[enfield_500]

Sad to hear. I bought mine for 1.8 lacs and think the bike is completely worth it.

Here's my story so far: 18k kms down in 11 months. The engine is as healthy as I would like. I've had close to zero major issues with this bike (only got the throttle and clutch cable replaced). I ride for about 60-70 kms a day - highways, mud roads, all kinds of mumbai roads - No major issues to date. I only ride and maintain her well. The Classic 500 is far from a perfect bike, but top end speed is not my concern. I like having a decent amount of power when I need it and my Classic 500 has that bit of power ready. Crusing at 80-90 on the longer rides feels effortless. I'm a happy man. Money well spent.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by enfield_500

Sad to hear. I bought mine for 1.8 lacs and think the bike is completely worth it.

Don't be sad.

I put 1.3 lacs of that 1.4 lacs and bought a bike that would run rings around the Bullet I sold. And the 10K I had left over, I blew up with an old batchmate in Goa - more than making up for the 10K I lost on the Bullet I sold. So all's well that ends well.

I still want to know though - does it go any faster now than it did then?

[enfield_500]

Originally Posted by ebonho

I still want to know though - does it go any faster now than it did then?

I see its all about the speed for you. We're different riders then.

I don't understand your question though. Are you asking me if my bike is faster now than it was when I bought it? If you are, then my answer is I really didn't care to find out. But, I pushed her up to 130 a few times early on (after 3-4k kms). I can still push her up to those speeds after 18 k kms. Plus, after migrating to fully synthetic oil, the bike just feels great!

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by enfield_500

I see its all about the speed for you. We're different riders then.

Not only about top speed bro, but equally how it gets there.

And about the entire package as a whole.

How it moves, how it feels, how it grips, how it handles, how it brakes, how much it gives back versus how much I am needed to put in, how easy it is to live with, how much I like riding her, how much she makes me smile every time I ride her - all of it.

And the Bullets just do not offer competitive bang for buck anymore, thats the sad fact. The game has moved on, big time. And those of us who have been through the bright eyed phase you are going through now (yes, we were all there .....), are ecstatic that it has.

Its easy to buy into the Bullet dream and say every rupee spent was worth it when its your first time around the block.

It gets very stale when you are three times around, and you find you are moving in circles - just that you have to cough up incrementally larger tolls every time you pass GO (am somewhat of a Monopoly buff ...)!

I don't understand your question though. Are you asking me if my bike is faster now than it was when I bought it? If you are, then my answer is I really didn't care to find out. But, I pushed her up to 130 a few times early on (after 3-4k kms). I can still push her up to those speeds after 18 k kms. Plus, after migrating to fully synthetic oil, the bike just feels great!

I'm askng you if your 1.8 lac Bullet is any faster now than my 70K Bullet was 11 years ago.

And if its not, then what has RE been doing for 11 years, with 3 different engines and over a Lac of rupees extra for every customer that buys one of their bikes - I'll tell you what they have been doing.

Being official "factory modifiers" for the Bullet crowd.

[Roomy]

RE has now been milking their customer dry with their now reknowned 'Waiting period' and all the hype about the image and character of their bikes. Agreed, the bike has a cult following and is a legend but does it warrant enough to justify insane prices for their products at the cost shoddy worksmanship and dismal performance figures for such a big(comparitively) mill.
Yes, the RE fanatics will come all guns blazing that the bike is worth the weight in gold. I absolutely adore the Bullets, but please the Classic and the other variants being sold now are not for me, atleast at this price point.
RE is doing good, and I am happy for them considering how bad they had fared in the 90's. A bike is a matter of personal choice and some look at the VFM aspect, some at their personal pride and some look at the other's ride.

[enfield_500]

Originally Posted by ebonho

And those of us who have been through the bright eyed phase you are going through now (yes, we were all there .....), are ecstatic that it has.

Its easy to buy into the Bullet dream and say every rupee spent was worth it when its your first time around the block.

Look man. You obviously know a lot about these bikes. You've owned a few as well. But, I'm not new to the bullet world too. I've grown up around bullets and I've had my fair share of riding them as well. This can again get into the old vs. new, CI vs. AVL vs. UCE debate, but I'd prefer if it didn't.

I know RE has a long way to go in improving several aspects of their bikes. But, I appreciate what they have done until now. They've provided me with a hassle-free bike, decently powered, and meeting all my needs and wants currently.

Originally Posted by ebonho

I'm askng you if your 1.8 lac Bullet is any faster now than my 70K Bullet was 11 years ago.

I don't know if it is faster or torquier, but my bike is definitely lower maintenance than the older ones I've come across.. the FE on mine is quite a bit higher too (been getting 32 kmpl consistently now)..

Cheers

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by enfield_500

Look man. You obviously know a lot about these bikes. You've owned a few as well. But, I'm not new to the bullet world too. I've grown up around bullets and I've had my fair share of riding them as well. This can again get into the old vs. new, CI vs. AVL vs. UCE debate, but I'd prefer if it didn't.

I know RE has a long way to go in improving several aspects of their bikes. But, I appreciate what they have done until now. They've provided me with a hassle-free bike, decently powered, and meeting all my needs and wants currently.

Its not really old vs new, but more more of the old repackaged and overcharged for which I am talking about. Especially now that there are other companies like Bajaj that have shown that its possible to manufacture a high tech high performance machine and price it competitively while still not having the advantage of volumes - so that niche player low volume high margin spiel of RE goes out of the window.

And while there are manufacturers who actually give you increases in performance and technology and features, not to mention reliability and eficiency, and a good serice network and easily available and cheap spares, at small increments of cost, RE for every "new" bike jumps their cost by 30-40 K. With no perceptible difference in performance or efficiency or reliability, longer waiting periods, and more and more exorbitant spares, when and if they are available.

I don't know if it is faster or torquier, but my bike is definitely lower maintenance than the older ones I've come across.. the FE on mine is quite a bit higher too (been getting 32 kmpl consistently now)..

Cheers

So basically its taken RE over a decade, and three engine iterations sourced from two countries, to ensure a modicum of reliability and marginally better mileage. And they are charging more than the price of a modern performance machine (the NS 200) as premium for the favor.

Incidntally, mileage depends of how you ride the bike.

I used to get 27 kmpl on tour with my Std 500, I then got 27 kmpl on tour with my LB500, and I then got 27 kmpl on tour with my C5. So no improvement there.

My LB500 crank gave up the ghost at around 35,000 kms. Seems I was lucky. Many have had their cranks rebuilt much earlier. And you cannot rebuild the big end of the LB as easily or cheaply as the Std 500. And my Std 500 big end and factory fitted bearings are still going strong at closing on to 75,000 kms, in spite of all the mods and thrashing and racing and what not. Improvement?

I did not have the C5 long enough for it to grenade. But have umpteen friends and co-riders who have. And the details are not pretty. One of them stripping and rebuilding his motor 3 times in one calendar year. Improvement?

If you don't mind me asking, which club do you ride with? Or are you not into the club scene?

[enfield_500]

Originally Posted by ebonho

So basically its taken RE over a decade, and three engine iterations sourced from two countries, to ensure a modicum of reliability and marginally better mileage. And they are charging more than the price of a modern performance machine (the NS 200) as premium for the favor.

As I said, I couldn't ask for any more reliability from my C500. So, in my opinion, the improvement in reliability isn't just marginal. I think RE has moved a good stride forward here. Again, as i said, many more issues needs to be addressed with their bikes.

Originally Posted by ebonho

I used to get 27 kmpl on tour with my Std 500, I then got 27 kmpl on tour with my LB500, and I then got 27 kmpl on tour with my C5.

If you don't mind me asking, which club do you ride with? Or are you not into the club scene?

I'm getting 32 kmpl with only city riding. On longer rides, I've gotten 36 kmpl. That's is definitely not a marginal improvement.

I'm not into the club scene. I ride with a few close friends regularly.

[wolfy]

heheeh!
Sweet looking bike no? Could someone open the windows in here please? It's getting hot in here.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by wolfy

heheeh!
Sweet looking bike no? Could someone open the windows in here please? It's getting hot in here.

But does it go as fast as it looks saaaar?

[desideep]

What i can tell you is that YES SAARR it will go fast but just by bullet standards, you can buy better bikes for that kinda money but you are not going to get a Cafe racer.

[wantarangerover]

Dont know what's with the 'saaar' stuff (since its built in chennai??), but seriously, if you think the bullets are overpriced, the fact is that people are ready to buy it at these prices, period. If the things move even at these costs, why would they price it lower? Pricing is not sum of the cost of parts, its not that simple is it.

Originally Posted by ebonho

Does anyone have the performance figures for this bike? Especially the top end?

I just do not get RE pricing man.

First the LBs jumping 30-40K over the Standards?

Why? New 5 speed gearbox and new engine we are told. OK very good. So must be really much faster we ask? Ya of course we are told - bike rips man. Does a cool 125 kmph tops. Huh but the Standard does 120 stock man we wonder.

Ok there is a lot of chrome and gas shocks too, so stopcribing.

Then the UCEs come along. Again the prices jump by 30-40K. Wow we wonder. Must be a techno marvel this time (salivating through long atrophied glands). Gear box inside engine - wow! we say. Less transmission losses so more of that mythical bhp and torque actually makes it to the rear wheel.

Yummy so far. Hydraulic tappets and pushrods. And fatter fork tubes finally after 50+ years. Man we are now really rocking! So whats the top speed we wonder. Does it at least now go past 140? No, but close we are told. Official top end is now a whopping 130. Whoodeeeeedooooo!

Ok so a new generation of rider buys into the Bullet dream, and the "Classics" (bicycle spring saddles man!) start moving off the showroom floors nearly as fast as the bike's top end.

The comes a fancy matte paint job, followed closely by another model dipped in a chrome tub. Resultant cost hike another 20K. Man!

Then comes the TB 500. Cool rider. Modified foot pegs. Bigger tank. Fancy grab rail. And projector headlamp. All for now only 30K more saar!

But does it go any faster saaar we ask hopefully, imploring with our eyes, as the vacuum in our back pocket pulls us earthwards? Errr, not really ......

So now that brings us to this Cafe Racer. Another 20K being asked for by the looks of it. Different tank, shocks, shorter fork, cradle frame, and solo saddle, with clip ons and rear sets.

But does it go faster saaaaaaar (voice very feeble, saliva long since dried up)?

Wait and see .......

[FourWheelDrift]

I have a request to anyone who is following this thread, and who happens across another test vehicle.

In addition to photos, please take and post a video recording with good sound quality of the idling and rev-up sound of the bike.

The aural pleasure of a motorcycle does a lot to enhance (or in a lot of cases diminish) the whole sensory experience.

Cheers,

FourWheelDrift

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by desideep

What i can tell you is that YES SAARR it will go fast but just by bullet standards, you can buy better bikes for that kinda money but you are not going to get a Cafe racer.

Hence my assertion that over the past 10 years, Royal Enfield has morphed into a factory modifier, taking it upon itself to do in its factory what many Bulet guys do and have been doing in small shops across the country for decades.

Nothing wrong in it per se. Use a single platform and build diferent models out of it. Most of it cosmetic.

Its the regular jumps of 20-40K every time they do it and offer it as an all new "bike" which is what I am pointing out.

Originally Posted by wantarangerover

if you think the bullets are overpriced, the fact is that people are ready to buy it at these prices, period. If the things move even at these costs, why would they price it lower? Pricing is not sum of the cost of parts, its not that simple is it.

I am one of those people as well, so I not only speak from experience, but I have actually BOUGHT my right to crib if I am not happy. And its not just the wanton inflation, but the lack of any serious improvement, which I am questioning. With examples and data to back it up. Sure there are many who are buying the bikes. How does that make the Bullet any less overpriced for what it continues to offer? Or are you saying that since there are many who buy the bikes, those not happy should stay quiet and not rain on their parade?

535 cc old school "retro" Cafe Racer for 2 Lacs in 2013. Hope it can finally touch the ton. Something British Cafe Racers (singles) of similar capacity were doing in the 1950s.

[desideep]

my friend the only thing that i like about this bike is that it has more of a modern frame now that will make it a way better handler than what it was.