1952 500 Twin - Royal Enfield Books
Main menu:
Gordon's Royal Enfields
1952 Royal Enfield 500 Twin
I first read about the 500 Twin's participation in the 1951 ISDT event in 'Great British Motorcycles of the 1950s' by Bob Currie. That was over 35 years ago and I've passionately longed for one since then. Apart from the stunning example destroyed during the tragic 2003 National Motorcycle Museum fire, I hadn't actually seen one of the early Twins in the flesh until I came across one for sale at the 2005 International Classic Motorcycle Show at Stafford. I bought it!
Early 500 Twins were mostly exported due to Britain's post-war need for international trade and financial recovery. Never a mainstream machine and often maligned for its uninspiring name, 500 Twins have a reputation for being a sweet machine to ride.
The history of my machine is somewhat sketchy but it is a 1952 model and was partially restored at some time in its life. Apart from the fuel tank, the bike has been totally repainted. It's quite possible that the engine and frame never left the factory together as the frame number does appear to have been restamped. I'll probably never know and in any case it doesn't stop me loving the bike.
2019 Update. The 500 Twin has been completely stripped down and the engine and gearbiox rebuilt by Andy Berry. All other major components are being carefully restored, along with many modifications to make the bike suitable for my next overland adventure. For more information on the restoration, route map, journey details, REv Twin history, etc, see: nordkapptocapetown.com