Royal Enfield Modern Classics 50-State Legal Hot

Royal Enfield motorcycles are now for sale in all 50 states. The classic English brand owes its survival to roundabout circumstances. In the mid-50s Enfield built a factory in India to meet demand for military models for the Indian army. Enfield in England folded, but the company in India lived on despite never changing the basic design.

Up until a few years ago the quality was spotty and machine was virtually a 1953 or 1954 Enfield: slow and vibrating, but it was a way to own a classic British bike without the cost of a restoration. Today the bikes remain rolling classics like the most fantastic restoration of a classic single, but now the engine is a unit construction with a new, more modern head design and even fuel injection. The bikes are also five-speeds and electric-start.

The disc front brake mars the vintage look, but the increase in stopping power is worth it. Performance is still mild, but the bikes actually belong in a modern world. So if you have been craving a classic, consider getting one the painless way. Prices start at $5995, so it is one of the least expensive machines in that displacement class.

The lovely sidecar is an additional $2995. There is no way you can draw more attention with your ride for less money than riding an Enfield.