Eventually planning on getting one of these:
A Royal Enfield Bullet Classic.
British motorcycle maker Royal Enfield set up shop in Madras, India, in 1955, mostly to produce scout bikes for the Indian Army, based on their then-world-renowned 500cc Bullet. Indian workers were sent to England to learn how to build them, and then came back to Madras.
By the 1960s, though, cheaper Japanese bikes had all but driven British firms such as Enfield out of business. The plant in India, however, was rescued by its resident partner and is still open today. Workers simply continued to build what they were trained to build—a 1955 Bullet. And they’ve never stopped.
So, you can buy a brand new 1955 Royal Enfield from dealers in India, the UK and now the US, for about $5K.
The bike isn’t a highway bike — it tops out at 75 mph, and is most comfortable around 35-50. It’s a tinkerer’s bike, designed to be easily worked on and fiddled with.
I want one. According to the the website, the closest authorized dealer to Lawrence is in Eldorado Springs, MO….about 140 miles away.
Save money….and then a road trip!