[trammway]

Guys,

After I sold my last petrol bullet (Lightning 535) during 2005, I had been lived with a long distance to the thumper. I always wanted to have a RE 500 CI version, but then not easy to get clearance from home ministry.

I have had a chance to look at my Royal Enfield 350 british bike (1955) for restoration project. Sadly RTO endorsement on the book posted a great threat for me to even think of souring the required petrol engine and parts. My dieselized brit bull was completely insane as the drive terrain was not that of original one.

That's when my classified ad for the diesel bull got published in the TBHP classified section: http://classifieds.team-bhp.com/buy-...d/Bullet.html/

Since then I started running around the market to find a BULL, that was always in the back of my mind. However I did have a fashion for the old brit bull with SR Magneto. Of late I need to accept I can't drive too many vehicles and needed atleast one reliable vehicle which can take me places on the two wheeler segment. I rounded off with a Royal Enfield 500 CC bullet but not decided on which variant. The simplest reason except the C5 all other variants are out of production and once again I need to think on budget, repair, restoration, parts and running behind mechanics etc etc.

I had called couple of my Bullet Friends to see if I can get some knowledge on the 500CC bullets

1. Std 500CC CI
2. Std 500CC CI w/disc brake
3. Std 500CC CI ES w/disc brake
4. Machismo 500CC avl (not sure if CI was existed)
5. Classic 500

What are the simple layman needs I was looking at in the above variants and which one got into my final decision making?

to be continued...

[jeepster]

interesting!!!

my choice will be second one.

2. Std 500CC CI w/disc brake

i assume that you already have bought the Bull.
so i demand some high-resolution pictures ASAP.

EDIT: congrats sir ji.

[TaureanBull]

I would go for Machismo.

I used to have 500CC Citybike, the first 500 CC model by Royal Enfield. I met with an accident and wife forced me to seel it off! That was in 2006.

Looks like an interesting story. Waiting for more...

[jingaboysr]

Given a choice, I'd also go with a STD500 with disks. I'm a proud owner of a CI500, without the disks(couldn't find a one with disks). Still remember the long search I did to finally find one. STD 500s are a rare breed to find nowadays..

Congrats on the buy, whichever one you bought,, looking forward for a detailed story.

[trammway]

Thank you all.

I took some time to narrow down the list by removing some from the list. The basic advise/suggestion/inputs were helped me to do the removal task.

1. Brake I must look for 500CC bullet with disc brake only, as the normal rainy day bullet braking ability is known to anyone. I was strongly suggested to take any bike with a disc brake. The STD 500 without disc brake was removed from the list.

2. Parts availability Sure, this is also an important point. Though the 500/535cc bullet pistons are direct import from german, rest of the components needs to be easily accessible. This is where my first step backwards started happening for Machismo 500. I heard from more than one person that the even the bore pistons for Machismo 500 is not that easy to find.

3. Functional reliability What I heard from TBHPians, Mechanics and other bullet friends is that the self starter for CI 500 is available, even made as stock bike fitments but the bearing is prone to break easily due to reversing force when someone give throttle while starting the bike. Some people (owners of CI 500 ES) said almost every 4-6months they used to change the bearings for the same issue. There you go the ES version was removed from the list.

The only thing left on my list was CI 500 w/disc brake and Classic 500. Man this is really tough choice. I like both the bikes, there are pros and cons for both the bikes. Now think and post your inputs for CI500 vs CL500. Which one was selected and why?

to be continued...

[Randhawa]

C5 all the way for sure. You will not regret it keeping in mind the problem you will face finding parts even from RE.

[trammway]

While I cornered my search for RE 500 CI and Booking preparation (actually either one) ,I visited the RE showroom in Adyar, Chennai only to hear the booking wait time for a brand new RE Classic 500 is 10months. What ???? I was completed disturbed, if RE cannot fulfill a demand of CL 500/CL350 I doubt if it is good to wait for that bikes.

So once again I was back in my original dram of owning a RE 500 CI version, hmmm I know I will be the owner of the bike as and when I find one.

The SEARCH for the one started, All the classifieds were re-looked, Mechanics started getting my inquiries, bullet fans were referred some, specialists pointed some... I was keep looking and looking for the one and only RE 500 CI version with disc brake.

[VW2010]

Still remember the long search I did to finally find one. STD 500s are a rare breed to find nowadays..

Very rare for the very same reason the owners dont want and dont like to sell them. My 500 ran close to 19000kms in the first year. Now has around 30K after 5 years. The total mileage is around 10Kms a week. Will i ever sell the 500? The answer is a big No.

I heard from more than one person that the even the bore pistons for Machismo 500 is not that easy to find.

Definitely not the easiest to find in the current market. If you find one, feel free to buy and store it. The bore and piston for the std 500 is the hardest to find when you need them.

[trammway]

Ah.. I started seeing more and more RE 500s that were put on sale. WoW, what a timing. All these things happen when I started looking for a RE 500, not even 15 days of time.

I came across these bulls

1. RE Machismo 500 (2006), only 8000kms on the odo - Rs. 95,000

2. RE Std 500 CI (2004), only 10270kms on the odo - Rs. 85,000 (after discussing with the seller he agrees to bring down the price to Rs.80,000)

3. RE Std 500 CI w/disc brake (2004), around 20000kms on the odo. It was bought by a fellow TBHPian and my close friend and spent around 20K for new modified silencer, cams, valves, tappets &piston(1.5 mm O.S---German stuff), Service and Gabriel shocks - Rs. 83,000 (I will be spending another 2K for transporting it to Chennai from Coimbatore if it becomes mine)

4. RE Std 500 CI ES w/disc brake (2004), around 55000kms on the odo. This bike was not looking that great and looked like lots of work required and already repainted and that also gone. - Rs. 65,000(after discussing with the seller he agrees to bring down the price to Rs.60,000)

5. RE Classic 500 - Only few months used and quoted Rs. 1,33,000 (from TBHP Classified section)

6. RE Std 500 CI w/disc brake (2004), but changed the bore, head, crank, clutch cover and some internals to fix the AVL engine. The engine was recently done up and quoting Rs. 85,000

At first I came to know that the Machismo and Classic 500 were already sold, so I went to see the rest of bike (not the AVL engine one).

Now guess which one I would have preferred to pickup ? ALL THE ABOVE MENTIONED BIKES WERE TN REGISTERED, AND MY LIFE LOOKED REALLY EASY AFTER FINDING SO MANY AVAILABLE FOR ME TO CHOOSE.

to be continued...

[VW2010]

@Trammway.

I am tempted to say that you should look at buying a new one instead of putting close to 1L on an used bike.

But from the above list i find no 3 to be more attractive. 20K on these bikes are nothing after riding for 7 years. That is not even 5k a year.

Looking at all these prices I may be able to sell mine more than what i paid for it.

[trammway]

Originally Posted by VW2010

@Trammway.

I am tempted to say that you should look at buying a new one instead of putting close to 1L on an used bike.

But from the above list i find no 3 to be more attractive. 20K on these bikes are nothing after riding for 7 years. That is not even 5k a year.

Looking at all these prices I may be able to sell mine more than what i paid for it.

Do you think RE 500 CIs are available in lower price than the ones quoted to me ?

The thing here, I don't wanted to wait for 10 months to pickup my bullet from RE. Even if I need to pickup a C5 and not sure what will the durability of the new era engine as it is really new to predict.

Moreover the CI engines are time tested and even if I need to carry it along with me to the future, I don't see much difficulties in finding parts (if not in India, I can always get it from UK, Japan or US). The bore pistons as found in the ebay and other Indian sites, I heard some alloy bore is available for sub 5K. Not sure if it is worth to buy and keep one on the rack for future use.

Finally I would be saving at least 50K compare to the new C5 bull at this point.

[BulZire]

Originally Posted by trammway

Ah.. I started seeing more and more RE 500s that were put on sale. WoW, what a timing. All these things happen when I started looking for a RE 500, not even 15 days of time.

I came across these bulls

1. RE Machismo 500 (2006), only 8000kms on the odo - Rs. 95,000

2. RE Std 500 CI (2004), only 10270kms on the odo - Rs. 85,000 (after discussing with the seller he agrees to bring down the price to Rs.80,000)

3. RE Std 500 CI w/disc brake (2004), around 20000kms on the odo. It was bought by a fellow TBHPian and my close friend and spent around 20K for new modified silencer, cams, valves, tappets &piston(1.5 mm O.S---German stuff), Service and Gabriel shocks - Rs. 83,000 (I will be spending another 2K for transporting it to Chennai from Coimbatore if it becomes mine)

4. RE Std 500 CI ES w/disc brake (2004), around 55000kms on the odo. This bike was not looking that great and looked like lots of work required and already repainted and that also gone. - Rs. 65,000(after discussing with the seller he agrees to bring down the price to Rs.60,000)

5. RE Classic 500 - Only few months used and quoted Rs. 1,33,000 (from TBHP Classified section)

6. RE Std 500 CI w/disc brake (2004), but changed the bore, head, crank, clutch cover and some internals to fix the AVL engine. The engine was recently done up and quoting Rs. 85,000

At first I came to know that the Machismo and Classic 500 were already sold, so I went to see the rest of bike (not the AVL engine one).

Now guess which one I would have preferred to pickup ? ALL THE ABOVE MENTIONED BIKES WERE TN REGISTERED, AND MY LIFE LOOKED REALLY EASY AFTER FINDING SO MANY AVAILABLE FOR ME TO CHOOSE.

to be continued...

tram, Option 3 and 6 seem to be good and price quoted also acceptable considering what i paid for my CI350. what i feel is you better pick the 3rd as the engine is still intact without any hitch. i am sure the CI bull from coimbatore will be in great conidtion as every corner of coimbatore streets have a good CI bull mechanic. I made some minor mods in my bull in CBE only recently.

And why do you want to spend 2k for transporting it to chennai, spend that for riding it from coimbatore by thundering NH47 and 7. It will give a chance to see your LR restoration status also right

[trammway]

Originally Posted by BulZire

tram, Option 3 and 6 seem to be good and price quoted also acceptable considering what i paid for my CI350. what i feel is you better pick the 3rd as the engine is still intact without any hitch. i am sure the CI bull from coimbatore will be in great conidtion as every corner of coimbatore streets have a good CI bull mechanic. I made some minor mods in my bull in CBE only recently.

And why do you want to spend 2k for transporting it to chennai, spend that for riding it from coimbatore by thundering NH47 and 7. It will give a chance to see your LR restoration status also right

The vehicle getting restored in CBE is my Toyota LandCruiser not Landrover.

Before I reveal about "MY RE 500", Let me post some pictures of three bikes which I was considering to purchase. One among this will surely announced as my bike.

RE 500 CI w/disc brake


RE 500 CI


RE 500 CI ES w/disc brake

[ricky_1605]

I would suggest to go with the bike in 1st pic.

[VW2010]

First one looks more new age. Meaning has those tiny front mud guards and the C shaped rear mud guards. The third ones looks more retro with older type mud gauards.

Both have disc brakes.

First one has Gas Shocks while the third one has traditional ones.

I say go with the first one