Kind of Royal Enfield Bullet I would like to buy
A few days back I wrote a blog post on why I would never buy a bullet, today I am writing about the kind of Royal Enfield Bullet I would like to buy, if Royal Enfield ever chooses to produce it.
Improved reliability: Irrespective of how much or how little you like to work on your motorcycle, a more reliable machine would definitely be a boon for you while out touring. After all it is not like that Royal Enfield motorcycles are cheap, I am sure with the amount of money a Royal Enfield owner shells out or is willing to shell out, Royal Enfield can certainly do a thing or two about the reliability factor and if that leads to a slight price increase, then I don’t think any would really mind.
Another thing I would like to see in the reliability front is the ability to start the motorcycle, even if the battery is completely dead. I know it is possible in certain models, but not sure which one. But would certainly like to see this implemented across the board, after all if other motorcycles can be started without battery (though Bajaj is going backwards on this idea), why not Royal Enfields?
Of course electric starter should also be good and reliable one as well, as it really comes in handy in case you get stuck somewhere.
Improved fuel system: Have seen plenty of bulletiers cringe about the fact that the stock carburetors of Bullets are rather limiting, apart from this I have also seen the mileage of bullets drop by 20-25% while touring in high altitude areas, while majority of other motorcycles only register a drop of 10-15%. While this might be due to the fact that Enfields are running richer, it is something that Royal Enfield R&D should pay attention to. Especially when they market it as a motorcycle for touring and in particular, in hills.
Extended warranty: If not as a standard option, at least as a optional thing? It would give me peace of mind while purchasing a motorcycle, if I know that for 40,000-50,000kms or couple of years, I would only be spending on consumables and my bike would be taken care of.
18-20 liter petrol tank: While in a way it goes slightly against below listed point, but having a slightly higher fuel capacity is something that all tourers would appreciate. After all if 150cc motorcycles can have 16-18 liter fuel tank, why shouldn’t a bullet? It would save the trouble of getting an aftermarket petrol tank, which all those who love touring in remote areas, often end up getting.
Lighter than the current models: If I were to buy a Royal Enfield motorcycle, I would like it to weigh around 150-155kg. This would not only put it in the same weight category as Karizma and Pulsar 220 DTS-Fi, it would also improve power to weight ratio. For this to happen, Royal Enfield might not even need to make any drastic changes to the engine, though a slight weight reduction would surely be needed, though majority of it would end up coming from the “looks” section, which for me is a non issue.
Brighter headlight: 55/60w headlight as a stock option would be quite better than the 35/35w headlight that 350s come with and 45/40w that the 500 comes with. Even those who ride inside the city, should benefit from it, for tourers it would be a blessing.
Disc brake as standard equipment: Today even the 125cc motorcycles come with disc brake and almost all the 150cc+ motorcycles have it as standard equipment, then why not Royal Enfields? Of course the front suspensions also need some reworking as they are just too stiff under braking to provide any feedback.
Slightly upswept exhaust: Not a big deal, but should help while one is crossing a nallah or a stream. Though it would end up reducing the amount of luggage that can be mounted.
Cigarette lighter socket: This would not only help recharge mobile phone/GPS/camera battery (good for those touring in remote areas), it would also work with the portable electric compressor, which is a must carry accessory while touring. Touring motorcycles abroad already have this option and it can be fitted easily in just about any Indian motorcycles as well, but things are just more reliable, if they are factored in while designing and producing a motorcycle.
Well these are just some of the things that come to my mind as of now, and although I wish to see them implemented across the board, it would be the UCE based Machismo that I would like to see all this being implemented on and would seriously be interested in buying one.
Of course no one knows the bike as well as its current owners, so let me know what you guys think and feel is missing from your Royal Enfield and would like to see in future. Then maybe the Royal Enfield R&D guys can go over it and create a motorcycle which doesn’t needs to rely on the legacy of Royal Enfield to sell, and would genuinely be interesting for tourers like me.
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Much as I would like to see all that Yogesh has recommended actually happening with the Enfield, I have no real hope that it will happen.
I once rode a 750 Norton (British bike- looks just like Enfield) in California and that is a ride I still remember. Lighter than the Enfield, sleeker and what power! Just like Diane siting pillion!
Yaar…. bachpan ke din bhi kya din the!
I have this feeling as well, though you never know. I think sometime back, Royal Enfield was looking to launch a 150-200cc motorcycle in India to compete with rest of the manufacturers.
20 years ago, they did bring out a 200 cc “mini” Enfiled. Remember the Crusader fiasco? That was one of the shittiest bikes ever made by mankind. No kidding.
Hey Yogesh… this is a good one, who would not love to see them? we should get it till RE. Wat say?
Meanwhile after my trip, may be i’ll get into putting on some of these features..
Regards,
Jagan
Ajit are you talking about the Fury175? That one had the first 5 gear box and disc brake in India. I think Bike India or someother magazine had tested it few years ago and had said the performance was still pretty good.
Thanks Jagan, all the best for your upcoming trip
I think it was called Crusader and it was 200 cc.
*Why* do the Indian manufacturers insist on using these weak headlight bulbs?! *Why?* When you need light there at least as much as in other places.
Thank goodness, that Bajaj went and put a better stator on the Avenger, what a blessing! (I mean so that we can put them on our Pulsars, not that we can buy Avengers.)
No need to do that any more, the new 180s are coming with DC setup. Just put in the 60w halogen or better yet an HID and it should be good to go.
ah, so then the others will follow – at least with the 180’s and 200’s.
Reliability Reliability Reliability
Thats the biggest crib most current owners have. Guess the weight, vibration, wrong choice of components might be the reason for this.
But whatever the reason, for the exorbitant cost of their bikes, RE can surely put in some effort on the R&D front and improve this.
All said & done, I am no way changing my RE std
Cheers
N
Great Points by Yogesh. I would love that too since I drive new age 650cc twins with 81HP
A Bullet with 145Kgs or so and 500cc Fuel Injected – with all new age Jap goodness-features will be a dream coem ture – is the enfield firm listening and waking upto the needs of the current Indian smart motorcyclist.
rgds
sriguru
Hey I agree to the gist of your post Yogesh. I used to hate Bullets but ended up buying one! Electra 5S with electric start and disc brake. I know exactly about the points you’ve raised. The cylinnder gasket blew out at 12K kms and the agency walas are anything but a help. Yet I realized that to live with a bullet, you need to carry your own cross. Test a couple of known mechanix and zero in on one. Always use the best quality/original parts and you generally don’t run in to problems. MY Bike’s done 25000kms in one and a half years and never got punctured once or stall in the middle of “nowheres” that I usually keep riding on. An iridium spark plug was a welcome change and I have a few other changes on my mind; generally for performance improvement. K&N and a 17″ rear wheel’s on the pipeline. IT’s because of this bloody elephant arse that I’ve ended up reading a lot (I mean a lot) on bike modification, chassis designs and performance modificatios. True it could’ve been designed better but that’s the fun buddy. It’s like a semi dirty canvas
…pick your eraser and start painting your imagination. For me, that’s the high of owning one but I totally understand what you feel about this bike…and as for Rude Bulleteers…I understand, there are WEIRD EL-Jerkos out there riding bullets.
Yes and writin stuff like the following are demeaning both for the royal enfield and the harley davidson:
“The Harley Davidson of indian roads”
“Everybody gives way for Royal Enfield”
And it’s these stupid quotes that fuel the bad attitude in bulleters. Unbelievable the company website endorses the first one and proudle displays in on their website.
Harleys are HArleys man, they’re not Hyabusas, they’re not mopeds and they’re definitely not like Royal enfields or vice versas….the smallest harley is 883CC for Christ’s sake.
stop all this bullshit about enfield. is someone giving you money to do this . rubbish peoples and rubbish thoughts
Absolutely not, this is purely for pleasure
Guys, I guess we are just getting over the board.
As far as the attitude of the Bulleters goes, there is nothing wrong in that. You need to be with them to know the real attitude. Just looking at a few Jerks riding a Bullet can never sum up the whole Bullet Community Attitude Issues.
As far as the other issues regarding the R & D for the Bullet Bikes are concerned, a few (Like, Fuel Tank, Ignition, Head Lamps) seem actually practical. But as far as the other issues of making a Bullet like the other bikes is just not done. Guy’s, a Bullet has a tradition, it has a nostalgic emotion attached to it. The same would get killed if those comments are even looked upon. As to the author, I would suggest him to get a bull, change as per likings and enjoi the ride.
Thanks Guy’s,
Happy Riding.