I was having a 'life is good' moment as I sipped my morning coffee staring at the Royal Enfield Continental GT 535. This café racer-inspired machine was taking me back to my younger years when I used to ride through the Adelaide Hills skipping from one coffee to the next on my little Yamaha RD250 LC. I was a bit of a boy racer back then — and a dreamer at heart. The boy racer part of the equation has long since faded but I still like to dream. CONTINENTAL GT535 IN BIKE SHOWROOM The Continental GT 535 is a thing of beauty and A real modern classic. Its sculptured lines give it that classic look, but with a few modern niceties thrown in just to enhance the experience. An electric starter is fitted, although there is still the old-school kickstart if you feel that way inclined. There’s no carburetor fitted to the 535cc donk, with electronic fuel injection metering the intake of fuel for not only better economy but more importantly reliability. The instrumentation really does give the bike that authentic classic feel, although there are signs of modernism with an inset LCD display which has the odometer, trip meter and a very handy fuel gauge. The 18-inch wheels are firmly rooted in the past, fitted with good quality Pirelli Sport Demon rubber. Quality Excel items take the strain of our ever deteriorating roads. The flat, long tank is very pleasing to the eye and takes similar styling hues to the seat — which is surprisingly comfortable. Although the Continental isn’t designed with touring miles in mind I wouldn’t hesitate to take it on a long run. The clip-on bars are fitted above the top triple clamp to keep that café racer look, but are high enough to keep those wrists happy. Royal Enfield has been producing bikes now since 1901, and it says this is the lightest and most powerful machine built yet. According to the specs that claim is spot on, but the fact is it’s not a huge powerhouse. What the GT has got though is a very satisfying burble at tick-over with just enough of the right vibration through the gears to keep you entertained. It will sit on 100km/h all day long and is easy to enjoy at street legal speeds, which makes the GT a very appealing bike. The throttle response is a little lazy, but taking off from the lights is a breeze with the light clutch and plenty of inertia in the engine. The Brembo brakes look the part and definitely stop the bike quickly. The front needs a fair bit of pressure in emergency stops, but the single disc gets the job done. The rear is quite good with lots of feel and feedback. Handling is very reminiscent of an older-style bike from the ’50s but of course it’s much more refined with the brakes, Paoli rear shocks and stiffer Excel-laced rims. The Continental can certainly scoot along through the twisties, and the beautiful thing is that with only 28hp (21kW) on hand having fun at legal road speeds is achievable. Torque is 44Nm. The Royal Enfield is not overly complicated, and if I had 10 grand it’s definitely a bike I could live with as it makes all the right moves for the target customer. There are so many great bikes set at this price point now, but the Continental GT is a class act that is cool, reliable and fun. Not so many years ago the UK used to lead the way when it came to motorcycle production with names such as BSA, Velocette, Triumph, Norton and of course Royal Enfield. So, for those who are unaware of Enfield's history, here is a very quick summary of its rise and fall from grace. Single-cylinder thumper lives up to name Formed in 1891 as the Townsend Cycle Company it initially supplied rifle parts to the Royal Small Arms Factory in Enfield, before building its first motorcycle in 1901 under the name Royal Enfield. As the bike industry boomed through the first half of the 20th century, Royal Enfield became a household name, producing machines such as the iconic Bullet, before the collapse of the British bike industry saw it close its doors in 1967. But that wasn't quite the end of Enfield... Throughout its life Royal Enfield had very close ties with India, supplying the Indian army with bikes in 1949 before becoming the country's first four-stroke motorcycle manufacturer in 1956 with an Indian subsidiary. So, when the UK factory stopped production, it was only a matter of time before Indian production filled the gap. 10 years after the last UK Enfield left the Redditch factory, Indian Bullets were being imported back into the UK. Then it all went a bit wrong, Enfield ran into financial issues and it was bought in 1994 by Indian firm Eicher Group, its current owner. Eicher developed a whole new range of Enfields introducing electric start and left foot gear change in 2002 and a brand new fuel-injected motor in 2009 that was a 'unit' construction rather than the separate gearbox and motor design of the old engine. Ok, now we are up to speed, what's new about the 2013 Continental GT? Retro looks combined with modern tech Back to the future. You may not have guessed it, but just about every component bar the motor is new on the GT. Styled on the 1965 Enfield Continental GT (although not 250cc), the 2013 bike uses a larger capacity 535cc single-cylinder engine with fuel-injection, electric start (yes, there is still a kick-start) and left foot gear change. It is essentially the current Bullet motor with a bigger bore to up its power. Well I say up, the GT makes a somewhat limited 29.1hp with 32.4lb ft of torque, which makes it restricted licence friendly if not exactly a rocket ship. However while the engine appears somewhat limited, the chassis has some serious sporting credentials. Designed by race paddock stalwarts Harris Performance, the tubular steel frame has been developed with performance in mind (well, certainly more than the engine can deliver) and as well as 41mm forks comes with twin Paioli shocks, Pirelli tyres and a single 300mm two-piston Brembo caliper. The styling is by another British firm, Xenophya Design, and it comes in any colour you like - as long as it's red. But there is another twist. This year Royal Enfield aims to make 175,000 bikes. Yep, that's right, 175,000. The Eicher Group has just built a brand new factory and in India there is a huge waiting list for Enfields. But of those 175,000 bikes, only 5,000 will be exported. Which is where Royal Enfield is hoping the GT will step in. A classic name on the tank for retro chic Cafe cool The GT is styled to tap into the burgeoning retro/cafe racer market. With Enfield's heritage, Eicher is hoping riders will buy the Enfield for the name as well as the look. But it isn't a British bike, it's an Indian one. And will that matter? Certainly there may be some snobbery about the perceived quality. Looking at the Enfield from afar this doesn't seem a worry, however get a little closer and there are certain areas where the GT really lets itself down. The finish isn't brilliant and items such as the switchgear and fasteners look a bit budget. If the bike was itself cheap this wouldn't be such an issue, but at £5,499 the GT is only £1,000 less than the more powerful and better built (in Thailand) Triumph Bonneville. But does the Enfield's charm make up for it? We test rode the Enfield from the Ace Cafe through London and out to Brooklands but from cold my bike stalled about four times before I had even left the Ace's car park. The GT has a choke lever, which isn't actually a choke as such and instead simply increases the revs. The problem is it doesn't stay on, it springs shut, causing the bike to stall. Call me picky, but I expect a 2013 fuel injected bike to be able to fuel itself without my interference. Braking not as impressive as hardware suggests Once going the single cylinder engine gets on with the job in hand. The clutch action is light, which is nice, and the gearbox acceptable, however the power is certainly limited. Enfield claims just shy of 30hp but, despite sounding amazing through its fruity pipe, the GT doesn't feel quick. And then the vibrations kick in. Get the motor above 5,000rpm and it vibrates like one of those objects that Ann Summers sell. I'm not averse to a vibrating single - I own a Velocette Venom - but the Enfield really does shudder like nothing else out there. Character? That's a decision only potential owners can make; personally I found it a little too intrusive. And the brakes are best described as adequate. They do the job, but lack any real feel and I suspect that they are built in Brembo's Indian facility (which usually brands things Bybre - By Brembo) and not quite up to the European spec items. But what of the chassis? Here is the interesting part - the Enfield actually handles pretty well. You can sling it around and its light weight and decent tyres mean it is not a bad handling bike at all. Through traffic the GT was very nimble and once out of the congestion it dealt with the bends fairly well. I'm not sure Harris' input has had a great deal of impact but at normal speeds you can't criticise the GT too much. Jon gets into character with an old-school tuck Worth a punt? So, the big question, is the GT worth £5,499? The standard bike actually costs £5,199, however the higher spec on we tested comes with a single seat, race exhaust and bar-end mirrors for an extra £300. If you like the look, can put up with its quirks and aren't expecting much in the way of performance the GT is a good looking bike that should run and run. However, for my money Enfield hasn't moved the game on at all. When you look closely too many corners have been cut and the engine doesn't behave as a modern one should. I'm all for characterful bikes, but when I'm paying £5,499 I want one to be built well and work properly. If you are into Enfields, or just like the look, then the GT is certainly a very cool bike. It won't break down every time you want to take it for a ride or try and fire you into orbit via a kick-start. Charming as the GT was, though, it did leave me a little irritated at its lack of performance and budget components. |
