Finally, I got my new Royal Enfield Thunderbird! And believe me I’ve never felt this good after spending so much!
Pre-Purchase Blues.:
I was a bit apprehensive before buying her as I’d never ever driven a Royal Enfield before. Several thoughts used to haunt my mind. would I be able to control her, given that she weighs around 170 kgs? Would I be able to pick her up if she ever falls down? Maintenance issues? Would she look good on me?(or rather, would I look good on her?!) The only option left with me is Online research.
Online Research:*
Believe me forums like MS, xBHP, royalenfield.com community etc help a lot in knowing a lot about the bike before buying it. I had a lot of unanswered questions in my mind, and didn’t have anyone to ask. But, in the end, all questions were answered after a lot of research online.
Bike Specifications:*
I had to decide if I needed a Disk brake(DB) or not, and an Electric Start(ES) or not. Through the reviews I read, it was obvious that having both of them will be a major plus point. So, I went for the model with ES and DB.
Buying Process:*
Very straightforward. Just had to take my residence proof, passport-size photos, and photo-id. After filling up a form, and making the payment, I was told that I’d get the bike in 3-4 working days.
Since the RE dealers are not overloaded with sales, they give you enough time and personalized service. The dealer, Mr. Venugopal(Southern Motors, Chennai) was very courteous, and made sure that I didn’t have to go through any troubles till I get my bike.
Feel:*
You don’t have to worry if your will be able to control her. She’s very easy to drive. if you’ve ever driven a simple 100cc bike then you won’t have any problems. very easy to maneuver. even in heavy traffic conditions. gives an amazing posture. you won’t feel even a little bit of stress in your back while riding the bird(I’m 6’3”, so that was my major concern).
Maintenance:*
Maintenance is simple. but takes a long time. you should be willing to give her time. regular cleaning is a must. specially during the rainy season. the xbhp forums have helped me a lot on that. and special thanks to the Bull Cleaning manual by Madbull Ram.
Kickstarting the bike is also not an issue at all. a simple procedure needs to be followed. use the decompressor before you kick, and the kick will be smooth and easy. always starts on the first kick!
I had some problems before the first service. The head-light bulb blew off, less mileage, rattling noise, difficulty in shifting gear etc. But everything was taken care of during the service. Everything else has been working well since then. However, there has been a perennial problem of the Electric Start not working when we try to start by pressing the clutch in any gear other than neutral. This issue was addressed in the first service. It was working ok when I received the bike from them. But immediately after that, when I reached home, it started behaving in a similar way.
Mileage:*
It gave me a mileage of 35 kmpl before the 1st service. After the 1st service, it gave me 40-45 kmpl depending on the drive.
UPDATE: The second service is done. Its almost time for the third service. Since the past two months, I’m getting about 35 kmpl mileage.
Final Word:
Its been 5 months since I got her. She has not given me any problems. Will keep on updating on MS.
And finally, she looks great on anyone. cos it hardly matters who is riding her!
~rohan