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Old 4th March 2014, 16:46   #16
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re: Enfield TB500 or Harley Street 750?

Quote:
Originally Posted by ebonho View Post
With a bum knee, a Harley is the last bike you should be considering.
Doc to be honest I don't think one can compare the TB 500 with the street 750. They are as different as cheese and chalk. I would rather suggest the prospective buyer to list out his requirements and then take the decision if he is stuck between these 2.
Each comes with their own pluses and negatives.

I agree with your take on the bonhomie displayed at IBW.

PS: TB500 is not exactly light, tips the scales at 195 Kilos

Last edited by ku69rd : 4th March 2014 at 16:47.
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Old 4th March 2014, 17:10   #17
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re: Enfield TB500 or Harley Street 750?

Quote:
Originally Posted by ku69rd View Post
Doc to be honest I don't think one can compare the TB 500 with the street 750. They are as different as cheese and chalk. I would rather suggest the prospective buyer to list out his requirements and then take the decision if he is stuck between these 2.
Each comes with their own pluses and negatives.

I agree with your take on the bonhomie displayed at IBW.

PS: TB500 is not exactly light, tips the scales at 195 Kilos
I'm not the one comparing (here) bro. He listed these two so looking at his requirements, and the fact that he has a bad knee, I suggested the Bullet. The Bullet is heavy but the Harley is much heavier. If you've ever injured your knee (ligaments, tendons, etc.) you know how carefully you protect that knee while riding. Now add a 220-240 kilo bike to that .....
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Old 4th March 2014, 17:22   #18
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re: Enfield TB500 or Harley Street 750?

Thanks mods for adding the options in the main title.
Realized the miss once i saw it latter.

Quote:
Originally Posted by ebonho View Post
With a bum knee, a Harley is the last bike you should be considering.

My suggestion would be to go for the TB500. Its much lighter.
Yes, i've seen the rolling part of the ride recently. Made me smile.
This though i think is manageable mate.
Still , TB500 is my personal choice, as of now. Maybe will upgrade to a harley later, but definitely will soon as the HoG experience is pretty great.

Quote:
Originally Posted by ku69rd View Post
Doc to be honest I don't think one can compare the TB 500 with the street 750. They are as different as cheese and chalk.

PS: TB500 is not exactly light, tips the scales at 195 Kilos
Not comparing them per say , but comparing the options i think are available in the budget range i'm looking at.

Also, cruiser type bikes (courtesy knee) that are in he market are pretty much ~200 & over. So the TB500 is light in a relative sense sir (that's what ebonho also means i think)
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Old 4th March 2014, 17:32   #19
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re: Enfield TB500 or Harley Street 750?

Quote:
Originally Posted by ebonho View Post
The Bullet is heavy but the Harley is much heavier. If you've ever injured your knee (ligaments, tendons, etc.) you know how carefully you protect that knee while riding. Now add a 220-240 kilo bike to that .....
Gotcha, yes with a poor knee the heavier Harleys will take a toll on them.
Did not mean to point the finger at you for the comparison
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Old 6th March 2014, 06:24   #20
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Re: Enfield TB500 or Harley Street 750?

I would say that you need to expand your consideration to include :

1. What kind of riding you intend to do - Long Distance Highway touring / Small city rides or weekend rides?
2. What kind of speeds do you do - under 90 or over 90?
3. Do you care more for remote accessibility of service or brand pervades your mind more than anything else?

There could be more parameters but based on these -

TBTS - under 90kmph, understated and a reliable touring and weekend ride easier to service around remote areas.

Harley - over 90kmph, Harley brand and visibility, lesser and major city centered service and parts availability.

Hope it clears some confusion.
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Old 6th March 2014, 14:44   #21
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Re: Enfield TB500 or Harley Street 750?

Hi P.S.

Even i am in the look out for a bike. I did have a chance to look at the the HD Street 750 in Bangalore HD showrooms.

What i noticed it, the vehicle seems to be planted to low. If you ask me, much lower than the Bajaj Avenger. According to me, i guess that is not good for your knees also.

I am sure, even the Street 750 is going to get underchasis beating, because the ground clearance is marginally better than, Super low or any other HD entry level bikes.

Though the riding position is okay types, i would suggest you to also explore Triumph Boneville. Do read the referenced thread for some user comments;

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/superb...onneville.html

and

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/superb...omes-home.html

Hope these references helps you.

Happy biking and i wish you all the very best for your bike selection.

Do share, which one did you finally materialize on..

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Old 7th March 2014, 13:15   #22
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Re: Enfield TB500 or Harley Street 750?

My two cents on this comparison :-

I would recommend you to test ride both TB500 and HD750 before deciding which one suits your need better (assuming you have budget to stretch from 2 lakhs to 5 lakhs)

TB500 can be your everyday bike and may not have the oomph and glamour of a HD750 but, is a very capable bike

However, if you wish to get into the HD culture and primary purpose of the bike is weekend rides and being part of HD community then HD 750 should be a good choice (assuming you like how it rides in first place)

Let me introduce another angle to your story...

Why not consider Classic 500 instead of TB 500? In my opinion, it handles better than TB 500

Here is a short comparo between them both

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motorb...ml#post3131852
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Old 8th March 2014, 02:05   #23
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Re: Enfield TB500 or Harley Street 750?

Went to bengal HD on tuesday , dissapointed by the finish of the bike as well as information or lack of regarding the bike.

Hideous wire management all over the place , looks way worse in person than the pictures , engine is neither black nor gray and looks like 'plastic'. The enfield thunderbird engine has a better blacked out finish than this.

I'm 6'1 and the inseam felt cramped , a 'tallboy' seat will cost around 15k and no idea about forward control. They won't offer the seat as stock , these are basic formalities one expects from a company at this price point .

Footpegs are cheap .

On the motor , they only offered 65nm of torque( rpm ???? ). As HD 'tradition' , no figure offered for power. Top speed - around 150kph , didnt say anything(other than it will accelerate faster - duhh ) when I mentioned a commuter hatchback can also do that speed with 4 passengers .

No idea about final gear ratio (I think the salesman doesnt knows what overdrive means ) . Tyres are MRF , not a deal breaker but bikes costing less than half of the street have pirellis and michellins. When you factor all of this together though , it feels like a product that has made compromises all around in the name of budget even though it is by no stretch of imagination a budget product in indian economy and only the engine/performance can prove to be the saving grace of this bike . Building a bike like this in india with our labour rate and all should result in a significantly finer example(aesthetically) than the one displayed . As things stand , this is a product relying on brand name to sale .


Going again tomorrow as I have been promised a one on one with the manager who was absent last time , I requested him to provide me with some concrete details this time and he has said he will. I will see if I can coax him into firing the motor even though the chances seem non existent.
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Old 8th March 2014, 12:08   #24
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Re: Enfield TB500 or Harley Street 750?

The way I see the Streeet 750 playing out - in India.

Its going to be significantly better performing than the 883. The "150 kmph top speed" is a Harley instructed and planted canard. The reason is obvious.

Its not going to sound anything like a Harley. Yes like in the case of the UCE Bullets, people are going to put on free flow mufflers and the like to get some loudness out of the bike - bu the note and sound and firing quite simply are not going to be Harley.

BUT, at this price point, and in a Harley infant country and community like India which has zero Harley pre-existing tradition and hierrarchy to begin with, the Streets will not have that hard a time being accepted into the Harley fold as say they would in the US. In the US, the Street is not going to be accepted as a Harley. Period. In fact I predict a lot of downright racist nonsense on the American boards targeting India and the third world.

At the end of the day, this bike (exposed wires, cheap footpegs, cheap tyres and all) will sell in India. It will give guys looking for a performance (relative) cruiser at a budget a choice - that is just that much separated from the Bullets, yet not at the higher lllevels of the other entry Harleys and the Triumphs.

And in that case Harley would have succeeded. Because this bike was not built for the Western markets. It was built for India and the developing world. And like any other Harley Tax, the exhausts and tyres and seats and pegs are extra. So don't complain. When we sell you a 2 bhk for the cost of a 3 bhk penthouse, don't be crass enough to expect doors and windows and bathroom fittings and hob and chimney and kitchen trollies to come with it .....

Peace!
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Old 8th March 2014, 16:12   #25
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Re: Enfield TB500 or Harley Street 750?

Firstly, excellent job by mods on this forum.

Quote:
Originally Posted by bhardwhu View Post
I would say that you need to expand your consideration to include :

1. What kind of riding you intend to do - Long Distance Highway touring / Small city rides or weekend rides?

Hope it clears some confusion.
Thank your for the questions raised & your input on them, truly helpful.

The bike will be used primarily on the weekends & for highway touring 2-4 times a year. While in the long run the HD is my choice, Cost & riding skills (while i'm good on balancing,I will learn proper riding on it 'haaf saaf' on my own bike as i don't want to even unintentionally damage someones bike, just in case) prevent me from going for the 883 directly.

Today's HD ride to Rajasthan is further pushing me towards the HD club. Unfortunately the wallet is playing spoilsport with the heart. So 883 out (for now) & these 2 are the choices (TB love started inn 2007, story shall be in the ownership thread)

Speed , as fast as safely possible, so 100-110 max i guess, which from various threads the TB is capable of.

While HD service centres are obviously less, one thing pointed by HoGs is that so is the requirement for service. It's a pretty hassle free bike. Also on long rides, they take along mechanics with essential spares.

Quote:
Originally Posted by ru153 View Post
I did have a chance to look at the the HD Street 750 in Bangalore HD showrooms.

What i noticed it, the vehicle seems to be planted too low. If you ask me, much lower than the Bajaj Avenger.

Street 750 is going to get underchasis beating, because the ground clearance is marginally better

Hope these references helps you.
Thanks for sharing your input ru153.
I'm a little confused about the ground clearance part. The HD person I'd spoken to had said its going to be approx ~140mm, & that this bike was designed keeping in mind the GC issues faced by the HD in India (heard a fatboy under-chassis repair cost 1.5L, but then i didn't understand the concept of a fatboy on rural farm roads either) Will check it out soon.

The TB love affair began ever since i saw one daily in Mumbai way back in 2007. Triumph is out because if i'm spending a good amount, i personally prefer the added HoG club advantage. Maybe later when I'm loaded, the rocket III

the mobike008's threads you referred are quite good. Had read them (along with umpteen others) a few days back sir.


Quote:
Originally Posted by mobike008 View Post
My two cents on this comparison :-

I would recommend you to test ride both TB500 and HD750 before deciding which one suits your need better (assuming you have budget to stretch from 2 lakhs to 5 lakhs)

TB500 can be your everyday bike and may not have the oomph and glamour of a HD750 but, is a very capable bike

However, if you wish to get into the HD culture and primary purpose of the bike is weekend rides and being part of HD community then HD 750 should be a good choice (assuming you like how it rides in first place)

Let me introduce another angle to your story...

Why not consider Classic 500 instead of TB 500? In my opinion, it handles better than TB 500
I'll be riding them for the first time out of the showroom. Don't have the heart to try my hand on other peoples 2-wheelers (long story) hence the 883 i can ride i don't want to. (agn, balancing & all i'm good with, plus drive the Dzire 100Kms daily to-fro work from Gurgaon to Bhiwadi on NH8 for 4.5 years & been driving since 2001,so road sense is good too---before someone thinks i'm a nut for starting this thread)

Budget isn't much of an issue with the financing available these days, hence 2 or 5 , both are fine, though 9 for 883 is not possible at the moment.

HD community is very appealing to me. Met a few interesting people last weekend.

& you, sir, are mean to bring back the extra angle
RE stable choice is TB (90%) & DS500 (10%) Tb winning because of :
1) Rear disc
2) Instrument panel
3) Riding Stance seemed better for knees
4) Comfortable seats (as you mentioned as well)
5) Cruiser styling

Quote:
Originally Posted by basuroy View Post
dissapointed by the finish of the bike

Hideous wire management all over the place

'tallboy' seat will cost around 15k and no idea about forward control. these are basic formalities one expects from a company at this price point .

Footpegs are cheap .
agreed. HD does give you the very basic bike & even basic add-ons are very expensive. uncle bought the 883 2 years back. Felt it took long to 0-100, so went for checkup.....they mentioned you have to upgrade from stock exhaust & air intake to get optimum power.
Friend bought his with stage 3 exhaust in the first place to save some money. Beautiful machine.
Shall check out the bike soon & state my observations.
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Old 8th March 2014, 17:54   #26
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Re: Enfield TB500 or Harley Street 750?

Well just to add my two bits. I have had the TBTS 500 since Nov 2012. It is essentially a weekend set of wheels for me and I have used is for commuting within NCR ( no long rides to date but frequent runs on the Noida - Greater Noida expressway). The bike has approx 5200 km on the clock.

I have had absolutely no problems with the bike except for the instrument cluster, which has been replaced under warranty even after the warranty had expired ( kuds to REML service for it). The mechanicals and the electricals have behaved impeccably. I believe the quality of this product is much better than what the earlier owners have experienced.

One thing which I have believed is to go for the flagship product of a odel line up. While the 750 may be affordble at 4.1 lakhs ex show room my question is " Is it a HD in the first place" . It is like going in for a Toyota Liva or Etios based on the brand equity built on products like the Corolla and the Fortuners. Morever, everytime you swing your leg over the bike,you will wish that you had gone in for a proper Harley.

One redeeming factor may be the entry into the HOG.
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Old 8th March 2014, 18:37   #27
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Re: Enfield TB500 or Harley Street 750?

Quote:
Originally Posted by rajneeesh View Post
It is essentially a weekend set of wheels for me and I have used is for commuting within NCR ( no long rides to date but frequent runs on the Noida - Greater Noida expressway).
I have had absolutely no problems with the bike except for the instrument cluster,
I believe the quality of this product is much better than what the earlier owners have experienced.

One redeeming factor may be the entry into the HOG.
Thanks for your inputs sir.

From what I've read & heard till now, the new TB500 is definitely a great machine ( barring few hiccups like your cluster issue, some1s brake getting heated ,lights mis-aligned, or anothers fuse burning out in week1) minor niggles.

while the street may not be THE HD on the block, it's the same people making it. Hence confidence level is higher. the machine is bound to be good.

please don't even remind be about the liva. While the seating space is great, the plastic on the dash put me off completely. But then again, the interiors of the innova & fortuner are quite similar. Guess what toyota needs to do is get better interior guys. going OT......coming back.

As off now, TB500 Twilight> Street 750
Awaiting to see the street in person & get on it's saddle.
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Old 8th March 2014, 20:25   #28
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Re: Enfield TB500 or Harley Street 750?

by the way, anyone has any idea what the TB500 discount courtesy excise is ?
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Old 8th March 2014, 21:51   #29
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Re: Enfield TB500 or Harley Street 750?

Quote:
Originally Posted by P.S. View Post
Firstly, excellent job by mods on this forum.


Thank your for the questions raised & your input on them, truly helpful.

The bike will be used primarily on the weekends & for highway touring 2-4 times a year.

Speed , as fast as safely possible, so 100-110 max i guess, which from various threads the TB is capable of.
With these inputs, I feel HD serves your purpose well.

I have done extensive touring on TBTS and let me share my highway experiences. The machines maxes out at speeds mentioned by you. I find it difficult for those critical overtaking maneuvers.

Also, you may not like to max out yet the need for torque might be felt even at 80 and there, TBTS suffers a bit.

I feel that a relaxed cruising would make you and the bike feel feel more in control and that would come about if you have enough reserve power at cruising speeds.

My take on it!
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Old 8th March 2014, 23:47   #30
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Re: Enfield TB500 or Harley Street 750?

Manager of bengal HD today offered to fire up the engine after the joke of an experience I had 4 days back , the quality is bad but this will give you all some idea-



He is still clueless about - power , performance , gear ratios , acceleration figures , general explanation regarding the bike(other than the obvious like liquid cooled) . I will take lot more care than that and educate the dealers about such basic stuff if i was in charge. But enjoyed revving and pushing the bike around , the dealer was great this time , not his fault HD dont care about certain customers who might not take the product for granted just because of the badge on the tank.
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