ENFIELD CLUBMAN (2009 - on) Review

Overall rating

From the café racer styling to the air-cooled India-built single-cylinder engine, the Enfield clubman is soaked with nostalgia.

Even the addition of modern-day fuel injection, front disc brake and the new 5-speed unit construction engine fails to dent the projected image of an era where ‘ton-up’ street racing and smoky milk bars were the norm.

For a slice of classic motorcycle ownership at a fraction of the cost with reliability, it surely doesn’t get any better than Royal Enfield’s Clubman

Ride quality & brakes

By no means comparable to any Japanese sportster, but decent enough to go bend swinging. No seriously, those skinny tyres, single front disc and old-school suspension make A and B-roads quite a giggle when the pace hots up.

The ace bars and flat seat aren’t the torture implements you’d think – it’s actually quite comfortable.

Engine

Without doubt the best engine Enfield has ever produced. The engine now figures unit construction, whereby gearbox and crankshaft share the same engine cases.

Fuel injection and electronic starter system makes makes starting an absolute joy. Although classic purists will, no doubt, prefer to make use of the kick starter.

Although a 499cc 2v four-stroke, you have to remember it’s not built to be hammered to the limit while delivering big horsepower.

nstead regard it as an engine made for leisurely romps through the countryside.

Reliability & build quality

Ask any owner of a modern Enfield and the chances are you’ll hear nothing but praise. This is not to say there the bike is faultless.

It’s just that Enfield buyers are generally the sort of person who buys with their heart rather than demands for performance and practicality.

Value vs rivals

Ride an Enfield, particularly the Clubman or Scrambler version, and you get such a feeling of pride and joy that £5k seems negligible for the smile it puts on your face.

Yes, it should be cheaper, but so should many other things in our lives. The final word is this: many people in MCN Towers would dearly love to have a Clubman in their garage. Find a Royal Enfield 500 for sale.

Equipment

An extra mark is awarded because of the hand-crafted aluminium tank is simply a work of art.

Otherwise the Clubman carries nothing different to any basic motorcycle… unless you consider the historical background to Royal Enfield, plus the wonderful styling exercise.