My Experience - Royal Enfield

Made like a gun. Goes like a bullet!

Like most people growing up in the India of yesteryears, a 'Bullet' held a special place in my heart too. As a young child, it inspired wonder and awe every time I looked at it -- the towering mass of the bike, the bulbous fuel tank, bold headlamps and the unmistakable thump.

Nothing could have made a greater influence on my impressionable mind as the 'Bullet'. Years later, I became the proud owner of one -- a 1974 vintage Royal Enfield -- and I would roam the streets on my bike, almost commanding the world to make way for me.

Like most Royal Enfields, she was a moody bike -- cankerous and stubborn.

The engine would frequently leak, living up to the reputation as the 'Royal Oilfield' and on a cold winter morning, it took a lot to get this lady in a mood to run.

The hours spent on the saddle have also made me aware of the issues which RE needs to address.

The suspension of the bike is much on the harder side; the seat design makes for upright riding -- but the spring mounted seats and the compact seat foam do not go friendly on your buttocks especially if you like long rides.

The matte finish of the sand colour paint makes it a challenge to protect -- and everyone from the morning 'bike cleaner' to the authorised service technician have to be advised against polishing the matte surface.

While the engine sophistication and suspension is a definite improvement, the past 24 months of courtship with the Desert Storm has also been a constant, often helpless fight against paint and rust issues.

Pros:

1. Road Presence
2. Retro styling
3. Sand Colour Exclusivity

Cons:

1. Ride Hardness
2. Paint and Rust Issues