Cycle World Book Review

CYCLE WORLD BOOK REVIEW

Royal Enfield, The Postwar Models

by Roy Bacon Published by Osprey Press, Ltd. Distributed by Motorsports 6115 Gravois St. Louis, Mo. 63116 $19.95 plus $1 packing and postage

This may appear to be just another documentary work about a defunct British manufacturer, and that’s just what it is.

Being too young to have ever experienced a new Enfield, I asked my uncle’s opinion of the various Enfields he has owned. He found his big Twin (an Indian Trailblazer 700) a reliable backup to the Vincents, Triumphs, and Nortons he struggled with, and was unable to recall any mechanical disasters that left him stranded far from home. His dirt scrambler was not terribly competitive; fun, but not worth retrieving after it flew off a cliff.

Enfields were unglamorous, durable machines primarily designed as reliable transportation, a task they performed well; however, they were not particularly exciting and are even less interesting to read about.

The writing and presentation of this book is as utilitarian and to the purpose as the bike it describes. It is full of detailed mechanical information and lists the yearly modifications of the models produced from the end of WWII to 1972 when the company ceased production. The information in the text is reinforced and supported by extensive appendices, cutaway and exploded drawings, and numerous photographs that should be valuable to anyone interested in restoring a Royal Enfield. No, this won’t convert anyone into an Enfield enthusiast, but if you are one, this could become your principle reference book.Mark Ewing