[gaurav_3000ad]

Spotted the Goldstar today in Mumbai. The bike was on a review shoot. I caught up to the rider and asked him a few questions :-

His points :-
1. Bike has the power of the interceptor with the handling of a triumph.
2. Vibrations are a non issue.
3. Great on low end torque.

My observations (I own an interceptor) :-
1. Bike has a good road presence. Looks equal to the interceptor and not smaller.
2. Ride height looks more accessible with a much more comfy seat.
3. Fit and finish seemed really good.
4. Exhaust note is like a muted big single. The thump is evident. Sounds good!
5. Nails the retro styling.

Challenges :-
1. Pricing.
2. Service back up.
3. Lack of awareness in the market regarding the brand.

[EasyRider Suraj]

Launched at Introductory price of 2.99 lakhs

IMO overpriced and will likely end up as another flop in long list of flops by Classic Legends. Price should have been 30k more cheaper

Originally Posted by gaurav_3000ad

Spotted the Goldstar today in Mumbai. The bike was on a review shoot. I caught up to the rider and asked him a few questions :-

His points :-
1. Bike has the power of the interceptor with the handling of a triumph.
2. Vibrations are a non issue.
3. Great on low end torque.

My observations (I own an interceptor) :-
1. Bike has a good road presence. Looks equal to the interceptor and not smaller.
2. Ride height looks more accessible with a much more comfy seat.
3. Fit and finish seemed really good.
4. Exhaust note is like a muted big single. The thump is evident. Sounds good!
5. Nails the retro styling.

Challenges :-
1. Pricing.
2. Service back up.
3. Lack of awareness in the market regarding the brand.

It was universally criticized for its handling relative to Interceptor (from European reviews).
The top variant of Interceptor now offers aluminium switch cubes, alloys and led headlamp which improves the quality and value quotient even further. With aftermarket exhausts, there is nothing that could come close to the RE 650s.

[b16h22]

Originally Posted by EasyRider Suraj

Launched at Introductory price of 2.99 lakhs

IMO overpriced and will likely end up as another flop in long list of flops by Classic Legends. Price should have been 30k more cheaper

Don't think it's overpriced. It's never going to be a big seller like the Inty 650. It's more of a niche offering. A big thumping single is reserved for some hardcore old-school enthusiasts and it's priced well enough in that category. It's a substantial and good looking retro as well. It can co-exist in the market with the RE 650s.

[tharian]

Originally Posted by EasyRider Suraj

Launched at Introductory price of 2.99 lakhs

IMO overpriced and will likely end up as another flop in long list of flops by Classic Legends. Price should have been 30k more cheaper

It is priced appropriately in my opinion. 30k less is going to make a difference for a motorcycle such as this?
Being a flop or not depends on a lot of other aspects as well.

[EasyRider Suraj]

Originally Posted by b16h22

Don't think it's overpriced. It's never going to be a big seller like the Inty 650. It's more of a niche offering. A big thumping single is reserved for some hardcore old-school enthusiasts and it's priced well enough in that category. It's a substantial and good looking retro as well. It can co-exist in the market with the RE 650s.

Its not a genuine retro thumper like UCE 500. This engine was already sold in India officially by Hero via BMW Funduro bike in 1990s.

If you look at the big picture, one shouldn't buy this bike because of history of Classic Legends. Mahindra has history of closing their 2 wheeler brand (scooters and Mojo bike) and Classic Legend has not released a successful bike so far even though they are competing in relatively volume category since day 1. We are seeing price cuts left and right but no improvement in sales. Aftersales support is infamous. Aftermarket support is NIL. Resale is poor.

This bike got lukewarm response in Europe and they are ALWAYS chasing Royal Enfield and therefore always 1 step behind.

I guarantee you this entire venture will close within next 6-7 yrs.

This is isnt a keeper bike, you will have very hard time maintaining it compared to a Interceptor. The spares, the repair will all be difficult.

Originally Posted by tharian

It is priced appropriately in my opinion. 30k less is going to make a difference for a motorcycle such as this?
Being a flop or not depends on a lot of other aspects as well.

True 30k isnt going to make difference when there is already so much wrong with Classic Legends. I would be surprised if it sells over double digits. I can give them 6-7 yrs before they shut down their entire operation like they did in past (mahindra scooters, Mojo bike).

[Nilesh5417]

Originally Posted by EasyRider Suraj

It was universally criticized for its handling relative to Interceptor (from European reviews).
The top variant of Interceptor now offers aluminium switch cubes, alloys and led headlamp which improves the quality and value quotient even further. With aftermarket exhausts, there is nothing that could come close to the RE 650s.

BSA Goldstar was the best selling retro roadster in UK in 2023.

I don't understand if you are super critical of the bike or the manufacturer even before a test ride. There is room for all good and decent products and not just the greatest.

Tons of people don't want fancy stuff like LED headlamps which btw are absolutely useless yet slapped gleefully across every RE. I ride the H450 so I got more. Except for Inty, none of the other RE are anywhere close to the earlier bikes and not everything they changed is for better. They got their hands full with issues but it's just that with success comes moolah to drown out the bad and super glorify the tiniest of good.

So I wish the BSA (some) success - RE needs competition for it's own good.

[EasyRider Suraj]

Originally Posted by Nilesh5417

BSA Goldstar was the best selling retro roadster in UK in 2023.

I don't understand if you are super critical of the bike or the manufacturer even before a test ride. There is room for all good and decent products and not just the greatest.

Tons of people don't want fancy stuff like LED headlamps which btw are absolutely useless yet slapped gleefully across every RE. I ride the H450 so I got more. Except for Inty, none of the other RE are anywhere close to the earlier bikes and not everything they changed is for better. They got their hands full with issues but it's just that with success comes moolah to drown out the bad and super glorify the tiniest of good.

So I wish the BSA (some) success - RE needs competition for it's own good.

Alloys and aluminium switch cubes aren't just fancy things. Entire RE line up gets universal critical acclaim in domestic market and International and the sales follows it too. There's nothing like the 350cc single in the market (not counting the explicit copy cats). And this bike has been launched and reviewed countless time and not one review said it was a better bike than Enfield but most agreed that they preferred the Enfield. Other brands don't push Enfield today but its exactly the other way round where the competition is playing catch up. It could sell in first few month but it dies later on. In 2022 3 of the top 10 most sold 2 wheelers in UK were Enfield models. The only reason it sold more than Interceptor in 2023 is due to being fresh launch and platform cousins provided by Enfield in 650cc. If you combine sales of all Enfield 650 it would be a lot more. Jawa/yezdi in India doesn't release individual models sales because they are often in 2 digits.

I am sure this model will be discontinued within 4-5 yrs here. Its just the reality of the market.

[Legal_Eagle]

Interceptor hasn't got the ergonomics right. I have owned two in the past, though it looks good, the ergonomics are a nightmare. Hope the BSA has got it sorted. The launch price seems to be on par, I hope the new launches in retro 650 category further pushes heat on RE. We as riders couldn't be more happier with new choices available.

[AulusGabinius]

Somehow this, in a chassis like the Meteor 350, feels like it would be RE Thunderbird 500 Jesus. The Super Meteor isn't really the second coming of the TB 500, I'd say the HD X440 is. Planning to take a test ride of this just to try and relive the big single experience I had in college!

[EasyRider Suraj]

Originally Posted by AulusGabinius

Somehow this, in a chassis like the Meteor 350, feels like it would be RE Thunderbird 500 Jesus. The Super Meteor isn't really the second coming of the TB 500, I'd say the HD X440 is. Planning to take a test ride of this just to try and relive the big single experience I had in college!

J-series Classic/bullet/thunderbird 500 is my dream bike as I love the new RE 350cc platform. The reviews did say the X440 is the closest we got to j-series 500 but when I test rode it somehow didn't click. Maybe I was too gentle as it was a friend's brand new bike. Will test ride it again cause I loved its presence and the specs.

Sadly RE has no incentive for a new 500cc single as the 350cc top variants already sits very close to the 650cc base variants.

[Venkatesh]

Press Release

[Sudarshan42]

Originally Posted by EasyRider Suraj

I am sure this model will be discontinued within 4-5 yrs here. Its just the reality of the market.

There seems to be some sort of bias against Classic Legends in your posts. Are they perfect? Far from it, but they're making earnest attempts to improve things. Things like updating their entire model lines periodically to improve refinement etc, camps for first-batch customers to resolve issues- these are not signs of a company that's willing to throw in the towel that easily.

Will they ever be as successful as RE? Absolutely not. But are some of their products worth considering? Yes. The points about them shutting shop in 5 years is pure speculation at best, and doesn't serve anyone well. I for one considered the Yezdi Roadster quite seriously before finalizing my Speed 400, and lack of CL's pedigree wasn't the main reason.

The BSA 650 has been received well elsewhere. Let's see how they do here before passing judgement. If I was in the market for a 350cc+ motorcycle, I'd be putting this quite high up on my list.

[EasyRider Suraj]

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[masterChief007]

I believe take a test ride, if not to your liking don't buy. Sales figures don't do justice most of the times. I have a ford aspire which is an excellent car, but it didn't burn the sales charts. On the other hand I have the old thumper (not the UCE, but the CI Bullet), I love my bullet nevertheless as the service I get from RE is not at par with the private garage I go to, and boy it has problems you bet !

Just because classic legends have failed till now doesn't mean that they are not learning. Then RE should have shut shop long back. Lets see how it does on the test ride, I will go and get it once it's available and post it here.

They just need to work out their service experience, in my opinion that is much more important than anything else in this day and age. No one has time to visit service centers every week, so if they work that out well I don't see why this can't be successful.

Also twin versus single comparison will fail between duke 390 vs interceptor, but people are buying 390 in hordes.

[skviknaraj]

@ EasyRider Suraj:

It is a Fact that CL vehicles sales are abysmal. There were reliability issues which I believe are being addressed by the company through service camps and best is that even out of warranty vehicles are also being covered.

There is no information on the company shutting down. Until the company shuts down, your theory is just a speculation and not a fact.

Were you / have you by any chance affected by Classic Legends (like bought a bike a bike from them and faced multiple issues?)

Multiple posts dissing a brand without any reason is uncalled for.

This is a new vehicle from Mahindra, dissing without any test ride and real world feedback is just too harsh.

I have had a Mahindra Mojo for about 6 years, and can say the ownership was very good. The vehicle was reliable, endured whatever was thrown at it. For a new product and engine, it was great. There are people who are still having the bike and getting them serviced. Regular wear and tear parts seem to be available readily.

So who knows what the future holds