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![]() | #16 | ||
BHPian ![]() Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Cochin
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| Re: The Undying Hunger: My Fifth RE Motorcycle Presenting the RE Thunderbird 500 (Mar Quote:
![]() Royal Enfield as a brand,Had a lotta engine variants.The "Bullet" itself had a fair few other variants(engine wise) other than those you've mentioned.Among those the one model,that I feel was the most beautiful bullet ever,would the the Royal Enfield J2. Also I think this might be worth mentioning that there was a UCE model(350) back in the 60's.That's a full 50 years(approx) before it found its way here. http://www.royalenfields.com/2008/08...models-is.html Did the B2 you have come with the slightly heavier looking D shape mudguard at the rear?Good to know that you have most of your original parts. I think you should get one book called Royal Enfield:The Post War Models-Roy Bacon.I've been tryin to get my hands on it myself through my friends in the uk. Happy thumping! Quote:
My purist cousins keep comparing the new bullets to other motorcycles(which I won't mention). I've always wondered what people mean when they say this.The only motorcycle I've ever ridden(and riding) an '83.And whenever I ride my friends uce's I feel like something is lacking(Not that it isn't good).Is that "feel" what folks mean? Last edited by B O V : 11th November 2014 at 20:29. | ||
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Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Bombay
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| Re: The Undying Hunger: My Fifth RE Motorcycle Presenting the RE Thunderbird 500 (Mar Quote:
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![]() | #18 | |
BHPian ![]() Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Cochin
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| Re: The Undying Hunger: My Fifth RE Motorcycle Presenting the RE Thunderbird 500 (Mar Quote:
![]() Man I sincerely wish I could ride some of their parallel twin models.You know its quite weird that back when Enfield-Redditch was in its heyday they did strive to do their best in terms of competing against the then competition.Although selling them wasn't their strong point.Although I do hope that RE India will re-introduce 'em(Might be naive of me) Sorry that was a typo(Since I had my mind on the J2).Man you will not believe how badly people want those old mudguards now.Do you need that mudguard?I've a very resourceful mech,plus my cousins also know where to source them from.If you need any parts that you have trouble with,let me know. Yes I am from Kerala too ![]() I own a slightly customised '83 deluxe(was a deluxe). http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motorb...83-bullet.html Personally I don't care much for the UCE vs CI debate.The only time I felt the perceived lack in "feel" was for the 350 UCE.But damn when I ride my friends 500 efi.All forgotten(Might be due to my only CI riding experience). | |
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![]() | #19 | |
Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Bombay
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| Re: The Undying Hunger: My Fifth RE Motorcycle Presenting the RE Thunderbird 500 (Mar Quote:
Your customised 83 Deluxe Bullet looks yummy, very nicely done up and a brilliant restoration. I saw your thread as I never miss a thread about Enfields ![]() Thanks for the help mate about sourcing the mudguard, I was contemplating fabricating the rear mudguard but I am not doing it now maybe later. Here in Bombay one can get everything but PM me your number just in case I need to source the mudguard. Enjoy your 83 Bullet to the max and ride safe ![]() | |
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![]() | #21 |
Senior - BHPian ![]() | Re: The Undying Hunger: My Fifth RE Motorcycle Presenting the RE Thunderbird 500 (Mar |
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Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Bombay
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| Re: The Undying Hunger: My Fifth RE Motorcycle Presenting the RE Thunderbird 500 (Mar Quote:
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![]() P.S. Mods please delete this post if you think it is inappropriate. I am not going to report any more posts on the "Real Bullet" henceforth on this thread. Thanks. | ||||||
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![]() | #23 |
Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Bombay
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| Re: Undying hunger, my 5th Royal Enfield - The Thunderbird 500 The Diagnosis and Repair Dilemma (this is a long one so please bear with me) As Sunday was a holiday I had to wait till Monday Oct 27 2014 to hand over my Tbird500 to the service centre. At home too there was a gloomy atmosphere my mom, sister and brother in law were consoling me and saying such things happen, you are lucky that the bike stalled inside Vasai market area, had you been on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway it would have been more challenging. I couldn’t sleep for the whole night and it was the first time I was so eagerly awaiting Monday morning. I knew that RE service centre opens at 10.am. I started from my home at around 9.am. in order to reach my friends’ workshop (at Sakinaka) where the bike was by around 9.30.am. I got aboard my Standard 350 CI and started riding towards my friends’ workshop at Sakinaka; I reached there and pushed out my dead Tbird500 from the workshop. Now comes the interesting part where I visit RE authorized Synergy Auto showroom as I don’t know where their service centre is located. I enter the showroom and this is what happens… Me: Hi my name is Navin and I have a Tbird500 EFi which broke down on Saturday 25th Oct 2014. It is just roughly 3 weeks since I have got the delivery and here are the papers. The bike is at my friends’ workshop near the Sakinaka Metro station; since I don’t know where your service station is located I have come here. We need to take the bike to the service station and I also have to go to my office. Showroom Staff: (note that this is the same guy I spoke on the phone while I was on my way from Vasai to Sakinaka, he is very rude and unapologetic) You have to put it on a tempo and bring it to the service centre. Me: I don’t think your service centre would be so far from here, besides I have already paid Rs. 2000 for the tempo charges while I brought it from Vasai to Sakinaka! Showroom Staff: Where is the bike now? Me: (I’m baffled at his reply) I already told you the bike is near the metro station just adjacent to this road. Showroom Staff: Which metro station? Me: (I think he is testing my patience now) Which is the metro station adjacent to the road? Is it not Sakinaka? (I ask him sarcastically) Showroom Staff: You have to put it on a tempo and bring it to the service centre which is on 90 feet road, just across that lane. Me: (I tell myself, Is he a robot or what) Dude which tempo guy would come for such a short distance and besides I have already paid Rs.2000 for the tempo as I said before, I don’t want to spend more. Kindly arrange for a person so that me and him together can push the bike and take it to the service station. Showroom Staff: (Rudely) We have no one at present, kindly arrange a tempo and take the bike directly to the service centre. Me: (My lid blows off!) Hey listen! The distance between your service station and where the bike is will be about 400-500 feet max, I am telling you, me and one of your guys will push the bike to the service centre. It will take all of 10-15 mins. Man! Showroom Staff: I told you we have no staff, put it on a tempo! Me: Ok at least send your service centre mechanic to see if he can start the bike temporarily? (In the mean time I call up the RE Brand store in Bandra from where I purchased the bike and tell the other person on the line about the situation and speak to the Synergy Auto showroom guy, the Synergy Auto guy calms down when the RE Brand Store from Bandra speaks to him on my phone.) Showroom Staff: Here, this is the mobile no. of the service centre manager, speak to him and arrange for a mechanic. Me: (I tell myself Wow what a customer service are these guys only here for doing timepass! A thought comes to my mind “Do not blow a trumpet in front of a buffalo it will make no sense.” I take the number and call up the service centre manager.) Hello, my bike Tbird500 is broken down and is near Sakinaka junction and I have been asked to speak to you, can you arrange a mechanic to take a look? Service Centre Manager: Yes sir let me see who is available; most of the staff is on vacation due to Diwali holidays. Me: Do it fast as I also have to leave for office (the time now is almost 11.00.am.). Service Centre Manager: Yes sir wait for 5 mins. I will send someone (and cuts the line). Me: (I tell the showroom staff) Thanks for the help and I never wish to see you again! While waiting outside the showroom the service centre mechanic arrives after 10 mins. I take him where my bike is located and he checks the fuses and wires but the bike is as stubborn as it was before, it doesn’t budge at all. I tell him let’s push the bike to the service centre and you can diagnose the issue, he says the bike needs to be carried on a tempo to the service centre. I tell him I have already spent so much I don’t want to spend more and tell him take me to your service centre I want to talk with your manager. I reach the service centre and give a piece of my mind to the service manager, surprisingly he also says I need to put it on a tempo and it will take about 150-200 bucks. Rather than wasting my time I decide to pay him 100 bucks for bringing the bike to the service station and give him the insurance policy photocopy and leave for my office. I get an SMS from my friend in the afternoon at around 3.pm. that the bike was just taken by two people pushing it. Wow! I tell myself and what was I telling them since morning all this for just 100 bucks I was a fool not to know about the “chai paani” tradition in India. Proactive that I am, I call up the service centre next day to find out what the issue is? The service manager says the battery is shot and we are charging it to see if we can fix it. I tell them how a maintenance free factory sealed Exide battery can go kaput so soon? I get no reply. I decide to visit the service centre on Wednesday 29th Oct to check the progress only to find that my bike is parked in one corner with the speedometer and rpm needle still stuck in the middle. I go to meet the service manager and ask him what have they diagnosed so far, he says the battery is faulty, I tell him did you find the source of the problem, why was the battery so hot? Was it due to overcharging? Have you checked the wires, alternator, regulator-rectifier unit, etc.? Just by giving a generic reply saying the battery is faulty is not enough, what if the new battery also conks off and I am stranded in the middle of nowhere, I would not like to go through this ordeal again. I seriously expect some quality from a 2 lakh rupee bike for crying out loud, telling this I leave from the service centre for office. I decide to send a mail to the RE customer care on 29th Oct about the problems (I also attach all the required documents in my mail) and wait to see if they respond. Next day itself I get a reply from the customer service reassuring me the best of their support. I also get a call from the RE Mumbai Territory Service Manager the very next day and he assures me the best of service, I tell him just by saying that the battery is faulty is just not done your guys need to diagnose and pin point the issue. The bike is just 3 weeks old and this is really not expected I am really disappointed. That week passes by and I follow up with them on the phone next week, what I hear next comes as a shock to me, they tell me that the starter motor too is faulty! I tell them how earlier you said the battery is faulty and now you say the starter motor is faulty, I fear if I have got a lemon! I shoot an email to the RE customer care and this time a stinker mail on 5th November, note that the bike has now been in the service centre for almost 10 days, no reply from customer care. I call up the service centre on 6th November and ask them the status, they say the battery has been replaced with a new one and the order for a new starter motor has been placed and is now in transit. I ask them when will I receive my bike, they say since Friday is a weekly off for them I can expect the bike on Saturday or Monday to the max. I decide to visit the showroom on Saturday 8th November; I speak to the service manager who says he will receive the new starter motor today. While in discussion with the service manager the RE territory manager himself arrives and recognizes me, I thank my stars and tell what a coincidence that he is visiting the service centre today. I tell him about my experience so far and he asks the service manager to speak to the logistics guy to check the progress on the starter motor, the logistics guy on the other line tell that the starter motor is already delivered and should be in the service centre. A service centre mechanic appears from nowhere and says we have received the starter motor and shows the invoice and delivery challan to us. Wow what a coordination these guys have among themselves where they have no idea as to what is coming in and going out, they don’t communicate and update each other I guess! The territory manager assures me that I will get my bike in less than 15 mins. I sit inside the customer lounge area and chat up with a fellow RE rider who has come to fix his Continental GT. The bike is ready and I am asked to take a trial, I ride it for about 5 kms and test it, after the ride I open the battery box cover and touch the battery to see if it has turned hot, fortunately it is not is cool to touch. I go back to the service centre and carefully go through the job card and sign the necessary documents and fill the RE customer feedback form. I have a small chat with the RE territory service manager before leaving and book the first service appointment after about 2 weeks (on 24th Nov) as my bike had covered about 280 Kms before conking off and had been in the service centre for 10 days. “Aall is well” I tell my heart and ride off towards home. In short Problem diagnosed: Faulty battery and starter motor Problem resolved: Yes both the battery and starter motor replaced with a brand new unit. Meanwhile I tested the bike on Sunday 9th Nov by going for a 40 Kms ride and checked the battery again wherein I touched to find if it was cool to touch and it was. The bike has been running flawlessly so far. Guess what guys? I am gonna take the bike to the same Vasai location (I wasn’t able to visit the Vasai Fort and Suruchi Beach due to the breakdown earlier) on coming Saturday to break that jinx and to visit those places which I wasn’t able to do before. Wish me luck guys! |
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![]() | #24 |
Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Bombay
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| Re: The Undying Hunger: My Fifth RE Motorcycle Presenting the RE Thunderbird 500 (Mar
Hey tharian thanks for the wishes man. Even I had a doubt of this as a known issue on new Thunderbirds, but we might be wrong as one of my friends who owns a April 2014 Thunderbird 350 hasn't had such issues so far. But I will keep my eyes and ears open. Thanks again. |
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![]() | #25 |
BHPian Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Mumbai
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| Re: The Undying Hunger: My Fifth RE Motorcycle Presenting the RE Thunderbird 500 (Mar Hey navin, Been keenly following your thread since I've decided to go ahead with my purchase of the Thunderbird 500, (booked mine in July but waited since I wasn't decided all this while) mine is a marine too. In my case the immovable object came in between me and a Bonneville :-(. Anyhow, I'm still gonna save up for it and use the Thunderbird till the time i get a Bonnie. Whats concerning is the fact that so many of the Royal Enfields have reliability issues like this and various others too and I'm scared I might end up with a 2 lakh rupee lemon myself!! From the chassis and engine number I've received, it indicates an October manufacture and I hope its not a manufacturing defect across the lot. I plan to get an ownership thread up soon if time permits, in the meantime wish you safe riding and happy trouble free miles. Last edited by aah78 : 13th November 2014 at 20:25. Reason: Post edited for readability (grammar). |
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![]() | #26 |
Senior - BHPian ![]() | Re: Undying hunger, my 5th Royal Enfield - The Thunderbird 500 Damn! That sucks on a brand new bike! Anyways, glad to know that the issue is resolved. That Exide battery of the UCEs has always been a headache! I remember mine developing problems within 7 months into the ownership or so, and finally gave up completely after 2.5 years in the middle of nowhere during a ride! This happened even after I refilled and recharged the battery just the previous day! But I was able to restart the UCE350 TBTS with a 9A Amaron battery and reach back home! Aah... Good old days! ![]() |
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![]() | #27 | |
Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Bombay
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| Re: The Undying Hunger: My Fifth RE Motorcycle Presenting the RE Thunderbird 500 (Mar Quote:
Last edited by aah78 : 13th November 2014 at 20:26. Reason: Quoted post has been edited. | |
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![]() | #28 | |
Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Bombay
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| Re: Undying hunger, my 5th Royal Enfield - The Thunderbird 500 Quote:
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![]() | #29 |
Senior - BHPian ![]() | Re: Undying hunger, my 5th Royal Enfield - The Thunderbird 500
No, as per my knowledge. There is Exide and another couple of brands which I do'nt remember, who makes those 14Ah batteries. And even I found Amaron to be far better than Exide. Last edited by man_of_steel : 13th November 2014 at 16:07. |
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![]() | #30 | |
BHPian ![]() Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Seven Islands
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| Re: Undying hunger, my 5th Royal Enfield - The Thunderbird 500 Quote:
Please Enjoy/Pamper/Love the TB500 and forgive its faults. I hope the service centre staff should not count these 10 days since the bike has been kept in their workshop for its first service. Hope the first service appointment should be after 24th Nov. | |
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