Legendary British motorcycle arrives in Indonesia<\/p>\n
Des Price, Contributor, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Indonesia is the world's third largest market for motorcycles so
\nit is little wonder that manufacturers in China and Korea are
\ntrying to get in on sales which have long been dominated by
\nJapanese names like Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki and Suzuki.<\/p>\n
New machines from China and Korea have found their way into
\nthe cities and kampungs of Indonesia and offer affordable
\ntransportation with price tags often considerably lower than
\ntheir Japanese counterparts.<\/p>\n
While the Japanese, Chinese and Koreans battle it out for the
\nsmall commuter bike market, mid-size machines with a long
\nestablished pedigree are now being imported to capture the
\ninterest of commuters and enthusiasts alike.<\/p>\n
The name Royal Enfield has its roots firmly in British
\nmotorcycle history with the first bike produced in 1901.<\/p>\n
Twenty years before production ceased in Britain, the company
\nformed a subsidiary in India in 1956 where to this day the best
\nselling model, the Bullet, is still made with only a few
\nmodifications after almost half a decade of supplying Indians
\nwith reliable though somewhat agricultural-looking
\ntransportation.<\/p>\n
Paul Carberry, an engineer from Queensland, Australia, was
\nbrought up with British bikes and was dismayed at their demise in
\nBritain with the advent of more appealing Japanese motorcycles in
\nthe 60's and 70's.<\/p>\n
Paul has nurtured his passion for motorcycles from his early
\nyears when as a teenager, he experimented with building his own
\nmotorcycle by bolting a lawn mower into a bicycle frame using car
\nparts to secure it in place.<\/p>\n
After this he bought production motorcycles -- names such as
\nTriumph, BSA, AJS and Ariel. So fond of British motorcycles was
\nhe that, now living in Indonesia and finding himself with time on
\nhis hands, he decided to have a go at importing Royal Enfield
\nmotorcycles from India to Indonesia.<\/p>\n
His experience of importing a Harley Davidson motorcycle into
\nIndonesia together with his engineering background meant that he
\nwas a good contender for the business and eventually opened his
\nshowroom on Jl. Warung Buncit in South Jakarta which now sports
\ntwo old and one new model of the legendary machines.<\/p>\n
The three models graciously displayed in the showroom are the
\nBullet, which is a 500cc version of the original 1955 350cc
\nBullet, the Lightning and a more recent addition -- the Machismo
\n-- a 535cc stylish bike with a \"peanut\" tank, and more chrome
\nthat is aimed at the American market and definitely a toy for the
\nboys which is undoubtedly what the company had in mind when they
\ngave it such a name.<\/p>\n
The Machismo is a wonder of modern engineering. Though only
\nput into production a few years' ago, the engine was recently
\nredesigned by a company in Austria whose brief was to increase
\nfuel efficiency due to the high cost of petrol in India.<\/p>\n
The result was a machine capable of returning up to 50
\nkilometers per liter -- a reliable and energy efficient machine
\nthat fits nicely into a well-designed cycle frame with classic
\nlines.<\/p>\n
But what about reliability, performance and the infamous oil
\nleaks that almost all British bikes suffered?<\/p>\n
Paul sees oil leaks as only a minor problem on Royal Enfield's
\nrange: \"British bike engine casings are aluminum-based whereas
\nJapanese engines are constructed with magnesium. Aluminum moves.
\nBritish bikes got a bad press for this. Remember that these bikes
\nare around decades after Japanese bikes go to scrap. Be kind to
\nan old man!\"<\/p>\n
While seeing the short-term benefits of owning a Japanese
\nbike, Paul is less than flattering in his general critique of
\nthem: \"Reliability? Let's define reliability: Compare it with
\nyour Honda. You can go out to your Honda after it has been left
\nout in the rain and just jump on it. It'll last some years but it
\nwon't be worth rebuilding. It'll deteriorate and that decreases
\nthe value of the bike.<\/p>\n
\"Now, with a Royal Enfield you might get water in the wrong
\nplace while you're washing it and it won't start. You'll need to
\ntighten bolts up here and there and adjust the contact points
\netc., but it'll just keep on going. You have to tinker with them
\na bit. Enthusiasts like that. You can rebuild them over and over
\nagain and they're easy to work on. Many Indians I met had done
\nthe big trip around the country and reported very few problems.<\/p>\n
\"There's nothing in the world like an Enfield. You can't ride
\nan Enfield like a Honda. You can wring the neck on your Honda but
\nwith the Royal Enfield you can't. Apart from that they'll just
\nkeep going and going. Japanese bikes seem like good value but
\nafter a few years everything's stuffed inside them. You can't get
\nthe parts and if you can they're expensive.\"<\/p>\n
Royal Enfield, as mid-size single cylinder motorcycles fill a
\nniche in the market between the Asian bikes of up to 250cc and
\nthe big Harley's which are often too expensive for many bike
\nenthusiasts.<\/p>\n
Many of the big British bike manufacturers produced mid-sized
\nsingle cylinder bikes in the 50's in Britain, and the buyer would
\nhave been spoilt for choice.<\/p>\n
Now with only Royal Enfield surviving, Paul sees a bright and
\nprosperous future for the import of his pride and joy -- which he
\nadmits is a toy.<\/p>\n
\"People interested in buying one of my bikes are usually those
\nwith money to spend on a toy -- an interesting and nice toy to
\nplay with on a Sunday afternoon. Both expatriates and Indonesian
\nclassic bike owners are interested in my bikes. Many classic bike
\nowners have bikes that they can't use because they can't get
\nspare parts for them.<\/p>\n
\"Also, not many of the big bikes are legal on the road. The
\nbike can be used for commuting as it is in India but I don't
\nthink people will buy it just for that. People who'll buy this
\nbike for commuting are those who love this kind of bike and will
\nwant to go out with their mates at a classic bike club on the
\nweekend as well as using it to commute.\"<\/p>\n
As far as environmental factors are concerned the manufacturer
\nhas paid particular attention to reducing fuel consumption and
\npolluting emissions.<\/p>\n
Two of the models -- the Lightning and the Bullet -- have
\ncatalytic converters fitted and although they don't quite match
\nthe Machismo's extremely low fuel consumption, both models return
\nbetween 34-38 miles per kilometer of unleaded fuel.<\/p>\n
These motorcycles are among the least environmentally
\ndestructive motor vehicles on the road today.<\/p>\n
In Britain, Royal Enfield motorcycles gained a reputation for
\nbeing sturdy, well-built motorcycles. The company, which also
\nmakes rifles, used the slogan \"made like a gun\".<\/p>",
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