read a good number of posts and comments on here and only signed up once I'd decided there were enough users who seemed to know more than just which way round we need to sit when getting on a 'bike! :p
 
Personal opinion.......i 'signed up' for a few reasons
1. i run two RE's
2. a lot of knowledge on here (with people willing to share)
3. I have a warped sense of humour and it seems to fit in
4.get to talk to like minded people.....there's a serious side AND a sense of fun
You'll always get people dropping in and out in any forum .....and you'll always get people 'just looking' (average each time i come on here maybe 10 to 15 'members' but at the same time a few hundred 'just looking' Well.....THATS OK.....as long as people are here chatting/ learning/ commenting or 'just looking' surely that's good.
We are all riding....looking out for each other........ENJOY (y)
 
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