[350biker]

First of all let me congratulate the team of (royalenfield.com) Welcome to Royal Enfield Motorcycles | Motorcycle India for finally updating the website. What a beauty it looks now. I guess the team has really done their homework and have launched the new avatar of the website. It deserves a from all.

While going through the website, i came across a link where all the rides manufactured by RE are listed. In total, there are 10 versions of the mighty bull

1. Bullet 350 twinspark
2. Bullet Electra twinspark
3.Thunderbird Twinspark
4.Classic 350
5.Classic 500
6.Classic Battle Green
7.Bullet Electra EFI
8.Bullet Electra Deluxe
9.Bullet 500
10.Classic Chrome

Just to add to this, one realizes that some of the above listed models are not for India !!

To cut the story short, I have recently modified my electra 5s to look like a vintage bike and thus, put protection pads on the tank and have put a single seat. What differs my bike from the classic version of the bike is on visual grounds, my bike is chrome plated whereas the classic is painted. Just to see what's new in the recently launched "classic chrome", i checked out the availability of the bike in Indian Market.

To my utter surprise, the bike is not available in India !! Where as it is very much available in countries like Argentina, australia, Austria and what not.

I wonder why would RE have such a step motherly treatment to Indian fans specially when already there is a long waiting for classic version (close to 6 - 8 months).

Can anybody enlighten me??

[anekho]

Tell me about it. I checked out the website a few days ago and the battle green enfield caught my eye. I became really excited only to find out it's not sold in India :|

Why RE, why?

[Leepower]

This new RE website is a complete joke. What is RE trying to do??? Piss off Indian customers who are majority of its customers. Most of the bikes are not for sale in India.
Even I was shocked when I checked out the site for the first time, this many new bikes wow and none of them are for sale in India, what a joke!!! This website proves RE's stepmotherly treatment to Indian customers!!!

[naveenroy]

Originally Posted by Leepower

This new RE website is a complete joke. What is RE trying to do??? Piss off Indian customers who are majority of its customers. Most of the bikes are not for sale in India.
Even I was shocked when I checked out the site for the first time, this many new bikes wow and none of them are for sale in India, what a joke!!! This website proves RE's stepmotherly treatment to Indian customers!!!

Piss off? They've been pissing off Indian customers for decades - with totally unreliable machines. And have done nothing to change that - until they got frightened with the entry of Harley and other players! And we're the FOOLS - for still trusting in them and still buying them - though we end up spending a fortune on maintaining one of the REs.

Time for a boycott?

[MARCUS_520i]

Originally Posted by anekho

Tell me about it. I checked out the website a few days ago and the battle green enfield caught my eye. I became really excited only to find out it's not sold in India :|

Why RE, why?

It's because the Battle Green colour manufactured by Royal Enfield for the Classic 350/500 is similar to the colour that the fleets of vehicles belonging to the Indian defense line have on them.

And in India, it's against the law to have a private vehicle painted in a military green colour scheme. Thus, it's not in Royal Enfield's hands to make them available to the people of our country. Sad, but true.

[anekho]

Originally Posted by MARCUS_520i

It's because the Battle Green colour manufactured by Royal Enfield for the Classic 350/500 is similar to the colour that the fleets of vehicles belonging to the Indian defense line have on them.

And in India, it's against the law to have a private vehicle painted in a military green colour scheme. Thus, it's not in Royal Enfield's hands to make them available to the people of our country. Sad, but true.

Thanks!

But what about all those privately registered military green jeeps we see on our roads?

[MARCUS_520i]

Originally Posted by anekho

Thanks!

But what about all those privately registered military green jeeps we see on our roads?

Good question. I'm sure that the army green colour isn't allowed on vehicles in India other than those owned by the Govt/armed forces. However, there's a possibility that in the earlier days, maybe a few decades back the army decommissioned vehicles were allowed to carry their army green colour even after transfer to a private certificate and plates(Similar to the rule with early left hand drive imports which we still see plying on our roads, but can't bring one down here now since importing LHD's isn't allowed anymore).

Just my thoughts. Reality may differ!

[350biker]

As far as i see, RE today is manufactured only in India and still it is not available for us Indians.

I wonder if we will be even getting our hands on the 750cc RE and the 1000cc EVER !!!

Already there is a lot of criticism in the market for the waiting period of the classic model.

Besides, now with the entry of Harley Davidsons, the Ninjas the Ducatis in India, i really feel the team at RE need to pull up their socks and see actual potential enthusiasts in Indians too.

Somehow i just fail to see the logic behind not allowing us Indians to buy these versions of bikes.

[ArizonaJim]

It is my understanding that Royal Enfield is about to open a new production facility.

Royal Enfield Building New Manufacturing Facility. Doubling Production. at Cyril Huze Blog

It is supposed to open in 2013 and should double the production from 70K to 150K per year.

Hopefully this will greatly shorten the length of time people must wait for delivery of their bikes.

[PGNarain]

Originally Posted by naveenroy

Piss off? They've been pissing off Indian customers for decades - with totally unreliable machines. And have done nothing to change that - until they got frightened with the entry of Harley and other players! And we're the FOOLS - for still trusting in them and still buying them - though we end up spending a fortune on maintaining one of the REs.

Time for a boycott?

I am an avid and loyal fan of RE and love bullets.

However, as is mentioned in the previous posts, i checked out the new RE site and was similarly shocked to learn that some of the models are not available in India. This is just not done and not the way that RE which is a thoroughly Indian brand to treat India and Indian customers this way, i am really disappointed and hurt.

That said i personally do not agree with naveenroy. RE tends to a completely different strata and income group of bike / cruiser enthusiasts, there will never be a Harley that can ever replace my Bullet, ever!!

Also i disagree with the fact that RE are unreliable and expensive to maintain, especially so when being compared to a Harley.

I have ridden my Bullet on great/average/bad/horrible roads and it has never given up on me. I can and will call her temperamental but never unreliable. Further you can get a RE serviced / repaired at the had of most highway roadside mechanics in an emergency, i doubt that a Harley can share the same distinction, at least for quite some time to come.

I agree that bullets require more TLC then your average pulsars and unicorns but then again you are comparing two totally different class of bikes. i have maintained my bullet in pristine condition simply by getting her serviced regularly and have never experienced any problem, never a single puncture till date and she regularly returns 40-45km/l. If any grouse, i go weak in the knees sometimes trying to kickstart her on cold winter mornings.

Fact is that RE operates and serves a very niche market, one which they totally dominate for very obvious reasons.

It is a great bike to have, ride and live with...a boycott, never!!

[naveenroy]

Originally Posted by PGNarain

That said i personally do not agree with naveenroy. RE tends to a completely different strata and income group of bike / cruiser enthusiasts, there will never be a Harley that can ever replace my Bullet, ever!!

Well, honestly, thats what I kept saying too - until I finally lost patience - after 6 years. I still will keep the RE but it will be my second bike.

Originally Posted by PGNarain

It is a great bike to have, ride and live with...a boycott, never!!

No offense, but this is the simple reason why we have RE still treating us as second-hand customers. But to each to his own.

[PGNarain]

Originally Posted by naveenroy

Well, honestly, thats what I kept saying too - until I finally lost patience - after 6 years. I still will keep the RE but it will be my second bike.



No offense, but this is the simple reason why we have RE still treating us as second-hand customers. But to each to his own.

No offense taken Naveen and as i mentioned at the start of my post, i too am hurt and disappointed at the treatment dished out by RE.

It is just that i am really attached to my Bullet, so thought to share my personal experiences of the RE and clear the air about the bike being unreliable and/or expensive. I am sorry if you have bad blood with the RE, it is really something that RE must atone for, otherwise they will end up loosing loyal customers.

[adrian]

Hi every one, Indian riders were the backbone of Royal Enfield during the time of peril and once they achieved fortune, they are forgetting the people that made them what they are today. New models for exporting, focusable head lights only for export models ! We, the blind fans of RE, night riding.. viewing tree tops in low beam ! Shame on you RE
Regards Adrian

[naveenroy]

Originally Posted by PGNarain

I am sorry if you have bad blood with the RE, it is really something that RE must atone for, otherwise they will end up loosing loyal customers.

Well, bad blood - cause of the reliability issues. I see no point taking it up to the company. Cause here, nothing will happen even once you complain. And I totally understand you being very attached to the bike - I am too. But well, its akin to a brother who cheats on you and sold you down the river - very hard to get back the trust.

Originally Posted by adrian

...focusable head lights only for export models ! We, the blind fans of RE, night riding.. viewing tree tops in low beam ! Shame on you RE
Regards Adrian

Wow, didn't know this point! Another point to RE treating us like this!

[350biker]

Originally Posted by PGNarain

I am an avid and loyal fan of RE and love bullets.

However, as is mentioned in the previous posts, i checked out the new RE site and was similarly shocked to learn that some of the models are not available in India. This is just not done and not the way that RE which is a thoroughly Indian brand to treat India and Indian customers this way, i am really disappointed and hurt.

That said i personally do not agree with naveenroy. RE tends to a completely different strata and income group of bike / cruiser enthusiasts, there will never be a Harley that can ever replace my Bullet, ever!!

Also i disagree with the fact that RE are unreliable and expensive to maintain, especially so when being compared to a Harley.

I have ridden my Bullet on great/average/bad/horrible roads and it has never given up on me. I can and will call her temperamental but never unreliable. Further you can get a RE serviced / repaired at the had of most highway roadside mechanics in an emergency, i doubt that a Harley can share the same distinction, at least for quite some time to come.

I agree that bullets require more TLC then your average pulsars and unicorns but then again you are comparing two totally different class of bikes. i have maintained my bullet in pristine condition simply by getting her serviced regularly and have never experienced any problem, never a single puncture till date and she regularly returns 40-45km/l. If any grouse, i go weak in the knees sometimes trying to kickstart her on cold winter mornings.

Fact is that RE operates and serves a very niche market, one which they totally dominate for very obvious reasons.

It is a great bike to have, ride and live with...a boycott, never!!

I completely get agree with you brother on your point of owning a bullet. I am sure none of us will ever be parting with their bull.

However, the point here is that there are many of "budding aspiring enthusiasts" who are really not having any feeling of owning a bullet. For them, all that they need is a style quotient and a bike which they can show off to their friends. Isnt RE forgeting this part of the crowd too??

The person who always dreams of owning a bullet will eventually own a bullet even if he has to wait for a long 6 - 8 months. But still there are also other class of public who are either upgrading from a pulsar or even switching from an avenger --- for them a Harley in 5.5 lakhs with a lesser waiting period than a bull is much better option. Besides more style than other bikes.

Also as mentioned by you, i too disagree that the bull is unreliable and expensive to maintain. You just need to know what to check and how frequently to check and the bike literally takes care of you (rather than the other way round)

This is just my opinion from personal experience & i could be wrong.