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-   -   The Drama of buying & owning a Royal Enfield Bullet 350ES (Electra) (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motorbikes/190826-drama-buying-owning-royal-enfield-bullet-350es-electra-2.html)

Congratulations on your ride and welcome to RE club with the magic black Electra. My experiences experience with aSS of RE is that, at service center by a dealership is shady, but service centre directly under RE ( RE service center @ Edappally, Kerala) is state of the art with really helpful technicians. Your bull looks just out of the showroom after a service from this place, while the bike had the stains of water dried from rider Motors alappuzha, Kerala.

Hope you elaborate your experiences after putting in a few thousand kms.

Thank you for your wishes. Yes, the bellows are called fork boots. I mentioned them in my review also. I'm planning on getting them but I don't know if I'll have to remove the entire fork column to install them. If it is simpler and a DIY I'll get them ASAP.

Thank you for your wishes. More than ego they gave me the feeling that they have never been confronted in a way where they have been cornered into not getting their way. Most people that walk into the dealership just yell and argue but finally get tired and give in to the demands of the dealership. I told every customer I talked to call the RE tollfree and complain. I did the best I can to tell people that they have a choice when it comes to buying insurance and accessories. I hope more people complain to RE about bad dealers and there will come a time when RE has to act on the feedback.

Thank you for your wishes. Your ownership thread along with Knightrider's played a big role in my decision. I'm definitely not going to take the bike back to this dealership even for the free services. I'll only be going to the company showroom from hereon.

Installing rubber bellows type fork boots requires completely removing both forks from the motorcycle.

One cannot just loosen the lower sliding cylinders and remove them from the upper fixed tubes.
Even if you find a large screw at the bottom of both legs of the fork that looks like it might hold the lower and upper fork tube together, loosening these and removing them will not allow the lower end to come off. It will only drain the oil out of the fork.

There is no easy way to install front fork boots.

That's a very good decision on your part, especially when a tough guy like you have been given such a shoddy treatment from the dealership. Hats off to your girt and perseverance, you did every bit on your part when you asked customers @ the showroom to write to RE clap:.

I hope you've got your bull registered. And wish you many more happy miles on the bull.

For all these reasons I think I'll ask service center guys to install them during my next service.

In kerala, 6 months of rain is yet to show any of it's effects on my famed magic black (should I call it green) Electra. Yet I feel that those rubber 'jackets' are a well deserved protection for those lovely hard working forks. Great input Arizona Jim :thumbs up .

I had a bad experience with Bullmenn motors too. After getting the vehicle, they took almost 4 months to give me my vehicle's registration number. Various silly reasons like my paper getting delayed, RC paper getting torn, etc. I finally got the book after escalating the problem to RE. Though I got my RC book immediately, the way they immediately got the signature to show my complaint was resolved was in bad taste.

The worst experience I have have ever seen, they should be made a text book case of how to fail in sales and customer service. Hope someone comes and really shakes the daylights out of them! GM is also not serious about the reputation of the showroom.

I might just have to wait for a year or two before I gather the courage to remove the front forks given the state of the RE service centres. I'll just wait till the warranty period is over and find a decent local mechanic.

Boss, I might be persistent but I'm definitely not a tough guy!!!

After closely following up the RTO incharge at Bullmenn yesterday and today they finally got my bike registered this afternoon. Even after all the reminders they managed to screw up by NOT bringing "Form 22" to the RTO:Frustrati. The RTO just made a note of it and verified the engine and chassis numbers and signed off the papers. The showroom guys said they'll submit "Form 22" later in the afternoon and assured that I'll get the number tomorrow. Keeping my fingers crossed that it'll be alright.

I hope I don't run into any of these issues. Please create an ownership thread and share your experience. It is high time these guys cleaned up their act.

In other updates: I went and got seat covers, seat grip covers and tank covers installed today after taking the bike to the RTO. Tried to keep everything close to original as much as possible. Planning to install the crash bar and headlight visor tomorrow when I get some time. Here are some pictures:

Not bringing form22 looks deliberate. That's the first thing they hand over, in case cutomer decides to go for the registration all by himself. In case of my bull as well as my brezza, both of which required registration outside Ernakulam district (adhaar card had a different district as my permanent address), the first paper both the dealers handed over to me along with other papers such as temporary registration (done online by dealer) was form 22 with necessary informations and instructions.

Tank cover might leave slight abrasions on the tank- my observation on other bikes, but very useful. I've never used them either on my pulsar or bull so far. Covering the grab rail gives a classy look and is pleasant for the pillion.

All the very best for the registration. :thumbs up

Went to the dealership this afternoon around 1PM to follow up on the number. The RTO incharge told me to call after 3PM. Called around 4:30PM and they said they'll get the number only after 6PM. They called me promptly after 6PM and gave me the number :thumbs up

In the meantime, I got a call around 5PM from the RE ASM. He asked about my whereabouts and wanted to meet in person. I asked him to come over and he came by immediately with the MD of Bullmenn Motors. They both have been following this thread and wanted to talk to understand the issue. I explained the entire issue. They admitted to the mistakes on their side and assured to take corrective action. Listening to the customer is the first step to good service and I sincerely hope they will not repeat the mistakes. Wish them all the best!

Thank you Team-BHP for providing this platform. Posting here has brought about some positive change.

Other updates: I rode the bike for around 40kms in stop and go traffic. I felt quite comfortable handling the bike. It doesn't feel too big or bulky. The seats have some extra padding after I got the seat cover and this makes the seat quite comfy. I got the crash guard and headlight visor installed today. Here are a couple of pictures in the final configuration. No more mods or accessories planned. Only thing left to be done on the bike is the number plate.

Congratulations on winning the battle with a very positive note and paving way for a much better customer experience for future bulleteers. After facing such harassment, you had the final laugh and that's great. I very much like the instant dose of karma that dragged the MD of Bullmen Motors to your doorsteps. Ego aside, that's exactly what RE has to do. Else, once a disrepute sets in, it cascades down to the entire customer base. As always the team-bhp has been a wonderful place to share such experience and gain much.

Good to know that after all the drama you have been through, you had the last laugh. This is what makes Team-BHP different from rest of the lot. Thank you for sharing your experience through Team-BHP.

Meanwhile, I should say that your bull looks majestic:thumbs up. Please keep updating your ownership thread. Wish you a good time on the saddle.:)

I believe you just described the Bajaj V15.

I might sound a little off saying this but I believe my CT100B to be better than a 350cc pushrod thumper, better suspension, better handling, better highway cruising speeds and so much more, not to mention the similarities such as a lack of fuel gauge, loss of compression after being idle for a really long time and what not :D But nonetheless the thumper costs 5 times more than the humble utilitarian. stupid:

Thanks for the compliments.

Honestly, I was surprised that RE would respond the way they did based on a post here given the number of posts day in and day out listing niggles, complaints about bad A.S.S. etc. If my bad experience will serve to pave the way for better service at RE and it's dealers I will be the most happiest.


I did not test ride the V15 but I did sit on it when I went to check the Pulsar out. I have the same opinion of the V15 as the Avenger. The seat is too low for my tastes and not comfortable at all.

I have no experience with the CT100B but I'll take your word for it. It would definitely have been one of my choices if offered with a larger displacement engine. It shouldn't be too difficult for re-boring specialist Bajaj to offer a CT1xx series with a choice of 100, 135, 150, 180 and 200cc engines:uncontrol

Congratulations green_ninja. Happy and Safe ride always.

I thought of booking at Sherriff Motors (heard it is better than BM), but changed my mind and booked in Chennai (where I live now). Waited for more than 3 months for my Electra Blue and got it last month. Applied for the special number separately through my known sources and got it.

I feel comfortable with Classic's handlebar position rather than Electra's, but otherwise, the bike is really comfortable.

Thank you RGK and congrats on your acquisition too. That is a very handsome bike and the color looks great.

In my opinion the handlebar position and seat height together decide the comfort level. I believe that Electra's seat and handlebar combo is better than the Classic's.

The feedback I received about Sheriff Motors was that they were upfront about longer delivery times. As the saying goes, all is well that ends well. Enjoy your ride and share your experience.

Congrats Green Ninja on your latest acquisition.

I have been trying to make my mind on choosing which bike to buy from RE stable ( 350 CC). I visited Velavan Motors in Greams Road Chennai and found their Sales Men attitude to be the best. Enough test drives were provided and constant follow up being done by the Sales person makes me feel comfortable.

They have updated me that the regular classics- few colors are readily available and can be delivered in flat 10 days. The Redditch colors will take 30-45 days and the New classic grey variant will take 45 days for delivery. They have informed me that they will prioritize the deliveries once I book.

My question to you is that do you find electra pillion seat offering better comfort than the classic or thunderbird? My wife had complained that she is not comfortable in classic but was comfortable in TB. However TB seems to be cramped. I have not tried electra test drive and hence want your views.