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Any V7 owners tried a Royal Enfield Classic 500

A

Anthony Marcella

Just got it firing!
Joined
Mar 8, 2020
Messages
3
Location
Scotland
As above, I am looking for opinions on the above.

I have wanted a V7 for years but have never got round to getting one or test ride as the nearest dealer is a bit away.

Due to current circumstances I don't have much money to spend on a bike but the royal Enfield looks great and is easily within budget. I know these are even more agricultural than the guzzi but just wanted some views. Please note even if I did buy the RE I'm pretty sure I'd still buy a V7 later down the line. Would it be better waiting a year or so to get the guzzi or just get a RE now.

As a side not the bike will just be for chilled out weekend rides through back roads and occasional short commutes.
 
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Anthony Marcella said:
As above, I am looking for opinions on the above.

I have wanted a V7 for years but have never got round to getting one or test ride as the nearest dealer is a bit away.

Due to current circumstances I don't have much money to spend on a bike but the royal Enfield looks great and is easily within budget. I know these are even more agricultural than the guzzi but just wanted some views. Please note even if I did buy the RE I'm pretty sure I'd still buy a V7 later down the line. Would it be better waiting a year or so to get the guzzi or just get a RE now.

As a side not the bike will just be for chilled out weekend rides through back roads and occasional short commutes.
Click to expand...

Ban him! :fubar:

:rofl:

Seriously, I like RE's. I had a fine time riding a friend's 500 a year or so ago for quite a few miles on local back roads that offer everything.

I even muse now and then about getting one of the new 650's.

The only "down" from my perspective was the need to "plan ahead" for any longish uphill grades. There was not a lot of available grunt to keep up speed unless one took it downhill (assuming there was one first ;)) at ramming speed.

Quite frankly, that "down" also adds to the "charm." IMO, that adds to the fun of riding. It's a moto-version of fly fishing! :clap:

Guzzisti like to talk about "character," which, at least with 20th and early 21st century models, is often code for "stranded by the side of the road" with some mystifying plaint. RE's have that, too, I have heard. But, if you are not adverse to getting skinned knuckles and black-rimmed fingernails, you are going to be fine. If not ... erm ... probably not.

I have to say that both of my V7's -- a '16 V7 II Stornello & '17 V7 III -- have been virtually flawless. The "virtually" is in there because I am a lawyer and have to qualify everything with some disclaimer. :giggle: What Vagrant says about used is -- at least in the USA -- is, IMO, a better route than a new RE, as much as I like those.

Keep us posted on what you decide. As with all choices, you'll likely grin lots whatever you do ... as long as you go ride something!

Best wishes from the top of Virginia,

Bill

[P.S. I wrote the above before reading your "Yeah I know but I think I would be looking at new for either of the two bikes." Used from a Guzzista is a safe bet here; less so from an unknown. Suspect used RE is a bit riskier. If your head and heart say "new," and your budget rules out a new V7, I'd go with the RE ... and just ride it!]
 
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They are really pretty but if you ride with others they will have to wait for you to catch up. My buddy just sold his and bought a RE 650 so he can keep up with the rest of us old farts.
 
I have been trying the find a dealer that has the classic 500 in the military green colour but there are none in stock. They also don't know when they will get more due to the current circumstances and rumours of them dropping the 500 engine.

I have been looking at used V7 in the UK, ideally would like the V7 II as a minimum but there are not many for sale near the £5000 mark. So at the moment it might just be a waiting game to which ever one comes up first.
 
Try this:
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=youtube/itchy+boots
This woman, Noraly, is 60,000Km into a truly adventurous soirée around the globe on a RE Himalayan. Currently her bike's stranded in Peru whilst she's at home in Holland, sitting out this Kung Flu debacle. I'm most certainly more impressed with the Himalayan now than ever before. Find her S1Ep1, where she sets off on her new RE which she bought new in India.
 
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Test ride a Himalayan. You may be pleasantly surprised. My buddy bought one, we all rode it, and now two more guys have them. I liked it, but I like my V7 better so I'm not going to buy one. The 650 is a very nice bike as well, but there again I'll stick with my paid for V7.
 
NavyDad said:
Test ride a Himalayan. You may be pleasantly surprised. My buddy bought one, we all rode it, and now two more guys have them. I liked it, but I like my V7 better so I'm not going to buy one. The 650 is a very nice bike as well, but there again I'll stick with my paid for V7.
Click to expand...
Good choice. Google "Broken Royal Enfield Himalayan" and you'll see plenty of pics like below...

BrokenHimalayan
 
As a 2016 RE C5 and a 2012 MG Norge rider (but soon to be ex-owner in favor of a 2019 V7 III Stone), they are two very different riding experiences.

If you want a light 100kmh motorcycle that will instill nostalgia in everyone who sees it, get the RE C5 or B5. Try to get pre-E4 even though there are electronic advantages with the E4.

If you want an affordable and more substantial over-100kmh ride that sticks finned cylinders into the air stream, get the MG V7 III Stone or V9 Roamer (other models carry an unnecessary premium)

WRT to the RE 650, I think there's too much crankcase and too little finned cylinder.

Send pictures of your final choice.
 
Hi, Anthony. I know exactly where you're at right now...

Earlier this year, I test rode a couple of RE models: Continental GT and Interceptor 650. Great bikes in their own right. Those particular models have one of the best gearboxes on the market today. I am truly impressed with their ride-ability. I think they deserve all the recent hype because of their modest price point. I suspect their aggressive pricing was designed to dent the market and generate instant momentum in the Americas and Britain. Why do I think that? I would have purchased one if that was the limit of my spending power. They may be the best bang for that buck. But...

I went with the V7 III Carbon Shine because it's a just better bike overall. Everything is higher quality, more refined and requiring less mods/upgrades. Plus, it has a shaft drive, less-frequent maintenance schedule, it's easier for me to complete my own maintenance, yadda-yadda-yadda...

As you alluded to, if I had bough an RE this year, I would have been happy but may have outgrown it in 2-5 years. Eventually entertaining an upgrade to a Guzzi, Ducati, BMW or Honda, etc. as I begin to tour more frequently.

Also, because of COVID, I was able to get a great deal on my V7. The extra cash I paid was easy to part with. The value proposition between the RE and V7 at their relative price points was a complete no-brainer. I may have leapt 3-5 years into the future with the V7, possibly buying my "forever bike," one that I'll ride for 10+ years and over 100,000 kms. That's the hope anyway.

Back to the original question: if/when other RE models inherit the new gearbox and other tech developed for the new-ish 650 twins, then they're definitely worth a hard look, especially if their prices remain shockingly competitive. The Classic 500 has a vintage look but also a vintage feel. I haven't ridden one in a couple of years, but I can't imagine it's any different because RE has done nothing but upgrade the Classic's paint options recently.

Don't get me wrong, Classics and Bullets are cool, nail that vintage vibe and, if I were a wealthier man, I would consider them for a second or third bike. They're just that fun and affordable. I would love access to an RE Classic so that I could enjoy that particular riding experience infrequently. It would not be my go-to or day-to-day bike. And I would not consider it for any extended weekend tours. It's just not smooth enough for me.

Ultimately, you should spend what you can afford. There may be no wrong answer now, just a different path into the future. But, like me, if you do pay more for a V7, it should be worth it.
 
GT-Rx® said:
Good choice. Google "Broken Royal Enfield Himalayan" and you'll see plenty of pics like below...
Click to expand...
I'd heard bout it, but it sure appears more prevalent than I thought. My concession to dual sport is a DR650, which will never be traded for a RE (or anything else). If i were to set out on an excursion like hers I can't imagine anything to match the rugged reliability of the venerable bush pig.
 
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