Scandinavia on a Royal Enfield
Discussion
How is the build quality of those new Royal Enfield bikes?
My dad looked at it and laughed and said "I can't imagine what motivates anyone to go touring on a Royal Enfield. Nice bit of British Empire nostalgia, but you'd need to fill those leather panniers with spanners and spares."
Does it seem more robust than the old ones?
ETA: We also agreed that it would be a great trip so have set in motion the plans for a bike tour of our own!
My dad looked at it and laughed and said "I can't imagine what motivates anyone to go touring on a Royal Enfield. Nice bit of British Empire nostalgia, but you'd need to fill those leather panniers with spanners and spares."
Does it seem more robust than the old ones?
ETA: We also agreed that it would be a great trip so have set in motion the plans for a bike tour of our own!
The modern EFI bikes cant really be compared against the old english or first Indian built models. Mine doesn't drip or burn any oil, everything feels very solid and the finish on most parts is great. Even compared to european bikes i feel like it compares very well quality wise. And this model is only £4.5k brand new! My bike is 3 years old now and doesnt have any rust (Honda spokes anyone? ) or flakey engine paint (Ducati?)
The Indians have been building these for decades now and the EFI bikes of the last 8 years or so are very well sorted. Also don't forget that Harley Davidson, BMW and KTM build bikes in India now, so its not really something to turn your nose up at anymore.
Tool wise i have only brought the standard RE tool kit (spanners, screwdriver and tyre levers)
They are lovely and simple machines, easy to service, parts and accessories are dirt cheap, ride great (imo of course), cruise comfortably at 60 and do over 100mpg.
People dismiss them prematurely and are missing out on a lot of fun i think. For rough English roads it really is great. The fact im taking mine to Norway shows the confidence i have in it
The Indians have been building these for decades now and the EFI bikes of the last 8 years or so are very well sorted. Also don't forget that Harley Davidson, BMW and KTM build bikes in India now, so its not really something to turn your nose up at anymore.
Tool wise i have only brought the standard RE tool kit (spanners, screwdriver and tyre levers)
They are lovely and simple machines, easy to service, parts and accessories are dirt cheap, ride great (imo of course), cruise comfortably at 60 and do over 100mpg.
People dismiss them prematurely and are missing out on a lot of fun i think. For rough English roads it really is great. The fact im taking mine to Norway shows the confidence i have in it
bulldong said:
How is the build quality of those new Royal Enfield bikes?
My dad looked at it and laughed and said "I can't imagine what motivates anyone to go touring on a Royal Enfield. Nice bit of British Empire nostalgia, but you'd need to fill those leather panniers with spanners and spares."
Does it seem more robust than the old ones?
ETA: We also agreed that it would be a great trip so have set in motion the plans for a bike tour of our own!
I built one for my dad, a bobber version done from a new FI classic, cut down mudguards, custom paint, powdered rims and fat tyres etc. They're pretty good build wise, motors seem v good, just little things let them down, like cables rubbing through paint on the big mudguards, and if you lift them by the rear metalwork that goes around the mudguard, it can bend. But they do a lifting handle that fits between seat and shock mount that costs about 2 quid!! My dad looked at it and laughed and said "I can't imagine what motivates anyone to go touring on a Royal Enfield. Nice bit of British Empire nostalgia, but you'd need to fill those leather panniers with spanners and spares."
Does it seem more robust than the old ones?
ETA: We also agreed that it would be a great trip so have set in motion the plans for a bike tour of our own!
Bits are cheap, lots available at UK specialists and loads from India, they're good things to work on and pretty easy. No road burner, but great fun to bimble about on, 60 -70 on the back roads, big 500cc single thumping away, it's like going back to the 60s.
Loving the updates and the maps along with the pictures .
Norway is such a stunning country with the best scenery.
Having been there for the northern lights trip with my wife I’m keen to go back in the summer and further explore on a bike .
Glad the Enfield is holding up well.
Keep the pics rolling in where possible
Norway is such a stunning country with the best scenery.
Having been there for the northern lights trip with my wife I’m keen to go back in the summer and further explore on a bike .
Glad the Enfield is holding up well.
Keep the pics rolling in where possible
Left Trondheim this morning with the sun shining, and since it was a such a nice day we ended up just keeping on riding. Did over 280miles in the end, and are now only 100 miles or so away from Mo I Rana and the Arctic Circle.
We avoided the E6 as best we could and followed road 17 West past Namsos and up to Bronnoysund. The long way round but beautiful scenery. Also was our last fjord ferry
We are now in a little cabin in a village called Tosbotn for the night. Weather forecast for tomorrow is 24 degrees :yippee:
We avoided the E6 as best we could and followed road 17 West past Namsos and up to Bronnoysund. The long way round but beautiful scenery. Also was our last fjord ferry
We are now in a little cabin in a village called Tosbotn for the night. Weather forecast for tomorrow is 24 degrees :yippee:
Edited by AceOfHearts on Saturday 30th June 20:03
.....
Yes I know that way way to Bergen from Kristiansand, avoids all the ferry's. So now your moving North Of Trondheim your into new territory for me, tell us a bit about, accommodation, (do you need to book ahead, cost), fuel availability.
Back in to 80's accommodation was a problem with touring in Norway, even further south, I suppose its easier today with things like agoda, you only need ot be 24 hours in advance to be safe, I remember driving the road from Odda to Oslo, which you drove on the way to Bergen, stopped hotel full, next hotel 150 Km away near Rukan (where the Germans made the heavy water).
Back in to 80's accommodation was a problem with touring in Norway, even further south, I suppose its easier today with things like agoda, you only need ot be 24 hours in advance to be safe, I remember driving the road from Odda to Oslo, which you drove on the way to Bergen, stopped hotel full, next hotel 150 Km away near Rukan (where the Germans made the heavy water).
Berw said:
Yes I know that way way to Bergen from Kristiansand, avoids all the ferry's. So now your moving North Of Trondheim your into new territory for me, tell us a bit about, accommodation, (do you need to book ahead, cost), fuel availability.
Back in to 80's accommodation was a problem with touring in Norway, even further south, I suppose its easier today with things like agoda, you only need ot be 24 hours in advance to be safe, I remember driving the road from Odda to Oslo, which you drove on the way to Bergen, stopped hotel full, next hotel 150 Km away near Rukan (where the Germans made the heavy water).
I’ve not done Norway so much, but even in the slightly remote bits of Denmark/Sweden/Finland, I never had a problem, with a combination of AirBnB, hotels.com and booking.com, booking on the day or 24 hours ahead. Sometimes I had to be a little bit flexible about where I wanted to stay (either town or type of accommodation), but I never ended up without somewhere to stay or anywhere hideous.Back in to 80's accommodation was a problem with touring in Norway, even further south, I suppose its easier today with things like agoda, you only need ot be 24 hours in advance to be safe, I remember driving the road from Odda to Oslo, which you drove on the way to Bergen, stopped hotel full, next hotel 150 Km away near Rukan (where the Germans made the heavy water).
In fact, some of the slightly more out of the way places ended up being absolute gems. One of the cabins we stayed in in Sweden was under £40 a night, had a sauna, was in a beautiful rural setting on the banks of a river and was hands down the best place we stayed the whole trip. Yes, it was “basic” and self catering, but it was the perfect place to chill out and recharge, away from everything, which might not suit everyone. It was spotlessly clean, the owner was really helpful and friendly and I’d have happily stayed there a few more nights if we’d had more time. We will definitely be staying there again, it was so good.
Hi Dibble, that's what I thought today, I lived in Norway in the 80's-90's, touring was not easy, the 'huts' tended to book by the week or weekend and weren't economic for two for a one night stop over. We did weekend ski trips one or two cars 4 or 8 people, two cars better in the snow, but it wasn't just go and stop in a B&B like the UK, Last trip I did in 2016 was Oslo Trondheim Stavanger, Oslo, But a few days in each place then moved on so no pressure to get any where in a day of bad weather.
I'm looking at along bike trip early next year, 6 months plus, did think of the USA but visa not easy, so I'm having a look at Gibralter - Northkape for that length budget becomes an serious issue.
I ride a lot in SE Asia and I avoid committing to expensive hotels as when the rain hits what looks looks an easy day can turn into a very dangerous night mare, also I'm used to travelling light, no winter coats etc out here, so I'm not into camping, and carrying the gear.
I've done the roads our friend has done to date, and its interesting how things change. In 2016 I did Sogna fjord to my sons house in Stavanger an easy day on good roads, did that in the 80's it was 2 very hard days on multiple ferries, over Bokn, and Hardanger Fjord, today there are bridges and its all good roads.
I'm looking at along bike trip early next year, 6 months plus, did think of the USA but visa not easy, so I'm having a look at Gibralter - Northkape for that length budget becomes an serious issue.
I ride a lot in SE Asia and I avoid committing to expensive hotels as when the rain hits what looks looks an easy day can turn into a very dangerous night mare, also I'm used to travelling light, no winter coats etc out here, so I'm not into camping, and carrying the gear.
I've done the roads our friend has done to date, and its interesting how things change. In 2016 I did Sogna fjord to my sons house in Stavanger an easy day on good roads, did that in the 80's it was 2 very hard days on multiple ferries, over Bokn, and Hardanger Fjord, today there are bridges and its all good roads.
Gassing Station | Biker Banter | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff