[//M]

Originally Posted by Blow Horn Ok

Paint quality is a bit concern for a machine of this pedigree. But I am sure the experience and cult feel this machine gives is beyond those paint drawbacks.

Yes indeed. There are some issues with the paint job but the pleasure a Classic 500 gives on the highways and the twisties is just amazing. Simply put, I could not have bought a better bike for the money.

Originally Posted by Blow Horn Ok

Great set of pics to compliment the bull. Keep updating!

Thank You. I will update the thread as I clock up more kms on the odo !!

[AB_Cruze]

Hi //M.

I have booked a DS and currently in the agonizing waiting period.

One concern I have is about the maintenance of the matt finish on the DS.
Can you elaborate on the issues you are facing with the paint job?
Do you do all the washing/cleaning of the bike with normal water?

Any maintenance tips would help.

[//M]

Originally Posted by AB_Cruze

Hi //M.

I have booked a DS and currently in the agonizing waiting period.

One concern I have is about the maintenance of the matt finish on the DS.
Can you elaborate on the issues you are facing with the paint job?
Do you do all the washing/cleaning of the bike with normal water?

Any maintenance tips would help.

Yes I wash it with normal water once a week and on other days I wipe it with a wet cloth if needed. The only concern that I am facing with my bike is minor rusting around the chrome headlight surround. I ride the bike everyday and riding the DS in the monsoons are at times irritating. But hit the highway and the way it rides at 80-90 kph is a feeling that is truly ethereal.

Congratulations on the DS500. Its a lovely lovely bike and I am totally in love with it. Wish you many happy miles with your DS.

[AB_Cruze]

Hi //M

As you have owned and experienced the C5 DS for some time now
can you please put up some ownership experience of your Desert Storm?

Will help me in either sticking to my original decision to own one or if there are too many issues might just switch to Std 350.

Any write-up is appreciated.

Also some more pics please.

[//M]

Originally Posted by AB_Cruze

Hi //M

As you have owned and experienced the C5 DS for some time now
can you please put up some ownership experience of your Desert Storm?

Will help me in either sticking to my original decision to own one or if there are too many issues might just switch to Std 350.

Any write-up is appreciated.

Also some more pics please.

Hi AB_Cruze,

As of now I have not got any serious issue with the DS500, apart from the minor rusting here and there. The clutch lever went dead once, but was replaced by the dealer. I did around 270 kms yesterday over some good stretches and some pathetic roads too. The DS500 is a lovely motorcycle. Rides very well through most surfaces and turns a lot of heads.

If you don't ride much in the highways, then a 350 will be enough. The 500 gives you that extra cruising power. The torque is humongous. Overtaking a vehicle at 70-80 kph is just a mere twist of a wrist away.

The good part is that the Royal Enfield dealer at my place and the service guys have been very supportive since the day I got my bike. They are quite passionate about the RE heritage. I am a very satisfied owner of the bike and the RE after sales too.

Regards,
//M

[VW2010]

can you please put up some ownership experience of your Desert Storm?

Will help me in either sticking to my original decision to own one or if there are too many issues might just switch to Std 350.

Firstly, your bike is beautiful. Love the color.

Secondly to the question above.

The difference between the 500 and the std350 is huge. Specially if you are thinking about cruising at 100 the 500 does that effortlessly and will stand poise throughout.

Except the FE the 500 is better in every other aspect compared to the 350.

If you have the moolah and are not really worried about FE, just blindly get the 500.

I have a CI 500 and i love this over the current generation 350. But between the new Gen 500 and CI 500 i will be tempted to pick the new generation for two things

- Torque
- Torque.

This bike can scream out of a stop signal and can actually give you that scary feeling of bike leaving you stranded as you accelerate. There are lot of chances for you feeling that you are slipping out of your seat as you accelerate.

In the highways cruising at 80-100 is absolutely effortless in 500. In 350 the engine is trying to do the same speed at high RPM.


500 is always my advice for anyone going after a bullet.

[//M]

Originally Posted by AB_Cruze

Also some more pics please.

Some pics of my DS500.

[AB_Cruze]

//M, thank you for your response. It is surely reassuring.

Looks like I will stick with my DS booking. Still in waiting period.
The wait is surely agonizing....

[VW2010]

//M

Just saw the other pages as well. Would advice you to just paint those open areas with a primer or even some color close to your original color to protect from rusting.

I do that regularly on my machine to avoid bigger hassle.

[Bazinga]

Congrats on your new ride mate. One hell of a ride
The optional exhaust look fantastic on this one. Get a windshield and 2 saddlebags and you have a potential crowd puller in your hand.

Any other accessories for your new ride. Do Check out:
www.royalenfieldzone.com

Howz the seat comfort for longer rides. Howz the pillion ride comfort as well.

[//M]

Originally Posted by VW2010

//M

Just saw the other pages as well. Would advice you to just paint those open areas with a primer or even some color close to your original color to protect from rusting.

I do that regularly on my machine to avoid bigger hassle.

Thank You for the advice VW2010. Would definitely do something similar to protect the paint.

Originally Posted by Bazinga

Congrats on your new ride mate. One hell of a ride
The optional exhaust look fantastic on this one. Get a windshield and 2 saddlebags and you have a potential crowd puller in your hand.

Any other accessories for your new ride. Do Check out:
www.royalenfieldzone.com

Howz the seat comfort for longer rides. Howz the pillion ride comfort as well.

Thank You Bazinga.

The seat comfort is fine but a Thunderbird or an Electra is far more comfortable for long distances. The pillion seat is a joke as far as comfort is concerned.

[//M]

4th service updates:

The DS500 received its 4th free service on 5th January. The air filter was replaced and the engine oil changed. The motorcycle is running perfectly fine now. Due to time constraints and work commitments, I could not ride my DS500 much in the past 2 months.

One major issue I was facing was that of oil leakage as the bike had not been used for a few days in succession but now that has been rectified by the service personnel. After the 4th service, there have been no leakage issues anymore.

Another issue I was facing was that the rear tyre was fouling with the rear fender while riding with a pillion. Now that has been rectified. I have been getting a fuel efficiency of 24-25 kpl in the city and around 28 kpl on the highways, which is acceptable.

Overall the DS500 rides well and even though it has had its share of minor niggles, that is something I can live with. As somebody mentioned in another thread that buying a car/bike is like marrying somebody. Even if your partner is not perfect, you learn to live with it. Can't agree more !!

[//M]

I did a 1325 km round trip from Ranchi to Puri and back over 3 days with a pillion on the DS500. The roads were a mix of good, bad and the ugly but the DS500 felt at home on kinds of tarmac. The ride is majestic and it gobbled up the miles with ease delivering an average fuel economy of 26-27 kpl.

Route: Ranchi-Jamshedpur-Baharagora-Balasore-Cuttack-Bhubaneswar-Konark-Puri-Bhubaneswar-Balasore-Baharagora-Ranchi

A few pics from the ride:

[//M]

A few pics from the RE One Ride, which was held on 7th April 2013.

[//M]

Last week I did a 2200 km round trip on my Desert Storm from Haldia to Cooch Behar owing to some personal work. From there, I rode to Phuentsheling across the border into Bhutan and then also visited the Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary.

Route taken:
Day 1: Haldia-Kolkata-Malda-Siliguri
Day 2: Siliguri-Sevoke-Cooch Behar
Day 3: Cooch Behar-Alipur Duar-Hashimara-Madarihat-Hashimara-Phuentsheling-Hashimara-Madarihat
Day 4: Madarihat-Jaldapara-Madarihat-Hashimara-Chilapata-Cooch Behar
Day 5: Cooch Behar-Jalpaiguri-Malda
Day 6: Malda-Kolkata-Haldia

Some pics of my DS500 from the ride: