Well... I finally bit the bullit.. :D

BigyellowGS

BigyellowGS

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After a few sorties of road on my 1150gs... I realised something... It's not as much fun as something lighter... And I miss the thud thud thud of an old big single.. The GS is an awesum all rounder.. But I felt the need for something else as well...

Thoughts of a Matchless, AJS etc flitted though my mind... Then I came accross a guy selling a nice looking Enfield 500T (like the one below) on an 02 plate for pennies... And I ripped his arm off!

enfield03072102.jpg


It maybe a modern enfield... but I figure I want it for green laning, and as such it will get dropped/bent etc... so better a modern one than a real classic!

So... Now I need to find some local (essex/suffolk) people with similar old green laners to go out and get covered in mud with...
 
Cheers!

I'd definatly be up for some "gentle exploration"...

Out of interest.. Do you ride a black 1150gs? I commute through Halstead every day (live in witham, work in newmarket)... And I quite regularly see a guy hooning about on a quite muddy 1150?
 
I quite fancy one of those myself.

I would be interested to know how you get on with it.

Post an update soon.
 
Have you found Hitchcocks website yet? Lots of RE bling but of particular interest are 21" front wheel conversions, ally guards, ally tank, ally barrel - you can blow as much dosh as for a GS! but you should also be able to loose 50lbs pretty easily. Old bangers benefit from lowered gearing for off road. you will be amazed at what it will deal with - just let the revs drop right down to firing every other lampost and it will find grip where all pogos fail!
 
The bike pictured isn't actually mine.. But its the same colour/reg etc..

The last (and only) owner had already fitted a 21" front wheel upgrade, along with a 32mm Amal carb conversion.... But Alas (for my CC)... I have already found hitchcocks... And spent some money.

Rack/side stand/different braced bars and a more user friendly decompressor lever.

Your right though... I could end up spending every penny I earn on the old girl! Especially like the alloy tank and high level pipe.. but thats 500 quid gone straight away..

I'll let you know how she fairs in the dirt once I get some miles on her..
 
there is a guy on ebay from India flogging repro scrambles tanks (slim 2 gallon - replica of the one fitted to the comp bikes int he 60's) for £130 and an alloy one for £180. Hitchcocks get theres from india and mark them up so could save a few bob.
 
Cheers Phil!

I hadn't noticed them... hmmm... may have to wait until payday first. But thats a darn site cheaper than the 280 quid from Hitchcocks.
 
An update

Well the little Enfield 500T suffered its first green laning experience today... Thanks to the guidence of Dusan who introduced me to the local Braintree/Halstead lanes... (Cheers for the tour, look forward to another bimble/pint :beer: sometime!)

As you can see from the piccy below, she did get a little bit muddy...;) but nothing serious as the lanes we took were "mild" enough for me as a novice to have a laugh...:D



As for how she handled herself.. pretty well really! There were only a couple of little issues... The cheap &^%$ Indian made sidestand broke right at the start of the run, And the footpegs are a little low to deal with the good old Essex ruts...(see piccy of for the ripped off bit of footpeg where it dug in). Otherwise I think the old enfield will be a good fun, forgiving little green laner.. just dont expect me/machine to be that quick :D

I have already decided on a few changes though... I'm going to fit higher bars (the renthals fitted by the previous owner are a little low when standing on the pegs), Find some way of moving the footpegs up at least an inch.. and finally buy a small trails style tank (my knees kept hitting the current one).

Might also make up a shield of somesort for the air filter... hmmm

I'll keep you all posted as the project comes along :D
 
You'll find the Indian build quality better than the English original:thumb

Great mad bikes :D
 
H.R.H. OONYACK You'll find the Indian build quality better than the English original

Great mad bikes
Click to expand...

To be honest comparing it to my last old brit bike (Triumph T120), The build quality isn'd bad...(less rist for certain)!

The side stand was a brand new aftermarket accessory from Haywards (where I got the bike from)... Fitted it myself and removed the center stand (as it clanged around off road).. But the actual leg part of the stand broke! it appears to have been made of a piece of pipe press fitted over a braket.. And the pipe just bent until it wasn't a press fit anymore! :thedummy

But in the great scheme of things.. If thats all that brakes... It not a big deal.. Especially as the side stand from a Honda CB250RS fitted straight onto the enfield brakets! :D

As said I think shes going to make a great grean laner... Perhapse not to take on the worst stuff... But definalty good enough to bimble around the local lanes.

Although I have got the bug... So I may invest in something a bit more modern as well!
 
Well... unfortunatly although I have enjoyed the enfield, I feel she hasn't really filled the british bike gap I got her for...

She's great fun off road and on... And I've enjoyed tinkering with her... But I've decided to sell her on, and buy a triumph bonnie (to cover the brit bike itch) and a more modern 400cc ish traily to go green laning on.

So she's up for sale... Now she's been polished and preened!

See Ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=290235328346&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT&ih=019

:D J
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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