Ride to Mavinakere

1 Classic 350cc, 3 Thunderbird 500cc Royal Enfield's and the State Highway can be deadly fun and adventurous. Started off at 0500 Hrs from Tavarekere, my pillion Vivek joined at Mekhri circle, convened at Nelamangala junction with the rest of the riders and thus began the ride.

Breakfast Stop at Udupi Hotel near Yediyur and the first challenge - Satish's rear Tyre was going flat. Within a kilometer found a puncture shop. The mechanic fixed the puncture without removing the wheel. The first time I had seen someone do it that way, new learning! Our next stop was atop the mountain of Mavinakere Ranganatha Swamy temple.

Splendid view of the landscapes and the cool wind kissing the cheeks was an experience. After the darshan of the Ranganatha Swany we descended down to the Venkataramana Swamy temple. After performing the pooja, Vivek & I took a holy dip in the river Hemavathi. It was refreshing!

We just touched the main road & Sridhar's rear Tyre was flat. As if it were a plot, there was a puncture shop adjacent. Being hungry, wanted to get over this faster, hence dismantled the wheel quickly and the mechanic was on his job. The assembly was challenging with the rear disc brakes getting into the slot. Once accomplished, the next stop had to be for lunch which was in fact a long distance to cover. Raced at the best possible speed to reach Hotel Mayura.

Next was a tea break at Nelamangala Junction from where we dispersed back to our Homes.

Thanks Satish, Sridhar, Shashi & Vivek for the wonderful ride and hoping for more. You guys are great company !

Turrahalli Ride with Family

View of the city from Turrahalli rocks

Impromptu ride to Turrahalli decided with my friend Sridhar. It was an adventurous ride through the loose gravel on the rough gradients. Both with wife & kid on the Bullet. A small Shaneshwara temple on the top of the hill surrounded by thick forests & rocks.

We trekked through the forest, enjoyed the view of the city from the highest point, watched a group of rock climbers doing rappelling. Captured some wonderful moments on the camera and had good lunch under the shade of the tree next to the temple.

The Trekk

Sridhar & I took some pictures of our RE's. It was an adventurous outing for Swaraj & Saakshi where they helped each other on the trekk.

Family Pic

Hope to visit the forest to view the sunrise & sunset sometime.

Indicator Peak in Chrome

Riding to the center of the city though within 10kms from My Home can be hectic with the traffic halts every 100mts. Finally decided on venturing out on the RE accessories shopping. Shopped at Sandhya & Fixwell on J.C. Road for the following and for a few more have to head out this week.

- Clutch Cable 90/-
- Accelerator Cable 180/-
- Pilot Lamp Bulbs 10/-
- Indicator Peak in Chrome 140/-
- Air Filter 130/-
- Oil Filter 30/-

like this view of the Peaks while riding :)

Squeaking Noise from the Rear Wheel

While on a routine cleaning session, heard a squeaking noise from the rear wheel. It would occur at one point both when the wheel was rotated clockwise & anti-clockwise. I could bear with it as the noise was low, however, thought of investigating further.

On reaching the Mechanic Shop, we discussed about the recent changes done, whether the Bullet met with an accident, could it be a tight chain or some foreign material stuck in the rear wheel assembly. The only way to find out was to eliminate the reasons one after another:

• Recent Change - was the new rear sprocket & chain
• Met with an accident - NO
• Tight Chain - NO, the slackness was right with the links straight & no bends
• Foreign Material - found none on dismantling the wheel

On careful observation, we noticed that the sprocket had rubbed against a part of the wheel hub leaving behind a trail in the form of an arc ~ 2 inches in length. So it was the new sprocket causing the squeaking noise.

Two ways to fix this, file the extra casting on the sprocket or insert a thin spacer between the brake shoe & the wheel. Since he did not have a flat file, inserted a spacer & the problem resolved.

I have to keep in the mind the spacer when I remove the wheel again.



 

The Midnight Ride, a difference worth experiencing

I am still that kid who drags his feet to his school on a Monday morning not because I don't like going to work on Monday, but the chaos that I have to enter into. The long wait at signals, ridiculous drivers, constant drumming of the honks, all to cover the distance of 8kms from My home to office.

I'm talking about the ridiculous time between 7am to 10pm when riding My Royal Enfield is most hurtful. I feel like I'm holding the reins so tight that My Iron Horse almost chokes to death. I feel it crying in pain begging me to let it go free, avoid this route, know my worth & let's go some place where there is space & fresh air to breathe. I know He is telling the facts & yet, I turn a deaf ear & turn blind to the sufferings on My beloved Horse. I wish I could really fly with Him - that is what He craves for.

Doing the late evening shift has many cons, the only solace is the ride back home at 0200 Hours. The empty roads are inviting, the thump is loud & clear, feels like it's a ride to heaven & I wish the road never ends. How I wonder it was only Me & My Iron Horse riding to eternity....

This is the journey that I wish never ends, this is an immortal love story, a saga of My Life on the Iron Horse!

What Royal Enfield means to me... wish I could enforce to all

In 1893, the Enfield Manufacturing Company Ltd was registered to manufacture bicycles, adopting the branding Royal Enfield. We are talking about a History of 121 years of Engineering.

No doubt it has a cult following with the constant revolution of ideas & battle between man and machine. In this post I intend to speak of India, Indian mindset and the ridiculous manners on road.

Bullet was a luxury vehicle with a specific purpose since inception, made for the warfare, rode by men in uniform with discipline as a way of life. Little did they know that it would become the life style of a million Indians in the years to come. It was the journey that mattered & NOT the speed of reaching a destination. It was about riding with nature & NOT breaking the rules.

May be the cost & efficiency kept a lot of unruly buyers at bay, but not any longer. The sales on RE has boosted over the past couple of years which may be a celebration for the company but not for a law abiding, RE passionate rider like me who enjoys synching the beat of my Bullet with my Heart.

Today people have money & of course you can buy anything if you have the money. Folks before you buy a two wheeler know what is it that you need & then buy. Know & understand your riding style.

Are you looking at long distance travel, navigating urban traffic, cruising, racing or off-road riding? Just so that you know, a RE Bullet is used for long distance travel, cruising & light load off-roading. If you are the kind of a person raised with poor road manners, who get cheap thrills by speeding in city, breaking traffic rules, riding on the pavement and honking to get attention, RE is not for you. There are plenty of two wheelers that would suit your needs, NOT THE RE. If you really want to show off your RE (which most of them do), ride slow, respect the fellow riders, follow the rules and honk only if the other person is in danger.

Dare you take bath & not give your Bullet the bath & the pampering it deserves. You don't dress in a fine suit & wear hawaii slippers... DO YOU?

I'm afraid that in the years to come, RE will be like any other two wheeler released in India, brought by stupid senseless people causing a stroke to the values upheld by the fanatic's like me.

It's my opinion & those who don't care a damn of other lives on the road can still continue to zip fast, ride on pavements, do stunts, break the signals & traffic rules, honk till their egos fly and ride the RE.

Front Number Plate

Haven't seen any other two wheeler having a front number plate like the RE (facing sidewards on the front mud guard).

The choices offered to the Bulleteers are plenty, starting from a basic 2 peg chrome plate to the 3 peg brass plate. You also find the Brass RE embossed plates, the one with a sticker, a flag post and variety of animal logos.

After much thought, I decided on the 3 peg Brass Plain number plate. The dilemma however was with the white background that is a mandate for the pvt vehicles. Having convinced myself that it's ok & not really an offense, did just the black number sticker.

For a little more confirmation, intentionally stopped by the cops (who were stopping two wheelers for a check) and asked them if this number was OK... Hurray! two cops, in two different locations gave a go ahead telling me to carry all the documents and they don't see any issues with the number plate.

Since then, been happily showing off what My RE has... everyone stares the second time at the number plate and many have complimented on its looks when I stop at signals.

Looks like RE is teaching me style & I'm loving it!

Crown Plate

The stock front number plate takes the place of the crown plate (just below the head lamp). Wanted to have the Brass Royal Enfield Crown Plate, found it online, ordered and as soon as it arrived, fitted!

Brass Royal Enfield Crown Plate

Now it looks appealing :)

Tapping noise on the Chain Guard

13000 kms run and it was around two months back that I noticed that the links in the chain were not straight, some links had a slight bend. The tension was tight around those bent links. As a temporary fix, applied lubricating oil and using a mallet, straightened them and it seemed to be in a straight line. However, within a week, the links were back to its bent position and I could hear the tapping noise on the chain guard. Tightening the chain would not help the situation as it was an issue with the chain links and not the slackness in the chain.

Knew it was time to replace the chain & sprocket. When I took the Bullet to the mechanic, he advised, changing only the chain and the rear sprocket should help. The front sprocket can be changed if there is too much friction.

Fitted the new chain & sprocket and the running is smooth now. It will take a few kms run for the new chain & sprocket to settle in. Just applied sufficient lubrication and the initial low frequency creaking noise has reduced. The inspection indicates that the links are all in a straight line now.

What could have caused this:
- May be the manufacturing defect in the chain itself, which I may not have noticed.
- I lubricated the chain once with the grease that I had at home. Since the chain is an open chain, the sand particles may have got settled in with the applied grease causing the damage to the chain links.

Sprocket & Chain including the mechanic fees cost 1600 INR.

This was a learning that I have to pay attention to the details and before undertaking any maintenance, I should gauge the impact (+ & -).

Wild Boar - a BASSY Thump

Feels like the craving for the thump shall never end, this is the 3rd exhaust and I know this won't be the last ;)

• The stock exhaust is sturdy, free flow and mellow on its beat, rode on it for an year :)
• Changed to Goldstar type exhaust in December 2012, free flow, an option to fill the glass wool, a little louder than mellow stock exhaust, and thumps only when revved up :)
• February 2013, removed the reflective indicator below the tail lamp and fitted a rubber flap, the thump is now sharp, clear beats when revving up, and not so pleasant on high speeds because the flap flies too with the wind :)  :(
• Having read the reviews on the new Wild Boar exhaust manufactured by X-Torque, wanted to give that a shot. Hence now I ride on Wild Boar, free flow, bassy thump, not too loud nor mellow, clean transition at higher speeds (more like a vroooom). I do notice in the rear mirror that folks standing behind feel the gush of wind from the WB

WILD BOAR (WB) Exhaust

With every change to the exhaust you have to tune the carburetor so that the efficiency is not compromised.

Cost of WB 2750 INR & fitting Charges with Carb upjetting 200 INR

Isolating the tightness in front wheel

During a regular washing exercise, I noticed that the front wheel was not rotating freely. There was a slight rubbing noise and the movement stopped abruptly. It was difficult to isolate the exact reason as there could have been many.

The reasons that I thought might be causing the issue:

• Speedometer Cable
• Front Disc rubbing against the shoes
• The front shaft nut tightened too much
• Bearings gone bad

Determined to resolve the incident before it turns to be a problem, followed the following steps:

Step 1: Disconnected the speedometer cable. Did not make any difference.
Step 2: Disconnected the front disc hub. Did not make any difference.
Step 3:Loosened and tightened the shaft nut. Did not make any difference.
Step 4: Hence it had to be the bearings and so it was

Since I haven't changed the bearings before, wanted to see how it is done. Asked My regular Mechanic to fetch the bearings and  he too agreed that it was the bearings. Closely observed how he changes the bearings - good learning.

What I thought would happen if this incident was not resolved at the earliest:

- The bearings would have gone even bad, may be damaging the shaft on longer run

- Noise would have increased further
- Drop in mileage since the load transfer was not smooth

Issue resolved by changing the bearings and now I'm a happy camper! Cost of new bearings 260 INR

Head Light Peak

The stock RE Classic 350 headlight peak is plain, made of stainless steel. Had nothing to complain about the looks, but it can be made better to suit your style.

There are a lot of choices available in the market:

• Peak with RE embossed in chrome
• Peak in Brass
• Peak with RE embossed in Brass
• Peak with the RE Gun
• Peak with engraved RE & Gun

I chose the Chrome Peak with RE embossed. Cost me 225 INR buying it online. Got it fixed through My Mechanic free of cost. No modification (holes) to the peak required.

Handle Bar Change

The stock handle bar for the RE Classic 350 is no doubt good with which I did a 12000kms, some being long distance stretches covering 150kms. There was slight discomfort riding in the traffic within the city. You have to sit close to the tank and extend your arms to be able to maneuver. With continuous clutch and front brake applications, the elbow and wrist took all the pressure.

Having researched on what type of a handle bar causes less pressure on the elbow and wrists, decided on the RD350 type handle bar. The fitting is easy with no new cables to buy. Just the accelerator cable has to be moved from right to the left underneath the petrol tank.

The feel is really comfortable, you can sit back straight and with a slight bend that the handle bar naturally provides, you find the maneuvering much smoother.In terms of the looks, I feel the Bullet looks more majestic with the wider handle (but not too wide).

The cost of the RD350 type handle bar is 350 INR and the installation is easy. So if anyone else riding the RE Classic 350 is feeling that discomfort in the arms, this is the handle bar you need!

Front Wheel Dismantling & Assembly

If for any reasons like a puncture or for service you have to remove the front wheel, you can follow the steps below:

Dismantling:

1. Unscrew the speedometer cable from the hub
2. Sit in front of the tire so that your hands can reach both the ends of the fork
3. Use a 16 end spanner to hold the left side shaft
4. While still holding the 16 end spanner on the left, use a 24 end spanner on the right side to loosen the nut
5. Remove the nut along with the washer from the right side and keep it aside
6. Use a mallet or the handle of the hammer to gently tap the shaft from the right to the left
7. As the shaft moves away from the right fork, hold the spacer and keep it aside
8. As the shaft moves away from the left fork, hold the spacer along with the speedometer hub and keep it aside
9. Pull away the shaft completely and keep it aside
10. Now gently roll the wheel outside of the front mudguard

Assembly:

1. Move the wheel gently back into the front mudguard while taking care to align the disc to the groove on the disc shoes
2. Lift the wheel or push the fork down to align the shaft
3. Place the spacer and the speedometer hub in position on the left side and gently push the shaft into the wheel
4. Place the spacer on the right side and gently slide the shaft into the right fork
5. Place the washer and then hand screw the nut
6. Screw the speedometer cable into position on the hub by adjusting the angle of the hub
7. Use a 16 end spanner to hold the left side shaft
8. While still holding the 16 end spanner on the left, use a 24 end spanner on the right side to tighten the nut
9. The nut should be hand tight with the slightest jerk
10. Rotate the wheel to feel the free movement, check the speedometer and ensure there is no screeching noise

NOTE:

• Clean the shaft, the spacers and the inside of the bearings with a clean cloth
• Apply a thin film of grease on the parts cleaned before you begin the assembly
• After dismantling the front wheel, do not hold the front disc brake as it may jam the disc shoe

The Feared Maintenance of the Bullet

It's my experience and how I do it...

The most frequent question raised by non-bulleteers, How is the Bullet Maintenance?

The answer is simple, it is a machine and you better know the basics of Maintenance (I'm not advising on being a mechanic). Having followed a few self set rules, I have been consistently riding my Bullet with an in city mileage of 39-41 Km/Lt since June 2nd 2011.

Rules to follow for improved efficiency (saves time & money) of any motor vehicle:

• First 500kms has to be at the perfect speed 50-70km/hr. This ensures the micronic grooves on the cylinder and the piston are set for lifetime.
• Sufficient lubrication is the key for all the parts that create friction, including the side and center stand.
• Check for any slackness in the chain and fix it immediately.
• As far as possible, fuel in the same petrol bunk. This avoids the uneven mixtures that may cause uneven burning in the cycle.
• Do not kick/self start by raising the accelerator, it does no good.
• Keep the Air Filter clean.
• Maintain the prescribed air pressure in the Tyre.
• Steady riding with the beats in sync.
• Change engine oil at regular intervals.
• The machine will give you symptoms before it fails, keep your ears tuned and listen to your bullet.
• Clean your Bullet everyday, this gives an opportunity for you to feel the difference if there are any, check on any loose parts, notice leakages and damages.

Lastly, "A Stitch in Time Saves Nine" is the golden rule!

“Royal Enfield” – thy name roars! Dream History & Reality!

A post that was long due to my lovely family & friends...

Childhood: I was in primary school & my evenings after completing my homework would be to play marbles with my friends in the small playground opposite to my home. Thanks to the wonderful fields, open country, the cemetery, big open well, chirping birds that surrounded our small little home with strange reptiles that would often pay visit & the silent night that woke up to the cries of the big owl family & the fierce & sharp howling of the nearby stray dogs. I would, every now & then be distracted with my game & studies with the beat of the Bullet of uncle Ramu. I would listen to the beat of the Bullet & the sound would continue to reverberate in my ears. I wondered at the robust machine & at a young age compared Bullet with other bikes. Though my knowledge was limited to the knowledge of the friends around me, whenever I got someone who could tell me about Bullet, I would be all ears paying attention to the details of the description. The sound would last though the Bullet had gone beyond sight.

Thus began my curiosity of the Bullet which, one day I wanted to own.

"Master & the Beast"

Childhood through 17 Yrs age: I remember the conversations with my friends about Royal Enfield and I should say – it was a registered dream. When I was in MICO, I got more exposure on the mechanical aspects of my dream bike & the judgment in the mind & heart was made “Royal Enfield was engineered” while others were manufactured. My dear sister Ramya, friends Sridhar & Naveen would vouch for the passion.

17 through 30: My Father gifted me a Hero Honda CD100ss in 1997 & I rode it for a good 13 years. Though my craving for the thud stayed on, hidden & waiting to take over – Dream is indeed an opportunist & who am I to deny?

Not every hunt ends in a kill: Back in 2003, when I was an Assistant Driver with South Western Railways located at Hubli, I paid several visits to the Bullet garage but fate had it that I could never meet the owner to discuss on buying a second hand Bullet. In 2007, I visited the Royal Enfield showroom in Bangalore, got the quotation & thought I had made it when my Parents succeeded in convincing me that the time has not yet come.

Small Turns: Oh! A wonderful thing happened en-route life – My wedding with Srividya. Though the love story began on my Hero Honda which by now had taken the look of a Nazi with a swastika on the tank & the sides, I had slowly but effectively set the frequency of my love on the one that I have always loved. She would tell me of the glow in my eyes when I spoke of RE & after 6 months into marriage, was crazy as me but being a pillion is what she chose. 

Now that I had sold my Hero Honda & everyone convinced or confused, I’m not sure, I had to book my Dream Bike. The plan took a back seat for a while since my cousin flew to Germany on work & I had to keep his bike in the interim.

"Made like a Gun"

Thanks to Google: Productive hours at work went into research, analysis & making up my mind on which one? There was the 350 Standard, Machismo, Thunderbird, Electra, and Classic 350 & 500. If looks could kill it was Classic 350 that did the honors. Moreover, the new classic model inspired by World War II had to inspire me – a war freak! Specification read, re-read & re-read over a hundred times because “you don’t buy a Bull, you own a Bull”

Colour: Though a firm believer in black & white initially chose red as it represented passion, anger & blood. My wallpaper was an elegant picture of the beauty in red. 

Beauty in Red

Final verdict of all those who cared: Dad was convinced that I wouldn’t agree for anything lesser than Bullet, Mom tried but failed in convincing me that 1.25 lakh can be better utilized, my wife was happy that it’s happening & so was my dearest sister & brother in law was as excited as me in the classic 350. I knew my nephew Skanda would love the rides on my dream bike.

Booked & the wait that was shocking: After a couple of visits to the Royal Enfield showroom along with Dad & Vidya, on September 18^th 2010 Red Classic 350 was booked. The wait time was a little under 9months was what the showroom mentioned. Did I have a choice? Hell no! I had to wait – I have waited since childhood & I was happy, excited, thrilled, amazed & what not about the bike that I shall OWN.

Majesty!

Change in colour: Red definitely looked stunning but black was evergreen. Having contemplated many times, during the 6^th month of the waiting period changed the colour from Red to Black. May be the book Black Beauty had its impact unknown.

What’s in a number: Though not a believer in Astrology & Numerology, since my last number plate added to the number 9 & the rides were pleasant with no obstacles, I wanted the number to add upto 9 for which I had to pay 3000 rupees more.

Sum to "9"

Co-incidence of events & belief’s: My parents always buy things on a Thursday & so it happened. On Thursday the June 2^nd 2011 my Black Classic 350 was delivered adding to the celebration of my Sister & brother in law’s 6^th year wedding anniversary.

Looking forward to the long joyous rides ahead & the tag line of this blog “Where Dreams meet the conspiracies of Life”