ENFIELD TRIALS (2009 - on) Review

It’s the most comfortable bike I’ve ever owned you can a go a couple of hours before you need to stop for a cup of coffee or something to eat it’s great all day bike

I’m happy the way she is only 1600 miles on the clock and she is getting smoother with every ride

Built to last she goes out in all weathers no rust still nice and shiny WD40 helps

Cheap to run seems to take forever to empty the fuel tank does 70 miles + to the gallon

Just love the whole look haven’t had time to make any modifications yet plan to make changes later on as this is probably the last bike I will own unless I win the lottery this bike is definitely a keeper

Brakes are basic, single disc front & drum rear, but perfectly adequate, this bike is ridden at 20-50mph & the brakes are fine at this speed, never had any problems in wet or dry. However, the rear suspension is poor & I am looking to upgrade it or change to a sprung seat.

Sounds great from the moment you kick it over & it thumps into life, the engine sound turns heads everywhere it goes. Enough performance for pottering about the lanes, plenty of torque, even enough power for two up pottering taking the wife for a coffee! It also happily chugs along at 50-60 mph along A roads to get me home at the end of a day of green lanes, which is plenty fast enough. It vibrates a bit, of course it does, but it doesn't detract from the charm of the bike on a winter's day on Dartmoor or chugging along the seafront in the sunshine!

It's pretty solid & robust, I've ridden it over numerous green lanes here in rural Devon & it's coped perfectly well & without breaking. Some of the bolts & screws need tightening occasionally, but then so might any bike given the same use. It has never let me down in all weathers, on a very wide variety of terrain & over long & short rides. So, it deserves 4 out of 5 for being so robust & reliable given the mixed terrain & weather it has encountered over the last couple of years.

It's very easy to service & maintain, all you need is a couple of spanners, screwdrivers & pliers - plus oil, grease & rags - that's it. This is one of it's best features, no electronics at all - simple. You can also mend a puncture 'in the field' with an adjustable spanner & tyre levers, although I've not done it - yet! Add in 70-80 mpg & purchase price of under £2.5k & it's 5 out of 5 value for money!

One of the Enfield's strengths is it has enough equipment to do the job & no more, it's this very simplicity which makes it score so highly. You don't need TFT screens or 'info' when you are out exploring the British countryside, nor ABS nor TC etc - just a strong, reliable bike which is understated & easy to control, which turns heads, people want to talk about it & it sounds like a 'proper' bike - these are it's best features - so that's a 4 out of 5 for equipment - losing 1 because I know it's not everyone's cup of tea - my son (CBR600) says it's rubbish, yet often asks if he can take it out for a spin!