Clymer came around my dealership in 1977 trying to sell them brand new in the crate for 750 bucks. They couldn't sell them in 69 and then couldn't sell them in 77 either. Sad end until India did what the Brits couldn't!
The Rickman brothers sure made nice bikes with the Interceptor engines they bought from RE.
I have never ridden an Interceptor or even gotten close enough to sniff one's seat, but they were said long ago to be real good handling -- I mean the RE factory frame, not the Rickman. For an ignoramus like me, it is kind of hard to see how the twins' frames wouldn't flex and wiggle under stress like the town drunk in an old Irish stage comedy. They are apparently ungusseted *anywhere.* Has anybody got real information to share? Unconfirmed fourth-hand nonsense would also be most welcome.
A friend of mine had a Clymer Indian Enfield back in the day. To this day I have never been around a machine that was less reliable. The engine was built on worn out equipment as assembled by people that just didn't care....timing issues, cam timing issues, parts falling off...nightmare.
Rat's comment....Tires weren't sticky enough back then to feed enough forces to get much of a flex on to the frames. They would slide first. Dunlop K70's and Avon's and by the time the Dunlop TT100/K81's were around Enfield was about done.
Clymer came around my dealership in 1977 trying to sell them brand new in the crate for 750 bucks. They couldn't sell them in 69 and then couldn't sell them in 77 either. Sad end until India did what the Brits couldn't!
ReplyDeleteThe Rickman brothers sure made nice bikes with the Interceptor engines they bought from RE.
ReplyDeleteI have never ridden an Interceptor or even gotten close enough to sniff one's seat, but they were said long ago to be real good handling -- I mean the RE factory frame, not the Rickman. For an ignoramus like me, it is kind of hard to see how the twins' frames wouldn't flex and wiggle under stress like the town drunk in an old Irish stage comedy. They are apparently ungusseted *anywhere.* Has anybody got real information to share? Unconfirmed fourth-hand nonsense would also be most welcome.
A friend of mine had a Clymer Indian Enfield back in the day. To this day I have never been around a machine that was less reliable. The engine was built on worn out equipment as assembled by people that just didn't care....timing issues, cam timing issues, parts falling off...nightmare.
ReplyDeleteRat's comment....Tires weren't sticky enough back then to feed enough forces to get much of a flex on to the frames. They would slide first. Dunlop K70's and Avon's and by the time the Dunlop TT100/K81's were around Enfield was about done.
ReplyDelete