She seems to be alive. Review on Royal Enfield Classic 350

Title : She seems to be alive

Review : The bullet has thrilled me since I was a kid. It was the first sound I recognized on Indian roads and the same sound fills my heart with warmth. I have read the comments to my earlier review which prompted me to look at my bullet more as a bike than a friend and judge her pros and cons.

first impression: For a first timer riding a bullet, the feature which strikes the most is its stability. Even bikes like the Caliber and CBZ feel unstable if you ride them right after you drive a bullet. The bullet is in a different league compared with the economical 4 strokes in india, but its pickup actually seems to be less than that of these machines for the first timer. It is due to a variety of reasons. First of all, one should get used to the slow thumping of the engine and believe that such a relaxed beat can propel you at speed. The second is that you can't whip the throttle and expect the engine to respond immediately. To get good acceleration, one should learn exactly how to work through the gears.

the gearbox: The one up three down right side gear system too takes a bit of getting used to. Great care is required while shifting and one should learn to feel whether the bike is in neutral or not. An inexperienced rider can easily miss the 2nd and 3rd gears and find himself in 4th right after the first. The gearbox requires constant care. Every few months you can find the gear shift getting tougher until finally you have to open the cover and set things correctly after lubrication. But as with everything else with the bullet, this too is easily fixable. The most beautiful part of the bullet gearbox is the neutral finder. It can shift to nuetral from 4,3 & 2 with a single touch.

the engine: This is a 346cc air cooled unit with the pushrod design which produces its beautiful thumping sound. It gives out a good 18 bhp@5625 rpm. The bike delivers a lot of power but needs periodical setting of the ignition timing so that the power is used efficiently. The bullet engine is prone to many leaks most of which are harmless but some may prove to be costly. The pushrod design may make the thumping sound but it also produces a great deal of unwanted noises. It doesn't harm the engine and it is better to learn to live with most simple noises rather than getting paranoid about them. In all the engine will most probably never let you down but for smooth operation you may need to spend some time with it.

suspension: the bullet comes with telescopic front and a pivoted fork( I think that's the name) rear suspension. If your seat is correctly designed, this gives you the best ride india can offer. Very comfortable performance: Every flaw the bullet has will be forgiven when you take her for your first trip on the highway. The bike just seems to be raring to go and you will be amazed at the ease at which she attains and maintains real high speeds. Be sure to correctly run in the engine before you try this. The beats of the engine give way to a steady drone and soon you'll be wishing that the journey never ends. In the city, the bullet may be slightly harder to control. The heavy weight of the bike does tell in terms of maneuverability but it ceases to be a problem once you get used to it.

The seating and layout of the controls is satisfying. The adjustable footrests, brakes and suspension lets you personalise your bike. In all, the bike is a curious mixture of pluses and minuses. When you by a bullet, you don't just get a bike, you get a bike with personality. Adjust to it and adjust it so you may enjoy living together.

The new models seem to address the ''bullet problems'' but I can't understand why they don't seem to catch on with people.

I'd recommend it highly to someone who has got the time and is really enthusiastic 'bout motorcycles.If you are a busy man with no time to spare,I'd advice a japanese 100cc.