[Sankar]

Originally Posted by rangan

4) not the easiest of bike to ride (especially the ones with gears on the right!!)

That's just a myth. Takes getting used to and for an average guy 3 to 4 days maximum is what it takes to master the right gear shift!

[vaspro]

Originally Posted by Sankar

That's just a myth. Takes getting used to and for an average guy 3 to 4 days maximum is what it takes to master the right gear shift!

I totally, completely agree.

I fell from my bullet 500, the very second day i bought it (in 2004) as i was confused between break & gear and in panic pressed the front disc brake hard. After that i never had any issue. Now i dont like to ride the new bullets as their gear is changed to the left (i like the original bullet's charm).

Cheers
-Vaspro

[rangan]

Originally Posted by Sankar

That's just a myth. Takes getting used to and for an average guy 3 to 4 days maximum is what it takes to master the right gear shift!

i agree to that. its just a mindblock!!
i needed just a couple of days to get used to it.

[kph]

Originally Posted by vaspro

I totally, Now i dont like to ride the new bullets as their gear is changed to the left (i like the original bullet's charm).

Cheers
-Vaspro

You can always shift those back to the 'right' sides as I did on my present RE.

[mohang_j]

Originally Posted by throttleking

There's just one thing that's bigger than the Bullet. It's the pride of owning one.

excellent write up. for the simplest bike on road.

[thiyags22]

My dad was a proud owner of a 1977 bullet (TNJ 6509) till 1994. He was with the TN government and his job involved traveling to nearby towns often. His usual companion was the bullet for these trips and he used to maintain it so well. The bullet used to be our play ground many times and would stand like a rock under our assault (if dad sees us doing this he would shout at us). Whenever dad was free, he will take me, my sister and mom in his bullet for a ride and to friends relatives' house. So my love towards bullet did not have any special reason, it was like growing up with it and the bond grew naturally.

I learnt riding with the bullet in 1992 when I joined engineering in coimbatore. Since we are not supposed to take bikes to college in 1st year my riding was limited to going for shopping and friends houses. By that time dad had his office jeep and I became the successor to the bullet. I started taking the bullet to college from my second year and the sight of a 48 kg boy riding the 170+ kg bullet at 80-90 KMPH made friends and seniors say- mosquito riding the bullet has come. I could always feel their jealousy and the best part was that they would be waiting for me to come so they can go for a ride in the bullet. Since our college was about 4 kms from the main road the students would come and stand at the junction and bikers would give them lift. Many bikes would carry 2 people while a few bikes carry 3 people. my bullet was the only bike which used to carry 5 people, I would sit on the tank, 3 people would sit on the seat and the 5th one would sit on the carrier. I removed the carrier later since more guys wanted me to give lift. The bullet has gone with me to all kinds of locations in and around coimbatore and has never failed me other than an odd puncture.

Due to financial crunch and the rising petrol cost (it was 20 rupees per litre that time), my dad decided that we have to sell the bullet and buy Hero Honda. I felt the same pain as my dad when the bullet left us on 13th Nov 1994 (clearly remember because we got the HH CD 100 SS the next day which is Childrens day).

Since then I have ridden almost all Indian bikes and can say nothing comes near the bullet in terms of stability and ride comfort (with the RD being out of reach for most of us). According to me the only bike that comes close to the bullet is RX100.

Since then I have put on 13-14 kgs but when tried to buy the TB after marriage wife showed her dis-pleasure and found a big supporter in my dad who said the bike is a heavy one and I need to stick to the car now that I am married and would be having a baby blah blah. So my plan never went beyond planning stage. But never wanted to buy another bike since I could not connect with any other bike

Since I dint want to take the car everyday to office, I got my friend's RX100 (my 2nd favourite), repaired it and using for past 1 1/2 years. Would one day like to buy my dad's bullet if i can find the owner and willing to sell it...

Sorry for the long post. This topic just made me write.

Thiyags

[roshuch]

Hi,

Sorry to reply so late to this, I just saw the post.

If it Helps:
The original Head lamp dome and glass ( Lucas Type) was designed with the regular bulb in mind hence the problem. Yoy could change the Hl Glass dome to the flat type( Minda Halogen Type) glass which nicely directs the Low beam into a semicircle on the road and a strong Circle of light in the Highbeam.

I have had it on my 95 bull and it did not work well on the regular bulbs but was Super with the halogen lamps Incidently my Halogen(HAlonix) has been working well for the past 6-7 years.

Thanks and regards
Roshuch.

[ron_9191]

Well may be i am the last person to post something on here. Let me tell you my story.
I used to have a 1986 Yamaha RX100. I loved that bike for its simplicity and for the sheer joy it gives you when you ride it in the city. The only issue i could find about the RX100 was that one the bike is just too light, that makes it nimbler and two pathetic braking, hit the brakes at high speeds and you are history. As I was so used to 2 strokes I didnt have a clue about what really a Bullet was and why was this fuzz all about.

So I went to the Royal Enfield dealership in Ulsoor, Bangalore (Teknik Motors) and they fortunately gave me an Electra 5 Speed for a test drive for a day. I gave them my original DL and took the machine out for a spin outside the city. And that changed everything. And in the next couple of days I was actually riding my own Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 4 speed with the gear shift on the right side.

See a Bullet is not about the speed or the performance and all that other bikes offer. And trust me there are much better bikes in the market nowadays. But this thing is out of the world. See when you ride a normal RX 100, a Suzuki Shogun (which is a fantastic bike and happens to be my first bike) you dont get the feeling that you are in control of everything once you go past 80kmph or more. Because the more you think you are pushing it, it really beckons you to ride faster. But on the Bullet thats not the case. It gives you the confidence that you are in control and it never overpowers you. And yes if you are going for a long ride and once the engine has reached its optimal temperature, you will notice that there will be nobody on two wheels anywhere near you.

I personally love the Bullet. And I just dont have much words to persuade a complete newbie about why I really went for a Bullet. Its just the feeling that you get when you ride it, the exhaust note... well I dont know. I just love it and thats about it.

[rockyb]

2 words - "Emotional Thump"

I ride one - for over 6 years - 76,000+ km. Dunno - how to explain... I tour extensively with my wife; so this is the only bike that make sense. Mebbe in near future we will have more options in India, mebbe a dual sport. Till then - Royal Enfield rocks

Oh way - by the way - its doesn't break down often as most people assume

[vikrut]

Im a bullet lover even without owning one , I have been around the streets of mumbai on a three geared bajaj scooter and then on a honda cbz (which also pulled me towards it way back in 2004) But I always wanted to own a bullet , there is something about the bull which has a very magical quality about it. My first memories of a bullet are of an uncle who used to visit us frequently who was a bullet riding cop , the image of him in uniform riding the bull has been etched in my memory forever. There was an air of 'shaan' a 'rubaab' which for me is unmatched for any other two wheel vehicle in India. I am currently in a planning stage for a Machismo 500 , hope to get it very soon (with the retro seats & a crash guard) , I think owning a bullet is opening up a whole new chapter in one's life , one has to take care of her, give her respect , I think having been a good rider and having gathered some riding experience as well as some life experince a move onto a Bullet for me is a gradual move in my life cycle. I am completely obsessed with this machine !! I think its quite comparable in terms of passion with the first girl I fell in love with , that is the magical quality of the bullet for me.

[amit V8]

my 200th post is dedicated to the most amazing bike after the JAWA/YEZDI & the YAMAHA RD350. i do not have one but still love it because
1. its old
2. its big
3. its noisy
4. its muscular.
a big cheers: to it.

[deepclutch]

A small trip of 15-20kms to near by town in evening with my Bullet electra 4S gives so much excitement- peace and relaxation with a speed of 50-60kmph.

[agbenny]

Buying and owning is more of a decision from the heart than the Brain. One can not say Bullet has these these issues, and owning it is not the right decision - Unless you own it and feel it every day!
Many of of us live for hearts, and driven by hearts, we do not allow our brain to control some of the sensitive parts of the live, we allow our hearts to decide though we know what the brain tells. Bullet resides in that part!

So Why Enfield Bullet doesn't have a simple answer.

[redfire]

Why I love it? Can't say bcoz its a 'bullet thing, which you never understand".

My ironbull 500 is like a second wife to me . No other machine/thing has ever come close to my heart. That's the magic of it. Its all passion, love, emotion, things from heart. Been riding for 5 years, clocked 50K + kms, and will do till I can.

Its a bike with a lot of character and soul (at least I believe so). When some of my friends new to her tries to ride her, most of the time she recognises the rider has changed and hetitate to start . No other bike can do this!

And finally for those who says bull can't do this, do that etc - don't under estimate a bullet and rider meant for business. It can do off-road, beat many of the 200 range cc bikes even in traffic light, and can clock less time (only after moding) on race track than RDs. She can satisfy both stock lovers as well as mod crazys (both cosmetic and technical).

But again, it's a "bullet thing, which you never understand". Thats why I love it.

[lohithrao]

I have 2 bulls and am ready to own one more... all about once liking