BRITTISH IRON

Geo-TH,In

Well-known Member
Growing up in the 60's I was hooked on Brittish iron. Gary Nixon was the Grand national dirt track champ on a TRIUMPH. Jaguar set speed record at Lemans. Triumph set speed record at salt flats.

I was hooked. I had a 1966 650 triumph, 1962 jaguar XKE 3.8 L six with 3 SU carbs. 10 years ago after DR told me those days were behind me, back reason, I sold them for 5 times what I paid for them.

Well today I saw a Royal Enfield, 2011, 500cc single cylinder, both electric and sick start, with a side car. I'm still smiling, made my day.

Hope you enjoy the pic as much as I.
George
a167042.jpg
 
A couple of alcoholic bachelor brothers lived in our area. They had a motorcycle with the first sidecar that I ever saw when I was a kid. It was a circus to watch when those two got drunk and drove their motorcycle around. Elmer rode the cycle and Spike rode in the sidecar - unless he decided to get out at full speed.

Spike was finally killed when Elmer drove the car across a higway without stopping or looking and was t-boned. After that fatal accident, Elmer finally quit drinking.
 
(quoted from post at 12:00:54 08/25/14) A couple of alcoholic bachelor brothers lived in our area. They had a motorcycle with the first sidecar that I ever saw when I was a kid. It was a circus to watch when those two got drunk and drove their motorcycle around. Elmer rode the cycle and Spike rode in the sidecar - unless he decided to get out at full speed.

Spike was finally killed when Elmer drove the car across a higway without stopping or looking and was t-boned. After that fatal accident, Elmer finally quit drinking.

Back in the day a few of us got the motorcycle fever and the guy that gave it to us had a Triumph Bonneville. Well, one guy bought a Harley, one had a Yamaha,another had an Italian bike and I can't remember the name of it. I had a Honda Superhawk and a late comer bought a Moto Guzzi(sp).We had lots of good times. I kinda gave it up after having and accident and breaking my femur(leg)and ruining the bike plus having 2 kids at that point.
 
Ya. A DB 850. Interesting thing about it though,is that it's a gas and no 850 gassers were sold in Europe,or so they say. They used a DB Cropmaster gas engine in those. They sent a lot more diesels over here than they did gassers,but that's one of the few gassers.
 
I rode bikes for almost 50 years, started when I
was 5. Dr made me give it up along with Jag. It
was eigher get L4 & L5 fused or change life style.

Every once in a while I get an itch to ride again,
but my back reminds me why I shouldn't. Getting
in to the Jag was a killer too.

The Royal Enfield was a trip down memory lane. It
looked so much like my old Triumph. Those were the
days.
 


"Gary Nixon was the Grand national dirt track champ on a TRIUMPH." That brings back memories. He was champion when my Brother and I went Pro. Had a rod in his left leg after he broke it and still finished the year out.
 
I used to ride and drag race Triumph Bikes.
Still have pictures somewhere of nearly every motorcycle I had. I no longer ride but still love those British bikes.
I remember seeing TC Christenson race his twin engine Norton that was unbeatable--at that time.
Just the other day, I showed my boys a video of TC making a trial run.
If interested, google T C. Christensen twin Norton and just listen to the sound of this bike. Meanest idle of any bike I ever heard!
 
I saw a new RE a couple of weeks ago.
I believe they are made the old fashioned way in India.

http://royalenfield.com/aboutus/factory-tour/
 
My first 2 wheel ride was a 67 BSA Thunderbolt. If it wasn't painted black, it was chromed. I loved that bike. Sold it to a FRIEND after back surgery. He took off, never saw him, the bike or the money again.
 
Had a Triumph 650 and a Norton when I was in college the 650 would beat you to death but the Norton was pretty fast for its day until the Kawa
900 came on the scene.
 
If I remember, the kaw just about put harley out of business, or harley was already in $ trouble.

I know kids in college loved the cheaper and faster kaw. It would smoke anything on 2 wheels at the time.

IMHO, kaw and honda forced harley to clean up their act, make bikes that didn't leak oil, start easier, better design and electric starts.

The Japan made US auto makers do the same.

So in the long run we are better off because of the Japan invasion of the US lead by the honda invasion. I think the honda 50 was around 59 or so wasn't it?
 
Was the Enfield ever made in England? I remember seeing one in the US 50 years ago. If it always been made in India, I'M BAD!
 
A British brand that was defunct and revived but the factory is in India. There is a Youtube video of an Indian guy hand striping the gas tanks.It was founded in 1893 as a British company. Later they were involved with Indian after 1953 when Indians became Enfield Indians trying to save the mark. Royal Enfield was also sold to Triumph -Norton -Villers at some point . The company sold alot of products in India through time . How the connection came from Triumph owning them to madein India I'm not sure but it is an Indian car company that owns that factory in India now. It is a name with a long history that early on made quality motorcycles based on their philosiphy of making accurate arms.
 
(quoted from post at 09:28:46 08/26/14) Was the Enfield ever made in England? I remember seeing one in the US 50 years ago. If it always been made in India, I'M BAD!
hen i was a kid growing up in Holland there were plenty old english bikes to be had for next to nothing.The first bike i bought was 1952 Norton dominator 500 for $5, a nice bike( i still have a pic of it with me on it)
I used to buy them drive them for a while and then sell or trade them for others.
I had at any given time at least 6 or 7 of them(including other Europian makes) on the yard.
I have had Norton, BSA, triumph,Matchless,Ariel but only 1 Royal Enfield.
That single Royal Enfield was from 1920 and a antique back then already ,It was missing a couple parts,. i sold it for $25 :roll: (could be worth 25 grand today).
The last one i owned was a 1954 Norton dominator 600 twin, i sold it prior to emigrating in 1980 for $1000,.
 
I remember growing up in the 1950s, British bikes ruled. In the U.S. Harley was about the only bike built,Indian was on it's way out. I knew a young man who owned a Triumph, I liked that bike. In the 1960s my wife's cousin owned a Triumph Bonneville, one powerful bike! I recently found that from 1955 to 1960 the Indian motorcycles sold in the U.S. were actually re-badged Royal Enfields. The only British iron that I ever owned was a Indian three speed lightweight bicycle.
 
(quoted from post at 06:44:24 08/26/14) If I remember, the kaw just about put harley out of business, or harley was already in $ trouble.

I know kids in college loved the cheaper and faster kaw. It would smoke anything on 2 wheels at the time.

IMHO, kaw and honda forced harley to clean up their act, make bikes that didn't leak oil, start easier, better design and electric starts.

The Japan made US auto makers do the same.

So in the long run we are better off because of the Japan invasion of the US lead by the honda invasion. I think the honda 50 was around 59 or so wasn't it?

George, gotta disagree. The Japanese companies didn't make the US makers clean up their act, rising fuel prices, the Carter Regan recession and the good old consumer made them clean up their act because the Japanese companies just gave the buying public other options.

Rick
 

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