Britbike forum Forums British Motorcycle specific Brands Royal enfield forum 1955 Bullet Frame Appeal

Hi all,

This a long shot but I want to get hold of a 1955 Bullet frame and am appealing to anyone who knows the whereabouts of one that is for sale in the UK to let me know please.

I have been told, by a reliable source that the type of frame I am wanting was only made for that one year.

It features a cast swinging spindle arm and footrest mounting point at each side, as shown in the attached photograph. This means it doesn’t have the tube loop going across the bike where the swinging arm spindle mounting gussets are welded to on the other types of frames from the 1950’s.

If anyone knows the whereabouts of one please let me know.

Thank you, Kev Ev

So what was the story about how 55 parts would fit a 54 frame ?
No go ?

Have you tried them for fit.

Everything from the 30s and 40s seems to be close, although
350 and 500 parts do have some foibles shall we say.

Hi Rohan,

From what I have gathered so far the majority of parts are the same on both types of frame. The type that was originally on my 1955 G2 Bullet with the cast swinging arm mounts was, I have been informed, only made for that one year. The rest of them are the type with the tubular loop behind the gearbox where the swinging arm mounting gusset plates are welded. Dimensionally they are the same and if you compare the parts in the Hitchcocks online parts books for the 1954 and 1955 models virtually everything is the same even though they have a different style of main frame.

I have had a couple of people get in touch with me via Facebook (I have made the same appeal on the Royal Enfield Groups on there) who said they thought they had the frame I was looking for. Unfortunately the first one was a Clipper Model G Deluxe frame, which is very similar to the Bullet frame but has a completely different front engine mount at the bottom of the front down tube.

The second one turned out to be exactly the same as the one I bought from Hitchcocks back in the late 80's / early 90's with the welded gussets for the swinging arm mount.

This frame will work ok but I just prefer the look of the type that my bike originally had and would really like to put it back to how it was, with the castings for the swinging arm mount and a more open and spacious look behind the engine/gearbox. It's a mixture of aesthetics and the sentimental value of wanting the bike to be as it was when my dad gave it to me back in 1973.

I don't know, I think I'd be building what you have into the frame you have ?
You could have it sorted out and running while you hunt down the correct frame.

Who knows, it might take a lifetime to find the right one ... ??
Or, just transfer it all across when you come across the right one.
Hopethishelps.

Hi Rohan,

It looks as though that’s what I’m going to have to do.