Why still a Bullet ?

You can't simply fill petrol and drive that Iron engine. A Bullet needs your time once in a while to work on it. It may be considered a pain on the arse in more ways than one (maintenance and the expenses). Of the average units sales of Royal Enfield bikes about 65% are still cast iron engines.

It is a pleasure ride, no point for guilt trip of indulging yourself with a royal beast. It is not so much the ego as the passion that drives people into the fangs of a Bullet. It is suicide say the Indo-Jap crap mouth-traps; for same amount of money you can get so much more value, technology and digital stuff. Hell! If I were to spend so much I wouldn’t ride what every Tom, Dick, Harry and their sons race on. Okay! I have never had right-side gear shift, I will learn, I have never had 50 year-old tech to depend on, I will learn to tame it, it weighs more than what 2 people can lift, I will try to stay on 2 wheels Thank You!


1) Royal Enfield (not the current company but the brand) offers a rich history that any biker would be proud to be associated with. Sure it was a British brand but today it is solely associated with India and touring in India.

2) Repairs are not as expensive as you would think with no hi-tech stuff as in modern Indo-Jap bikes. Spares and maintenance would be fine unless you are rally riding it regularly (which I surely am not).

3) Complete highway Bike with sturdy robust meaty package which handles well on Indian roads.

4) Eicher has acquired it and maybe see a different scope/future with the AVL / lean burn engine; but the original Bike will surely not disappear off the Indian Bike scene anytime soon.

5) Its not just a piece of history, it is a legacy, a class, an image and yes the so called old water-pump will build character if you do the right things with it.

6) The thump, the retro feel, the love of a classic cruiser running still with 50 year-old technology - why upgrade to AVL when this can be tweaked to perfection.

7) Finally, look at the other lame cruisers as choices - Avenger with 180cc Pulsar engine (and ugly tank lock and weird sloping seat) or my Enticer which can never match a Highway performance of a Bullet. Plastic is not fantastic and I would choose a bullet over any such weird pseudo cruisers.

8) My AVL Vs Iron engine comparision on XBHP.com helped me decide wisely on the old tech – cast iron metal-head is me.


So unless Harley-Davidsons and Triumphs are available at affordable rates (with service support to match) in India; there is nothing but a Bullet to ride forever.

The real eye-opening butt-kicking event was noticing that Std 500 iron Bullet is no longer a product offered by India's Royal Enfield. So then I just had to book the iron engine 350.

Dilly-Dally-Finally - I buy it – a Bullet 350cc Electra 4 S iron engine black in colour.

Can't regret later that I could have owned it but never did. So now I will get the Bull in about a week. The bike was ready for me in 3 days but registration is taking time. Hope to have only good memories to share about the Bull soon.