I cannot tell a lie...

The Enfield was by far the worst bike I have ever owned. It would stop working, constantly. It eventually dropped a valve and the engine was rebuilt under warranty (great dealer - great company for backing up their product, I just got a lemon - but I have never had a lemon from other manufacturers). I sold it as soon as I could after that and a big selling point was that it had some warranty left, should the same thing happen to the next owner.

The 883 Iron is cool and retro, but everyone here, near me, has an 883. Not sure that would fit the "attention" part of your needs, if there are plenty where you are too.

Maybe a bigger scooter? Vespa GTS300 or GTV300? I'm guessing you have the 150cc Stella now?

See I'm confused about this lol. RE touts it as being so maintenance free and simple and whatnot, yet I keep hearing stories. Of course you gotta wonder for every horror story how many bikes really had no problems. Never hear about those.

Stella is a 150cc, definitely no more scooters. No CVT, no twist and go, I would be bored out of my mind quickly and get rid of it, no point venturing there.

I don't think I've seen an Iron 883 around here, lots of big shiny Harleys. I might have seen one once, it went by and I caught a glimpse between some cars, it was very black, that's all I could tell.

Hmm. Sounds to me that you want the Iron 883? If it grabs you, go for it.
I ride what puts a smile on my face. I recommend others do likewise.

I do really like it, but I don't know if I'm ready for Harley culture lol. I feel like it might be the outcast though. I love old cars, give me a 1946 DeSoto and I'm in heaven. So I'm naturally drawn to older bikes too. Luckily, retro bikes are often essentially new old bikes, not like retro cars which just nod to the original (I drive a New Beetle though and long for a Mini or Fiat)

For info you might try http://www.enfieldmotorcycles.com/forum/
They tell both the good and bad.
For what it's worth I'm 60 years old and when I was a kid I wanted an Enfield or BSA single, so 45 years later I bought a 2012 G5 Bullet. I love it. Thought I bought it as a toy but it has become my commuter and gets more miles than my "real" bike.
The new UCE engine is supposed to be much more reliable than the AVL or Cast Iron engines. Hydraulic lifters, electric start, front disc brake and much less maintenance.

Old bikes are demanding; much more so than old cars.

Parts are sometimes hard to find. Reliability...well, as reliability of products has improved, so have our expectations.

Old bikes have lots of worn items; either worn or corroded with disuse; or both. A bearing failure, or a clutch-pack letting go, or just a wheel bearing...or even just FINDING A TIRE, can be an enthusiasm-sapping ordeal.

I know. I had gotten a clean Honda Silver Wing, the CX500 variant, not the scooter. A mini Gold Wing, it was called...a 1983. And I loved it; loved riding it.

Problem was...the brakes were worn. And there WERE NO parts. Honda had closed the book on that model; it was a bike brought out at the wrong time and it didn't sell. So there was no support.

I wound up giving it away to settle a debt. And it was a great, fuel-efficient touring ride, too...just before turning it over, I rode it from central South Dakota to Michigan's Upper Peninsula, bad brakes and all.

So...honestly, I'd look for something a few years old. I'll join the others in recommending a TU250; I had one briefly and it's a great ride. Light and responsive and will cruise at 60-65.

Sorry if I was unclear, when I say retro bikes, I mean new bikes that are retro styled, not actual vintage bikes :) I'm in no position to maintain a vintage bike right now, which is why I like that there are so many options to get new retro bikes, as opposed to new retro styled cars.

I would have loved to get an actual vintage Vespa, but I didn't think that was really in my best interest, which is why I went with Stella. A lot of people think the new Vespas have a vintage/retro look to them, but it's simply a nod to it, like a new Mini to an old Mini, new Beetle to old Beetle, new Charger to old Charger, and so on. They're not the same. Stella IS the same, she's just a new old scooter, which is basically what I'm looking for in a motorcycle.

This is what I like to hear! Thanks for your review, I'll have to check out their forum too. I'm on forum overload lately lol. Also I thought I bought Stella as a toy, I was having a close-to-midlife crisis I think and needed to get something new and fun. I never thought I'd be riding it to work and basically only driving my car when it rained. Last month, 900 miles on Stella, 300 on my car. Only because I didn't get the courage to ride to work until a couple weeks ago, this month will be even less on the car.

I bought it thinking it was frivolous, but I now feel frivolous driving a four seater car that gets 24 MPG when I'm by myself. It paid for itself in gas last month.

What holds you back from getting the 883 Iron?

The size, for the most part. It seems big, maybe it's not as big as I think, but it just comes across that way. I'm just not sure it's really for me. There's a lot of vehicles I think are cool, but I know they're just not me. The seating position seems like it's not quite what I'm going for (I know this must sound so silly, but it all makes sense in my head.)

Obviously she has no interest in the TU250.

I think you should look into a SRX600 or GB500. The Yamaha is super easy to kick over. Cool and rare factors off the charts.

The GB500 looks nice, the SRX600 looks too... new

The Moto Guzzi V7 Classic and Triumph Bonneville seem like the best choices right now. I really want the Royal Enfield to be the winner but I'm still unsure about them.

I have an '09 Genuine Stella inn olive green and love it. I had wanted one for a long time, and finally bought one as the 2 strokes started to disappear. It sure beats the plastic twist and go scooters. Be careful however, it is not as reliable as some of those Japanese scooters. My engine seized at just over 300 miles, reason unknown, repaired under warranty. I have since had a local vintage Vespa shop build me a "bulletproof" engine for it, and have had no more issues.

The Royal Enfield has similar reliability issues, but so did other bikes from back then. I used to own a '66 Triumph Bonneville. It spent more time getting worked on than ridden. But it had character and soul, something the modern Bonnie, TU250, W650, W800, GB500, etc. lack. The W800 is not available in the U.S., the W650 and GB500 are next to impossible to find, and if you are lucky enough to find one, the seller will want as much for it as a new Bonneville. The one bike on the list that still has character is the Sportster 883. It is crude, primitive, very basic and elemental, AND it vibrates like crazy and makes the right sounds, something more refined bikes like the new Bonneville lack. It is reliable, and parts will always be available for it. It is not big, but it is heavy, because it really is mostly made out of metal. If you were seriously looking at Enfields, the Sportster is your bike. The one thing that might turn you off to it has nothing to do with the bike itself. It is the Harley image, culture, scene, whatever. If you like it, fine. If you don't, you can ride a Harley without being a part of it.

That's definitely something I'm not sure I can get over, but I really do love that bike. I think it's so far from the iconic chromed-out Harley though, that I can sneak by the average person without screaming Harley, obvious anyone on a motorcycle will know what it is. I feel like I felt went I went through a Mustang phase like six years ago, I was dead set on a triple black GT convertible, even though it's sooo not me, and I know in the end I never would have loved the car, even if it was fun, because it's not me. Good thing my knees hit the dashboard anyway, haha.

I was super lucky to grab the only new two stroke Stella left in the state. It was either this one or a Slate Blue four stroke, couldn't do it, I needed the two stroke.

I am sorry to hear about the problems with the Enfield.
Could you tell us when you owned it and what model year it was.

I understand that the engines have been totally redesigned in recent years to meet current emissions regulations.

John

Kitty-

If you're itching for something like an Iron 883, then get yourself to a Harley dealer and check one out. Life's too short, and you can't count on doing something 5 years from now- you don't know what circumstances will be then.

I had to have a Harley back in the late 70s, so I understand. I got it out of my system and moved on, after having had a Kawasaki and a Triumph. People have lots of opinions about Harleys, so you'll hear it all. Frankly, it is whatever you want it to be. Dealer support is extensive, every part in available, and Sportsters are the easiest of the Harleys to ride, simply due to their small height and less weight.

There are a zillion low mile used Sportsters available from others who either decided they didn't really like it, or found it a gateway drug to bigger Harleys. You either get them or you don't. Since you're a Stella girl I think you 'get it'. You might find yourself loving an Iron 883.

Incidently, don't listen to those saying you can't ride any distances on a Sportster because they vibrate and fall apart- theirs a guy in ride reports that has toured all over the US and Latin America on one with his wife. Pretty Amazing...

It's a mistake to go from a Vespa to a big machine like a Sportster. Entirely different experience; and the bigger ride is better with experience.

Just my two cents' worth. When someone is shopping for a cycle, the best thing to do is write out the parameters...cost, fuel usage, parking, type of riding. Then match it up.

I've had a few big bikes. They're a PITA to hop on for short distances.

My RE was a 2005 Bullet Classic (I think - it has been a few years). It was the OLD style, iron cylinder. Not the AVL or even the newer engine, which I hear is better.

I did like the feel of the RE. It cornered great and the Avon tires stuck like glue.

The electrics were a little hinky. Turn the key and sometimes, it wouldn't come on (no lights), jiggle or pull out and reinsert the key and it would work (mostly). Connections seemed to be tight, just a hinky ignition switch. There were a few other things that made me un-excited to ride it as well, but that is the stuff I remember.

That said, I had my bike in the shop 3 times for work the first few months I owned it. The valves constantly needed adjusting. Something was wrong and I let the shop work on it, since I didn't want to void any warranty. When it finally let go and got the rebuild, I sold it. I explained the rebuild and took it in the shorts on that sale. I just didn't trust the bike any more. Left me stranded too many times. I also did not want to go the "lemon law" route, so I sold it. That is just my personal, hands-on ownership experience. Others have had better and these bikes have been climbing the mountains for decades, so they can't all be crap.

I am sure the new engines are better, but they also look newer to me and do not have the "classic" RE look that the 2005 had.

The Triumph Bonnie is as big a bike as the 883 Iron. You really should test ride to know how it feels for you. I would also say to test ride the RE and see what it feels like for you. Who knows, it may be the best fit.