In a class of its own. Review on Bullet Machismo

Hi all,

I'm writing this from the tiny island of Singapore where the Enfield Bullet has recently made a return after many many years away from our roads. I'm currently riding the gorgeous Bullet Machismo. Bought it only 2 months ago. So far done about 2500kms on it (..tiny island u know, not much distance to cover! Haha!).

Prior to this I've been riding quite a variety of bikes :-

1. Piaggio Skipper 125cc (automatic transmission scooter)

   
   




2. Honda Phantom 150cc (small Jap cruiser that thinks it's a sportsbike!)

   
   




3. Honda Steed 400cc (really overweight and underpowered Jap V-twin cruiser)

   
   




4. Honda Super 4 Version S 400cc (powerful, fast, value for money naked bike)

   
   




5. Honda Super 4 V-Tec 1 400cc (more powerful and faster than all of the above)

   
   

And now, I'm on this relic, this dinosaur. And I'm LOVING every minute of it! Let me explain. I first fell in love with the Machismo based on looks alone. The dealer (Universal Motors, Singapore) is the only one to import the Bullets here and did inform me well about the differences between this British pedigree Indian made product and modern day bikes. I've always loved the look of classic bikes. No other modern bike can compare. The looks of this bike alone was enough to make me want it. Sorry, I know this is not a good way to go about buying a bike but hey, that's how I got mine. If you can test ride the bike then that's the best but stupid Singapore regulations prevented me from doing so.

Ok, for all those thinking of buying this bike, I'm telling you by modern day standards this bike is NOT fast, NOT extremely powerful and NEEDS a certain amount of regular maintenance. Running in WILL take time, longer than modern Jap bikes. Straight from the dealer, expect to find VERY rough gear changes. U WILL feel the engine struggling if you try to push it beyond the recommended limits during the running in period. If you must ask how fast can she go, then stop reading right now and look elsewhere for your ride.

Still reading? Then I guess you must be serious about this bike. Now for the good stuff. If you are like me and want a ride with CHARACTER, PERSONALITY, UNIQUENESS...this might just be your kind of bike. If you'd like to think of your ride as being almost like living, breathing creature, then this might just be your ride too. The quality of the ride improves with time. How well the bike performs really depends on how well you take care of it. Treat her with respect and love and this beast will make every ride a very enjoyable one.

I ride my bike (haven't named her yet) every day. To and from work, carrying all kinds of load (my baby's pram, my drums...all without any problems. Bike is steady as a rock) and also for the sheer fun of it. I've leaned it crazily into corners without any fear at all of losing control. However, be very careful in rainy weather because I find my rear wheel tends to slip and slide a bit.

Riding comfort is good too thanks to the sensible upright riding position. I didn't experience any soreness at my wrist, arms or back even after riding her the whole day.

Torque on this bike is very good. When riding solo, there is no need at all for me to downshift to go uphill, even in 5th gear. With heavy loads, at the very most I will downshift 1 gear. I get about 35-45km/l fuel mileage, depending on my speed, load and road conditions. To be honest, I didn't follow the speed recommendations during running in strictly. I've done up to 80km/h on my bike without any problems. Speed increase is gradual. I increase by 10km/h every 500-800km. If I feel the engine straining, I'll hold back and not force it. The main thing is to let the bike run COMFORTABLY.

Service the bike REGULARLY. I wash, polish and do a general check on my Bullet every weekend. That means lubricating all moving parts such as the chain and moving joints, spraying anti-rust on the bolts and screws and tightening any loose parts. Check the engine oil level. Oil change is very simple and can be done yourself. In fact with the right tools, you can learn to do most maintenance work yourself. And you can ride knowing that this bike is really YOUR beast because YOU are the one that have been taking care of her and tending to her needs. Otherwise, find a good and trusty mechanic if you are not very good mechanically but do try to hang around and see what's being done. You might learn a thing or two.

Whatever "problems" you might encounter with this bike, please remember that the technology here is basically from the 50's. Other than the front disc brakes, CDI ignition, gas rear shocks, nothing much has changed. This bike vibrates. So does a Harley. And that's part of the appeal of riding legendary marques like these. Every day when I park my bike or stop at a traffic light, people want to talk to me about my Bullet Machismo. 95% have nothing but compliments about my Bullet. Everybody loves the classic styling, the tons of chrome and that thumping exhaust note (I changed to a short silencer). I even had a guy who is a member of a local Harley group asking me to join them! I also had young guys asking me how fast can my Bullet go. To them I answer, "If you have to ask, then this is not your bike". How ignorant!

The more I ride my Bullet, the more I love her. Because the ride just gets better and better every day. It is practical, economical, comfortable, relaxing, very stable and is gorgeous. You cannot compare it to other bikes because it stands in it's own class. I love knowing that I'm riding a part of motorcycling history and that 10 years from now, my Bullet will still be as cool, as unique and as attention grabbing as the day I got her.