C5 & "competition"

[Land Surveyor]

Just got the newsletter and it contained an article about "competition" for the C5 in the form of a little machine from SYM in Taiwan.  From what I have gotten from the scooter types and my own observation, SYM makes a very nice product.  In fact, they used to produce stuff for Honda, both the cycle and automotive divisions.  I have seen this little bike only in pictures but expect the quality to be good.

It is not, however, competition for an RE.  I say this not as an admirer of REs generally (which I am) but because of the wide disparity in their displacements.

I see this as an alternative for someone who likes the retro styling but finds the C5 to be too big for their needs.

[r80rt]

C5 Ain't got no competition

[ace.cafe]

I think this one from Sym is a pretty decent looking little runabout, in the vein of a Honda CB125.



It could be a fun little bike for the beach or at a little resort community or something like that.

[UncleErnie]

if there's going to be any competition, I would think it would be the Suzuki TU250X.   
Haven't ridden one, but it looks pretty nice.

[Alaroyal]

Looks like that SYM has some pretty nice features; a generous size tank, a Tach and Speedo, chrome F and R fenders, disc brake up front, big seat, progressively wound springs with reservoir shocks. 

What does one cost, I wonder?

[t120rbullet]

C5 Ain't got no competition

I agree but would have to widen it a bit, RE got's no competition.
That Sym and the TU 250 are cool little bikes and might look good enough for everyday mundane tasks in an effort to keep the miles down on the Bullet. But if you really want to drink upstream from the herd it would have to be a Bullet.
CJ

[Rusty]

I agree but would have to widen it a bit, RE got's no competition.

Exactly that's why I bought one. Try slogging out of corners on any other reasonable sized single and then go pick up the pieces of the drive chain.

[hoppyre]

if there's going to be any competition, I would think it would be the Suzuki TU250X.   
Haven't ridden one, but it looks pretty nice.

I just bought a TU250X a while back, just loved the looks of it. Runs smooth, rides good, handles good, GREAT gas mileage, even has a good seat ( for Suzuki ). But, it doesn't have the character of an Enfield!!!!!

[Lmundy]

I agree that the Enfields have an “authenticity” that these other bikes don’t, because of their unique history of being continuously in third-world production since I was a baby.  We’ve all seen “retro-bikes” come and go – the Honda GB500, the Kawasaki W650.  They were not sales successes.  We’re on the third or fourth reincarnation of Indian, at least the third version of Norton, Excelsior-Henderson is dead (again).  Triumph, which has the strongest “memory lane” brand, is producing Bonnevilles that have only “styling cues” in common with the 60’s models, and for that reason I’ve not been all that tempted to buy one even though I understand they are perfectly nice and reliable.  Enfield is my only and unique opportunity to buy a bike that has been in continuous production since the 50’s and still looks like it, but has now been modernized in function so that it’s not just a curiosity in the garage.  It’s “authentic” in a way nothing else is.

Which leads me to my plan to save General Motors, which got tossed in their trashcan.  GM is the exclusive owner of the design of the ’57 Chevy.  If they brought it back “for real,” I’d go without food to buy one, and so would 100,000 other boomers.  By “for real” I mean exactly as it appeared in 1957, body panels interchangeable with the originals, bench seats, the whole shebang.  Sure, it would have disc brakes and airbags and catalysts, but otherwise give me the real, original look, not like the SSR’s and HHR’s and quasi-pony cars and PT Cruisers Detroit has churned out that are just “impressions” of classics.  The Ford Sunliner.  The Hemi Cuda.  I wouldn’t care if they had the four-banger from their cheapest econobox, I’d want one.

That’s why I’m awaiting delivery of my Enfield C-5.  And every time I park it somewhere and collect a couple gearhead boomers, I will give them a sales pitch.  If we can get 10,000 UCE’s on the road in this country, there will be a healthier aftermarket, we’ll be able to get parts until the world ends, the fine people in Minnesota who made this all possible will be better rewarded, and GM will maybe stop throwing away my letters.

[Land Surveyor]

Back in my younger days, I had a serious desire for a thumper and was really wanting, and never got, a Yamaha SR500.  Although well liked by some, it, like many other nice Japanese retros, never caught fire with the public and was only cherished by the proverbial faithful few.  A shame, really.   

What we have with the C5 is an authentic provenance with, we hope, the level of reliability of the Japanese bikes.  Only time will tell but it looks good so far.

In my personal opinion, automotive design apexed with the 1967 Chevrolet Impala hardtop.  Essentially a pony car with a real back seat.  As much as want my grandad's 67 Camaro back, I believe I'd go for the Impala or Caprice first.

[Lmundy]

When it comes to reliving memories and the whole “retro” thing,  my generation is the luckiest ever.  When my parents were my age, “retro” was a hand-crank telephone, kerosene lamps, a Model T – great curiosities and museum pieces, but functionless in their lives, just stuff to look at.  We get Royal Enfields, that will actually take us places and wait faithfully as a dog in the garage for our next ride in the country.  What will be “retro” for my kids, when they’re my age?  CD Players?  The GSX-R?  The Toyota Prius?   Yuck.

[ace.cafe]

I spent my whole life on twins or multis, and I always wondered about these strange people who wanted old singles. I couldn't figure out why, so I just thought they were weird.
Now that I've owned a Bullet, I know why they liked them, and how it's totally different than what outsiders think it is.

It's a very interesting part of motorcycling. One of the best parts, in fact.

[Cabo Cruz]

As far as a single (pun intended) goes, my feelings are out there on every single (pun intended) one of my posts on every single (pun intended) topic I touch.  And these are:

"Long live the Bullets and those who ride them!"

[SeattleJim]

No competition in this household; the TU250 and Enfield seem to get along just fine but then it has only been here 3 days so we'll see.

The TU250 revs quicker and has excellent handling. The Enfield definitely has more character. Both are great for around town.

[r80rt]

Nice pair of bikes ya got there!