Mar 25, 2012 02:29 AM
30743 Views
I have been riding over a decade and a half now of which I have ridden bullets for over a decade and I have owned this Tbird for 8 years now. So my observations are based on my own experiences and that of several of my biking buddies.
I saw some other reviews, which mirrored mine.
RE sells in india cos of the appeal it has managed to generate among the guys.
Positives
The bike still draws attention on the road
It probably still is the only Indian bike company which offers 350 and 500 cc engines. All other bikes that I know off are below 250 cc
It has a certain macho appeal
It is much more sturdy and stable on the road compared to many other bikes
It can do long distances without heating up
You spine doesn't feel ready to fall out even if you just did 200 kms straight
There is awesome camaraderie and binding between bulleteers
It's the only bike you will think of taking to the himalaya
Negatives
Pathetic build quality. the company has tried to improve a bit over the years but I dont see too many improvements in quality. Design has definitely improved.
It's too expensive for the quality and features it offers
It's difficult to find good bullet mechanics and you really need a good one or you are in trouble cos breakdowns are frequent
The parts are expensive compared to other bikes
It has become difficult to find many of the original parts for the tbird
The tappet makes too much noise and there is currently no solution
The two authorized service centers I went to turned out to be cheats. One stole my tool kit and changed some parts the other did repairs which I had not asked for including replacing parts and charged me a bomb. in the first case I was still a novice and I was going there for my first year free services. I did get my tool kit back but they just kicked out the mechanic and refused to take responsibility for my loss
Very difficult to find parts or mechanics on long rides. so you need to carry as many parts as you can on you. You also need to know basic repairs, This probably also solves the mystery of why bulleteers know so much about bikes. We spend a lot of time with the mechanics:)
Having said all that, this is still the only bike in India that I will ride, it costs me a fortune to maintain and it can prove to be a headache but it does give you ride quality and the feeling of being on a bullet,
The Harley is now there in India but I doubt many of us can afford it at the moment, and I think it will be years before they have a good enough service network, till then instead of being a cruiser it will end up being a city bike.
