Team-BHP - Enfield Bullet : Classic 350 versus Classic 500

@ruchirtnt : I got delivered THE DS by ess aar motors in delhi in less than one month.
One thing is for sure, no matter how bad other people say about the color, THIS COLOR
makes u stand out in a million ....
And as far as the dirt and cleaning of the bike is concerned my bike does not look dirty at all from even close, however water marks do seem to be visible....
Try to wipe the water as soon as possible and use dry cloth for cleaning...
I bet u will enjoy the attention this BULL will generate for U.

Quote:

Originally Posted by anupkrverma (Post 2601637)

Thanks anupam, even i got the offer from RE store within a month to pick the bike but since i have to sell my current RE Thunderbird purchased from Delhi Kays Auto, i am just selling it off and then will take the new model delivery in 2012 january,

congrats for choosing DS, even i like it a lot, but am getting some what confused between DS and Chrome Black now, since chrome black is also stunning, the only reason for DS is its unique color which is introduced first time in india :)

Anupam, why don't you start a ownership thread on DS so that we can give and get some more insights on it

@ruchir

starting a new ownership thread has some responsibilities. I cant be so regular.
Also, since I own a bullet myself for the first time ( have ridden a lot on others),
I dont know much of this new engine and mechanicals.
I would prefer to stick with this thread as an active member and the other very good thread < the royal enfield classic thread >. There u will find some really worthwhile discussions along with some really knowledgeable gurus.

About the DS color, as I have already mentioned in previous posts,
this color is getting not only attention but also admiration specially from elderly bulleteers. The most beneficial advantage this color has over chrome is non visibility of dirt. specially rust is not all visible. second I was doing some paint work on my car in workshop where they told me (even they showed me ) almost exact replica of the paint can be made. so no tensions over scratches :)

Third, u can spot ur bull even from a distance among 200 motorcycles. I got to know this when I attended a street fair in Delhi and came out of the wrong gate. My lionheart was visible from a distance in the parking. (lion among petty animals ).

Personally though the chrome looks more attracting to agree:

Quote:

Originally Posted by hiran77 (Post 2638726)

Can some body please tell me the top speed of the Classic 350?
and what speed is the sweet spot? Cruising speed.
An indication on the mileage would also help.
Please please get back to this post

Top speed - Do not expect more than 100kmph. RE website gives 120kmph as top speed, but pushing beyond 100kmph requires good roads and tons of confidence because of excessive engine vibrations. (You may find some young and adventurous Team-bhpians quoting 110+ )

Sweet spot - 60 to 80kmph in 5th gear. You can cruise just below 80kmph.

Mileage- 35 ~ 40 in city and 40 ~ 42 in highway.

Above data from my 15 months experience with RE Classic 350

regards
San

I too have booked a CL500 7 months back and wanted to pick up one of the first chrome. The dealer then said that I need to do a fresh booking and asked him to convert/ transfer. He said a bike was available during first week of Dec and I had a bad back sprain then.

Now I am really reconsidering whether to spend 1.8 lacs for this problamtic, leaky and 25kmpl bike. I am sure this is not going to give me fun of an RD or HD. I hope paying such a price won't fall into a cock-bull story experience.

Quote:

Originally Posted by stnair (Post 2639204)

Hey San!
Thanks for the info :)
but are you saying the 350 cannot go beyond 100 or struggles to go past 100?
If that is the case....i might have to shift to c5. whats the top speed on c5?
and if you are saying the 350 can still do a 120 aka the FASTEST INDIAN style....I dont mind...:) I do not want to hold onto a 100+ for a long time...but would love to do it for a short time whenevr the road is free.

Please elaborate.

Thanks again to have replied to a newbie's posts :)

My G5 is a USA import RE so the computer is slightly different but from what I've gathered the horsepower and torque are the same as the Indian bikes.

It also has a 17 tooth output sprocket coupled with 19" tires instead of the 18 tooth output sprocket and 18" tires on the C5.

That said, the top speed for both models is shown as 132 kmph(82 mph).
I have ridden it at an indicated speed of 125.5 kmph (78 mph) but at speeds over 103 kmph (64 mph) the footpegs get pretty buzzy.
It is happiest at 88-97 kmph where there is no noticeable buzz and it can go for hours without a problem of any kind.

Almost all of my riding is done in town at speeds of 72-80 kmph (45-50 mph). (People drive slightly over the speed limit here. :) )

I should point out that the G5 frame is more like the older Electra and is very stable at these speeds.
The C5's tend to get somewhat "twitchy" at speeds over 105 kmph (65 mph). Tire pressure is one thing that seems to effect this and running lower pressures helps to reduce this.

My G5 gets a fuel mileage of 29.8-33.2 kpl (70-78 mpg) when driven in the 72-80 kmph range. Ridden at lower speeds increases that slightly.

I should mention that most of my riding is in stop and go traffic and acceleration from a stop is one of the 500cc's strong points so I take advantage of this whenever I can. :D
If I were to ride more sedately I'm sure my fuel mileage would be better.

Quote:

Originally Posted by hiran77 (Post 2639833)

If you want to frequently go beyond 100kmph, then C350 is not for you - but that does not mean it cannot go beyond 100. As you said- It struggles. Yes you can do ocassional 100+ when the road is free.

Read Randhawa's thread http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motorb...ic-thread.html to have detailed information on C5 and its top speed.

regards
san

@HIRAN77.. you will enjoy the raw pulling power of c5 from one red light to other redlight.
I usually stop deliberately at redlights to let other pulsars and fz and hunks gather around me. Even some time c350s. they keep twisting their throttle like they will fly on green. My lionheart gives them a lazy look. And lo and behold, the light is green and my lionheart jumps like it has seen some prey. I have a grin when I see them in my RVM. Very few bikes can match this. till now only pulsar220 and sometimes R15.

0-100kmph for a C5 is 10.5 sec. 0-60kmph is 3 sec.

Hey Anup!

Thanks for your inputs on C5.
But my intention to buy a Classic is to enjoy the ride and feel of the legendary bike.
I do not want to be first from RED-RED....though it can manage that... i personally feel Bullets are not meant for that :)

So it is totally ok if it takes a while to reach 100 too. does not matter to me. what matters is if the engine is strained in order to hold on to a 100 for long rides.
Like san mentioned....even a cruising speed of 80 is fine. but i would like to have an occasional full throttle at open roads...that is why i would like to know the top speed of 350.
If it can manage a 120 or atleast a 110......I am fine with that.

The only thing i hate about 350 is that it does not have the Desert storm color :(
The color of the Desert storm and the Torque of the 500 is definitely pulling me towards it. (I might switch to it.....10%chances) . what puts me off is the FE since I am going to use it as a regular bike.

If i consider being fast in City and would like to tame the mini bikes in traffic.... I have the Duke 200 in mind too :) But it is unlikely that i would make a switch to Duke(5 % chances). Coz I have always enjoyed riding bikes the Bullet way.

I would test ride the Duke once it is vailable.....if the price is really competitive and performance is great....I might shift to it....but very unlikely.

Quote:

Originally Posted by hiran77 (Post 2639833)

I am on my second 350, this one is a machismo with the new (2007) aluminum engine and 5 gears. I think the bike is in good shape and well maintained. That being said, going above 100 is a pain. If I have a really good stretch, I might hit 105 or 110. Definitely not the bike for 100+ cruising. Becomes less and less happy after 85kmph.

Quote:

Originally Posted by anupkrverma (Post 2641470)

Where did you get these figures from for the CL500?
I really doubt these.

Quote:

Originally Posted by stnair (Post 2639204)

Quote:

Originally Posted by hiran77 (Post 2641560)

Like san mentioned....even a cruising speed of 80 is fine. but i would like to have an occasional full throttle at open roads...that is why i would like to know the top speed of 350.
If it can manage a 120 or atleast a 110......I am fine with that.

Switch to fully synthetic engine oil (after a few thousand km) and it will make a great deal of difference. My TBTS top speed shot up from 100 kmph to 110 kmph after I switched a few months ago. What's more, it reaches the top speed much more easily, without the groaning and vibrations that used to be there before. The bike runs "smooth as butter", as they say, at all speeds.

Also, fully synthetic oil is not as expensive to use as you may imagine. Yes, it costs much more than mineral per litre, but you can go for up to 8000km before an oil change. So, it works out as only a slightly more expensive option --- that adds tons to your bike's performance. :D

@Rolling Thunda

Hey thanks for your inputs too :)
I just read in one of the forums that synthetic oil is not advisable for a Classic. There was some explanation on it too. in case i find it Iw ill paste it here soon.

I too use synthetic oil in my Ford Ikon 1.6 and it makes a helluva diffrence. feels like there is no "unwanted friction" :)

but since i read this post about sunthetic not being advisable for classic am not too sure.

If somebody knows the reasoning behind it or finds that post am talking about....please repost.

Also.... I wanted to know if anyone here in bangalore has a 350 with either a Goldstar/goldstar w glasswool/Megaphone???

I would like to have a look at the bike. please guys let me have a look.
or atleast share your inputs on how the bike behaves with these exhaust systems.