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Old 9th February 2015, 23:31   #136
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re: Royal Enfield Continental GT 535 : Ownership Review (32,000 km and 9 years)

Not on the Indian online stores mind you, doubt autoqueen would have it. Do they have custom parts normally?

At first I tried gettin the parts through ebay us, well I never recieved those parts. So I'll be gettin it though my friends from europe/us.

Simplying your rear would have been the easiest thing had we just had the parts available here. Smaller round taillamp and small blinkers attached to the rear shocks should do the trick. But they aren't available as far as I know.

If you do find quality parts in blore please let me know.

The paintjob will be minimalistic (Simple thin stripes). We have really good paintjob guys in Trivandrum so I'm not all that worried about it. Still lots to go before I reach that stage.

Regards

BOV

Last edited by B O V : 9th February 2015 at 23:32.
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Old 12th February 2015, 12:11   #137
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re: Royal Enfield Continental GT 535 : Ownership Review (32,000 km and 9 years)

Quote:
Originally Posted by barcalad View Post
For everything written and sketched on mine, he charged around 300/-.
Sounds quite reasonable compared to the quotes I have heard from elsewhere. The shop is in Banashankari?

Quote:
Originally Posted by B O V View Post
Not on the Indian online stores mind you, doubt autoqueen would have it. Do they have custom parts normally?

At first I tried gettin the parts through ebay us, well I never recieved those parts. So I'll be gettin it though my friends from europe/us.

Simplying your rear would have been the easiest thing had we just had the parts available here. Smaller round taillamp and small blinkers attached to the rear shocks should do the trick. But they aren't available as far as I know.

If you do find quality parts in blore please let me know.

The paintjob will be minimalistic (Simple thin stripes). We have really good paintjob guys in Trivandrum so I'm not all that worried about it. Still lots to go before I reach that stage.

Regards

BOV
They have some stuff there including different grips, LEDs, DRLs, headlights (IIRC), coloured levers (like what you would find on ebay) and so on. Honestly when I had my R15, there wasnt really too much that I could have done to customize it, so I never really looked.


I will stop by my mechanic's place next week and talk to him regarding what is available here. The thing is in Bangalore you have options if you go to JC Road but I wouldnt bank on the quality. I'll keep you posted. If they arent available in India, I will try ordering from Ebay, there's a seller in Hong Kong that is highly rated. I need to take measurements first but I was thinking of this 32 LED set http://www.ebay.com/itm/Tail-Brake-S...813698&vxp=mtr and if if doesnt fit, the 24 LED set http://www.ebay.com/itm/Motorcycle-T...87047576&rt=nc.
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Old 24th February 2015, 17:50   #138
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3000 Kms update

Royal Enfield Market Research - I got a call from a RE representative last week who wanted to ask me a few questions on my background including the industry I work in, how often I use the Continental GT and what car I drive. It seemed to me that the company was really trying to get a handle on who they are selling the bike to, something which their market researchers should have told them before launching the bike.


Mileage - With a constantly twisting right wrist that would've rivaled Azhar in his prime, mileage for the last tank full dropped from its sky high, record setting, jaw dropping, chest thumping, pride inducing figure of 44.94 kmpl back to what everyone was expecting. Total distance covered - 166.8 kms. Total petrol consumed - 8.13 litres. Total mileage - 20.52 kmpl. Total mileage since day one - 25.84 kmpl.


What I found fascinating is that the variance in mileage is quite something else. The lowest I ever achieved was 19.89 kmpl and the highest was 44.94 kmpl. Do the math. Now my next experiment should be to push the in city mileage into the 30s.


Musings with 3000 kms completed
  • Is it just in my mind or do the vibes seem to have increased ever so slightly? I cant seem to decide. It still doesnt shake, rattle or roll me, so it's all good.
  • For long rides the dual seat could do with more padding. The double seat has never left me feeling sore but I should look at adding some cushioning if my long rides continue.
  • Keep the bike between 3 - 4K and the bike pulls merrily with a grin inducing grunt from the engine.
  • Twist the wrist and the bike has more than enough acceleration to leave behind other commuters on Indian roads. Of course they will catch up with you at the next signal but you can pull away from them when the light turns green. And repeat.
  • The bike doesnt have the RE 'thump'. I quite like it without the loud sound even though I know it is part of the RE appeal.
  • Given that my usage is primarily daily commuting, I wanted a bike that was powerful and good looking. Of course, more power is always welcome and 29 bhp versus the 44 bhp of the Duke 390 is a no contest on paper. The only time I have ever felt the difference between the two was on a Sunday morning ride on an empty highway when two Duke 390's pulled away with alarming acceleration that blew my socks off. In the real world though, the Continental GT has more than enough power on tap to keep me entertained and smiling.
  • It still draws attention & conversation at streetlights. A couple of days ago, I pulled up beside two middle aged gentlemen who asked me which bike at first. When I said Royal Enfield GT they didnt seem to understand so they asked me which year it was made in. Now it was my turn to be puzzled so I said 2014. That's when they realized this wasnt a classic bike and told me that they loved the look of it. It turns out one of them owns an old Bullet and the other has a Matchless and they knew a thing or two about vintage bikes and this one had their joint seal of approval.
  • Somewhere along the line, I let the corporate world take over my life and the very spirit of biking became but a distant memory. One that was rekindled, ever so briefly, when I browsed through folders with pictures from old rides and inter state G2Gs. The Continental GT though is doing a stellar job of helping me regain my biking mojo. And you cant put a price on that, can you?

Here's a picture of my old R15 from November 2012. Aaah memories, what a sweet friend you can be!

Royal Enfield Continental GT 535 : Ownership Review (32,000 km and 9 years)-img_7904-medium.jpg

And here is one to celebrate 3000 happy kms.

Royal Enfield Continental GT 535 : Ownership Review (32,000 km and 9 years)-2015125170105-medium.jpg
Blue skies. Yellow bike. Highway roads. Bliss.
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Old 24th February 2015, 18:06   #139
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Re: 3000 Kms update

Quote:
Originally Posted by neil.jericho View Post
Is it just in my mind or do the vibes seem to have increased ever so slightly? I cant seem to decide. It still doesnt shake, rattle or roll me, so it's all good.
Ask the SVC guys to tighten all the chassis bolts again. The chassis bolts gets loose overtime, although 3k is a bit early for that, its better to re-torque them every 6k Kms or so. As per my experience, it makes quite a difference.

Quote:
Keep the bike between 3 - 4K and the bike pulls merrily with a grin inducing grunt from the engine.
Earlier stressed member UCEs used to vibrate like hell at above 3-3.5k. Is the CGT's engine fine at 4K rpms?

Quote:
What I found fascinating is that the variance in mileage is quite something else. The lowest I ever achieved was 19.89 kmpl and the highest was 44.94 kmpl. Do the math. Now my next experiment should be to push the in city mileage into the 30s.
Was'nt that 44kmpl from our Sunday ride? Then, the only factor that is missing between the 2 mileage calculations is Imran!! Even the 390 hit 39kmpl in his presence!

Last edited by man_of_steel : 24th February 2015 at 18:09.
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Old 24th February 2015, 19:01   #140
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re: Royal Enfield Continental GT 535 : Ownership Review (32,000 km and 9 years)

Loose plasticy bits, panels maybe?

man_of_steel is right, its good to have them chassis bolts re torqued.

Could I trouble you for a few measurements?
  • Distance between the fork legs ( Inner and outer )

Pictures of the top triple clamp.

Thanks,

BOV
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Old 25th February 2015, 21:08   #141
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re: Royal Enfield Continental GT 535 : Ownership Review (32,000 km and 9 years)

Quote:
Originally Posted by man_of_steel View Post
Ask the SVC guys to tighten all the chassis bolts again. The chassis bolts gets loose overtime, although 3k is a bit early for that, its better to re-torque them every 6k Kms or so. As per my experience, it makes quite a difference.
The six month service is coming up so I will ask them to check & tighten anything that's loose. Today I found the rear number plate is trying its best to add to the vibes, even if it's contribution is minimal.

Quote:
Originally Posted by man_of_steel View Post
Earlier stressed member UCEs used to vibrate like hell at above 3-3.5k. Is the CGT's engine fine at 4K rpms?
On weekdays all I get to play with is the 3 - 4K range and it is fine within that. With the new found vice of additional vibes I need to see how it is beyond 4K.

Quote:
Originally Posted by man_of_steel View Post
Was'nt that 44kmpl from our Sunday ride? Then, the only factor that is missing between the 2 mileage calculations is Imran!! Even the 390 hit 39kmpl in his presence!
No no, I got 44 kmpl on a solo ride but I am sure Imran helped push the mileage into the 30s during our joint ride. Who would have ever thought that a Royal Enfield Thunderbird would have a role to play in reducing our world's consumption of fossil fuels

Quote:
Originally Posted by B O V View Post
Loose plasticy bits, panels maybe?

man_of_steel is right, its good to have them chassis bolts re torqued.

Could I trouble you for a few measurements?
  • Distance between the fork legs ( Inner and outer )

Pictures of the top triple clamp.

Thanks,

BOV
So I have a scale that measure only 12 cms which means that my measurements arent exactly accurate. I found that the distance between the inner front fork legs is 13.5 cms and the diameter of each fork is 3.75 cms. A total of 21 cms end to end.

Here are a couple of pictures of the top triple clamp. The scruff marks are from the rest of the keys on my key chain.

Royal Enfield Continental GT 535 : Ownership Review (32,000 km and 9 years)-triple-clamp.jpg

Royal Enfield Continental GT 535 : Ownership Review (32,000 km and 9 years)-dif-clamp-1.jpg

And since this thread deserves many more pictures, here are the rest that I clicked.


Royal Enfield Continental GT 535 : Ownership Review (32,000 km and 9 years)-dif-clamp-2.jpg
Cause real bikers don't need fully digital clocks!

Royal Enfield Continental GT 535 : Ownership Review (32,000 km and 9 years)-horn.jpg
Called to action around once a month. Always up to the job.

Royal Enfield Continental GT 535 : Ownership Review (32,000 km and 9 years)-indy-2.jpg
At the heart of it all

Royal Enfield Continental GT 535 : Ownership Review (32,000 km and 9 years)-ring-1.jpg
To reverse - use this or sign up at the nearby gym

Royal Enfield Continental GT 535 : Ownership Review (32,000 km and 9 years)-ring-2.jpg
Quality. From Italy.

Royal Enfield Continental GT 535 : Ownership Review (32,000 km and 9 years)-peek-boo-1.jpg
Peek a boo

Royal Enfield Continental GT 535 : Ownership Review (32,000 km and 9 years)-indy-1.jpg
The tank has the new RE logo ...

Royal Enfield Continental GT 535 : Ownership Review (32,000 km and 9 years)-key-chain.jpg
... while my keychain doesnt

Royal Enfield Continental GT 535 : Ownership Review (32,000 km and 9 years)-peek-boo-2.jpg
Hail CGT!

Royal Enfield Continental GT 535 : Ownership Review (32,000 km and 9 years)-shadow.jpg
In the shadows
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Old 26th February 2015, 16:35   #142
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More pictures

Here are a few more pictures that I have clicked over the last 6 months or so on my phone.

Royal Enfield Continental GT 535 : Ownership Review (32,000 km and 9 years)-ears.jpg
Notice the mirror settings, like a dog with perked up ears

Royal Enfield Continental GT 535 : Ownership Review (32,000 km and 9 years)-svc.jpg
On one of my early visits to the SVC

Royal Enfield Continental GT 535 : Ownership Review (32,000 km and 9 years)-yellow-blue.jpg
The Future and the past

Royal Enfield Continental GT 535 : Ownership Review (32,000 km and 9 years)-tank1.jpg
Curves? I'll gobble them up for breakfast!

Royal Enfield Continental GT 535 : Ownership Review (32,000 km and 9 years)-tank2.jpg
Highways? I'll gobble them up for lunch!

Quote:
Originally Posted by B O V View Post
Actually I was going to suggest another place for attaching the rear view mirror, but refrained from it since it wasn't a factory setup.

Regards

BOV
I spotted this lovely set up on a Yamaha FZ 07 on advrider and was reminded of your post.

Royal Enfield Continental GT 535 : Ownership Review (32,000 km and 9 years)-1.jpg

Royal Enfield Continental GT 535 : Ownership Review (32,000 km and 9 years)-2.jpg


Last edited by neil.jericho : 26th February 2015 at 16:40. Reason: *Adding picture*
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Old 26th February 2015, 17:31   #143
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Re: More pictures

Quote:
Originally Posted by neil.jericho View Post
I spotted this lovely set up on a Yamaha FZ 07 on advrider and was reminded of your post.
How comfortable will this setup be? Especially the looking down while riding part? Also, will we be able to see everything behind properly?
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Old 26th February 2015, 17:41   #144
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re: Royal Enfield Continental GT 535 : Ownership Review (32,000 km and 9 years)

Is there two different speedo console design for CGT? Or did they change this in between?
Attached Thumbnails
Royal Enfield Continental GT 535 : Ownership Review (32,000 km and 9 years)-20150222_125526_689.jpg  

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Old 26th February 2015, 21:25   #145
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re: Royal Enfield Continental GT 535 : Ownership Review (32,000 km and 9 years)

Thanks for the pics and measurements, Neil.

Those rvms on the fz1 look downright lethal ( in a good way )

@ Man_of_steel I think its more of an aesthetic mod, these kinda rvms. Might not be that practical during real riding conditions.
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Old 26th February 2015, 22:36   #146
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re: Royal Enfield Continental GT 535 : Ownership Review (32,000 km and 9 years)

Quote:
Originally Posted by man_of_steel View Post
How comfortable will this setup be? Especially the looking down while riding part? Also, will we be able to see everything behind properly?
All show. I suspect, not much go.

Quote:
Originally Posted by route666 View Post
Is there two different speedo console design for CGT? Or did they change this in between?
Looks exactly the same.

Quote:
Originally Posted by B O V View Post
Thanks for the pics and measurements, Neil.

Those rvms on the fz1 look downright lethal ( in a good way )

@ Man_of_steel I think its more of an aesthetic mod, these kinda rvms. Might not be that practical during real riding conditions.
Anytime. Here are a few more pictures. The detailing looks exquisite.

Royal Enfield Continental GT 535 : Ownership Review (32,000 km and 9 years)-3.jpg

Royal Enfield Continental GT 535 : Ownership Review (32,000 km and 9 years)-4.jpg

Royal Enfield Continental GT 535 : Ownership Review (32,000 km and 9 years)-5.jpg
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Old 2nd March 2015, 22:06   #147
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Longest ride to date : 590 kms to Kolli Hills

With the Continental GT doing a splendid job of helping me rediscover my inner biking spirit, I was quite kicked when man_of_steel mentioned that a ride to Kolli Hills (a place that is occasionally mentioned as a riding spot around Bangalore) would consist of 70 hair pin bends. I was joining man_of_steel and his friends for the ride and our group consisted of 3 Duke 390's, 1 Duke 200 and the Continental GT. We were supposed to leave by 05:30 from Silk Board but by the time everyone arrived, we had lost over half an hour. We stopped for breakfast at the McD pump in Shoolagiri and we were surprised to find the parking lot virtually deserted at around 7:15. It is usually crowded and noisy and the riding gear means you often get long stares from other tourists who wonder what is wrong with you. On this day though the tables were ours for the choosing. There were heavy clouds between Bangalore and Shoolagiri and we were hoping for a shower free ride as none of us had the liners for our riding jackets. They say be careful what you wish for.


After a good breakfast we rode on with a steady pace of 115 - 120 kmph since traffic was really sparse and the roads were great till we reached the outskirts of Thoppur as one of the thirsty Duke 390s had to fill petrol. It was at this stop when we found that the part with the RE logo on the right side of the engine had unscrewed itself and that the screw had flown off. Blame the steady vibes that are part of the bike if you ride at 120 kmph which is around 4K on the tachometer. "Royal Enfield build quality ....." I hear readers rightly mutter! We tanked the bikes at Salem which is 200 kms from Bangalore and all started looking to the skies while hoping that the day wouldnt be too warm.


After a slight delay due to a wrong turn, we hit the highways towards Namakkal and turned left at the signboard pointing to Rasipuram into a two lane road that took us past several small towns. By now we were far from big city life and rolling past lovely fields which exemplified the rural countryside but the growing heat coupled with the weariness from the constant 4K vibrations on the highways (~ 230 odd kms) started wearing me down both physically and mentally. To top it off there was no sign of the 70 bends. I honestly started asking myself whether it was worth the ride and I was dreading riding all the way back to Bangalore. We finally stopped at a large arch and refreshed ourselves with copious amounts of water as man_of_steel's friends explained that the fun was about to start.


Royal Enfield Continental GT 535 : Ownership Review (32,000 km and 9 years)-arch.jpg
Can you spot man_of_steel's parachute?

I certainly had my doubts but once we started climbing all my pessimism was but a fleeting memory as I couldnt help but shake my head at the magnificent biking strip we were on. We stopped at the 16th hair pin bend and every single one of stated unequivocally that the ride was worth it. And we still had 54 hair pin bends to go!

Royal Enfield Continental GT 535 : Ownership Review (32,000 km and 9 years)-16.jpg
Makes Nandi Hills look like a baby's walk in the park


Since we had time on our hands, the 390s were used to capture some lovely cornering shots and we eventully strapped up and continued our upward climb.

Royal Enfield Continental GT 535 : Ownership Review (32,000 km and 9 years)-mos.jpg
man_of_steel getting a new profile picture


Tight hair pin bends, one after the other after the other meant that we were as close to biking nirvana as we could be. Did the Man Up Above make these 70 turns only for those of us who love our machines and then in a cruel twist decide to hide it away out here far far away from prying eyes. Exit out the corner. Build speed. Shift up. Brake. Exit out the corner. Sparks were flying as we pushed ourselves and our bikes and explored our limits. People talk about rides to remember, this certainly had everything to make it one. Words cannot do it justice. What a test for both bike and biker. What an epic stretch of road.


The Continental GT did scrape the centre stand while leaning to the left and the bolt at the bottom of the silencer on the right and while one or two scrapes unsettled my rhythm I was loving it. When we stopped for lunch at Hotel Nallathambi (translated from Tamil it means Good Boy), I could barely remember the fatigue that had set in before we started our dance through the mountains. Great grip from the tyres and flick-ability that had no business being associated with a Royal Enfield made for a magnificent platform to test my skills.


On the way down we all took it easy and there were a couple of small incidents as my foot slipped off the brake pedal while exiting a corner (I was testing for the slight brake fade that had set in) and I slowly rolled across the other lane that was bereft of traffic. man_of_steel also had a slow slip but the only damage done was to the bike that didnt stand a chance against him. The broken RVM is testament to that :-)

Royal Enfield Continental GT 535 : Ownership Review (32,000 km and 9 years)-return-line.jpg
What a view!

Royal Enfield Continental GT 535 : Ownership Review (32,000 km and 9 years)-return.jpg
What a lineup! The bikes I meant .....

Once again drank plenty of water at the arch before setting off through a shorter route that involved some offroading (which was the only thing we hadnt done all day) before we hit the highway. We bid farewell to one of the 390s and having learnt my lesson with the vibrations to rpm to fatigue curve, I maintained a steady 100 to 110 on the traffic free highways. We didnt have a summer sun but it was still taking its toll on us and the miles just kept rolling as our bottoms started to get sore from all the riding. We decided to stop at the first CCD or A2B that we spotted and after what seemed like forever, finally stopped for a break at a bakery 10 kms before Thoppur for more, you guessed it, water. The A2B was a good 15 minutes away and we were glad to tank up and get off our back sides and onto nicely cushioned seats.


Dusk fell while we were on our way to Krishnagiri and we stopped one last time to clean our visors (insects had made it impossible to see) and massage some life back into our sore bottoms. Our last pit stop was after crossing over into Karnataka and all of our were in agony as our backsides were on fire. After realizing how well padded my seat was, the KTM owners sat on the double seat of the Continental GT and said that I should be the last person to complain about seats as it was heaven compared to the bench seats of the KTMs.


Slightly buzzy engine + rock solid seat = KTM Duke. Vibey engine + comfy seat = Continental GT. Take your pick and do 600 kms in a day and you will still have the same sore bottom.


I finally reached home by 21:10 which is 16 hours and 590 kms after I departed in the morning. I couldnt sit for the rest of the night and the sleep I got was the deepest I have had in a while but what a day. What a day. What a ride. And what a bike.

Royal Enfield Continental GT 535 : Ownership Review (32,000 km and 9 years)-bike.jpg

Kolli Hills translates to Mountains (Hills) of death. Truth be told, all of us never felt more alive than at the end of the ride.
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Old 2nd March 2015, 23:06   #148
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Nice pictures and write-up bro! Sad to have missed this.

We'll do it again, now that the ceeber is run in, serviced and battle ready!
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Old 3rd March 2015, 00:12   #149
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Re: Longest ride to date : 590 kms to Kolli Hills

Awesomely narrated man! Loved reading it. It was like going all over the ride once again! It indeed was one kickass ride.. Well.. Literally!

For those who are planning a one day ride to Kolli hills, try to make it a Saturday ride so that you will get amble rest on Sunday. Those 70 odd hairpins are physically demanding and will sap the energy off you. This combined with merciless sun and Tamil Nadu heat left all of us thoroughly exhausted! But at the end of the day, that feeling of completely drained off is what will make the ride worth remembering!

Quote:
Originally Posted by neil.jericho View Post
Since we had time on our hands, the 390s were used to capture some lovely cornering shots ...
Disclaimer: The cornering photoshoot was done in a controlled environment with 3 people standing along the corner to spot any oncoming traffic.

Quote:
The Continental GT did scrape the centre stand while leaning to the left and the bolt at the bottom of the silencer on the right and while one or two scrapes unsettled my rhythm I was loving it.
While it was magnificent to watch sparks flying off beneath the CGT, it was sad to notice that the parts scrapping on the tarmac were the parts which are not supposed to scrape! I thought that the feeler on the footpegs are there for a reason on the CGT, but looks like it is of no use! I was honestly under the impression that RE has engineered the CGT such that it bottoms out only with the footpegs. Turns out I was wrong!

Quote:
...And what a bike.
Absolutely completely agreed. It is indeed a brilliant bike. It goes like no other Royal Enfield dares to go. Keeping up with a bunch of Dukes on the twisties is not a small feat for a Royal Enfield (I can say that confidently because I know what these two machines are made of and what they are capable of).

There was yet another incident worth mentioning. Somewhere after Salem when we were holding a descent cruising speed with Neil heading the pack, a couple of senior citizens thought that it would be a good idea to just cross the road without checking the traffic. I still don't know if there was a wager between those two on who will make it to the other end. So they directly walked on to the road right on to the path of our pack. We all spotted them, honked and flashed. While one person saw us, gave up and stood in the middle of the road the other was determined to get the wager money and continued to walk and was in the Path of the 180 KG freight train a.k.a the CGT. While the Dukes, which are naturally good brakers, slowed down with absolutely no drama at all, what surprised me and made my heart jump with joy was the sight of the Continental GT slowing down in an equally quick and elegant fashion as the Dukes with absolutely no dramas whatsoever! I can vouch that, if it was any other Royal Enfield in the CGT's place, the scene could have been a disastrous one!

Last edited by man_of_steel : 3rd March 2015 at 00:16.
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Old 3rd March 2015, 11:57   #150
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Thoughts from the Kolli Hills ride

Penning down some of my experiences from the 590 km trip to Kolli Hills and back.

Performance : On long distance highway rides (different from the usual short and quick Sunday morning rides), the differences between the similarly priced KTM Duke 390 and the Continental GT become a lot more apparent. The sweet spot while riding on the highways is 90 - 110 kmph where there arent too many vibes and the rider is fairly comfortable. Try and maintain 120 kmph at 4K rpm and the vibrations noticeably start to increase. It isnt too bad but you wish it wasnt that noticeable. Keep pushing and the vibes keep rising. For short Sunday morning rides, going to 4K and beyond is thoroughly enjoyable. When you have to cover longer distances the head will win over the heart and a more reasonable pace is called for to ensure you dont tire yourself. For the record, I felt the vibes more through the handlebars than the footpegs or seat.


It is important to note there that in my experience of riding Royal Enfields (limited to a 13 day trip around the Himalayas, a few test rides and nearly 4000 kms on the Continental GT), the vibes on the GT are nothing compared to the other offerings from the same stable. Long time RE riders will think I'm a wuss for complaining about the vibes at 120kmph when they have put up with much much more at lower speeds for years. Maybe Im a big softie!


The KTM 390's engine can easily keep a higher speed without too many vibes being passed on to the rider. For a long ride, the 390's can cruise at a speed that is at least 15 - 20 kmph higher if not more (given the right conditions) than what I would be comfortable with on the Continental GT. The seats arent the greatest though. The Inazuma or the CBR would've been great bikes for this kind of a trip.


Braking : We hustled our bikes up those 70 hair pin bends and the brakes were called up for action before every turn. I did get the feeling that there was some brake fade by the time we were towards the top of the hills and while coming down I was testing for it when my leg slipped off the rear brake completely and I had to cut across the road. man_of_steel posted about the one big involuntary braking test while we were on the highway and the brakes behaved impeccably well when I needed it the most. Life saving indeed.


Lights : We covered a 120+ kms in the night and the headlights were fantastic. I was able to maintain a good speed only on account of the top notch illumination. Two big thumbs up on this front.


Handling : The Continental GT certainly didnt struggle on the twisties and with each passing corner my confidence grew. As man_of_steel pointed out, it's no foot peg scraper but it is a very capable corner carver. I sure can live with that. The KTMs made such easy work of the corners that it looked completely effortless.


Mileage : After last weekend's Sunday ride of around 110 kms, I used the bike within the city for the rest of the week and tanked up before the Kolli hills ride. With a nearly 50 % - 50 % split of city and highway riding, I covered 231.9 kms and filled up with 7.22 litres for a mileage of 32.12 kmpl.

For the Kolli hills ride, the relatively high speed highway ride (sparse traffic, smooth roads) from Bangalore to Salem covered a distance of 199.9 kms. Total petrol consumed - 6.62 litres. Total mileage - 30.2 kmpl.

From Salem to Kolli hills and back past Salem to Thoppur was a total distance of 230 kms and consisted of highways, narrow two lane village roads and 60 odd kms of hairpin bends. Tanking up at the A2B, the bike took in 7.88 litres which gave a total mileage of 29.19 kmpl. Total mileage since day 1 stands at a rather respectable 26.55 kmpl.


Overall thoughts : The trip put the bike under the microscope and did it pass every test with flying colours or what? Royal Enfield's best engineered bike to date is rather under rated and deserves to sell a lot more than what it currently does. After spending the day riding with the KTMs I believe that both are excellent bikes with their individual strengths that appeal to you very differently. Different strokes for different folks. Pick the one that calls out to your head and heart the loudest and you will be a very happy man indeed. I know I am.

Royal Enfield Continental GT 535 : Ownership Review (32,000 km and 9 years)-up-16.jpg

Flanked by the Dukes

Quote:
Originally Posted by Added_flavor View Post
Nice pictures and write-up bro! Sad to have missed this.

We'll do it again, now that the ceeber is run in, serviced and battle ready!
I'm in, just not anytime soon!

Quote:
Originally Posted by man_of_steel View Post
Awesomely narrated man! Loved reading it. It was like going all over the ride once again! It indeed was one kickass ride.. Well.. Literally!

For those who are planning a one day ride to Kolli hills, try to make it a Saturday ride so that you will get amble rest on Sunday. Those 70 odd hairpins are physically demanding and will sap the energy off you. This combined with merciless sun and Tamil Nadu heat left all of us thoroughly exhausted! But at the end of the day, that feeling of completely drained off is what will make the ride worth remembering!
Absolutely, but to be fair we did end up being less fatigued by the time we reached Bangalore than what we expected to be. The frequent breaks and water intake and cooler temperature in the evening did help a lot.

Quote:
Originally Posted by man_of_steel View Post
Disclaimer: The cornering photoshoot was done in a controlled environment with 3 people standing along the corner to spot any oncoming traffic.
Any more spotters and we would've had photobombers irrespective of the angle at which photos were being clicked.

Quote:
Originally Posted by man_of_steel View Post
While it was magnificent to watch sparks flying off beneath the CGT, it was sad to notice that the parts scrapping on the tarmac were the parts which are not supposed to scrape! I thought that the feeler on the footpegs are there for a reason on the CGT, but looks like it is of no use! I was honestly under the impression that RE has engineered the CGT such that it bottoms out only with the footpegs. Turns out I was wrong!
I'm just happy I didnt miss out on the tarmac scraping! So what if it was the centre stand

Quote:
Originally Posted by man_of_steel View Post
Absolutely completely agreed. It is indeed a brilliant bike. It goes like no other Royal Enfield dares to go. Keeping up with a bunch of Dukes on the twisties is not a small feat for a Royal Enfield (I can say that confidently because I know what these two machines are made of and what they are capable of).
Amen!

Quote:
Originally Posted by man_of_steel View Post
While the Dukes, which are naturally good brakers, slowed down with absolutely no drama at all, what surprised me and made my heart jump with joy was the sight of the Continental GT slowing down in an equally quick and elegant fashion as the Dukes with absolutely no dramas whatsoever! I can vouch that, if it was any other Royal Enfield in the CGT's place, the scene could have been a disastrous one!
I hope the wager was worth it but a great real world test of how well a bike behaves in panic situations.
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