[DHABHAR.BEHRAM]

Dear Tharian and all - are the reliability issues sorted out? A shining black Continental GT should be nice to own but there should not be any reliability or performance issues! Requesting you to please revert with a real feedback report, not a normal report.

Best regards,

Behram Dhabhar

[neil.jericho]

Originally Posted by DHABHAR.BEHRAM

Dear Tharian and all - are the reliability issues sorted out? A shining black Continental GT should be nice to own but there should not be any reliability or performance issues! Requesting you to please revert with a real feedback report, not a normal report.

Best regards,

Behram Dhabhar

I have an ownership thread here on TBHP that I have tried to update as often as possible to provide others with real world feedback on the bike's strengths and weaknesses. I use it for commuting to work and the occasional Sunday morning ride. arulpeem also has an ownership thread that you should check. Unfortunately there are hardly any long term reviews by owners on the internet.

If your heart and mind are set on the bike, go for it.

[tharian]

Originally Posted by DHABHAR.BEHRAM

Dear Tharian and all - are the reliability issues sorted out? A shining black Continental GT should be nice to own but there should not be any reliability or performance issues! Requesting you to please revert with a real feedback report, not a normal report.

Best regards,

Behram Dhabhar

Hello Behram,

As Neil mentioned, please go through the ownership reports of the CGT for the feedback.
Both my Enfields are old ladies and reliable as the word., so I cant say much about the new models since it's what I hear from owners here on the forum and outside.

But as Neil said, go for it.

[anand.shankar]

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

I have an ownership thread here on TBHP that I have tried to update as often as possible to provide others with real world feedback on the bike's strengths and weaknesses. I use it for commuting to work and the occasional Sunday morning ride. arulpeem also has an ownership thread that you should check. Unfortunately there are hardly any long term reviews by owners on the internet.

If your heart and mind are set on the bike, go for it.

Hey Neil, Tharian, and other Buleteers,

I was looking forward to purchase the Triumph Bonne but due to multiple reasons mostly financial had to drop the plan. I was looking out for a RE to fill in, but I am confused with the models. Basically I want bikes to look the same as a Bonne. I was contemplating purchasing a

* GT and retro fitting a RD type handle bar and RD seats. the foot pegs would need to be altered with. Not sure how possible these mods would be.

* Alternative is to buy the CL500 and replace the front end with that of a TB, but I guess I will loose out on functionality of the Speedo Pods, not sure if Tacho readings are retro possible. Also the Old TB seats and TB side panels.

* buying a TB was most sensible but I dint like the shortened wheelbase, the bike now feels puny from certain angles.

Do you think any of my first two options are workable ?

[vinay kamath]

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/...w/46461712.cms

I was truly impressed by RE's growth ! Congrats to SL & his team !

[arulpeem]

Originally Posted by anand.shankar

* GT and retro fitting a RD type handle bar and RD seats. the foot pegs would need to be altered with. Not sure how possible these mods would be.

Do you think any of my first two options are workable ?

I know the handle bar change is possible and I have seen one in the OMR service station which had the handle bar of the classic. The triple clamp or the yoke had two holes drilled and the new handle bar was clamped to it with risers. I am sure some off the cabling would have been changed to. It was one of REs own factory bikes. They also had re positioned the foot pegs a bit forward but I didn't have a good look at it. I was planning to change the handle bar but after 6 months and adding 4000Km on the odometer I am now comfortable with it.

[navin_v8]

Originally Posted by anand.shankar

Basically I want bikes to look the same as a Bonne. I was contemplating purchasing a

* GT and retro fitting a RD type handle bar and RD seats. the foot pegs would need to be altered with. Not sure how possible these mods would be.

* Alternative is to buy the CL500 and replace the front end with that of a TB, but I guess I will loose out on functionality of the Speedo Pods, not sure if Tacho readings are retro possible. Also the Old TB seats and TB side panels.

* buying a TB was most sensible but I dint like the shortened wheelbase, the bike now feels puny from certain angles.

Anand dude I think if you like the Triumph Bonneville then you should wait for some time and save your dough for a purchase at a later stage. Or else buy a RE Classic, Tbird or CGT and be happy with it. I would suggest don't modify the any of the mentioned RE's to make it look like Bonnie. It would make one look like a wannabe. RE and Triumph have their own charm and style which are different. But I can't thrust my opinion on you as every rider has a different requirement. Still I would suggest you can buy a CGT or Tbird500 as both have a lot of panache and functionality and will put a smile on your face everytime you ride it.

I own two Tbird's one is a AVL 350 and another is the latest Tbird500. You will be amazed by the handling of this cruiser called Tbird500. They have shortened the wheelbase for a reason which coupled with chunky 41mm forks and a redesigned box swingarm alongwith stiffer gas filled rear suspension makes this bike an agile handler as far as a cruiser is concerned. I have ridden both my Tbird's extensively and would always choose the latter one due to its handling prowess and many useful features including safety. If I were you I would take extensive test rides of both CGT and Tbird and decide which one to go for. Also remember these two motorcycles cost 1/3rd of what the Bonneville does. You can buy either CGT or Tbird and save the dough for buying a Bonneville later. If you want you can sell the CGT or Tbird at a later stage.(remember RE's dont lose their value very soon in the used bikes market). Having said that, remember one thing dude RE motorcycles make their owners come back to them no matter what. Look at me I already have 5 RE motorcycles in my stable and my hunger is still not satisfied.

Again every rider is not like me so it is for you to decide. All the best

[neil.jericho]

Originally Posted by anand.shankar

I was looking forward to purchase the Triumph Bonne but due to multiple reasons mostly financial had to drop the plan. I was looking out for a RE to fill in, but I am confused with the models. Basically I want bikes to look the same as a Bonne.

Anand, if I focus on your most basic requirement and not the options listed, the Continental GT is your easy answer. If you want something that looks non stock, pick up a Continental GT and give it a paint job to die for. Your options are limited by your creativity or google searchability. Add bar end mirrors and you have a looker! There are a ton of cafe racer themed websites that can give you ideas for paint schemes. Even if it does end up being a stop gap bike for you for the next couple of years, you will be a happy man indeed.

The TB, an excellent bike in its own right, doesnt seem to match your 'Bonnie lookalike' requirement. There is the other aspect of practicality - how often will you use the bike, what sort of seating position are you looking for etc. If you are going to do frequent long rides, wont the TB makes more sense even if you have to give up on the looks front? If you are looking at primarily in-city riding with the occasional Sunday morning blast, wont the Continental GT make more sense?

Originally Posted by navin_v8

Having said that, remember one thing dude RE motorcycles make their owners come back to them no matter what. Look at me I already have 5 RE motorcycles in my stable and my hunger is still not satisfied.

+1 to your whole post. This part makes me a little scared!

[man_of_steel]

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

..This part makes me a little scared!

Don't be. Take my case, I wont be returning to RE stable anywhere in the near future! Unless a proper adventure tourer comes up!

[B O V]

Originally Posted by anand.shankar

Basically I want bikes to look the same as a Bonne.

If you want a comfortable everyday ride, test ride 'em and have your pick.

If you want a custom motorcycle ,get a c5 and use it as your base.

I think that the mods you have in mind on a cgt would look a bit off, without the necessary supplementary custom bits.

If its more about looking like a Triumph Bonneville, I'd wait till things look up and get a bonnie itself.

Regards,

BOV

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by man_of_steel

Don't be. Take my case, I wont be returning to RE stable anywhere in the near future! Unless a proper adventure tourer comes up!

Most Bulleteers use their Bullets (or Royal Enfields) as adventure tourers anyways. Either stock, or with garage modifications. Am sure done directly by the company, they can do a much better job. The Bullet (or Royal Enfield) is built tough. What it lacks in refinement and reliability and performance, it makes up to an extent with simplicity, toughness, and its forgiving nature to abuse.

[man_of_steel]

Originally Posted by ebonho

Most Bulleteers use their Bullets (or Royal Enfields) as adventure tourers anyways.

Even I used to do the same with my TBTS. And I do the same with the 390 too.

Either stock, or with garage modifications. Am sure done directly by the company, they can do a much better job.

Precisely, if its a product right off the company, I would prefer that over a garage built one. Just because of the amount of testing that goes to each and every component. I am not comfortable with the idea of playing around with the chassis to be like an adventure tourer!

..and its forgiving nature to abuse.

True on the simplicity part. Its simple enough to accept any kind of jugaad work even in the worst case scenarios and still carry on. Thats the beauty of the Royal Enfield and thats exactly something the current crops of bikes lacks. But I am not too sure about the forgiveness to abuse part. My experience suggests otherwise. If I spent a day ripping it for triple digit speeds on highway, the very next day I could feel the engine becoming harsher or rougher. Not to mention about the magic nuts and bolts that disappeared along the process. If I abuse it on dirt the swing arm bush deteriorates fast, the tyres some times comes out of its seating and wobbles (Thankfully the rim only bends not break)! If I lube the drive chain of my UCE, I can forget about rear brake for weeks altogether. So, my point is, my experience would'nt call it forgiving to abuse rather it is easily fixable in case your abuse goes too far. And my bike made sure that I visited my mechanic before my ride and shortly after it.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by man_of_steel

True on the simplicity part. Its simple enough to accept any kind of jugaad work even in the worst case scenarios and still carry on. Thats the beauty of the Royal Enfield and thats exactly something the current crops of bikes lacks. But I am not too sure about the forgiveness to abuse part. My experience suggests otherwise. If I spent a day ripping it for triple digit speeds on highway, the very next day I could feel the engine becoming harsher or rougher. Not to mention about the magic nuts and bolts that disappeared along the process. If I abuse it on dirt the swing arm bush deteriorates fast, the tyres some times comes out of its seating and wobbles (Thankfully the rim only bends not break)! If I lube the drive chain of my UCE, I can forget about rear brake for weeks altogether. So, my point is, my experience would'nt call it forgiving to abuse rather it is easily fixable in case your abuse goes too far. And my bike made sure that I visited my mechanic before my ride and shortly after it.

Abuse = Physical abuse on terrain. Mechanical abuse. The kind of abuse our Dukes cannot take.

Not engine abuse. Any Bullet or Royal Enfield guy who abuses his engine is soon going to have a broken Bullet or Royal Enfield on his hands.

The bikes are maintenance soak pits. No two ways about that. The Dukes I wash before and after a ride. The Bullets go to the mechanic for "issues" before and after a ride. Preferably an oil change too.

[navin_v8]

Severely but I was planning to convert my AVL Tbird 350 into a semi adventure tourer. Like Ebonho mentioned it is quite easy to play around with RE motorcycles and a good mechanic with sound experience can do wonders with the motorcycle. I am looking at buying an adventure tourer motorcycle in the near future from the likes of motorcycles I have mentioned on the adventure tourer threads on this forum. Nevertheless the possibilities of modifying my AVL Tbird 350 into a semi offroading adventure tourer is limitless as witnessed by me when I went to my mech to discuss the same. The AVL Tbird has a long travel front suspension, decent enough ground clearance, rugged chassis, rear oil filled suspension(my 2004 model still sports the original rear suspension and it behaves very well), handle needs to be changed, besides other small changes.

Anyways coming back to the topic RE CGT is a motorcycle packed to the gills and is the lightest motorcycle currently in the RE stable. Infact I took one CGT for a short spin and found it surprisingly lighter than my Tbird 500. Although on paper the difference between the two is just 10 odd kgs but I think the twin cradle chassis on the CGT has done the trick here by disguising its weight. It accelerates very well and one can feel in control of the bike, this is after my riding experience on CI's, AVL's and UCE's.

[anand.shankar]

First of all, thanks a ton guys, dint expect so many responses.. Overwhelmed

Originally Posted by B O V

If you want a comfortable everyday ride, test ride 'em and have your pick.

If you want a custom motorcycle ,get a c5 and use it as your base.

I think that the mods you have in mind on a cgt would look a bit off, without the necessary supplementary custom bits.

If its more about looking like a Triumph Bonneville, I'd wait till things look up and get a bonnie itself.

Regards,

BOV

True, I find TB500 the most comfy, however the C500 like you said is a more modifyable bike. I too want to wait, but in a couple of years my Liva will be around 6 years old and waiting for an update, and am pretty sure that I will have to choose a car that will push the Bonnie further.

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

Anand, if I focus on your most basic requirement and not the options listed, the Continental GT is your easy answer. If you want something that looks non stock, pick up a Continental GT and give it a paint job to die for. Your options are limited by your creativity or google searchability. Add bar end mirrors and you have a looker! There are a ton of cafe racer themed websites that can give you ideas for paint schemes. Even if it does end up being a stop gap bike for you for the next couple of years, you will be a happy man indeed.

The TB, an excellent bike in its own right, doesnt seem to match your 'Bonnie lookalike' requirement. There is the other aspect of practicality - how often will you use the bike, what sort of seating position are you looking for etc. If you are going to do frequent long rides, wont the TB makes more sense even if you have to give up on the looks front? If you are looking at primarily in-city riding with the occasional Sunday morning blast, wont the Continental GT make more sense?

The bike will mostly be a weekend commuter + rider. I test rode the GT, and its ergonomics are a no-no. I am a lil over 6.4, and quite decently built the seating position is too cramped. My hamstrings were strained, I wasn't able to shift gear or brake comfortably. I had to arch my ankle a lot, I wear a 12 incher shoe :P

Originally Posted by navin_v8

Anand dude I think if you like the Triumph Bonneville then you should wait for some time and save your dough for a purchase at a later stage. Or else buy a RE Classic, Tbird or CGT and be happy with it. I would suggest don't modify the any of the mentioned RE's to make it look like Bonnie. It would make one look like a wannabe. RE and Triumph have their own charm and style which are different. But I can't thrust my opinion on you as every rider has a different requirement. Still I would suggest you can buy a CGT or Tbird500 as both have a lot of panache and functionality and will put a smile on your face everytime you ride it.

I own two Tbird's one is a AVL 350 and another is the latest Tbird500. You will be amazed by the handling of this cruiser called Tbird500. They have shortened the wheelbase for a reason which coupled with chunky 41mm forks and a redesigned box swingarm alongwith stiffer gas filled rear suspension makes this bike an agile handler as far as a cruiser is concerned. I have ridden both my Tbird's extensively and would always choose the latter one due to its handling prowess and many useful features including safety. If I were you I would take extensive test rides of both CGT and Tbird and decide which one to go for. Also remember these two motorcycles cost 1/3rd of what the Bonneville does. You can buy either CGT or Tbird and save the dough for buying a Bonneville later. If you want you can sell the CGT or Tbird at a later stage.(remember RE's dont lose their value very soon in the used bikes market). Having said that, remember one thing dude RE motorcycles make their owners come back to them no matter what. Look at me I already have 5 RE motorcycles in my stable and my hunger is still not satisfied.

Again every rider is not like me so it is for you to decide. All the best

I understand your point, looking like a wannabe is the last thing I would wanna do :(

When I say mod like a bonnie, I surely wont badge it a Triumph, I just want the C500 to look a lil more finished. All I want is TB like side panels and Headlamps and Twinpods. But then its more sensible to just get the TB500, but it just wont look like a naked Street bike, like the RD350, bonnie or the CB series since it doesn't have a flat profile! Oh god! If you were to make me so finicky why dint you make me rich too ?? !!

Originally Posted by arulpeem

I know the handle bar change is possible and I have seen one in the OMR service station which had the handle bar of the classic. The triple clamp or the yoke had two holes drilled and the new handle bar was clamped to it with risers. I am sure some off the cabling would have been changed to. It was one of REs own factory bikes. They also had re positioned the foot pegs a bit forward but I didn't have a good look at it. I was planning to change the handle bar but after 6 months and adding 4000Km on the odometer I am now comfortable with it.

Like I mentioned for my hieght the GT seems to have extreme seating, and modding the CGT seems to be too complicated. so like you guys suggested its either

1. TB500 Stock
2. C500 with a lil personalization added.

I was hoping to ride something that looks like :



Thanks for the inputs guys.

Could any of you also tell me if at all I plonk the twin pod onto the C500 will the tacho work with it ? or Is that a bad idea all together ?