Style, Simplicity, Heritage & Feel
Beat - Tracy Prier

An impending holiday to India with my wife saw me hire a video about that exotic place to give her some idea of what to expect when we were “wheels down” in Delhi. A section of this video talked about touring on the Royal Enfield Bullet. This triggered happy memories or thumping around Rajasthan some ten years previously on an old 350. The ex-auto mechanic in me started thinking of ways to transport one to New Zealand. The helpful Mr. Vipin Kataria had informed me that an electronic funds transfer was all that was needed to have my bike join the assembly line. At the time there was no official Royal Enfield dealer in New Zealand. Slightly less than two months later, I was gently easing off the crate lid to reveal a gleaming black and gold masterpiece! I smiled continuously for a good 48 hours and just couldn’t stop. “Enfie” is her name and she is a 2002 Euroclassic 500cc Royal Enfield Bullet.

So why buy a Royal Enfield when I have the choice of pretty much every major motorcycle manufacturer in the world? I think that can be summed up in the following words- “Style, Simplicity, Heritage and Feel”. The first three are easy enough to explain but what does the fourth word mean? “Feel” is a very personal thing and is a combination of several factors; the relaxed riding position, the steady bub-bub-bub of the idling engine that transfoms into a throaty roar when the throttle is wound open, the feeling of solid presence on the road and the general impression that this bike is a part of what motorcycling used to be about – enjoying the journey. If an owner wants blistering speed and razor-sharp handling then the first three words won’t mean much. But to those of us who care it means everything. The Chinese philospher, Lao Tzu was quoted saying, “A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving”, and I think I would have appreciated the Bullet!

Are there things I would change about her?… Yes, I already have and it is the fun part of owning her.

Have I ever regretted buying Enfie?… not once!

Will I buy other bikes?… Indeed (my wife just doesn’t know it yet)

Would I ever part with Enfie?… NEVER! My Royal Enfield Forever!