[dcaddick]

Oh, but Royal Enfield is too conservative. They just make these nice little "conventional" motor bikes. Well, that might have been the case before, but I like the direction they are going. Look at this guy!

Yeah baby! Tryin out some new concepts! I like it...

Did you see this:
Royal Enfield Concept KX Specifications Officially Revealed
"The engine is developed in association with Polaris Industries "

The brand has listed the engine as 838cc for the concept version, carrying V-Twin layout and fuel injection. At EICMA 2018, Royal Enfield mentioned TBC (To Be Confirmed) after the engine displacement value, which means that the brand can explore more engine configurations before coming to a final value. The same stays true for 80mm bore and 83.8mm stroke value. The 6-speed gearbox will be kept the same for all versions. The engine is developed in association with Polaris Industries and thus, the typical Indian Motorcycle touch is guaranteed in the final version. Expecting around 90 HP of power is genuinely true for the engine as liter-class V-Twins are known to produce around 100 HP of power.​

 

[notaharley]

Did you see this:
Royal Enfield Concept KX Specifications Officially Revealed
"The engine is developed in association with Polaris Industries "

The brand has listed the engine as 838cc for the concept version, carrying V-Twin layout and fuel injection. At EICMA 2018, Royal Enfield mentioned TBC (To Be Confirmed) after the engine displacement value, which means that the brand can explore more engine configurations before coming to a final value. The same stays true for 80mm bore and 83.8mm stroke value. The 6-speed gearbox will be kept the same for all versions. The engine is developed in association with Polaris Industries and thus, the typical Indian Motorcycle touch is guaranteed in the final version. Expecting around 90 HP of power is genuinely true for the engine as liter-class V-Twins are known to produce around 100 HP of power.​

Good find!
No, never saw that.
I wonder why Polaris would have anything to do with them? Maybe just hired for the design of the engine/tranny?

The other Enfield bikes are....so inferior to all other motorcycles in so many areas.
The new Himalayan can't get above 60mph, it's so terribly underpowered. 0-60 was 17 seconds, haha.

 

[notaharley]

"The engine is developed in association with Polaris Industries and thus, the typical Indian Motorcycle touch is guaranteed in the final version."

The "typical Indian Motorcycle touch"???

 

[dcaddick]

"The engine is developed in association with Polaris Industries and thus, the typical Indian Motorcycle touch is guaranteed in the final version."

The "typical Indian Motorcycle touch"???

So now having reviewed this - have a look at this photo of the engine and it does look a bit like the Indian Heads? Right?

Personally I do like the Girder front end, but would like a bigger engine, but as it's rumored in UK at under 6K GB pounds or just over $10K AUD it seems like a pretty decent package for what it is

 

[Ghostrider25]

I'm intrigued. I'm worried that it's going to be too small though.

 

[notaharley]

So now having reviewed this - have a look at this photo of the engine and it does look a bit like the Indian Heads? Right?

Personally I do like the Girder front end, but would like a bigger engine, but as it's rumored in UK at under 6K GB pounds or just over $10K AUD it seems like a pretty decent package for what it is

I'm not in love with the front forks.
I just wonder what "typical " Indian is? They haven't swooped in and saved the day numerous times, they were just resurrected recently themselves.
Enfield has been making crap bikes for a while now....maybe they are trying to turn a corner by enlisting the help of Polaris. I wonder if Polaris owns some of them.

 

[jwfuchs1]

I'm intrigued. I'm worried that it's going to be too small though.

I'll be shocked if another motorcycle company started making bikes to fit us big boys. Until then I'll be riding a Vic. I already have two and thinking I need 3 or 4 to feel complete.

I was really excited about the new Yamaha bike until I sat on it.

 

[Ghostrider25]

I'll be shocked if another motorcycle company started making bikes to fit us big boys. Until then I'll be riding a Vic. I already have two and thinking I need 3 or 4 to feel complete.

I was really excited about the new Yamaha bike until I sat on it.

I hear you there There are a few bikes that I have in by pocket as bikes I know I would be happy with from a fit standpoint. The Concourse is just about top of the list for me. The Multi would be right there as well. If my last bike ended up being either one of those two I would be quite OK with that.

I really am convinced now that the Vision will be my last heavy.

 

[jellybean764]

Jawa is supposed to be going to build new bikes in India.

 

[jellybean764]

Jawa is supposed to be going to build new bikes in India.

 

[DorsetBlue]

Good find!
No, never saw that.
I wonder why Polaris would have anything to do with them? Maybe just hired for the design of the engine/tranny?

I don't know, perhaps to get in with the largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world (by sales)

They also own Harris in the UK and have their development centre in the UK too.

Good find!
The other Enfield bikes are....so inferior to all other motorcycles in so many areas.
The new Himalayan can't get above 60mph, it's so terribly underpowered. 0-60 was 17 seconds, haha.

0-60 17secs??? Maybe the 1/4 mile time, it does 0-60 around 9 seconds. Not what Bike Magazine said in the UK, the BS4 model (which the UK get) is much improved. They loved it and it can cruise at 70MPH on a motorway (doesn't like much over 75MPH due to twitchiness). It is a country lane / trail bike though, it is only 411cc.

 

[arkvic]

I am one of those who thought the FTR was priced too high. So what do you think my reaction to this bike is going to be? If I am in the show room and I am looking at this thing, I am liking it. Then I look at the price tag. And I am turning and walking away. I don't think the pricing is favorable within the market at all. The market is being driven by greed and optimism that people are just stupid and will pay these inflated prices. Well I am not one of them. And if this trend continues I will never buy a new bike again. Too many excellent used machines out there to get ripped off like this.

right on target!!! I went to a h.d. dealer just this past weekend. they wont give ya nothin for your trade in bike, and wanted 20k for a freakin softail heritage!. just a few yrs. ago they were 16k! talk about being proud of your product! needless to say we didn't strike a deal.

 

[Ghostrider25]

right on target!!! I went to a h.d. dealer just this past weekend. they wont give ya nothin for your trade in bike, and wanted 20k for a freakin softail heritage!. just a few yrs. ago they were 16k! talk about being proud of your product! needless to say we didn't strike a deal.

Boy, Harley is holding fast to the bitter end, aren't they? Apparently Polaris-indian is no different. Instead of looking at the reality of where the market is today and doing an honest evaluation of what their product is worth and making the adjustments to induce sales, they are standing there with their finger in the air saying "nope, we don't care, this is what we are charging. Now pay up, Bishes!" Well guess what? Not me, brah! If HD goes down (which I don't want to see happen) or Polaris-indian (which I would LOVE to see happen) they only have themselves to blame. I'm not paying those prices for 115 year-old technology. And you couldn't give me a Polaris-indian.

Whose finger is in the air now?

 

[Ghostrider25]

Anyway, back to the Norton... It's a nice looking bike. Nice details around the thing and the build looks to be good. Components look OK, though I am not familiar with the Roadholder name. I'm sure they are fine. At the end of the day, though, do you really want to pay over $15,000.00 for a 650 just because it's a "name"? I don't.

 

[Trout]

After the merger it will be known as: "Royal Indian"
First model is the "Chief Enfield".
Then there will be the "Desert Scout"

 

[2edgesword]

If I was only 40 years younger .

 

[notaharley]

If I was only 40 years younger .

Hahaha. No kidding!

 

[YENRABSRIDE]

It's great to see all these 'niche' bikes on the market, and having choices is great. But in reality, a Yamaha MT07/MT09 pretty much blows away these 'niche' or 'retro' bikes, IMO. They just don't have the 'cool' factor, kind of like the Harley thing going. I don't see why anyone whould buy a Royal Enfield, unless you're from India. A Ninja 400/Z400 runs circle around a RE. Nortons looks cool, but how long are they going to be around? Are they any better then the parallel twins from Kawasaki, Yamaha, or Honda?

 

[Ghostrider25]

It's great to see all these 'niche' bikes on the market, and having choices is great. But in reality, a Yamaha MT07/MT09 pretty much blows away these 'niche' or 'retro' bikes, IMO. They just don't have the 'cool' factor, kind of like the Harley thing going. I don't see why anyone would buy a Royal Enfield, unless you're from India. A Ninja 400/Z400 runs circle around a RE. Nortons looks cool, but how long are they going to be around? Are they any better then the parallel twins from Kawasaki, Yamaha, or Honda?

Totally agree. Don't get me wrong, I do like the bike(s). And I suppose if I had the money and was looking for a conversation starter when I rode to the coffee shop or out to Alice's, these Nortons might do the trick. Since that is NOT the case for me, these things are not even on my RADAR. And anyway, 650s just don't move this big body around well enough!