[bansal.sushant]

Hi,

My father is about to turn 50, we have 4 cars in the garage but he feels like owning a Royal Enfield, more so for the kicks of it than anything else.

I am thinking of gifting him one. This cruiser will solely be used by him, that too only for leisure short rides and not for any work long rides.

I have the following questions:
1. Should I go for new or a used one? Since our running will be very low, but used ones are also priced very high, as if there is no depreciation.
2. Should I advice him for a test drive? Since I wanted it to be a surprise, I would want to avoid that.
3. Which is a better choice the RE Bullet or the RE Classic? He somehow seems more inclined toward a kick start then a self start.
4. What happened to RE Electra? I am not able to find it on their site or available anywhere.

Would love to get some words of wisdom.

[Viju]

Originally Posted by bansal.sushant

I have the following questions:
1. Should I go for new or a used one? Since our running will be very low, but used ones are also priced very high, as if there is no depreciation.

It is a gift to your father, and one you will not be buying him very often. Buy a brand new one and make it extra special for him. Forget logic and listen to your heart for this one. Nothing like him taking delivery from a showroom!

Originally Posted by bansal.sushant

2. Should I advice him for a test drive? Since I wanted it to be a surprise, I would want to avoid that.

This is a tricky one. Only you know which one he will be more comfortable with. If all he wants is a regular Bullet, buy him a Standard Bullet 350 or 500. Thunderbird / Himalayan look different from old Bullets and may not be what he wants.

Originally Posted by bansal.sushant

3. Which is a better choice the RE Bullet or the RE Classic? He somehow seems more inclined toward a kick start then a self start.

If you buy a bike with electric start, your dad can still kick start it. Not the other way around. Since he is into his 50s, I would suggest to get him an electric start variant.

Originally Posted by bansal.sushant

4. What happened to RE Electra? I am not able to find it on their site or available anywhere.

The Electra is now called the Bullet 350 ES.



https://www.royalenfield.com/in/en/h...bullet-models/

Originally Posted by bansal.sushant

Would love to get some words of wisdom.

Not wisdom, but if I was in your place I would have waited for RE to release the ABS equipped variants of the Bullet 350 / 500 / ES before purchasing one. They are at best weeks away from launch since all motorcycles above 125cc sold from April 1, 2019 must have ABS.

Hope this helps!
Cheers

[navin_v8]

Originally Posted by bansal.sushant

My father is about to turn 50, we have 4 cars in the garage but he feels like owning a Royal Enfield, more so for the kicks of it than anything else.

I am thinking of gifting him one. This cruiser will solely be used by him, that too only for leisure short rides and not for any work long rides.

That's really cool! Gifting ones dad a motorcycle is one of the most satisfying feeling one ever has and what better than a Royal Enfield. I hope he has rode it before in his youth which makes you buy one for him. Also there are two variants to choose from 350cc and 500cc. If he is going to do leisure short rides then 350cc would suffice. But let him choose after taking a test ride.(mentioned in point 2)

1. Should I go for new or a used one? Since our running will be very low, but used ones are also priced very high, as if there is no depreciation.

If you are going for a used one then first decide whether you want to go for a UCE or CI. For old school charm nothing beats a well tuned CI Bullet Standard 350 but it is hard to come by, if you can find the right one then nothing like it. Mind you the price of used CI's are sometimes equal to or higher than used UCE's. I am not sure about the rules in Delhi about registering two wheelers older than 15 years. Most of the running spare parts wont be an issue for a CI Bullet 350. Used UCE's can be found dime a dozen but you need to venture very carefully so that you don't end up with a abused motorcycle. Repairs and parts cost also has to be considered besides tyres, brakes, etc. while buying a used motorcycle. If buying a used motorcycle lay aside at least 10-15K for repairs and service, if any.

2. Should I advice him for a test drive? Since I wanted it to be a surprise, I would want to avoid that.

Well you can just take him to the showroom as if you are doing window shopping and covertly ask him to test ride along with you. Just study his body language and have a casual chat as to which RE model he finds the best. Do all this without giving him any hint that you are looking to buy a bike for him.

3. Which is a better choice the RE Bullet or the RE Classic? He somehow seems more inclined toward a kick start then a self start.

Both the models are good, albeit RE CL 350 comes with front disc brake and a fatter rear tyre vis a vis RE Bullet Standard 350. Whereas Bullet 500 comes with a front disc brake and a fatter rear tyre. All RE motorcycles come with electric + kick start except Bullet Standard 350 which comes with kick start only. Like viju has suggested I too would suggest you to opt for electric + kick start as gives the option of both kick starting for nostalgia as well as electric start while waiting at the signals (read more practical).

4. What happened to RE Electra? I am not able to find it on their site or available anywhere.

RE has changed the name of Electra to Bullet ES (Electric Start). IMO this model gives the best of both worlds. Old school design charm coupled with front disc brake, electric + kick start, single step up seat, etc. But it all depends on what your dad likes. If he is a purist then nothing will convince him as much as a RE Bullet Standard 350.

Would love to get some words of wisdom.

Remember that used RE's will be a hit or miss depending on the way it was used. If you know someone in your close circle who can find you a nicely restored Bullet CI 350 then nothing like it. If opting for used UCE then my advice to you would be to go for a new UCE CL or Bullet or Electra whichever your dad likes as the price differential is not much. Also I believe RE now gives 2 years standard warranty which is good.

One more important thing as mentioned by Viju, RE will start equipping all their models with ABS from April 2019 which is a life saver in panic braking situations. So if you can wait then it will be well worth it.

[locusjag]

Originally Posted by bansal.sushant

Hi,
3. Which is a better choice the RE Bullet or the RE Classic? He somehow seems more inclined toward a kick start then a self start.

There's one difference between the Std 350/Electra and the Classic models, the former have a heavier crank than the latter. Not that I know what it means for the rider...now is a good time to ask the experts here - what are the implications of a heavier crank?

4. What happened to RE Electra? I am not able to find it on their site or available anywhere.

I bought an Electra around New Year of 2018. As others have said, it's named the Bullet ES. It's alright if you don't bother it too much. I should probably wear a Dev Anand styled hat and doff the hat to old ladies on the road or something. It's ideal for relaxed riding and the brakes don't inspire high speeds anyway.

The reason I picked the Electra - I stand 6'4" and the Std 350/electra is the tallest one in their stable. I bought it and modified it with a longer and even taller seat. My tall family is happy to take occasional rides to the bazaar on it now.

[neil.jericho]

Originally Posted by Viju

Not wisdom, but if I was in your place I would have waited for RE to release the ABS equipped variants of the Bullet 350 / 500 / ES before purchasing one. They are at best weeks away from launch since all motorcycles above 125cc sold from April 1, 2019 must have ABS.

+1, Royal Enfield is in the process of updating their bikes, range by range, with ABS. They will be completing this process much before the April 1st deadline is what I have heard. Hence, I too would suggest, holding on for a few more weeks to ensure you get the bike you want with ABS.

[navin_v8]

Originally Posted by locusjag

There's one difference between the Std 350/Electra and the Classic models, the former have a heavier crank than the latter. Not that I know what it means for the rider...now is a good time to ask the experts here - what are the implications of a heavier crank?

Thanks for pointing this out. Earlier RE used to exclusively include this feature by mentioning it on their website as well for Bullet STD 350 but I don't see them mentioning it anymore. So I am not sure if they are still equipping STD 350 with heavy crank. The heavy crank helps in having a more flatter torque curve wherein one can go as low a 30 KMPH on fourth gear without the engine knocking or jerking. The heavy crank stores more inertia due its mass hence one can effortlessly putter around on crammed city roads with minimal gear changes while the engine also spins smoothly. On the other hand the regular light crank models have better pick up and acceleration speeds.

[ashokrajagopal]

There is no heavier crank model now.
The heavier crank engine only lasted as long as the STD 350 CI was available from showroom.
Now, Bullet 350 and other 350s (classic, grey, ES, etc) run the same unit construction engine. They also run the same Carb and TCI ignition.

[ashwinprakas]

Originally Posted by navin_v8

The heavy crank stores more inertia due its mass hence one can effortlessly putter around on crammed city roads with minimal gear changes while the engine also spins smoothly. On the other hand the regular light crank models have better pick up and acceleration speeds.

Down south we have shops that would help increase the weight of the crank on a CI Bullet, the reason most riders do it is because of the difference in thump.

A classmate of mine once mentioned that the shop once put in a crank so big that it would not fit inside the case without rubbing.

Though many speak of the upsides of using a heavier crank, I've seen a 350 struggle to climb a tall speed breaker on an incline with two on top in first gear.

At the same time I've ridden pillion on a CI 350 that thumped both our weights up a hill in a leisurely low speed without knocking in final gear.

Go figure, eh?

[navin_v8]

Originally Posted by ashokrajagopal

There is no heavier crank model now.
The heavier crank engine only lasted as long as the STD 350 CI was available from showroom.
Now, Bullet 350 and other 350s (classic, grey, ES, etc) run the same unit construction engine. They also run the same Carb and TCI ignition.

Mate up until recent times RE did equip their Bullet STD 350 UCE with a heavy crank and it was also highlighted in the models' features on their website, but they have taken off that section from their website now. The heavy crank was indeed the uniqueness of the Bullet STD UCE 350 compared to its other 350 UCE counterparts.

Originally Posted by ashwinprakas

Down south we have shops that would help increase the weight of the crank on a CI Bullet, the reason most riders do it is because of the difference in thump.

Not only down south it is done in Bombay and Punjab as well. The reasons can be numerous ranging from ultra low revving at idling, flatter torque curve, chugging at as low as 25-30 KMPH on 4th gear, deeper beating thump, old school nostalgia, etc. RE had stopped putting heavy crank and reduced its weight sometime after late 70's and reintroduced it back in mid 2000's due to backlash from RE riding community. I believe Bullet STD CI'S from 2006 started coming with heavy cranks as they did earlier. Also like recently heavy crank was restricted only to Bullet STD 350 model. Rest of the 350cc models came with lighter crank.

A classmate of mine once mentioned that the shop once put in a crank so big that it would not fit inside the case without rubbing.

Classic case of the great Indian jugaad. These guys would be the ones who might have got their bikes between late 70's(Enfield of India) to early 2000's(RE) when heavy crank was replaced with light crank, hence the urge to put in a heavy crank.

Though many speak of the upsides of using a heavier crank, I've seen a 350 struggle to climb a tall speed breaker on an incline with two on top in first gear.

You mean just by seeing you could make out that it was on first gear? How did you know that the Standard Bullet 350 you saw had a heavy crank in the first place? Also was it is a Bullet STD UCE or a CI?

At the same time I've ridden pillion on a CI 350 that thumped both our weights up a hill in a leisurely low speed without knocking in final gear.

Go figure, eh?

Which year model Bullet STD CI 350 was it?

[ashokrajagopal]

Originally Posted by navin_v8

Mate up until recent times RE did equip their Bullet STD 350 UCE with a heavy crank and it was also highlighted in the models' features on their website, but they have taken off that section from their website now. The heavy crank was indeed the uniqueness of the Bullet STD UCE 350 compared to its other 350 UCE counterparts.

I am no authority of course, but the Std 350 that came about 2 years back had equivalent engine with classic 350 -- this info is from a test drive and detailed enquiry session from a showroom.

Also, I do not seem to remember "heavy crank" being mentioned ever in RE's website. Towards late 80s to early 90s, STD 350 came with reduced crank weight compared to 80s, and from mid 2000s till late 2000s also they came with heavier crank weights compared to 90s until the curtain down on 350 CI. I dont know the exact timelines or weights.
The UCE engine even on standard 350, AFAIK never ever had any marketing to do with crank weight.
RE highlighted standard 350's "legendary thump" and "black and gold livery" thru multiple versions of their website with the UCE engine also.

Of course, I am no authority on RE or cranks.

[navin_v8]

Originally Posted by ashokrajagopal

I am no authority of course, but the Std 350 that came about 2 years back had equivalent engine with classic 350 -- this info is from a test drive and detailed enquiry session from a showroom.

Also, I do not seem to remember "heavy crank" being mentioned ever in RE's website.

Mate RE did advertise this heavy crank feature on their own website. I will give you the proof by redirecting you to the below mentioned thread.
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motor...-bullet-5.html (Which current RE UCE Bullet to buy? Or should I go for a used CI Bullet?)

Read Post # 61

Towards late 80s to early 90s, STD 350 came with reduced crank weight compared to 80s, and from mid 2000s till late 2000s also they came with heavier crank weights compared to 90s until the curtain down on 350 CI. I dont know the exact timelines or weights.

Indeed but crank weight was reduced during the late 70's and not 80's. I still own a 1969 B1 STD CI Bullet 350 as well as a 1996 Bullet STD CI 350. The 69 comes with heavy crank while the 96 comes with light crank. My 1963 G2 Bullet STD CI 350 too comes with a heavy crank.

The UCE engine even on standard 350, AFAIK never ever had any marketing to do with crank weight.
RE highlighted standard 350's "legendary thump" and "black and gold livery" thru multiple versions of their website with the UCE engine also.

Mate see the thread and post I have quoted above. RE indeed mentioned heavy crank feature for their UCE STD 350 Bullet.

Of course, I am no authority on RE or cranks.

Neither am I, it is just that I own RE Bullet STD CI 350's from all the era's except Bullet STD UCE 350(but it did have heavy crank as mentioned in the thread).

[ashwinprakas]

Originally Posted by navin_v8

You mean just by seeing you could make out that it was on first gear? How did you know that the Standard Bullet 350 you saw had a heavy crank in the first place? Also was it is a Bullet STD UCE or a CI?

Initially it was our assumption but later confirmed when we had a chat with the people on board, the pillion was the guy who built the machine and the rider was the owner, they were simply testing the motorcycle after a recent rebuild.

My friend made the first move as he had a cousin who was getting his own CI Bullet(Purchased for 80k, built for 50k) built and hence was more curious about the machine than me.

This was around the time when Bullet Mani had hit the peak of his fame and in a documentary about him it was mentioned that as per RE's statistics Kollam had the highest number of Bullet owners, hence we were really interested in Bullets at the time.

Which year model Bullet STD CI 350 was it?

Not sure about the specifics as the motorcycle was restored and dressed in Classic paint scheme.

All I'm certain about is that it was a CI 4 Speed as well, the rider was Dhanush K Dev who I believe to have seen in some online report to have partaken in Raid De Himalayan backed up by Via Terra, we've been out of touch for a while now, especially since I'm not active on FB, else could've reached out to him for more info.

[ashokrajagopal]

Originally Posted by navin_v8

Mate RE did advertise this heavy crank feature on their own website. I will give you the proof by redirecting you to the below mentioned thread.
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motor...-bullet-5.html (Which current RE UCE Bullet to buy? Or should I go for a used CI Bullet?)

Read Post # 61
Indeed but crank weight was reduced during the late 70's and not 80's. I still own a 1969 B1 STD CI Bullet 350 as well as a 1996 Bullet STD CI 350. The 69 comes with heavy crank while the 96 comes with light crank. My 1963 G2 Bullet STD CI 350 too comes with a heavy crank.
Mate see the thread and post I have quoted above. RE indeed mentioned heavy crank feature for their UCE STD 350 Bullet.

Neither am I, it is just that I own RE Bullet STD CI 350's from all the era's except Bullet STD UCE 350(but it did have heavy crank as mentioned in the thread).

Okay, I stand corrected. I ride a '93 with lower crank weight. Have ridden a friends '87-88 model which had heavier crank, but that may have been aftermarket.

[navin_v8]

Originally Posted by ashwinprakas

Initially it was our assumption but later confirmed when we had a chat with the people on board, the pillion was the guy who built the machine and the rider was the owner, they were simply testing the motorcycle after a recent rebuild.

"Testing" is the keyword here mate. The bike can struggle on first gear due to several reasons besides crank weight. It can happen to do with improper carburetor and/or CB points tuning, clutch setting, etc.

This was around the time when Bullet Mani had hit the peak of his fame and in a documentary about him it was mentioned that as per RE's statistics Kollam had the highest number of Bullet owners, hence we were really interested in Bullets at the time.

LOL Kerala and its craze for STD Bullets especially CI Heavy Crank and vintage ones. While I as at my native in Cannanore in 2013 I saw numerous CI Bullet 350's maintained in pristine condition. Saw some of them parked outside shops near Cannanore market area near the railway station, I believe the bikes belonged to those shop owners who had parked it outside proudly.

Not sure about the specifics as the motorcycle was restored and dressed in Classic paint scheme.

All I'm certain about is that it was a CI 4 Speed as well, the rider was Dhanush K Dev who I believe to have seen in some online report to have partaken in Raid De Himalayan backed up by Via Terra, we've been out of touch for a while now, especially since I'm not active on FB, else could've reached out to him for more info.

Yeah like I have mentioned before in this thread and other threads on TeamBHP if one knows the year of manufacture for STD CI 350 Bullet then one can decode its crank type. But then again there are possibilities of people plonking in heavy crank on light crank models and vice a versa while they were rebuilding their motorcycles.

[T-Rex]

I’m upgrading from my 2007 Electra 5S to Dr Mayhem- Continental GT650 and have booked it already. With a heavy heavy heart thinking of letting my beloved Electra to someone who enjoys the CI Bullets with some modern functionalities like Disc upfront and Electric start. Any genuine CI lovers in Mumbai can PM me to have a look at it. It’s one with those dual tone graphics (black & gray) and 50 Years special decal on the tank. Seat, Tyres, Aux Lights, Battery, Handlebar all have been customised to suit my riding posture. I’m 6.1 and give most household weighing scales a tough time, so had to do a lot of customisations. Cheers!