I bought a Electra 5s about 6 months back and am a very happy owner with no issues to report so far. I use it for my daily commute to work and haven’t had any issues so far. The electric start is a gift in the city traffic no doubt, but the kick started also works perfectly.
Things which people ask me about frequently, which I thought I would address here:
Maintenance: I haven’t seen any major issues so far. The right rearview mirror came loose in the first couple of days. Tightened it withthe spanner provided and haven’t had issues. There was 1 oil leak inthe past 6 months, a minor one which got fixed when I took it for the3rd service last week.
Heavy: I see a lot of people who say the bike is too heavy, but the bike is also very well balanced. It feels really comfortable to ride in the city and on the highway.
Fuel consumption: I get~30 km to the litre. For a 350cc engine and in the kind of traffic I ride it in, I don’t see this as a problem. I have heard some people get 40kmpl or even pushed to 45kmpl, I haven’t met these mythical creatures so far though.
Ride and handling: Beauty is the only word to describe this. Stays rock steady all the way through. In the first week of getting it, I tried avoiding a big pot-hole on the road, but couldn’t. But the bike just glided over it as though it didn’t exist.
On the whole, it takes a little getting used to. I was used to riding pulsar and cbz earlier. Compared to that the way I ride this bike is different since the bike is heavier and operates very differently. But once you get used to it, its a real joy to ride.
I have taken a few rides on the highway and haven’t had any issues so far.