[Jimmy_u]

Originally Posted by BigCat

Dear Sridhu,
Today I am now ( as we speak ), 39 years, 6 months & 6 days young & Your Dilemma is understood but you are on the safer side as you have narrowed it down to either a Bullet Thunderbird TBTS 500 cc or a KTM Duke 390. " A man without a past may have been herded... Rajesh " & I did have a past with RE Bullet, after my first bike the Yezdi 250 DLX in 89' RX 100, RD 350, Bullet Std all in my stable. But then there was a gap now dully filled with my new Thunderbird, which actually is my daughters birthday present. Go with your heart on these matters, my take on this is that even after 20 yrs from now a Thunderbird will not age... reason .. Classic Genes.

Hi BigCat,

would you oblige us by adding the initial ownership report for your Bullet, would be a good insight for us new buyers .

[BigCat]

Dear Jimmy, Love takes it's toil & efforts too, this brings in a family account, all the ones. The first 20 Kms ( I had got the PDI sheet & done the PDI ) broke the Rear Bearings.
2nd day got it replaced. 2nd Day lost the rear brakes. Front was just a formality. The guys at the service were great but were so so worried about their senior experience that they were holding themselves back. RE engineer visited. Saw my point & the service guys too. Got a complete wheel Replacement including rear Brakes. Front master cylinder also replaced. You must take it that a run in is always required & an Enfield is a one person thing.

[azm@bpl]

Its quite scary to know that your bike had problems from the very first day. How was your experience with the RE dealer workshop? Were they prompt & co-operative or you have to force your way in? I mean its very obvious that RE would have problems from the moment you roll it out from the showroom but the willingness & attitude of service team could make the difference in owning one or keeping a safe distance from the bike.

[Rollin' Thunda]

Originally Posted by BigCat

Dear Jimmy, Love takes it's toil & efforts too, this brings in a family account, all the ones. The first 20 Kms ( I had got the PDI sheet & done the PDI ) broke the Rear Bearings.
2nd day got it replaced. 2nd Day lost the rear brakes. Front was just a formality. The guys at the service were great but were so so worried about their senior experience that they were holding themselves back. RE engineer visited. Saw my point & the service guys too. Got a complete wheel Replacement including rear Brakes. Front master cylinder also replaced. You must take it that a run in is always required & an Enfield is a one person thing.

I cannot imagine what the quality control department does at RE, if they could let this bike be sent for sale! Yes, I know the cynics would say "what quality control department at RE?", but the newer bikes since the UCE have been having fewer maintenance issues, I think. But with RE, it is always "two steps forward, and one step back" it seems...

I hope your bike is fine now.

[abhjain]

Originally Posted by BigCat

Dear Jimmy, Love takes it's toil & efforts too, this brings in a family account, all the ones. The first 20 Kms ( I had got the PDI sheet & done the PDI ) broke the Rear Bearings.
2nd day got it replaced. 2nd Day lost the rear brakes. Front was just a formality. The guys at the service were great but were so so worried about their senior experience that they were holding themselves back. RE engineer visited. Saw my point & the service guys too. Got a complete wheel Replacement including rear Brakes. Front master cylinder also replaced. You must take it that a run in is always required & an Enfield is a one person thing.

It's a real shame that a manufacturer who has unmatched following across India is not able to maintain any quality control !! Hope Mr Lal tries to prove a point by getting reliable bikes off the new plant and only by introducing new models this fiscal.

[sathish81]

Originally Posted by sridhu

Folks

I am a 47 year old man who loves bikes. Weaned on a Jawa & a Bullet. Used to to own an RX-100 but have not used a bike in almost 15 years.

Thank you sir for the above statement

Now I know how to counter my wife's argument about bikes being meant for young and I should stick to driving a car. She even called me crazy for thinking about getting a bike given the fact I can afford an bigger car

Time to restart the argument about getting an ninja after my daughter goes to sleep

Btw I am only 32.

[ArizonaJim]

Bikes are for the young? I beg to differ.

With riding motorcycles, a persons age is an asset. Older is better.

The need to "test the limits", "prove ones invincibility", "defy rules and regulations", "prove your adulthood" and a number of other things that drive young people to risk life and limb become things of the past and are put into proper prospective with age.

The ability to see life and appreciate its wonders and excitements has been reached with age but the need to expand and develop and partake in exploring living is a never ending challenge.

Riding a motorcycle opens new avenues to this exploration that do not exist for the people who are satisfied with driving a car.

To the auto driver the goal is being at the destination.

To the motorcyclist the goal is to experience the voyage.
The wind, the sounds, the smells, the scenery and the intimate relationship with a steed that responds to your slightest thoughts.
Reaching the destination and being there is just the frosting on the cake and soon after arriving your thoughts will be more about the return voyage than on remaining at the destination.

I learned these things as a young man and this knowledge has been repeatedly confirmed over 49 years of riding motorcycles.

Now, at the age of 69 I ride my Royal Enfield almost daily.
I dream up destinations not because I want to be there. I dream them up because they serve as a excuse to ride when common sense would say there is no need.

Buy your motorcycle. Ride carefully and enjoy the fulfillment that only riding can give.

[motocamp]

I totally agree with you Arizonajim on all accounts.

The only challenge to an older motorcyclist in India is the hazardous road conditions, this can be daunting prospect for a lot of guys.

I have ridden with a lot of older riders in India..but they have a different take on life to do it.

The pictures below were shot in Nepal, some of the roads were non existent to say the least.Two of the guys were 53 and 66

All royal Enfield's.

[BigCat]

WoW! some posts, By the way I would like to add that the Service Guys were great ( do remember it is always an individual to an individual, never loose your cool ) the whole bearing issue was due to a faulty spacer between the bearings, it had to do with length rather than quality, this is what set off a chain of events like broken bearings leading to a damage on the disk & henceforth. Royal Enfield has now really come of age and is miles ahead for what they had to offer earlier & do take my word for it that they are in sync with regular training for their Service Guys & also that RE sends in their own Service Engineers at regular intervals which you may request a meeting with, if necessary.

Originally Posted by Rollin' Thunda

I cannot imagine what the quality control department does at RE, if they could let this bike be sent for sale! Yes, I know the cynics would say "what quality control department at RE?", but the newer bikes since the UCE have been having fewer maintenance issues, I think. But with RE, it is always "two steps forward, and one step back" it seems...

I hope your bike is fine now.

Absolutely Great, actually it was a spacer length issue which set off a spate of events. Not a Quality problem. Re is doing Great.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by BigCat

WoW! some posts, By the way I would like to add that the Service Guys were great ( do remember it is always an individual to an individual, never loose your cool ) the whole bearing issue was due to a faulty spacer between the bearings, it had to do with length rather than quality, this is what set off a chain of events like broken bearings leading to a damage on the disk & henceforth. Royal Enfield has now really come of age and is miles ahead for what they had to offer earlier & do take my word for it that they are in sync with regular training for their Service Guys & also that RE sends in their own Service Engineers at regular intervals which you may request a meeting with, if necessary.


Absolutely Great, actually it was a spacer length issue which set off a spate of events. Not a Quality problem. Re is doing Great.

Buddy, this spacer issue is an age old Bullet issue. There are hundreds of permutations and combinations of different spacer sizes, and each Bullet mechanic would have a huge potli (bag) of spacers of different sizes which they would use with trial and error to get the right fit.

Ditto for big potli of cam gears. Same reason - fit.

Ditto for smaller potli of throttle guttis of different sizes to get the throttle slack perfectly adjusted. And bigger potli of fork bottom guttis.

I do not understand how in this year of 2013, a bike comes to you from the factory with mismatched spacer size causing bearing failures repeatedly, and you say it is not a quality issue?

Shows what we (Bulleteers) put up with just to ride these (no more) legendary bikes.

[sridhu]

@ArizonaJim: that is absolutely brilliantly put!

Rather than reliving one's youth, it is all about appreciating an undoubted pleasure responsibly.

@ebonho this 'legendary' tag is starting to wear a little thin. It was Ok when these we 70-80K bikes & there were no alternatives. At 2 lakhs I would like some quality to come built in and not depend on my diagnostic skills.

[Sutripta]

Originally Posted by ebonho

I do not understand how in this year of 2013, a bike comes to you from the factory with mismatched spacer size causing bearing failures repeatedly, and you say it is not a quality issue?

Can we say that Steve Jobs was not the only one who could set up a 'reality distortion field'!

Regards
Sutripta

[BigCat]

Dear Ebonho,

DITTO, Totally Agree, I am of the knowledge that each and every bike off the assembly line goes through the test tracks ( do correct me ) and a simple solo drive to a nearby temple on fine city roads with minimal speed, breaks the bearings. Needs introspection by RE.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by BigCat

Dear Ebonho,

DITTO, Totally Agree, I am of the knowledge that each and every bike off the assembly line goes through the test tracks ( do correct me ) and a simple solo drive to a nearby temple on fine city roads with minimal speed, breaks the bearings. Needs introspection by RE.

Do not miss the forest for the trees my friend.

Your bearing costs a hundred bucks.

The hub in which it is housed costs 2000 (last I checked for my LB). And that is what goes out of round often due to these spacer and bearing failure issues.

Incidentally, nice to met a fellow Jampotian.

[Vihari]

Originally Posted by ArizonaJim

I learned these things as a young man and this knowledge has been repeatedly confirmed over 49 years of riding motorcycles.

Originally Posted by motocamp

The only challenge to an older motorcyclist in India is the hazardous road conditions, this can be daunting prospect for a lot of guys.

Originally Posted by ebonho

Buddy, this spacer issue is an age old Bullet issue.
I do not understand how in this year of 2013, a bike comes to you from the factory with mismatched spacer size causing bearing failures repeatedly, and you say it is not a quality issue?

Shows what we (Bulleteers) put up with just to ride these (no more) legendary bikes.

Originally Posted by sridhu

..this 'legendary' tag is starting to wear a little thin. It was Ok when these we 70-80K bikes & there were no alternatives. At 2 lakhs I would like some quality to come built in and not depend on my diagnostic skills.

Now I am confused. For many years I used my HH splendor with the exact philosophy of Arizonajim. I had long and very long rides on that bike where there were no destinations, only the ride, the trees, the hills and you.

But at this age, i.e., 44 years, by back took a beating and I was down with a prolapsed disc, simply put, lower back ache. Now driving my car to office is aggravating the problem due to bumper to bumper traffic ( Hyderabad). My doctor says he would still advise me to drive a car instead of riding a bike since there will be support to my back, in a car.

Then I thought of buying a 'Thunder Bird' and trying to put up a back supporting structure on the seat and with its better Suspension, when compared to my earlier 100 cc bike, I would be solving my commuting problem. (In fact this whole thing is an alibi to get my desire of owning a RE fulfilled).

With the way problems of the vehicle are being discussed, I am wondering, my back problem will increase if I have to haul the huge monster to the nearest bike mechanic.

Any suggestions?

-Sai