For 12 years now, I have lived the life of a self confessed bike freak. Every man has something that rouses his spirits, something that when he sees he feels excitement soaring through his veins, his temples start throbbing, the adrenaline goes up and his heart starts beating a tad faster……………………….. These are also symptoms of love and if you go one step higher it becomes not an obsession but a Passion (not the bike, but the feeling). I have had that passion ever since I learnt to handle one…. It started with bicycles and has continued with motorcycles ……. I have had the pleasure of owning a Rajdoot, a Yezdi, a K.B. 125 (it’s still there) and more recently a Bullet Electra……………….
The first and only word that comes to your mind when you think of this bike is PRESENCE ………. and mate this one comes packed with loads of it. I have seen college kids, girls on the street, elderly men on evening walks, dudes on the latest bikes, in short most people giving me or rather my ride a look of that respect that only PRESENCE can bring out. It is not the speed or the efficiency that brings this bike its presence; it is just two things, first the name and second the sound (unfortunately this has changed due to the latest emission laws). But lets put this question to ourselves, how many times on the road have we had that feeling of wanting one of these bikes when they go by with that classic heart thumping beat the exhaust note has, especially on the older bikes? Let me answer that …. Most Times……………. I will not waste your time trying to make comparisons or listing specifications, because one there is no bike on the India road that can match it’s specifications in terms of raw engine power. I will not claim it has a high top speed, but we are not talking speed here are we? We are talking about a bike that offers something which speed, pickup wheelies and stoppies will not give; we are talking about that feeling of sitting on raw power and energy when you drive this bike…..
In the past year, I have had the pleasure of getting promoted and the displeasure of having to bear with the additional responsibilities my job brings and not to forget the longer working hours….. I was waiting patiently for a chance to take this bike into the free open space of a long highway and this wait felt like a prisoner doing the last few months of his time. I bought this bike a little over 7 months ago and my first real chance came when I had to visit Bangalore for a business meeting and voila, I cancelled my flight ticket left office a bit early (especially because I was not expected in B’lore till 3 the next evening)…. Started on the bike with a full tank at about 6:30 in the evening and within an hour it was a wait come to an end a dream come true…. There I was on way to B’lore on a road that I had traveled a lot during college days (and had written a review on quite some time ago)……..
There I am on this long stretch of tarmac, keeping this beast of a machine at a steady 100Kmph, working my way steadily through a labyrinth of intercity buses and heavy vehicles and those occasional cars and mini trucks…. This is what I call the beauty of life ………………. I cannot say more about this at the moment, because it hurts to remember this one lone chance, because I have arrived in B’lore a month ago and will be here for some time and once again, it is that sinking feeling of doing time, till I get a chance to go back to Hyderabad where I will once again have the opportunity of riding this bike and taking pleasure in one of my joys of life
My only recommendation for a person who is thinking of buying this bike, DON’T THINK, BUY IT !!!! You Will Never Regret The Purchase……… It is oodles of fun and more than that, it is that look from people that this bike invites
As An After Thought, Added After I Received A Comment :
The Specifications Of The Bike Are As Follows :
Model: Enfield Bullet Electra 350
Year: 2005
Category: Naked bike
Rating: 71.8 out of 100. Show full rating and compare with other bikes
Engine and transmission
Displacement: 346.00 ccm (21.11 cubic inches)
Engine type: Single cylinder
Stroke: 4
Power: 18.00 HP (13.1 kW)) @ 5000 RPM
Torque: 27.00 Nm (2.8 kgf-m or 19.9 ft.lbs) @ 2875 RPM
Compression: 7.3:1
Bore x stroke: 70.0 x 90.0 mm (2.8 x 3.5 inches)
Fuel system: Carburettor
Cooling system: Air
Gearbox: 4-speed
Transmission type
final drive: Chain
Physical measures
Seat height: 740 mm (29.1 inches) If adjustable, lowest setting.
Overall length: 2, 120 mm (83.5 inches)
Overall width: 750 mm (29.5 inches)
Ground clearance: 140 mm (5.5 inches)
Wheelbase: 1, 370 mm (53.9 inches)
Chassis and dimensions
Front suspension: Telescopic, Hydraulic Damping
Rear suspension: Swing Arm With Adjustable Shock Absorbers
Front brakes: Expanding brake (drum brake)
Front brakes diameter: 178 mm (7.0 inches)
Rear brakes: Expanding brake (drum brake)
Rear brakes diameter: 152 mm (6.0 inches)
Speed and acceleration
Top speed: 100.0 km/h (62.1 mph)