Thoughts? Really can’t find out much about them without having to wade through a load of restoration projects and Indian made versions. I’m looking to get something to potter around town with, get some decent MPG and I think they look awesome.
Are they really unreliable? Getting decent tyres is going to be a problem right?
Had one from new (Indian built) for a couple of years. Used it as a main (everyday) bike and so needed constant TLC- it didn’t really suit day in-day out commuting. Lacking in power but looked and sounded lovely and had a kick-start 
Build quality was very poor. Rear wheel bearing disintegrated; wiring problems. Rust on front wheel within weeks.
Mine was a new ‘P’ reg (mid-late 90s) and so things may have improved since I owned one.
It was an ‘experience’ but I would not buy another.
General consensus seems to be that the Indian made ones really are quite shitty, with the newer UK made ones being OK. I really would need it day in day out, all weather etc… Damn 
‘Newer UK made ones’ ???
They are being built again in Blighty?? I didn’t know that.:w00t:
Fack, looks like I was wrong. Some stuff is done to them over here, but they’re still made over there (in re-tooled and sorted factories)
used them in army cadets
My mate has just become a dealer for them…
Is he London based? Link me and I’ll pop over to take a gander
APPARENTLY (this is second hand information, not personal experience, but from trusted sources) they are getting better year on year in respect of quality and usability.
Girl I worked with a couple of years ago ran one as it was the only practical bike she could get sensible insurance on once she’d got her licence back after a ban for several speeding nicks on her Ducati in her one year of ownership. She loved it and reckoned she’d never go back to sports bikes.
Just a different life style. No point in using motorways, so she just drew straight line routes for trips on maps and stuck them into her satnav. She was surprised that there was little difference in journey times but a lot of difference in the enjoyment of the trip and the way she felt at the end. 'Twas she that used the term “riding a comfortable cement mixer”.
She did change the original tyres for decent sports rubber, that lasted for ages as it was rarely stressed.
John Newman, one of the testers for Riders Digest and an old friend (he’s also the owner/publisher) has a soft spot for them and enjoys his temporary “ownership”. This is a guy who gets to ride about twenty or thirty bikes a year from Chinese economy stuff through to pretty exotic and expensive super bikes.
I suppose it all comes down to personal opinion.
Damn, you’ve swung me back onto them now. Now to find something nice and chromey
