[RSimonS]

Thanks a lot all for the responses, this is really helpful. I understand that I am very late with raising this issue, letting you all know. But I strongly feel, RE as a company should have some better process and policies in place with customer engagement.

Originally Posted by bhagathmp

Hi,
As most guys already mentioned, go ahead and make the booking with another dealer.

I feel I missed the boat long back, I should have taken this step way back rather than waiting for this insane period. But there was no urgency for me as well.

Originally Posted by J.Ravi

Definitely, yes. My son got his Classic 500 Black from HSR Services, Lal Bagh Road, Bangalore, after waiting for 6 months.

The waiting periods are varying across showrooms, they are not good with communication either. But unfortunately they know that they would be able to sell their product, hence customers and prospects can be treated indifferently.

Originally Posted by abhinav.s

The bike was booked in Bangalore as far as i can gather from the OP's first post and the dealer is not really new.

Yes, my booking is with so called brand showroom.

Originally Posted by mobike008

Speaking from my personal experience of picking up a Classic 500cc on the same day that I took a test drive ( I picked up the bike in 3-4 days in reality but, technically I could have picked up the same day)

You are also voicing my concerns, there is absolutely no audit on bookings of any sort, these people take customers for a ride and manipulate bookings. If you know the showroom people well, you will have an early delivery, else you wait. I also do not think this is linked to the size of the city as my booking is in Bangalore.

Originally Posted by naveenroy

I personally feel that RE hasn't cared and doesn't care at all. They are selling in very good numbers also now and that makes them that much more unapproachable.

It is a very valid point, they do not care, it is very much evident. But, unfortunately, we all go behind some of our dreams. HD might have fitted very well, but my pockets are not that deep, else I would not have booked a RE in the first place.

Originally Posted by ku69rd

Man Oh Man, you seem to have the patience of a sage.
But then I feel with the KTM 390 to be shortly unveiled you might want to consider that option?

There was no urgency for me, that could also have been problem. KTM 390 is a good option.

Originally Posted by Patriot_Vishwas

Shoot a mail to Mr.Abin Varghese,the RE guy responsible for the South.
avarghese(at)royalenfield(dawt)com

I mailed their twitter account and customer service, they redirected me to showroom manager. I am not sure, but will definitely give a try.

Originally Posted by manolin

walk into a bajaj showroom, pick up a Duke. Bullet is all good etc, and the feel is irreplaceable.

I never waited for more than couple of weeks for any vehicle I picked up. More than the wait, it is the attitude of folks that is the problem.

Originally Posted by invincible7

I am surprised that you waited for such a long time for the bike which you always wanted to ride and the showroom has taken you for a ride (looks like), its Sad.

Like I mentioned, there was no urgency and my Innova was meeting all the needs.

Originally Posted by DHABHAR.BEHRAM

Dear RsimonS and all - apart from the fact that one bullet transmission got stuck in third gear and the customer had to drive around 30 kms in third gear to reach the workshop, this becomes my second reason for not booking a bullet motorcycle which I would really love to own. Let Harley Davidson come with a bike in this category, then watch the fun!

Best regards,

Behram Dhabhar

DHABHAR Sir, It was really nice to see you for response as the first one to my thread. I had my share of bad experiences with my TB as well, cut cables, broken accelerator, oil leak, fuel leak etc. Hope HD releases a bike in affordable category, 6-8L for a bike is beyond my imagination, otherwise I would not have jumped into this at all.

[PetrolRider]

I know that exact showroom. That showroom is just in front of my office.

I have visited them once couple of month back with my friend who was searching for a good bike. There were 4 guys inside with RE teas and ZERO customer.
We asked about the TB350. One of the guys said, the concerned person is not there, please wait.
After 15 min, we asked them the brochure, they didn't have that. They even didn't have a price list. But they obliged us by telling the approximate on road price verbally.

My friend didn't go for the RE.

[RSimonS]

Originally Posted by ani_meher

1 year for a bike! Are these handmade? Damn! In this one year you could have bought a second hand bullet, ride it thoroughly and even sold it by now.

Even a baby takes only 9 months after booking, and here a bike has taken above 12 months and counting. How much is the cancellation charge? See if you can do this: Book the bike with your dealer as well, and whichever turns up first, you buy it.

Meher, I was also wondering whether RE has started following the foot steps of Rolls Royce and started hand crafting rides.

There is no rider on cancellation, not that this has reached this far, I want to see how far this would go.

Briton's had a very high score in integrity and respect for people, sad to see that a company with British roots does not have both of them.

[Enigmatic]

My Apologies in advance for the blunt response.

I dont own a bullet and neither do i know how to ride a bike, however what i can relate with is the love you have for the brand.

Im sorry but you have been way to patient and that is why these guys have taken you for a ride !!

A one year wait for a BIKE!! I know it has an amazing cult following and i respect that the brand has stood the test of time, however an year's wait is unacceptable under any circumstances !

Here is what you can do :-

1) Re-tweet, write mails to the senior executives or keep on calling the showroom guys to get the same response

OR

2) Go down to the showroom, meet the owner(in-charge), give them a piece of your mind and don't leave the showroom till they provide a resolution in writing. Tell them you will sue them for this "illegal" act of theirs.

Please dont get me wrong, it is your right to get what you were promised. Fighting for it is your duty !. You see what the dealer is doing here is not only following an unethical practice by giving bikes to people who had registered after you, but he is also committing a fraud by not sticking to his commitment.

And it is because of people like us who give up a fight only because it gets tough and/or takes time, that these morons at the RE showroom(or any other showroom for that matter) have the balls to take innocent customers for a ride.

DO NOT SETTLE FOR ANY OTHER BIKE. You have waited for over an year, do not give up now. Moreover if you settle for an other bike, your lust for the machine would never be satisfied.

Do not wait for the game to change by the help of a third party(more competition from other brands etc), keep your foot down and change the game now.

[wanderluster]

I booked a 350 with the showroom in Jayanagar way back in Feb 2011 - i followed up multiple times. When i finally got a call i was travelling abroad and told them i would pick it up 3 months later. When the three months passed i called and was told that i would get it three months later - i was surprised but waited for 3 months more and when i called they again told me three months. I finally went there and made a scene and then saw and realised what they had done - they had put 'after three months' against my booking in the excel sheet they maintain with no date - so each time i would call they would just read that out to me.

I lost my cool and was promised my bike in the next lot - a month passed again - and it was the same story. after i drop an email escalating the issue i get a response and a call telling me to come in 24 hrs and make the payment or i won't get the bike in this lot - i couldn't do it at the short notice, so lost the bike. I had lost my patience and didn't bother even collecting by booking amount (it was 1,000/- then). My booking made in Feb-2011 is still logged with them.

RE has to improve the quality of their sales - while they try to improve their bikes. Considering the cost of REs these days - the interaction with their sales team is pathetic.

[iron.head]

Originally Posted by RSimonS

Meher, I was also wondering whether RE has started following the foot steps of Rolls Royce and started hand crafting rides.

There is no rider on cancellation, not that this has reached this far, I want to see how far this would go.

Briton's had a very high score in integrity and respect for people, sad to see that a company with British roots does not have both of them.

Hi RSimonS

I have forwarded your concern to senior people at RE who will surely help you. Send me your contact details and I will forward them too.

Cheers!

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by DHABHAR.BEHRAM

Dear RsimonS and all - apart from the fact that one bullet transmission got stuck in third gear and the customer had to drive around 30 kms in third gear to reach the workshop, this becomes my second reason for not booking a bullet motorcycle which I would really love to own. Let Harley Davidson come with a bike in this category, then watch the fun!

Best regards,

Behram Dhabhar

We had this discussion on royal enfield bikes during the team-bhp meet last weekend - and your thoughts reflect the same as mine.

Do I admire one?
Yes.

Do I worship one?
Yes.

Do I love riding one?
Yes.

Do I wish to own one?
Hell... No! I would rather borrow it from a friend occassionally, just for the thrill!

[unk9ja]

This brand showroom on the East end is notorious for these type of replies/ antics. My friend had booked a TB350 and was made to wait over the time they promised to deliver. He had to resort to call up someone in top brass of the Eicher group and get the vehicle delivered.

[RSimonS]

Originally Posted by unk9ja

This brand showroom on the East end is notorious for these type of replies/ antics...

Yeah, they behave like they OWN the brand RE and are doing some mercy by allowing us to own a RE bike

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

We had this discussion on royal enfield bikes during the team-bhp meet last weekend - and your thoughts reflect the same as mine.

Well said, some people, like me, make mistakes and repeat the same mistakes again.

Originally Posted by iron.head

Hi RSimonS

I have forwarded your concern to senior people at RE who will surely help you. Send me your contact details and I will forward them too.

Cheers!

Thanks a lot Iron.Head, I will PM the details

Originally Posted by wanderluster

I booked a 350 with the showroom in Jayanagar way back in Feb 2011 - i followed up multiple times..

Yeah true, they behave like they OWN the brand RE and are doing some mercy by allowing us to own a RE bike

Originally Posted by Enigmatic

My Apologies in advance for the blunt response.

Originally Posted by PetrolRider

I know that exact showroom. That showroom is just in front of my office.

My friend didn't go for the RE.

Sad to see that there are many in the same boat as mine.

When a company sets up a BRAND SHOWROOM, it is a representation of the company, a representation of the values they behold, a representation of ethics they try to portray, a representation of themselves.

Unfortunately, if Eicher as a company is maintaining their shops the way it is now, it is conveying a very wrong message. It more than appalling to see that I am not the only one in this boat, there are many with the same or similar trouble.

When we decide on buying a bike, RE as a company is not gifting or donating us one, we are spending our hard earned money behind a dream. I do not feel it is a sin to expect for minimum curtsey from them as a customer, after all the person is not all going to get a trouble free and reliable product.

[PetrolRider]

Originally Posted by RSimonS

When we decide on buying a bike, RE as a company is not gifting or donating us one, we are spending our hard earned money behind a dream. I do not feel it is a sin to expect for minimum curtsey from them as a customer, after all the person is not all going to get a trouble free and reliable product.

+1 to that. Not only that, when someone spends an amount which can get him a Nano on a Desi Bike (Sad to say there is nothing British about RE now, they are same as the TATA or Mahindra) knowing the well known reliability issues, these kind of sales experience is unacceptable.

[rjstyles69]

simon since this fiasco has left in you bad taste with RE, I would say move on. The market has a whole lot of bikes to offer, take a look at the new duke or the ninja that's being rolled out shortly. A test ride might strike the right chord in you and it could be a new begining.

Someday later lady luck might simply decide to smile at you and you could end up with a decent used RE.

[madhukar_n]

We had booked 3 bikes in November end 2 electra and 1 TB350. we were told 4-6 months as the waiting period. We were ok with it. I think it is going to end soon. So we went and enquired to them we were told that the Aug-Sept bookings are being delivered till April. So the Oct-Nov booking will start from April end or May. So May is a probable month where we can hope to take deliver. But when pushed they did concede that if we change the booking to 500cc Classic(non-chrome) or 500cc TB they will give delivery in 2-3 weeks since we have already completed almost 6 months. so the idea is to wait for another 2-3 weeks and see if the oct-nov delivery starts. if not then think of changing the booking.

[RSimonS]

Originally Posted by iron.head

Hi RSimonS
I have forwarded your concern to senior people at RE who will surely help you. Send me your contact details and I will forward them too.
Cheers!

I got a call from them, unfortunately could not take the call at that time, called them back and the person who took the call mentioned she would call back.
I also got a call from one Mr Karthik from Chennai, he mentioned he would speed things up.

Originally Posted by madhukar_n

We had booked 3 bikes in November end 2 electra and 1 TB350. we were told 4-6 months as the waiting period..

Please do not do the mistake I did, visit/call them periodically else they will shuffle the bookings have a wait till eternity

Originally Posted by rjstyles69

simon
Someday later lady luck might simply decide to smile at you and you could end up with a decent used RE.

I really hope so

Originally Posted by PetrolRider

+1 to that. Not only that, when someone spends an amount which can get him a Nano on a Desi Bike (Sad to say there is nothing British about RE now, they are same as the TATA or Mahindra) knowing the well known reliability issues, these kind of sales experience is unacceptable.

Attaching my booking slip for your views, the company I work with is also a vendor for Eicher Motors, I never wanted to take undue advantage of the connections I had. Raising this in public forum was the last option I was looking at, decided to go public only after my emails or promises made were not met.

Cheers.

[RSimonS]

I got the below email as follow up from Mr Karthik, so we have a commitment on date of delivery.

I hope I would be getting a good and trouble free ride.

Thanks a lot all, especially Iron.Head for all the help, now I have one more reason to become more active on TBHP.

Greetings from Royal Enfield and pls accept our apologies on the delay in delivery of your Classic. As discussed with you over the phone we will ensure the delivery of your bike before 20th of this month and our Brand store manager Satish(mobile no XXXXXXXXXX) will be in touch with you to co-ordinate the same. Please call me on my mobile for any support.

Thank you once again for your feedback and your patient patronage.

[iron.head]

Originally Posted by RSimonS

I got the below email as follow up from Mr Karthik, so we have a commitment on date of delivery.

I hope I would be getting a good and trouble free ride.

Thanks a lot all, especially Iron.Head for all the help, now I have one more reason to become more active on TBHP.

Good Luck with your new ride! You are now part of a legacy!

The Classic 500 thread is like an encyclopedia for Classic 500, thanks to our dear friend Sanjeet Randhawa for his immense contribution on that thread.

Find out the PDI list and run-in your bike nicely! C5 is much improved now than the initial bikes which were manufactured and I am hopeful that you will have a niggle free ride(even showroom people will not goof up with you on that!).

Cheers!