I bought my Alberto Green Machismo with Disk brake more than year ago. It has the classic look of the Bullet, but with lots of chrome. Everyone stops to have a look at the bike, and even make a few
comments, especially when the chrome is well polished!
The performance of the bike is very good, especially at speeds above 60 kmph. The bike is easy to ride even in heavy city traffic, but it is
probably no more fun that other smaller bikes in city conditions. It is only at higher speeds that you really feel the rush of power. It is amazing how smooth, responsive and powerful the vehicle is at
higher speeds. Thrilling head-spinning acceleration can be had at higher RPMs: over 50 kmph on 4th gear, and over 60 kmph on 5th gear. Obviously, these speeds can normally be reached only outside the city,
so do take the bike often on long rides out of the city, so you stay in touch with its capabilities!
The initial running-in period (one year) is a bit of a problem. You are not allowed to take the engine to high RPMs, so the fun is missing. Plus, the gear shifting is problematic during this period.
The gear box and engine really settle in only after 2000 km of riding.
A few riding tips: The gear box can be problematic, especially during the initial period. Basically, what happens often is that you
have a hard time shifting downward after slowing down abruptly from high speed to low speed. This can become irritating. There are several ways to minimize this problem: (a) start lowering the gears before
coming to a full stop, and (b) keep the clutch cable tight (without slack) at all times, by tightening the screw adjusters at either the clutch lever end or the gear box end. Whenever possible try to avoid abrupt slowing down and stopping, at least during the initial run-in period. Start slowing down ahead as soon as you come to know that you are going to have to slow down.
While accelerating, don't shift upward too rapidly. Basically, the bullet does not like rapid shifting.
Kick starting needs a fair bit of effort, at least until you have ridden for 10-15 minutes and the engine is heated up. To minimize effort, (a) kick once with the decompressor before the real kick, (b)
use the decompressor rather than the ignition key to stop the engine if you are going to start again soon, and (c) use the choke if there is
starting trouble.
Braking is very good, provided you use the front disk brakes. Make it a
habit to apply both brakes together; however, avoid the front brake when the road is wet, or when you are turning and braking simultaneously.
Putting the center stand is a breeze, which is surprising considering the weight of the bike; just take care to keep the handle straight
while putting the stand.
I get mileage around 35-37 kmpl. I could get around 40 kmpl if I rode
really conservatively, never raising the RPMs; but then, the fun would go away! For a while my mileage went down to 31-32; I later realized that was because my tire pressure was too low. Do top up the tires
regularly, once a month or so.
Maintenance has not been a serious issue. There were oil leaks (engine oil, clutch oil) for the first 2-3 months, but these problems vanished
after the first two services. The more serious problem has been the clutch cable; it has gotten cut twice so far, the first time when the bike was hardly a month old. I read elsewhere on the internet that this
is a tendency on all 5-speed Enfield models. One way to improve the life of the clutch cable is to force some lubricating oil (e.g., engine oil) into the cable housing (through the clutch lever end) every now
and then.
Wrapping up, I have never regretted the day I bought the Enfield. It gives a unique riding experience and thrill, and to top it, attracts a healthy amount of attention from others. It is not perfect in its
behavior, but then you cannot have everything!
The only thing I would change if I can go back in time is, I would buy a Thunderbird rather than the Machismo. I did not like the Thunderbird looks at the time of buying, plus it was more expensive. But now I wish I had bought the Thunderbird. It looks really cool, and its riding posture is somewhat more comfortable. However, the Machismo ought to
have identical performance as the Thunderbird.
Happy riding on your Enfield!
