My new, 2022, Indian motorcycle!

[mexicanyella]

It's 'Old School' British styling is straight out of the mid-60's, often very pretty, but also utilitarian by most modern measures. It's what also could be referred to as a 'standard', which is what bikes such as these are now classified as in a many sub-divided market of sportbikes, sport tourers, adventure tourers, heavy tourers, cruisers, power cruisers, and on and on...

Before motorcycles became so specifically specialized, as they are now, with few exceptions, almost everything was a direct derivative of a 'standard' machine, tourers, road racers, desert racers, etc.

This Royal Enfield 650 is about as much of a 'back to the basics' street bike as one can find these days, no engine 'power modes' or other extraneous electronic bullcrap to insert itself between the rider, engine, wheels, and road surface. It does, of course, have ABS braking, and that's ok, it's mandated as standard on almost all production motorcycles world-wide these days anyway.

The Royal Enfield 650 has a relatively low hp, 270 degree engine rated at a conservative 47 hp, uses a six-speed transmission and can probably do around 100 mph if you insist, but they're much happier running out there on the curvy, hilly backroads at about 50-75% effort.

So...a 270-degree crank phasing; interesting. Does the three-lobed amoeba-shaped left engine cover suggest that it has an “underhead” cam and pushrods? Or is it OHC/DOHC underneath retro-looking castings?

FI? Carb?

Something about the sweep of the pipes and forward cant of the cylinders reminds me of the old Yamaha TX750 twin even though it’s much curvier in both castings and bodywork.

Looking forward to your ride report.

I still need a Stearman biplane.

Man, talk about orders of magnitude increases in time suck!

Ever been up in one? A local airport (Washington, MO) used to be run by a guy who had about four of them, and at least one was usually in residence. You could rent time in them, and a friend who was building hours in his log would fly one sometimes instead of the Cessna 172 or Aeronca Champ. Sometimes after work I’d tag along. I got to take the stick and circle our place and look at it from the air a few times.

These were the 220 hp Continental R670 powered ones, not the big radial airshow hotrod ones. But they still make a big mean rumble and make nice burning avgas and hot oil smells.

I don’t recall the gallons per hour figure but I remember thinking the fuel consumption was prohibitively astounding even back then.

 

[HaWE]

I am a great fan of Royal Enfield.We have an Enfield dealer in our region and visiting him is like going back in time - he has all the new models but also older ones and some custom bikes.And additionally he sells leather clothes, boots and other vintage style accessories.I like every kind of old and "old style" motorbikes, specially british like BSA , Enfield and Triumph, but also japanese from the 70`s / 80`s and Harleys (chopped).
And here is one of my 2 Sr500`s ( next year 30 years old ) :

 

[mexicanyella]

It only shows up once, but I hit the like button about 14 times on that SR. Haven’t seen one of those in a loooooong time.

 

[HaWE]

It only shows up once, but I hit the like button about 14 times on that SR. Haven’t seen one of those in a loooooong time.

I am happy that you like it
There are still many of them around here in Germany.One important thing I like about them is the simplicity.And you must start them with the kick starter
You can modify them very easy, according to your own taste.There are many different styles , from chopper, bobber, racing style, dirt track bike to original ones.
This is my other one :

 

[mexicanyella]

Isn’t that the same basic engine used in the early TT/XT dirt bikes?

 

[HaWE]

Isn’t that the same basic engine used in the early TT/XT dirt bikes?

You are right, it is basically the same engine like in the XT500 but with some slight changes.The SR was introduced some years after the XT500 in 1978 as a street bike with a modified frame and some other changes like other seat, other wheels , handlebar , lamp etc.

XT500

 

[John Backlund]

I am a great fan of Royal Enfield.We have an Enfield dealer in our region and visiting him is like going back in time - he has all the new models but also older ones and some custom bikes.And additionally he sells leather clothes, boots and other vintage style accessories.I like every kind of old and "old style" motorbikes, specially british like BSA , Enfield and Triumph, but also japanese from the 70`s / 80`s and Harleys (chopped).
And here is one of my 2 Sr500`s ( next year 30 years old ) :
View attachment 1056115

I owned an SR400 about five years ago, bought a new leftover '15 model in 2017, rode it a season then sold it. At the same time, I also had a '16 Royal Enfield 500. If the SR had been a 500, I might still have it.

 

[HaWE]

I owned an SR400 about five years ago, bought a new leftover '15 model in 2017, rode it a season then sold it. At the same time, I also had a '16 Royal Enfield 500. If the SR had been a 500, I might still have it.
View attachment 1056140

View attachment 1056141

Really lovely bikes
The new SR400 was also available in Germany.In Germany the SR500 was sold from 1978 to end of 1999.So it was a little sensation (at least for fans of the SR ) that they introduced the SR400 some years ago ( I think in Japan the SR was always a SR400 and the production was never stopped over the years).I saw some new SR400`s, but I remember they had some changes like a fuel pump and other new features.I think most SR fans prefer the old SR500 because,for example, of the larger motor and a normal carburetor.
But the classic look of the SR has stayed, and after all it is a great bike.

 

[Cheap Trills]

For better or worse, she doesn't have much desire to ride 'cupcake' on my cute little retro motorcycles these days...

Her current bike...
View attachment 1056103

One of her more substantial 'scooters' from her recent past...
View attachment 1056102

That Hayabusa is a lot of bike for a lady!

 

[teleman1]

When I was around 9 years old, My Cousin had a Harely Davidson Sprint. John's new bike reminded of it. I doubt I ever rode on the back; nothing my Dad would allow. It was a 250 sprint red.
What is a Harley-Davidson Sprint?

Introduced in 1961 as a result of a cooperative venture between Harley-Davidson and Aermacchi of Italy, the Sprint was powered by a 250-cc horizontal four-stroke single. Despite being decidedly unlike Harley's traditional products of the time, the Sprint was quite popular with buyers.

 

[John Backlund]

When I was around 9 years old, My Cousin had a Harely Davidson Sprint. John's new bike reminded of it. I doubt I ever rode on the back; nothing my Dad would allow. It was a 250 sprint red.
What is a Harley-Davidson Sprint?

Introduced in 1961 as a result of a cooperative venture between Harley-Davidson and Aermacchi of Italy, the Sprint was powered by a 250-cc horizontal four-stroke single. Despite being decidedly unlike Harley's traditional products of the time, the Sprint was quite popular with buyers.

View attachment 1056394

The 1960's Harley-Davidson Sprint motorcycles, 250cc, and the later 350's, were made in Italy for HD by Aermacchi.

I owned a 1967 250 Sprint H for a time back around 1959-70