Mar 13, 2012 04:53 PM
69994 Views
(Updated Mar 14, 2012 04:55 PM)
Bought the brand new TBTS in September 2011 in Mumbai. Magic black color and loads of chrome on it. Rode it for 6 months and sold it recently in March 2012. The paint quality is top notch, in fact way better than the pre-2009 Bullets. Instrument Cluster was very informative by RE standards, the much needed fuel guage and trip meters neatly placed. The Tacho in my opinion is not an absolute must as RE engines operate are low RPM producing high amount of torque. The chrome on the bike was simply dazzling, if well maintained can turn a lot of heads. The seat in my opinion wasn't very comfortable especially for the pillion rider. Took the bike on a few long trips with my girlfriend as pillion, these include Pune(all the way to Mulshi), Nashik, Satara, Igatpuri, Daman, Lonavala. My everyday riding distance is 65 kms from home to office and back.
Positives
Headlamp focusing can be done easily using bare hands to tilt the headlamp unit.
Fuel Gauge is a blessing, so is the trip meter.
Fuel Economy achieved was 46 kmpl in the city and 48 kmpl on highways.
Paint and Chrome quality is top notch.
Good pick-up from standstill, courtesy the 6-plate clutch assembly and lighter components.
Tyres were reasonably grippy in the wet, MRFs are way better than the earlier Dunlops that RE bikes wore.
Negatives
On long distance rides especially on open highways, I could clearly feel the weak top end power of the engine. The TBTS is happy maintaining speeds between 80-90 kmph, anything beyond that is like sacrilege for the engine with a 90 kg rider like me.
Max Speed I could manage with the throttle pinned was 110 kmph, though RE claims 120 kmph.
The stock headlamp is good but fitting a 55/60 W will do the job better.
The swing-arm bushes in the UCE RE models are made of plastic/fibre and hence wear out very fast. Within 6000 kms of hard riding on highways and potholed roads of Andheri, the swing-arm started giving trouble with the bike swaying relentlessly.
Riding in windy weather conditions requires high level of control and concentration as the bike isn't very steady in cross-winds which is completely unlike the older cast-iron Bullets.
Suspension was pretty hard(the way it should be on a Bullet) and steady at first but after about 5000 kms softened out completely resulting in frequent bottoming out with a heavy pillion.
RE should have given the engine more juice at the top end with a stiffer suspension, after all u can't be comfortably cruising at 90 kmph on roads like the Golden Quadrilateral with cars and Volvo buses overtaking you at 100 kmph+ speeds. Cheers. Ride Safe.
