Aniket Vardhan just told me the Musket V-Twin is bringing bigger guns to the fight. Since Royal Enfield only offers the 500cc Bullet in the U.S., the Musket will be moving up to 1000cc. The crankcase design will be modified to accept the 500cc barrels found here which also means you’ll be able to use whatever performance parts are available, that’s right, YOU, because Aniket’s plans are to introduce a production kit late this year!
The plan is to offer the Crankcases as a “complete it as you like” kit, with ONLY the custom castings, machined and ready to accept stock parts. Experienced folk can do it themselves with full step by step instructions or have it done at a shop/by a friend. This will keep it as affordable as possible. They can add stock or performance parts for the kind of output/costs they are comfortable with.
I am really excited about this. As detailed in our original post, Aniket decided to design and build the engine because he thought it would be a neat idea, so he jumped in and began learning what he needed to know and started the project. Many years later, the engine is running and, if everything goes as planned, will be offered as a kit later this year.
Many of you have indicated how much you like what he’s done, I know I do, and the thought of this project coming to market makes me smile, a lot. Go Aniket!
Link: Enfield Musket
Related: Royal Enfield V-Twin – The Musket
Link: Royal Enfield Musket – Completed
steve w says
Wow the Enfield news just continues. This could be a fun kit to build the rest of the bike to suit. I see in the last issue of Classic Bike the Carberry Enfield is now ready to go also.
aaronxs400 says
Cost?? Would be a great powerplant to build a vintage style custom. Hopefully cheaper than a panhead/knucklehead/vincent etc. powerplant.
kneeslider says
@ aaronxs400: Aniket has to make some new castings and work out the best CNC machining process before he can estimate costs. As soon as we know, we’ll pass on the info but it will probably be a while.
lostinoz says
I am REALLY looking forward to seeing this in production! It just so happens im between projects right now so the timing is almost perfect! I’ll be holding off on a new one till I see pricing on the cases, I fell in love with the original idea when I saw it.
Jacquie says
That is definitely a bike I would like to have. Style, power and grace. Such a combination.
Paulinator says
The engine looks beautiful. The Carberry effort also looks great. I’d love to read a direct comparison that identifies benefits of each the 90 degree layout and the tighter 55 degree variant. Both versions appear to benefit from excellent design and craftmanship.
OMMAG says
Well done Aniket (and Paul) ……… Bravo !
Nice way to start the new year/decade.
B*A*M*F says
Man, just when I had finally managed to get this out of my mind, you’ve got me lusting for one of these again.
davidabl says
Well, that settles it. I’ve just decided to keep my Enfield instead of giving up on
the ‘lil bastid. Only Q is 700cc vs. Enfield \literbike.’ And maybe where to find a
fishtail muffller like on the Model K Enfield V-twin of the thirties..
coho says
That is too freakin’ sweet.
Go Aniket!
PS. Kneeslider Reader Discount?
niel says
This kit would be a highly cost effective way of doing it!!! Aniket thats a marvelous idea!!!!
I would like to import this Kit when you start production!!!! I wonder if you would start a production unit back home in india too! 🙁
… any idea on what this would cost I would love to get atleast get a rough Idea so that I could set a budget aside.
David/cigarrz says
This is already a wonderful success story it would be great to see it become a monetary success for Aniket as well.
Scotduke says
Interesting – is the bigger Musket going to be based on the new unit 500 or the older model? And if there was one weak point of the original 700 design, it was the strange routing for one of the exhaust pipes – perhaps a 2:1 with a fishtail would work instead?
Ted says
Really nice bUT you have a 500cc bike that you just doubled the HP and cc on and expect the clutch, tranny, chain and sprockets to handle it not to mention the frane and swing arm, it kinda reliable in stock form but look out, not exactly a new design you know.
aniket says
Hi guys,
Ted- about the increase in HP, those of you who have been following the Carberry will have read that the stock tranny has been holding up pretty well for their 1000- they had the old 4speed for their test bike and now they offer the new 5 speed one too.
Quite simply, the old Albion tranny was used by Enfield across their range, all the way upto the 750cc MkII Interceptor, which put out more than 50 horses. Hitchcocks 120mph fire-breathing Bullet used that tranny. There’s plenty of upgraded transmission parts available, from Barnett clutch plates, 5 plate clutches, belt drive conversions to gear clusters, sprockets, etc. I’ve been contacted by experienced Enfield tuners both in the UK and here in the US, they are keen to apply their expertise on this motor. These guys are getting around 45hp from the 500. If someone wants to go faster, there are parts available.
The frame- we’re talking about reinforcing steel tubes, surely, this can be done?
There’s a lot of very smart and experienced bike builders out there, who know a ton more about bike building than me, I have no doubt that some very clever solutions will be arrived at by them. And quite a few may want to put the motor in a custom frame, so the stock frame’s limitations may not impede them at all.
My brief is to offer a very robust crankcase and bottom end that can easily handle stock power and offers plenty more room for going nuts- for those who want to.
davidabl says
Niel wrote:
\I wonder if you would start a production unit back home in india too! \
From what I’ve seen from the Indian aftermarket I’d guess that there will
be other v-twin cranckcases appearing soon after anybody gets a Musket in
India.
aniket says
Hi guys!
Thanks again for your encouragement, it gives me the energy to to keep working on this.
Niel and anyone else wanting one of these in India- guys, I’ve really been trying to look into this in detail and have been in touch with some auto/business journalists who have been following the project and in short, ANY modification to a bike over there is illegal- frame, engine, anything! If I try to get it approved/certified, then this motor won’t meet the new, very strict emission norms in India- the Euro 4. the only way to meet them would be to use the new UCE injected top ends…only if Enfield would allow that- they developed those in house, unlike the 60 yr old cast iron motor. I’m certainly going to look into it, could be the next stage in this project- enfield v twin with fuel injection and super clean emissions. It would be so cool to have an affordable alternative to the VERY overpriced harleys that are going on sale in India- the entry level Sportster is 700,000 rupees ( that’s more than 13,000 $!!!!)….a 1000cc musket V twin engine could be made for a fraction of that price and fitted to a Bullet.
I’m trying guys, but need all the help/contacts/advice for the Indian market.
Thanks!
Aniket
Ivan Castellino says
Aniket Mate,
As u well know bro we in india have always cribbed for better bikes and ur project has given us the hope that we can have a ffordable 1000cc V-Twin…..ahhhh awesome stuff.
i tell u aniket there is huge market for ur project in india… royal enfield may not be intrested in ur project as company but the hundreds and thousands of us who own a Bullet 500 just want that extra barrell added to our bikes.
why not sell it in parts , like the bottom half and crank and i am pretty sure the rest like the head etc can be bought in india.
people can then assemble their own 1000 cc bullet…. i ll use a customer frame there are many in delhi and bangalore do the customer frame and put a better tank etc the only thing they dont or cant do is the 1000cc.
do it for all bullet lovers 1up – 3 down or say 4 down…
Regards
Ivan
Bangalore India
avneet grewal says
hey aniket this engine is genius and awsome. i am planning to open a bike custom shop and i was hoping to find something like this, i am just wondering if i plan to buy the engine or the base of the engine with the crank how much will it cost in india. i am hoping that you launch this ingenius idea of your here in india. cant wait to hear this beast. keep up your work and thanx. take care and stay alive.
Andy says
Hi Aniket,
Looks great. I would also be interested in obtaining the crankcases and non enfield bits to build one here in Delhi.(and then possibly more!) When the Carberry came out I looked at doing the same but they couldn’t provide the parts as they were concentrating on their own production at the time. Please let me know when you have any budget costs, details etc. I am not worried about the implications you mention in your previous comment so please do get in touch.
Andy
Dennis Franz says
It seams like the audio is a bit off or else I think I hear a little clutch slippage when you accelerated it under fulll power.That `s is a great work of art and precision.I bet you are excited, I know I was when I was watching. Keep up the good work and good luck… Dennis Franz
gideon dhanraj says
sir anikit musket we int wil will be avail in india .i wont to no the price
puneet says
hi aniket m lucky from india remember can i get ur number or just tell me r u want to sale the engine 700 0r 1000cc .
puneet says
plzz give me ur number
Fred Hill says
Hi Aniket,
I’ve been following your project since you first mentioned it on the XS650 site.
Kudos! A wonderful job. But I rode Bullets and Meteors back in the day.
Man, you gotta do something about that pathetic front brake.
My thought would be to graft in the dual 2LS front drum from a 1972 Suzuki GT750.
That’d stay with the Musket’s styling cues and boost the braking up to at least adequate.
Fred Hill, S’toon.
vicky verma says
from where can i get this i want to buy this please give me some information
Dom says
Thanks Aniket,
Really appreciate you trying for this…. I imagine a UCE 1000 Twin…. Oh boy that would make it simply awesome…. I just hope RE is listening… coz even in India, it would be good market for machines with these engines….
I wish we had people in Royal Enfield management who think like you…
Regards n Luck,
Dom.
(Mumbai)
mesic says
is it diesel or petrol model? and i really want to know the price too!
balaji utla says
aniket
lovely stuff – used to own a royal enfield bullet – all the quirks of managing the tappets et al!
are you planning to build and ship the parts for diy enthusiasts?
if you are planning mate, you could think about some friends in india 🙂
hope you are done with your ucebased or the regular 1000 cc bike
cheers
alfy says
This motorcycle is among the most beautiful I have seen. And the engineering… you guys are really talented. Bravo, love it.
jameshale says
hay aniket that is an awesome bike man great job. I think you cuold easily fit an aftermarket harley fuel injection system to your bike. Casting a manifold is all you have to do. Then you could still use the older juggs, and liecening from RE wouldn’t be a problem. That would allso make california an open market . Just a thought anway keep up the good work and when your kitt comes on sale to the public i plan to have one.
jim shaner says
olease let me kniow when I can order the kit!! Thanks