Staff bikes: Enfield Clubman - Top speed test for 28bhp missile

My Enfield Bullet Clubman has no rev counter and nothing but an ‘old-fashioned’ dial by way of speedometer. And once above a certain speed the needle can wander by as much as 10mph either way. A previous model I rode maxed out at an indicated 82mph in top gear; this one will hit an indicated 95mph before the rev limiter.

So, departing the MCN car park at the same time as a car-bound friend last night gave me the ideal way to test the bike’s true top speed, or at least the accuracy of my speedo.

After five miles on the dual carriageway, he overtook me. It took a good three miles of slipstreaming trucks to get back on terms with his Honda Prelude but I eventually popped out of the draft and steadily crept by on a downhill stretch.

His passenger told me today that his car said 88mph. My speedo was reading just shy of 90, with me holding the left-hand fork leg for comedy effect. Just goes to show there’s life in the old speedo dial yet. You can keep your digital nonsense.

Further reading:
Staff bike blogs | Enfield Clubman blog

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