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#1
This is about the BU, Royal Enfield Bullet.
Flash-back: In childhood, I was awestruck by the dug-dug-dug-dug sound of Bullet. One of my uncles had three Bullets at his home for nearly a decade; one Petrol and two Diesels. Proudly they were doing the rounds at the pattaka City Sivakasi. Laaaate at nights, in the dimly lit streets, the beat cops used to Salute us (could be Inspector Sahab) when we passed them. Apart from that and the sound, in my memory it was unadulterated irritation for them; it wouldn't start, one had to pull three-four levers after every kick when it didn't start, it was bloody painful to push it then, good old Amby gave better mileage, lot of times it was with the mechanic, it didn't know what agility meant etc etc. After a few attempts with the Bu, my dream of owning a Bullet was wiped and I used to pick-up the spare M80 over the Bullets whenever I needed a 2W at Sivakasi. Compared to those Bullets, their current 100CC / 150CC bikes, my current TVS Star City (even earlier KB 4S) are totally trouble free. I would say Bullet is Virender Sehwag of IPL-2015 and the current crop of 100/125CC bikes are DEPENDABLE like VVS/Dravids; the 150CCs are the AB de Villiers/B.McCullum/MS Dhoni etc.
Not-to-Bullet: Driving in highways, I generally notice the Bullet guys are a unique band unto themselves. They drive at the dead center of road, uphill acceleration is woefully slow (I could stop the car, drink coffee, have a fag, and still catch them after 3 minutes), Traffic Cops and elder Citizens would love their Speed (mileage related ???). However, any group of Bullets normally are driven on the side of the road but with ALL other characters intact. Yesterday, 'Google Now' suggested me a very interesting and hilarious article. The title is 6 reasons why I would never buy a Royal Enfield! by Akhil Kalsh Dt 22-Mar-2014. The reasons he gives are:
1. Bullets are slow
2. Royal Enfields are unreliable
3. Bullets are noisy – and the bad kind of noisy
4. Bullets have really bad brakes
5. Bullets give poor mileage
6. Bullets are unnecessarily heavy
The author has added 3 additional reasons too:
7. Bullets have spoked wheels
8. Bullets have a frigging long waiting period
9. Royal Enfield doesn’t give a damn about its customers
Interested can read the full article (which is below the belt fun-filled attack) here 6 reasons why I would never buy a Royal Enfield! - RiderZone.
From that article, I went over to 15-June-2009 dated article by Yogesh Sarkar at Why I would never buy a Royal Enfield Bullet! - YogeshSarkar.com. I would say the above fall under "Not To Bu".
To Bullet:
This post 14 Signs That Show You Are A Royal Enfield Fanatic will definitely make you forget what you read above and wanting to get one dug-dug-dug-dug. After reading the 14th point, I finally understood why my uncle had three Bullets at home. Then you can browse thro' the 10 reasons why riding a RE Bullet is the ULTIMATE here Here is why riding a Royal Enfield Bullet is the ULTIMATE experience! - daily.bhaskar.com.
The third slide is "Deserts in Rajasthan to Mountains in Leh". Ultimate Bakwas. For my 100CC, as long as there's Petrol in the tank, it is kick-and-go. Its chassis is ROCK-SOLID even after 8+ years on BLRs moon-crater roads. Whereas, I've seen Army soldiers spend an hour a day with their Bullets to keep them running fit for next day in Pokhran. For 90% bullets owners it is "Desserts at Ice Cream Bar to Couch at Home", AFTER marriage and/or fatherhood. For my Uncle and sons, it was home-sabji_mandi-home-office-client_place-home-blah blah blah. There was once-a-month visit to relatives' home 30km away in all three dug-dug gaadis. Heck, my ditched KB-4S too did that from Vivek Vihar (in East Delhi) to Paschim Vihar just like that every 2nd week (once upon a time in Delhi).
Bottom Line: Bullet is to kindle the desire in one's heart. Question is "Does it" in reality or does it drive one to desperation ?
PS: I enjoyed reading the articles quoted here and made it as a fun read. Hammer and Tongs are welcome. Only request is, don't come with a knife to a gun (Bullet) battle.
@ moderators
Please move to relevant forum, if not applicable here. thanks
Flash-back: In childhood, I was awestruck by the dug-dug-dug-dug sound of Bullet. One of my uncles had three Bullets at his home for nearly a decade; one Petrol and two Diesels. Proudly they were doing the rounds at the pattaka City Sivakasi. Laaaate at nights, in the dimly lit streets, the beat cops used to Salute us (could be Inspector Sahab) when we passed them. Apart from that and the sound, in my memory it was unadulterated irritation for them; it wouldn't start, one had to pull three-four levers after every kick when it didn't start, it was bloody painful to push it then, good old Amby gave better mileage, lot of times it was with the mechanic, it didn't know what agility meant etc etc. After a few attempts with the Bu, my dream of owning a Bullet was wiped and I used to pick-up the spare M80 over the Bullets whenever I needed a 2W at Sivakasi. Compared to those Bullets, their current 100CC / 150CC bikes, my current TVS Star City (even earlier KB 4S) are totally trouble free. I would say Bullet is Virender Sehwag of IPL-2015 and the current crop of 100/125CC bikes are DEPENDABLE like VVS/Dravids; the 150CCs are the AB de Villiers/B.McCullum/MS Dhoni etc.
Not-to-Bullet: Driving in highways, I generally notice the Bullet guys are a unique band unto themselves. They drive at the dead center of road, uphill acceleration is woefully slow (I could stop the car, drink coffee, have a fag, and still catch them after 3 minutes), Traffic Cops and elder Citizens would love their Speed (mileage related ???). However, any group of Bullets normally are driven on the side of the road but with ALL other characters intact. Yesterday, 'Google Now' suggested me a very interesting and hilarious article. The title is 6 reasons why I would never buy a Royal Enfield! by Akhil Kalsh Dt 22-Mar-2014. The reasons he gives are:
1. Bullets are slow
2. Royal Enfields are unreliable
3. Bullets are noisy – and the bad kind of noisy
4. Bullets have really bad brakes
5. Bullets give poor mileage
6. Bullets are unnecessarily heavy
The author has added 3 additional reasons too:
7. Bullets have spoked wheels
8. Bullets have a frigging long waiting period
9. Royal Enfield doesn’t give a damn about its customers
Interested can read the full article (which is below the belt fun-filled attack) here 6 reasons why I would never buy a Royal Enfield! - RiderZone.
From that article, I went over to 15-June-2009 dated article by Yogesh Sarkar at Why I would never buy a Royal Enfield Bullet! - YogeshSarkar.com. I would say the above fall under "Not To Bu".
To Bullet:
This post 14 Signs That Show You Are A Royal Enfield Fanatic will definitely make you forget what you read above and wanting to get one dug-dug-dug-dug. After reading the 14th point, I finally understood why my uncle had three Bullets at home. Then you can browse thro' the 10 reasons why riding a RE Bullet is the ULTIMATE here Here is why riding a Royal Enfield Bullet is the ULTIMATE experience! - daily.bhaskar.com.
The third slide is "Deserts in Rajasthan to Mountains in Leh". Ultimate Bakwas. For my 100CC, as long as there's Petrol in the tank, it is kick-and-go. Its chassis is ROCK-SOLID even after 8+ years on BLRs moon-crater roads. Whereas, I've seen Army soldiers spend an hour a day with their Bullets to keep them running fit for next day in Pokhran. For 90% bullets owners it is "Desserts at Ice Cream Bar to Couch at Home", AFTER marriage and/or fatherhood. For my Uncle and sons, it was home-sabji_mandi-home-office-client_place-home-blah blah blah. There was once-a-month visit to relatives' home 30km away in all three dug-dug gaadis. Heck, my ditched KB-4S too did that from Vivek Vihar (in East Delhi) to Paschim Vihar just like that every 2nd week (once upon a time in Delhi).
Bottom Line: Bullet is to kindle the desire in one's heart. Question is "Does it" in reality or does it drive one to desperation ?
PS: I enjoyed reading the articles quoted here and made it as a fun read. Hammer and Tongs are welcome. Only request is, don't come with a knife to a gun (Bullet) battle.
@ moderators
Please move to relevant forum, if not applicable here. thanks
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