As you may know, I have just got rid of my 500 elactric start classic bullet. Whean hot I easily kicked it off,but when cold ,if it didn't start in two kicks I cheated and used the e/starter.I am almost 70 and seem to be weakening so does anybody know how much easier the 350 is to kick start compared to the 500. Is there much difference, or should I look for another electric start 500? I am sort of attracted to a 350 because it's supposed to be smoother running. Have any opinions about any of this?I would be grateful for any comments as long as there not rude! Regards Derek.

Car'nt see the attraction in a 350 only the low initial purchase when watsonian and the dealers were desperate to clear stock . Needs the same effort to push and lug about as a 500 with less performance I'd rather have a large engine running at 3/4 power than a small one flat out . Kicking effort is roughly the same . Electric start first choice every time tony

Thanks for your reply Tony.Only trouble is that it's sensible and logical.Bit boring really. Derek.

If you want difficult and interesting buy a velo preferably a venom clubman with a duff mag throw away the kickstart , run and bump it off .tony

Hi Derek, Ive had my 350 Bullet for 5 years and can honestly say the only advantage I can see for an electric foot is if it stalls at traffic lights, but that was always the case. Dont take too much notice of Tony - he's gone over to the dark side and got a Jap twin with all the modern gismos!! Strange thing is its VMCC eligible and my Bullet (a 2004) isnt. Good point about the Velo though, my knee was knackered by a 1946 iron engined MSS. You are welcome to try starting my 350 any time, and I do find it to be a smoother and more relaxed ride than the 500 even though I do tend to thrash it. I dont think there is too much difference in ultimate performance and neither would trouble a modern 250 (or some 125s !) Cheers, Pete.


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Old codger on a touring 350 Bullet or 98 Excelsior

Thanks for the offer Pete.I'd like to take you up on it at a convenient time to us. .I haven't got my eye on anything at the moment, but I'm looking. Regards Derek.

As there is only 150 cc difference there's not much difference in kicking effort .None of us can turn back the clock joints get stiffer and less flexible so the long term answer is E/ start .As for the darkside there seems to be a lot of Enfield riders who have a Honkwacsukyambmw as first bike for serious trips and use their second bike for the fun back road rides which they are best at . I would be riding at all but for my present machine and its 1980 so not exactly state of the art technology .

Hi,Tony and Pete, All your views and opinions are respected equally by me,so I don't want any fisticuffs between you on my behalf. You'll be driving me to another whisky soon.Respectfully yours,Derek.

Take up Pete's offer proof of the pudding and all that .Thought you would have had more replys Enfield owners must be a shy lot and theres not much on the 2/d hand market .Have you thought of giving the latest model a try ? It takes a lot of whisky to replace the thrill of a spin round the country side on a bike ! Petes had his share of the dark side even a flat twin german effort .AT the moment he carries this broken gear box shaft around with him muttering at it hoping for a magic repair or Tescos to have one in stock next to the fish fingers .Tony

I now have both a 350 Classic and a 500 Sixty Five (classic iron 500 engine) in the garage.

The 500 is definately heavier to kick start in my experience.

The 350 is a sweeter running engine and cruises about the same speed as the 500 (the way I ride anyway)

The BIG diference is when you come to hills. The 500 will romp up a hill in 4th (five speed box) which would have the 350 down in second. The 500 also shrugs off headwinds that would have the 350 panting.

I'd rather kick start any day but got the Sixty Five for the missus as she finds it dificult (especialy "stalled at the lights")

Thanks Pete for your views.Very helpful ,especially about the 350 'lack of grunt'.Derek.

Hi all, Just to let you know I,ve ended up with a 'Bullet 65' from Jim. Well almost; he's swapping it to right hand gearchange for me so I don't brake into gear. It'll feel like I'm on my Triumph Tiger 110 again but with the brakes on. Ta for your advice folks. Can't wait for the P.Office to sort themselves out and deliver the bits to Jim.Regards,Derek.

I'm surprised at you Dereck thought you would relished the gearchange challenge .Presume yours is the red bike with the chrome guards .Hope this weather changes so you can get some miles in before winter really takes hold .tony

Hi,Tony, I had a spell riding several Jap' left gearchange bikes about 25 years ago,and was used to it. But I now have regressed mentally to my youthfull years of right hand change and don,t think as quickly as I used to do.In fact my last down for down/up for up was the Triumph back in 1956. Nowadays I have difficulty remembering which bike I own nevermind which side the gears are on,in fact I'm probably a menace on the road!What with that AND the whisky!

Congratulations Derek on your new toy, all you need now is a large supply of chrome cleaner (available at your friendly local R.E. dealer) and an open face helmet so we can all see the width of your grin! I can identify with your gearchange concerns having once put a Suzuki through a garden wall when I changed up instead of braking back in the '70s. As Tony said I have since owned many left hookers with electric feet but now I have regressed mentally I have only got the right foot Bullet, a thumb change Excelsior, a single speed Raleigh Moped and now a hand change vintage New Imp - so no confusion there then! All but the Excelsior are low compression easy starters and even that is light enough to bump start when afflicted with two-strokeitus so my Velocette knee is coping well. When it does pack up I will have to follow you to the electric foot or ride the Moped and just show the rest (unless I can find a little man to start the Bullet for me when the nurse lets me out to play) Happy riding, Pete.


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Old codger on a touring 350 Bullet or 98 Excelsior