Advertisement
Published: March 20th 2010
Edit Blog Post
India Bullet Dreaming - slick
Came across this one in Varanasi in 2009 - not exactly my style of decor but pretty nice still !! OK - so how many years have I secretly fantasised about riding a Royal Enfield Bullet around India? Well to be honest - only 30 years! Since I first came to India and saw one in fact!
So - now I am older and wiser and....... I WANT one! One reason is because I can! Now that I am to be here for more than a year .... And now that I can easily afford it (well that was always the case really - but now.... ) . And because you only live once and life is short (hopefully not SHORTER if I get one)........
So do I need more convincing? Only by looking at one....
Check it out - the first pic is a done up Enfield I stumbled across in Varanasi last year.
Second is the one I now want to buy. There are many models and this one is called MACHISMO!!!
Price: 1.1 Laks on road = 110,000 Indian Rupees = about Aust $2,800 !!!
4 stroke - one pot 500cc
2.75kgm @ 3500 rpm max torque
Electric start
5 speed gear box
Front disc brakes - rear drum
Gas filled shock
What I want to buy
MACHISMO 500 cc - best for touring - low tech with maximum grunt. absorbers
OK - the name leaves a little to be desired - not really what drives me. However on researching the issue I have become convinced that this is the most practical model for touring - specially if I am going to do a trip or trips into Himachel Pradesh (foothills - mountains - of the Himalayas).
It's a 500 cc engine and it lacks the computerised things like fuel injection. This is important for touring because outside main cities there are not gonna be mechanics with laptops ready to diagnose my machine - they will need to be working with the good old days parts such as a carburetor.
To buy one seems relatively easy - but after a month of an interim registration you do need an Indian friend (have one good man in Mumbai - thanks Raj) to sign up as the official person in whose name the bike is registered. Also seems if you keep your head low you can get by on your home license - however after 12 months you should arrange to get an Indian license - and the 'rules' for doing that seem to change every 10 klms according to my friend Mark (who is at this moment riding his 'borrowed' Enfield from northern Rajasthan to Mt Abu in southern Rajasthan - and with whom I would love to ride to Spiti Valley in Himachel Pradesh later this year).
So - those who are in fear of my life (Indian roads are a challenge - the roads themselves can be excellent in some parts - dismal in others - but it's the driving behaviour ya have to worry about) - leave your arguments now. For those who want to join me on a trip to Spiti Valley (google it) - then start preparing to come over (one pillion - others will need to get their own Enfield!!!).
You can read about the history of this classic bike (it's kinda to India what Harley's are to the West - OK nothing like a Harley - but the classic nature and romanticism is there) - try this site :
http://www.royalenfield.com/company/mediakit/history.aspx
OR
http://www.royalenfield.com/company/history.aspx
LIVE THE DREAM
Advertisement
Tot: 0.051s; Tpl: 0.012s; cc: 8; qc: 27; dbt: 0.0304s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1mb
Vickie
non-member comment
Mahadev Machismo
The Mahadev on his Machismo, this bike sounds like it is made for you! Do you get a helmet? Sounds like fun!