Gear Check diy keep riding motor shows

January February 2012 www.royalenfield.com

Royal Enfield
at the Auto Expo 2012
Thunderbird 500 tour of rajasthan
rider mania 2011
southern
odyssey 2011
continental GT

marketing newsletter
kick start

Dear Friends,
Exactly a decade ago at the 6th Auto Expo, we had launched the Thunderbird amidst much fanfare. And even though the company was
struggling to survive at that point, we still persevered and came up with a fresh new motorcycle. This was the first product from the
Royal Enfield modern-day stable which was a significant departure from the Bullet style of motorcycles. The Thunderbird was received
very well by the media and riders it helped us refresh our image and gave the company a new lease of life.
The Thunderbird introduced Royal Enfield to a completely different genre of urban motorcycle enthusiasts for whom the laid back
easy handlebar design and cruiser styling appealed a lot. Over the years this motorcycle has always inspired riders to break free from
the humdrum of urban life and chaos and escape into the open countryside. It inspired us to come up with the cheeky Leave Home
campaign for the new Thunderbird Twinspark in 2008; and the Thunderbird has now become the definitive large cruiser bike in India
with a loyal following amongst bikers.
This year at the Auto Expo we are showcasing the new Thunderbird 500, the version this motorcycle has matured into over the past
10 years. Today, it has transformed into a completely new and much more powerful motorcycle from the very first avatar in which it
was launched. However it still retains the same aura of the powerful cruiser styling and the familiarity and comfort levels it has created
amongst the riders. The concept brief was to evolve the Thunderbird in such a way that a rider would enjoy riding with as few stops as
possible yet at the same time retain its practical nature so you could enjoy it even in start and stop traffic, transforming even ordinary
commutes into wonderful experiences.
In the coming few months as this motorcycle hits the road and starts appearing across our showrooms around the country, I would
encourage you to go take a look at it and see for yourself the latest from our stable which has been created keeping in mind your passion
for motorcycling and Royal Enfield.
Until then Ride Safe.
Siddhartha Lal
Managing Director and CEO
Eicher Motors Ltd

If you would like to contribute to The BEAT email us at schavan@royalenfield.com editorial team Shaji Koshy, Sachin Chavan, Praveen P Sathaye

2

Royal Enfield at the Auto Expo 2012
T
he Royal Enfield stall
at Auto Expo located at Hall 18
foyer has been tastefully designed
as per global standards and depicts some
of the most important aspects of the
legendary marque. The biggest attraction
at the stall is the much (eagerly) awaited
and largely speculated Thunderbird
500. This motorcycle has a lineage that
redefined cruiser motorcycles in India
and has always been one of the most
popular choices amongst the long distance
Royal Enfield
Desert Storm in
full kit
riders. The Thunderbird
500 is displayed on a
unique Mbius strip
signifying an endless road; a dream
for the touring enthusiast. This display
and theme highlights the unique facet
of this motorcycle. With its long range,
comfortable cruiser styling and seating,
endless miles on the Thunderbird 500
would be a breeze. The motorcycle is also
displayed in the various finish options that
are available for it.
auto expo 2012
The stall showcases
the Cafe Racer concept
from Royal Enfield which
is under development and an interesting
montage is playing in the background
showcasing the extensive work going on
behind the cafe racer. The Making of the
Cafe Racer montage shows the efforts put
by the team behind the cafe racer and the
rigorous testing routines they are putting
the concept through to perfect it as per
their vision.
Royal Enfield
Thunderbird 500
3
auto expo 2012
The recently launched Desert Storm
edition of the Classic 500 also shares the
limelight with the other new motorcycles.
The Royal Enfield Desert Storm ignites
the pride and excitement of the battlefield
in the hearts of anyone who rides it. When
the whole world is moving towards an age
where there are no differences, the Royal
Enfield Desert Storm stands apart and
delivers as an One of Its Kind rebel.
The stall would have been incomplete
without the presence of the legendary
Bullet 350, the motorcycle which has been Crowds throng the
the driving force behind Royal Enfields Royal Enfield stall at
the Auto Expo 2012
popularity all over the world. The Bullet 350
with its unique handcrafted gold stripes is
on display in its latest form with the new
Unit Construction engine. This is perhaps
the only motorcycle in the world to have
seen such longevity, having made its first
appearance way back in the early 1930s.
Also displayed at the Royal Enfield stall
is the range of merchandise including
purpose-built riding gear, casual apparel
as well as collectible memorabilia at the
Auto Expo 2012. Various motorcycle
accessories to further enhance the riding
experience are also on display. A plethora
of accessories for the Thunderbird 500
is shown mounted on the motorcycle for
better visual understanding and the touch
and feel appeal. These accessories and
merchandise would soon be making their
way into the dealerships and showrooms
Siddhartha Lal,
all over the world. MD and CEO of
An interactive timeline presented Eicher Motors Ltd
through a touch screen display is one of and Dr Venki
Padmanabhan,
the major attractions at the Royal Enfield
CEO, Royal Enfield
stall. Being the oldest surviving motorcycle
manufacturer in the world, Royal Enfield
has a rich history and legacy attached to its
name. Enthusiasts and other visitors could
walk through the labyrinths of history of
this legendary marque with a simple flip
of their fingers and know more interesting
facts and anecdotes about this motorcycle
and its legacy over the past 110 years and
more through this touch-screen interactive
timeline.
The planning for the Auto Expo Stall has
been going on at Royal Enfield for quite
some time with the various teams and the
task force involved in the conceptualizing
and design as well as execution of the stall
working hard through the past few months.
The result of this hard work is evident from
the way the stall has been put together as
Royal Enfield Cafe Racer concept
well as the way the crowds have responded
to the display.
4

Royal Enfield Tour of Rajasthan 2012
R
ajasthan offers
an exciting mix
of desolate yet
smooth roads
and rustic country paths with
surprise sand patches as a
promise to test the grit and
skills of the rider. The audience
of surprised villagers watching
at the thundering cavalcade
of riders in amazement add to
the exhilaration of The Tour of
Rajasthan. Get a chance to be
up close and personal with one
of the most famous highway
legends in the country as you
pay homage to the Bullet Baba
(Om Banna) a temple devoted
to a Royal Enfield Bullet. A ride
upcoming rides
through this land of ancient
warriors would be incomplete
without riding the border roads
to the historic battlefields of
the 1971 conflict where derelict
enemy tanks bear silent witness
to that famous victory.
You will get your dose of tips
for riding on loose surfaces
as our expert riders help you
negotiate the dusty country
roads and numerous tricky
shifting sand patches. The hot
and dry weather is bound to
play some tricks so it is best to
maintain good hydration levels
and wear breathable riding gear.
The weather and terrain being
quite demanding this ride is
recommended for riders with
intermediate to expert riding
skills.
For more details on the Royal
Enfield Tour of Rajasthan send
enquiry to tourofrajasthan@
royalenfield.com or call us on
044-42230244
The
i t i n e r a ry
Feb 6 Feb 15 2012
Jaipur Mahansar Bi-
kaner Jamba Jaisalmer
Sam Jodhpur Kumbhal-
garh Ajmer Jaipur
5
upcoming rides

Royal Enfield Tour of ROK 2012

T
he desolate terrain stretches for miles and where the
horizon seems to extend in all directions is what you see
when you enter the Rann of Kutch (ROK). Even though
most of the Rann is a hard-packed surface there can be
deceptive patches where soft powder is waiting to explode into a
cloud of dust as you ride over it. You always need to be careful and
very attentive not just for the natural hazards but also for the man
made ones like ruts made by tractors when the Rann was still moist.
Even though its flat, its very deceptive in terms of visibility. After a
certain time of the day the shimmering heat rises over the salt flats
creating mirages and plays tricks with your perception of distance.
Catch the sunset at the Kala
Dungar hill overlooking the Great
The Rann and spend a moment in
i t i n e r a ry memory of brave soldiers at the
m a r c h 1 1 m a r c h 1 7, Sardar Post who fought valiantly
2012 in the 1965 war. This hostile land
today was also the cradle of one
ahmedabad zainabad of the oldest civilisations in the
little rann dholavira
world and you can marvel at the
greater rann kala
dunger hodka wonders of the 4000-year-old
ahmedabad Harappan civilization site at
Dholavira. Dont be surprised if
you get the occasional neelgai or wild ass crossing your path. The
Royal Enfield Tour of Rann of Kutch 2012 is one adventure which
you shall definitely cherish in the years to come.
This is not an easy ride. Even though the roads in Gujarat are good
and food is wonderful many a times we will be going off the beaten
track and have to carry packed lunches. The thorny bushes along the
narrow tracks can wreak havoc on your tyres with punctures galore.
For more details on the Tour of ROK please send enquiry to
tourofrok@royalenfield.com or call on 044 - 42230244

Royal Enfield One Ride 2012

One Thought. One Feeling. One Love for the Royal Enfield.
The One Ride is a ride for unity/brotherhood amongst all Royal
Enfield riders across the world. This ride takes place on the 1st
Sunday of April every year to signify the commencement of the
riding season in many countries of the world. On this day all over
the world the roads come alive
with the distinct thump of Royal
The Enfield motorcycles, the signature
i t i n e r a ry heartbeat. For more details on the
april 1, 2012 One Ride happening in your area,
check our website for updates in
the coming months.
For more information on finding a ONE RIDE thats happening in
your area or starting one by yourself please send a mail to oneride@
royalenfield.com or +044-42230244

6
 dealers

TOP 10
Royal Enfield's Newest dealers
Following new dealerships were recently added to the ever growing Royal Enfield network.

1. Nand Enterprises, Satara, Maharashtra

2. Aaditya Raj Automobiles, Raipur, Chattisgarh
3. Aditya Motors, Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh
4. Austin Distributors , Kolkata, West Bengal
1
Dealersoct '11 - nov '11
5. Classic Motors, Madurai, Tamil Nadu
6. Legend Motors, Chennai, Tamil Nadu Dhone Automobiles
7. Rahul Royal Motors, Chindwara, Madhya Pradesh Pune
8. Roy Brothers, Deogarh, Jharkhand
9. Shivvi Motors, Salem, Tamil Nadu
10. Shri Vinayak Auto, Begusarai, Bihar
11. Sri Saravana Motors, Hosur, Tamil Nadu
H.S.R.Services
2 3 4 Bangalore

Manmohan Auto Stores

Chandigarh

5 6 7

Shahila Expositions Pvt. Ltd.

Guwahati

Manmohan Sales Corporation

Parwanoo

10 11
Teknik Motors
Bangalore

Barnala Automobiles
Ludhiana
Service Camp
for Delhi Police
A special Service Camp for Delhi Police South Delhi Motorcycles
was organized at Balaji Automobiles, New Delhi
Madipur in November 2011. The service
camp was arranged and monitored by
Royal Enfield staff from the NCR region.
A total of 43 Royal Enfield motorcycles
operated by Delhi Police were attended Ess Aar Motors
to and attractive discounts on parts were New Delhi
given at this camp. Basic maintenance tips
were given to the Delhi Police personnel
who ride on these bikes. A total of 22
test rides were organised for the police Lamba Enterprise Pvt. Ltd.
staff present at this camp for them to
experience the new range of motorcycles New Delhi
from Royal Enfield.

7
NEWS
Bhoomi Poojan at the new
royal enfield factory site
Royal Enfield had earlier announced the selection of the the site
for the new plant on a 50 acre plot at Oragaddam near Chennai to
cater to the increasing demand of Royal Enfield motorcycles. The
plant will feature a new state-of-the-art PT and CED painting
facility with robotic application of liquid paint and a vehicle
assembly facility to start with. It is slated to start production
in November 2012. On the 24th of November 2011, the Bhoomi
Pooja was performed and the foundation stone was laid by Mr
Siddhartha Lal, MD Royal Enfield.

Wandering Yoginis
Two yoga experts from Canada, Meghan Currie and Alyx
Kottmeier who love to ride around the world on motorcycles,
travelled to India in search of the traditional yoga experts
who live in small villages and hamlets and practice the long
lost old school way of yoga. These yoginis travelled from Goa
to Chennai on two Royal Enfield Classic motorcycles and
discovered a new experience during this trip. The fact that
their journey was started on these legendary motorcycles is an
experience they can never forget.

idea of making a reality show of effort and this is where our

Bindass Riders Powered by Royal instead of a simple travelogue.
Enfield - The making of a reality show Now this changed the equation
completely and instead of a
3-member crew we were now
looking at a 20-member crew
(5 vehicles) + 10 riders (bikes).
The only one thing remaining
was for UTV Bindass to find a
sponsor and finally with ITC
Vivel coming on board it was a
go-ahead.
We had barely a week to set
up everything and it took a bit
years of experience riding in
this region helped immensely.
The first time this team of
36 people met was just a day
before the start. At first we
thought it was total chaos. The
shoot was new to us and the
ride was new to the crew and
the riders were getting torn
between the two.
We had our own set of spills
as well when we realised that
the trip leader, Adarsh Saxena,

W
e had reached Leh
during our stint
on the Himalayan
Odyssey when we got the first
call from this group of women
riders called The Bikernis.
They wanted to do a ride to
Leh and were looking for
sponsorship.
Now Royal Enfield do not from Royal Enfield who was
sponsor individual rides but in initially intended to be behind
the male dominated world of the scenes was suddenly
riders the idea had some merit. made the lead anchor and got
So we set our PR machinery branded as trip advisor!
in motion to speak to some We must say it was quite a
channels about the idea and unique experience and at the
UTV Bindass were the first to end of it we were both relieved
respond. They came in with the and sad.

8

Annual Dealer Meets 2011
India Dealers Conference,
Pattaya-Thailand
L
ike every year, Royal
Enfield decided to
conduct its India
dealer conference in a grand
manner and this time this
event was organised in Pattaya,
Thailand much to the delight
of the dealer family. This event
required significant effort
since this was the first time
Royal Enfield was hosting
such a conference of this
magnitude outside India. A
total of 230 people including
Royal Enfield dealers and
staff, from different cities in
India boarded their flights for
Bangkok on the night of 5th
December to take part in this
3-day event.
Special arrangements were
made to get all the people
from Bangkok to Pattaya city
located 170 km away. After
reaching Pattaya the dealers
and staff members checked
into Royal Cliff, a 5-star beach
resort which stood true to its
name with its breathtaking
structure and the beachside
view. Royal Enfield ensured
that the dealers got their
share of recreation at Pattaya
and arranged the flamboyant
cultural show Alcazar
showcasing talented dancers
with colourful costumes and
beautiful stage set ups.
Next day was the main
event of the conference which
began with lighting of the lamp
by Dr Venki Padmanabham,
CEO, Royal Enfield and other
top management officials
along with some of the veteran
dealers. Mr Shaji Koshy, Senior
VP Sales & Marketing formally
applauded the dealers and staff
for an outstanding last years
performance and the success
of UCE in critical markets. Mr
Siddhartha Lal, MD, Royal
Enfield expressed his message
to dealers through a video
clip and emphasised that the
company and the brand is on
progression. The new dealers
who joined the Royal Enfield
family in 2011 were introduced
to all present there
Mr B Govindarajan, Senior
VP, Manufacturing took the
stage and presented his plans
of expanding the production
capacity in the coming few
years with the new plant
coming in Chennai under strict
quality norms and reviewed
vendor base. Mr Sachin
Chavan, DGM Marketing
spoke about the riding
initiatives of the company
and how the company has
been instrumental in bringing
together the riders across the
country through various rides
and events like Rider Mania.
Our dealer Mr Arun
Ramdas from HSR Services,
Banglore explained how
customer should be treated
like guests and they are the
reason we exist in business. Mr
Santosh Dhone from Dhone
Automobiles, Pune talked
about how customers and their
expectations are changing and
relevance of customer service
in business. Mr Kanav Agarwal
of Jaycee motors, Amritsar
showed how he developed a
world class infrastructure
over time and how it helped
in enhancing the customer
experience.
After lunch the eminent
speaker, Mr Ramesh
Venkateswaran, a visiting
faculty at the IIMs conducted
an interactive session
news
detailing what it takes to be
a world class brand how the
difference between top brands
is marginal. Subsequent to
this the efforts of the twin
brothers in creating a world
class showroom of the new
dealership Legend Motors in
Chennai was showcased. The
presentation highlighted how
their passion and enthusiasm
for Royal Enfield motorcycles
encouraged them to become
a part of the dealer family
and create this state of the art
infrastructure. A short film
about Royal Enfields new
plant and how it would prove
to be a new beginning was also
featured.
The open house session
where the dealers interacted
with our CEO
and top officials
about their queries
marked the
end of the days
proceedings. The
conference ended
to the tunes of a DJ
and made sure they
danced the night
away.
Annual Overseas
Dealer meets
The dealers from UAE and
South East Asia met the Royal
Enfield management team for
discussions on export avenues
and opportunities specific
to the Zone 2 at Bangkok in
December 2011. The meeting
highlighted opportunity for
growth of Royal Enfield sales
in these regions.
On the occasion of the
NEC Birmingham motorcycle
show in the UK in Nov 2011,
the Royal Enfield team met up
with the international dealers
from Europe and discussed
future plans. Subsequently, at
the Progressive Auto show at
Dallas, the North American
dealers met up with the team
and plans for the coming year
were formalised.
9
thunderbird 500

The Highway Star

T
he Thunderbird 500 has perhaps been one of the most anticipated offering
from the Royal Enfield stable considering that the Thunderbird 350 has
been doing yeoman service for the last ten years. The Thunderbird has built
for itself a reputation of being a comfortable touring motorcycle and is often the first
choice amongst the Royal Enfield models for touring enthusiasts.
Highway cruising is best enjoyed with a powerful motorcycle and the defining
character of the new Thunderbird 500 is its powerful 499cc mill fed by an electronic
fuel injection system dishing out 27bhp.
The blackened engine is one of the first styling elements that catch your attention
the moment you see the motorcycle. The seat has been completely redesigned to suit
the new foot peg position and the handle bar too has received changes for better reach
and ergonomics. The seat now opens using a lock mechanism, accessible through
the side panel. True to its design concept as a more touring friendly motorcycle, the
separately mounted pillion seat can easily be removed to accommodate luggage and
bungee hooks provide the necessary points to tie down luggage. The pillion grab rail
is an all new pressure die cast component and lends to the modern design of the
motorcycle. Other small styling elements that a keen enthusiast will notice are the
Royal Enfield logo on the all new foot-pegs, new design mirrors and the LED tail
Highway cruising is best
lamp.
enjoyed with a powerful
The redesigned front end with its 41mm thick forks greatly improves handling
motorcycle and the defining
besides adding to the muscularity of the motorcycle. The instrumentation also
character of the new
includes two digital trip meters, allowing riders to keep a track of total trip mileage
Thunderbird 500 is its
as well as intermediate mileage between tankfuls. The speed and engine rpm are
powerful 499cc mill fed by
shown via tastefully designed analogue clocks, housed in all new twin pods at the
an electronic fuel injection
front. The main ignition lock also functions as a central steering lock. The inclusion
system dishing out 27bhp.
of hazard lamps in the switch gear is a first for a motorcycle manufactured in India.
Night time visibility has been the biggest challenge faced by most motorcyclists
while cruising on the highway hence the new headlight with a 55w projector lamp
for its low beam and a 55w halogen bulb for the high beam addresses that issue.
The lighting is at its brightest with the high beam on, working in combination with
the projector lamp giving ample spread and penetration on the road. The high rise
handlebars, forward placed foot-pegs and a low seat height enable a rider to cover
distances comfortably for longer periods of time. But what a waste it would be if
the rider had to stop frequently for fuel and for exactly this reason the Thunderbird
500 features a large 20L fuel tank for an enhanced range. The tank cap is placed
asymmetrically on the top right hand side of the tank, instead of the conventional
central mounting; a distinctive styling element of the Thunderbird 500.
Stopping power has been aided with the addition of a disc brake at the rear.
The braking system is supplied by Bybre, a fully owned subsidiary of Brembo. It is
mounted on the new improved oval section swing arm. These changes will enhance
the riding experience of the motorcycle on the highway. The Thunderbird 500 comes
as a fresh, completely new design. The test mules have been put through intensive
endurance cycles, giving the development team constant feedback. It has been a
hectic last twelve months at Royal Enfield with the design, product development
and other teams working on extremely tight deadlines and targets to give shape to
this motorcycle .
Available with the motorcycle, will also be a range of accessories available for
both rider and machine. The rider accessories include jackets, boots, clothing and
eyewear. They will be on display at the Auto Expo 2012. The Thunderbird 500 will
redefine the levels of performance offered by a cruiser in India, just like the first
Thunderbird 350 did. It will have the ability to cover distances comfortably yet
retaining its practicality for regular use. See you on the highway!

10
thunderbird 500

11
Motor shows

NEC Birmingham
Royal Enfield was present at the Motorcycle
Live show at NEC Birmingham which ran
from the 19 November to 27 November,
2011. For most of the visitors, this show is
much more than just taking a close-up look
at the latest bikes, clothing and accessories
its an opportunity to see, touch, feel, hear,
smell, ride and experience the very best
that motorcycling has to offer, no matter
whatever ones riding level is. Along with
the full range of motorcycles available in the
UK from Royal Enfield and a few special
Sideburn Magazine Flatracker
models built for this event, the entire range
of Watsonian side cars and luggage trailers
was also on display. The Chopper Squad Bobber
Launched to British riders at Motorcycle
Live, the Royal Enfield Desert Storm is
an addition to the range of Royal Enfield
Classic 500 motorcycles that pays homage
to the companys military heritage. With
its bodywork and frame painted in matt
sand colour and plain white badges, the
Desert Storm contrasts with the high gloss
finish of the majority of traditionally styled Classic Battle Green
with matching
models in the Royal Enfield range. Powered Watsonian sidecar
by the latest fuel-injected unit engine, with
5-speed gearbox and multi-plate clutch,
Desert Storm combines classic looks with
modern levels of performance and reliability
thanks to front disc brake, gas-filled
rear suspension, Avon Road Rider tyres,
hydraulic pushrods and halogen headlight.
Alongside the 2012 range from Royal
Enfield some very special custom-built
machines are also on show at Motorcycle
Live; namely a bobber from the newcomers
Chopper Squad of Evesham, a scrambler
in a Metisse-style nickel-plated frame from
Ridley Racing and a radical flat-tracker
The Ridley Racing Metisse Scrambler Royal Enfield Classic Chrome
from the people at Sideburn magazine.

Dallas Motor Show

Royal Enfield showcased its motorcycles at
the Progressive International Motorcycle
Show in Dallas from 2 - 4 December, 2011.
Besides the range of motorcycles slated for
the USA, Royal Enfield also showcased a
special custom bike created by legendary
custom bike maker Rick Fairless at this
show. This custom bike was crafted out
of a Royal Enfield Classic 500 and Rick
spent close to 30,000 USD worth of parts
and many man-hours to create this one-off
custom. Rick is a Royal Enfield dealer and
his intent behind this custom design was
to create the coolest looking Royal Enfield
motorcycle on the planet. He affectionately
calls his creation Myrna after the legendary
actress Myrna Loy. Myrna: the Rick Fairless custom

12
 rider mania 2011

Royal Enfield

Rider Mania 2011 Text by Praveen P Sathaye

Photographs Rutavi Mehta, Sharad Verma, Chittaranjan Gogoi

Initiated in 2003 to commemorate the spirit of adventure and leisure motorcycling, the
Royal Enfield Rider Mania is an event hosted by Royal Enfield in India every year. This
event is the only one-of-its-kind motorcycling lifestyle event in Goa where like-minded
individuals, riders, fans of Royal Enfield- both Indian and foreign come together for three
days of fun-filled motorcycling activities, good food and drinks, music and entertainment in
the party capital of the countryGoa.
13
rider mania 2011
The Royal Enfield Rider
18 Nov, 2011
Mania started off on a
thumping note in Goa as scores of Royal
Enfield enthusiasts and riders poured into
the venue at Vagator Hilltop, making a
beeline for getting their registrations verified
and entering the venue. The riders rode in
from as far as Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai,
Madurai, Cochin, Kottayam, Mumbai, Pune
and a host of places all over the country.
There also were some foreign nationals who
rode in on the Royal Enfields they picked up
in India. Throughout the day the venue
entrance resounded with the sound of
engines as Royal Enfield riders clubs rode to
Rider Mania 2011 in huge groups, displaying
their signature tone of throttle blips and
beeping horns. The lone rangers also started
trickling in on their prized possessions. The
special parking lot alotted for Royal Enfield
motorcycles started getting filled up as more
and more riders started rolling in as the
days proceeding went on. After exchanging
the usual pleasantries with friends from the
Royal Enfield community, the riders got into
the rhythm of the events starting with the
Figure of 8, a team event which showcased
the riding skills and team spirit of a group of
4 riders in negotiating a closed course in the
form of the digit 8. This time special
sensors were mounted on the bikes to make
evaluation a rather hi-tech affair. The two
home teams from Cafe Bullet Goa bagged
the 3rd and 2nd place while the Bulls of
Shimoga rode away with the laurels. Next
was another event which tested the riders
skill in manoeuvring the rather heavy Royal
Enfield motorcycle while moving as slow as
possible while keeping the feet planteded on
14
the footrests. Seasoned rider Ashok Naidu
from Roadshakers stood 3rd while Aravind
Singh from Pune bagged the 2nd place and
exhibiting great clutch control and balance
on his motorcycle Faizal from Cafe Bullet
Goa walked away with the winners trophy.
The third event of the day was symbolic of
brute strength as well as the skill of the rider
to know the hoisting points on the bike. A
team of 4 guys had pick up the bike and run
a fixed distance. The team which reaches
first and cleanly places the bike back on the
ground, not dropping it or rolling on the
front or rear wheel walks away with the
prize. Sinews flexed, deep breaths were
taken and young men lifted their beloved
machines way above their shoulders as they
ran across the ground. Although different
teams managed to carry the bikes across the
distance, only one team could achieve a
clean landing and place the bike on the
ground after crossing the finish line. After
sundown the band Zedde performed some
rocking numbers and kept the crowd
swaying for more. The DJs spun some
mesmerising tracks late into the night as the
curtains fell on the Day One proceedings.
This was the day when
19 Nov, 2011
the outdoor events were
the major attraction. The DJ booth moved
right next to the dirt track and the live
commentary of the emcee and some amped-
up music had the crowd buzzing with
excitement. The 350 cc Dirt Track event was
the first one to start off and it saw Bullets,
Electras, Machismos and Thunderbirds
hurtling down down the hard dusty dirt
patch. The track surface was definitely tricky
and it did require much skill for riders to
hold their ground. The top 3 positions went
to the riders who ridden in from Pune, with
Tanmay from Roadshakers taking 3rd,
Ashutosh from Firelords coming in second
and Dhaval Toke from Roadshakers clinching
the win. This was followed by the 500 cc dirt
track event which saw more powerful
machines and even some of our friends from
the media fraternity try their dirt riding skills
around the purpose built track. Dominated
by LB 500s and Classic 500s this event also
started off to the roaring half litre engines
churning out oodles of torque to haul the
motorcycles on the uphill section. A few spills
and thrills later the riders all came off the
track with Pradeep from Pune coming in 3rd,
Baljeet Singh from Roadshakers (the winner
from 2010) coming in second and celebrating
his birthday in style was the winner Kenith
Harsha from the Bulls of Shimoga. After the
dirt track events the riders geared up for the
trials event where they had to ride their bike
over a purpose-built obstacle course. Each of
the riders used a different tactic, some
keeping their engines idling high, some
continuously blipping the throttle while some
just stood up on the footpegs to negotiate the
tricky track. Big rocks, bales of hay, a sharply
curved track were just a few of the obstacles
on the trials course. Rohan Pimpley from
Roadshakers clinched 3rd place while Kenin
from Cafe Bullet Goa took 2nd and the 1st
place went to Baljeet Singh Kochar who
despite having had a spill in the dirt track
event earlier still rode the bike skilfully with
the least penalty points. The well-known
rockers Thermal and a Quarter entertained
the crowd in the evenings and the DJs wound

up the night spinning some dance
numbers after that.
The day started with
20 Nov, 2011
the cleanest bike
competition and out came the polishes
and wax to get that extra shine that
would make their Royal Enfield stand
out. The judges had a tough time
choosing the most spic n span bike out
of the many and eventually had to also
consider the kilometres on the odo as
one of the factors which determined
how well the bike has been maintained.
The cleanest bike award however went
to Vijay from Cafe Bullet, Goa. The
assembly wars were the next event
where in teams of 4 enthusiasts, DIY
experts removed 4 parts off the
motorcycle, got them inspected and then
put them back on the motorcycle and
rode the bike across the finishing line.
The 4 parts were the front wheel, the
rear wheel, throttle cable and clutch
cable, and the team members not only
took off these parts quickly but put them
back with lightning speed making the
bike ride-able again. The team from
Hubli came in 3rd, while Roadshakers
from Pune were 2nd and local boys from
Cafe Bullet Goa rode off with the first
place. One major highlight of the day
was the Rider Mania celebration ride
where the worlds largest group of Royal
Enfield motorcycles rode together
through the bylanes of Goa in formation.
After the celebration ride was the beer
drinking contest and the arm wrestling
contest saw men and women flex their
biceps and gave each other mean looks
in a bid to pin the others arm down. The
panel of judges then walked around the
custom bikes there evaluating the
impressive works of art in metal and
chrome and figuring out which one had
an interesting theme around it, looked
the best and also appealed to their heart
too. The evening had Anushka
Manchanda and her band perform foot-
tapping numbers to keep the crowd on
its toes. The prize distribution ceremony
also happened in the evening and
marked the grand finale of this event.
The Black Widow put together by
Javeen not only won the best custom
bike award from the judges but also got
the most popular custom bike award as
voted by the people who came to Rider
Mania.
At the Royal Enfield Rider Mania
2011, riders got an opportunity to check
out motorcycling gear, apparel, utility
stuff, camping and outdoor equipment
and clinch attractive deals on them.
The food stalls and beverage counters
created an open air lounge atmosphere
in the lazy afternoon. The Rider Mania
Lounge showcased movies, shows and
documentaries around motorcycling
for a cool 8 hours a day and the library
housed rare books, magazines and Royal
Enfield publications. Rider Mania 2011
also had a very strong online presence
with social media initiatives like check-
in, foursquare centric apps especially for
Royal Enfield Rider Mania 2011and live
tweets from the venue streaming across
the webworld.
rider mania 2011
E v e n t R e s u lt s
Figure of 8
1 Kenith, Shekhar, Dolphin, Rocket
(Bulls of Shimoga, Shimoga)
2 Vishal, Mayur, Kenny, Vijay (Caf Bullet, Goa)
3 Faizal, Prajyot, Albino, Sagar (Caf Bullet, Goa)
Slow Race
1 Faizal Sheikh (Caf Bullet, Goa)
2 Arvind Singh (Pune)
3 Ashok Naidu (Roadshakers, Pune)
Carry Your Bike
1 Pradeep, Abhishek, Amit, Abhishek (Pune)
Dirt Track 350 cc
1 Dhaval Toke (Roadshakers, Pune)
2 Ashutosh Mahadik (Firelords, Pune)
3 Tanmay (Roadshakers, Pune)
Dirt Track - 500 cc
1 Kenith Harsha (Bulls of Shimoga, Shimoga)
3 Pradeep (Pune)
2 Baljeet Singh Gill (Roadshakers. Pune)
Trials
1 Baljeet Singh Kochar (Roadshakers, Pune)
2 Kenin (Caf Bullet Goa)
3 Rohan Pimpley (Roadshakers, Pune)
Bike Photography
1 Makarand Udavant (Nasik)
2 Nagendra (Bangalore)
3 Sandeep Chandra (Hoskote)
Cleanest Bike
1 Vijay ( Caf Bullet, Goa)
2 Nagendra (Bangalore)
3 Aravind (Hubli)
Assembly Wars
1 Sagar, Kalim, Mayur, Nitin (Caf Bullet, Goa)
2 Baljeet Kochar, Mustansir, Dhaval, Sumit
(Roadshakers, Pune)
3 Mahesh, Aravind, Nachiket, Somaiya (Hubli)
Beer Drinking
1 Nishit (Ahemdabad)
2 Kuku Thampi (Mumbai)
Arm wrestling - Men
1 Sidddharth (Baroda)
2 Sajin ( Cochin)
Arm wrestling - women
1 Reshma ( Caf Bullet, Goa)
2 Avira (Caf Bullet, Goa)
Custom Bike
1 Black Widow by Javeen
2 The Sunburn Special Edition Bike by Vardenchi
3 The Reaper by Leroy
Most Popular Custom Bike
1 Black Widow by Javeen 15
rider Mania
Javeen Mathews stunning creation,
The Black Widow not only won the
Best Custom Bike award from the
judges but also got the most Popular
Custom Bike award as voted by the
people who came to Rider Mania

16
17
southern odyssey
Ready Steady Po
Royal Enfield
Southern Odyssey 2011
Text by Santhosh Vijay Kumar
The Southern Odyssey took off from
Chennai on 12 December, 2011 and took the
riders through some of the most scenic and
adventurous roads in South India
DAY 1
.
Chennai to Karaikal: The
first day of the ride is always
the easiest, as everyone is rested. Starting
off near Chennai Central, we reached
Mahabalipuram in no time. After a quick
coffee at the CCD on the East Coast Road
(ECR), we set off towards Pondicherry. On
reaching there the other riders enjoyed
coffee and pastries at Le Caf by the
sea while Noel and I set off towards the
dealership in Pondicherry as his bike was
leaking oil. The issue was a minor one and
soon we were riding towards Karaikal in no
time. We stuck to the back-roads and had
a great time riding under dark skies that
threatened to open up but thankfully did
not. After reaching Karaikal by around 4 pm
we spent the evening discussing the days
ahead.
18
DAY 2 Karaikal to Rameshwaram:
This was also to be the
day of straight stretches of tarmac. The
picturesque ECR traverses the coast and for
most of the time one can view the sea. As
we drew closer to Rameshwaram, the road
became flanked on both sides by marshes.
Just short of the Pamban bridge, we took a
small detour off the highway to a beach that
rarely sees people. Some of us rode through
the deep sand for a while and then it was
time to head into Rameshwaram town. We
reached the hotel by 1 pm, and decided to
take a jeep to Dhanushkodi. The route got
marshy and sandy and we felt that it would
have been more fun if we had taken our
bikes instead of the jeep.
Day 3 Rameshwaram to
Kanyakumari: This day
we were riding to the tip of the Indian
landmass and the route was not really that
interesting until Tuticorin. From Tuticorin
we took the road to Uvari, which is a twisty
road with windmills on the sides, and in
no time we were riding into Kanyakumari
where some of the riders decided to take
the ferry to the Vivekanada memorial while
some roamed around the town. Deep inside
all of us knew that the best part of the ride
began the next day
Day 4 Kanyakumari to
Kumarakom: This was
to be the first day of riding on winding
roads. After Nagercoil once we crossed the
border into Kerala, the traffic suddenly
became unbearable. The traffic scenario
 southern odyssey

made us change our planned route, and

take a deviation to Adoor which then led us
straight into Kumarakom, by riding mainly
on the back-roads. We kept criss-crossing
the National Highways to Kollam, Kochi
etc, but stuck to the narrow twisty roads.
The traversed distance went up by a good
100 km but no one was complaining as the
roads were heavenly. The next day we rested
at Kumarkom and enjoyed spending time
languishing in the famous backwaters.

Day 6 Kumarakom to Kumily:

Today would be our first
climb into the hills. Starting early, we took
a convoluted course instead of the highway
to Kumily and the first amazing stretch was
the climb to Vagamon. With its steep roads
and tight corners, all of us were pretty much
close to scraping foot pegs all the way. The
traffic was almost negligible and after a
quick tea at the top, we continue further to
Marykulam and Kattapana. The rather long
way round however seemed to be short as
we reached Kumily easily by lunchtime. anticipation. The day was a little chilly and
after a quick breakfast, we left Ooty and

Day 7 Kumily to Munnar: This

was a short days ride and
it took us through some of the best tea
took the famous road down to Masinagudi.
With 36 hairpin bends, this incredibly
steep road dropped us down from a height
estates with narrow winding roads and of around 2000 meters above MSL to
since we had a lot of time on our hands it sea level in no time. With all the previous
called for more frequent breaks for clicking days practice of riding in the mountains
photographs. we came down the ghat in no time. The
ride through the Mudumalai forest was

Day 8 Munnar to Kodai: The

route had to be altered as
the border on the Kerala side was closed;
amazing, and we even spotted a couple of
tuskers at a watering hole. The route then
went through the beautiful Wayanad region
hence we had to climb up from the Palani with its smooth tarmac and sweeping
side. Riding up the Periyakulam mountains curves, and before long we stopped over
when it is misty was one great experience we for lunch at Manathavady. The ride from
had and after stopping for some hot tea, we Manathavady to Madikeri was the only off-
reached Kodai at around 3 pm. road section as the roads on the Karnataka
side were in a bad state, however we still

Day 9 Kodai to Valparai: The

ride to Valparai was quite
tricky. The fog was really thick and for a
managed to make good time and were in
Madikeri by 4 pm.

good 20 km we rode in a single file down

the mountains, eyes peeled to watch out
for other vehicles as well as the tail lamp
of the rider ahead. The fog soon cleared up
and after a brief stop at Pollachi, we started
the climb to Valparai. This road had the
best surface that we had seen so far on this
ride and we were nearly half way up the
mountain in less than thirty minutes. With
just another 20 km to go we spent some
time clicking pictures and reached Valparai
by 2 pm. Valparai is a sleepy hamlet in the
hills and our evening was spent relaxing.
Day 10 Valparai to Ooty: We
were to climb up into
Day 12 Madikeri to Bangalore:
Today was the last day
in the hills and the riders were a little
Ooty from the Mettupalayam side and disappointed that the ride was getting over.
since this route goes to Coonnoor and Ooty After a quick breakfast, we set off and in less
both there is always some heavy traffic than half an hour we had descended from
on this stretch. We started early and after the hill into the plains. We covered a good
negotiating the traffic-choked roads reached 180 km before stopping for a coffee about
Ooty by lunch time. 70 km from Bangalore. The next stop was
at the hotel on MG Road and after close to
Day 11 Ooty to Madikeri:
This was the ride that
everyone was looking forward to with great
3200 km Southern Odyssey had come to an
end, with the riders already planning their
next big ride.
19
dealer profile
Watsonian Squire
Watsonian Squire Royal Enfield Dealers meet
GP Manx sidecar
T
he Gloucestershire-based Watsonian
Squire Limited is one of the longest
established companies of the British
Motorcycle industry and the oldest surviving
dealership of Royal Enfield in the UK and
is located approximately 30 miles from the
original Royal Enfield factory in Redditch.
Founded in 1912 by TF Watson, the company
has been manufacturing sidecars ever since.
In 1984, Watsonian merged with the dynam-
ic young Squire Company to create the UKs
biggest sidecar operation. Today the company
offers a wide choice of classic and sports side-
cars and luggage trailers under Watsonian
and Squire.
In 1999, Watsonian Squire took over dis-
tribution of Royal Enfield motorcycles in the
UK and rapidly re-established the historic
brand in its spiritual home. Although Bullets
had first been exported from India to the UK
20
Harry Potter's sidecar rig
way back in 1970, it was Watsonian which
started bringing about the difference in how
Royal Enfield motorcycles were presented in
the UK. Besides offering the sidecar combo
contraption, Watsonian also started modify-
ing the motorcycles to create purpose-built
variants under the Clubman (Cafe Racer
style) and Woodsman (off-road motorcycle)
names. These variants built around the stock
motorcycle showcased the versatility of the
Royal Enfield motorcycle.
In November 2010 Watsonian created the
Royal Enfield Furya flat tracker powered by
the 500 cc fuel injected engine. The original
Fury was introduced in 1959 by Royal En-
field UK, and built exclusively for the US mar-
ket. Less than 200 were built and production
ceased in the early 1960s.
Wide western style bars dominate the
front end of the 2010 Fury, sitting on a spe-
cially made billet aluminium top yoke. The
traditional nacelle is replaced with a chrome
headlight and digital instrument panel. The
design team at Watsonian also gave the rear
end of the bike a radical makeover, replacing
the twin saddle with a flat track style fibre-
glass seat unit, incorporating a discreet tail
light and chrome mini indicators.
One of the stars of the Harry Potter block-
buster, The Deathly Hallows, Part 1 was the
pale blue Royal Enfield motorcycle and Wat-
sonian Squire sidecar ridden by Hagrid with
Harry Potter riding in the sidecar. In addi-
tion, they have also created the Hobglobin
The Fury Flatracker
Bullet in collaboration with the Wychwood
brewery, the creators of the famous Hobgob-
lin Ale. This one-off motorcycle based on the
Royal Enfield Classic 500 EFI has the Hob-
goblin beer brand logo as the centrepiece and
has a unique blue paint job. This motorcycle
was showcased at the Great British Beer Fes-
tival and the NEC Bike show and later given
away as a prize to one lucky beer and bike fan.
Watsonian has become the UK distribu-
tor for Royal Enfield motorcycles and has a
strong dealer network. Every year Royal En-
field dealers from across the country hit the
road for a hard days ride around the Cotswold
Hills for their annual conference organised by
Watsonian. Rather than sitting everyone in
a conference room and showing them power
point presentations and graphs, we thought
we should make the most of the weather and
get out to ride the product instead explains
Watsonian sales director Ben Matthews.
Watsonian also regularly organizes the
Open Day meets in the UK and invites the
general public to experience the Royal En-
field motorcycles up close and personal. Test
rides are offered and interesting conversa-
tions around the legendary Royal Enfield
motorcycles and the British history serve as
the backdrop of these meets. In 2012 Wat-
sonian successfully completes a 100 years of
existence and shall be celebrating the same
with the grand centenary celebrations on the
weekend of 18-19th August 2012.

HSR Services
F
rom a very young age Arun Ramdas
was deeply interested in automobiles
and during a stint in Nigeria he kept
that interest alive and did not let that fire
dwindle. Upon returning to India in 2004 he
decided to get into the automobile business
and got himself a dealership of Kinetic Mo-
tors, and also applied for the Royal Enfield
dealership. It took a good 4 years till April
2008 when he finally opened his first Royal
Enfield dealership in the heart of Bangalore
with just 4 staff members. Being the first
generation from his family to be an entre-
preneur, he got very few inputs on how to
manage and run a business and hence relied
solely on the strong values and ethics taught
to him by his parents and eventually build up
this business to what it is today. His mantra
has always been hard work, dedication and
perseverance which has seen his enterprise
grow from one dealership to many over the
years. As the Royal Enfield business grew he
slowly shut down the Kinetic dealership, as
his complete focus would now be the legend-
ary marque.
The dealership started with a 600 sq. ft.
showroom and a 1,200 sq ft service center
in the heart of the city with 4 employees. In
2009 he added another service center and
a showroom at Rajajinagar, thus catering to
west Bangalore. Further in 2010 he added
one more service center and a showroom at
Banashankari to address the South-West
Bangalore. In 2011 they moved both the City
The HSR Sales team
dealer profile
HSR Rajajinagar
HSR service
Center showroom and the Rajajinagar show-
rooms to bigger and better locations. Today
they boast of having 3,000 sq.ft of showroom
spaces and 5,000 sq.ft of workshop space
and 1,600 sq.ft of warehousing space for
storing motorcycles. From the initial staff of
4 they have now grown to 51 employees on
their payroll.
Right from day one the 43-year old me-
chanical engineer has believed in an open of-
fice policy. His establishments have no office
cabins and no proprietor/dealer/owner cab-
ins segregating the management. All staff
including himself are completely accessible
to all customers for any issue or concern they
may have. He insists that the mobile phones
of sales and service staff are never switched
off and are available for customers to call
24/7 for any assistance.
It is this immaculate track record which
has enabled him to not only cater to his ex-
isting customers but also usher in a horde in
new ones. He also ensures that all the new
models launched are always there available
at his dealership for viewing by the custom-
ers so that they can make an informed pur-
chase decision. He maintains a fleet of eight
test ride motorcycles for customers and is an
active participant of the Keep Riding activi-
ties happening out of Bangalore. For the year
2011, HSR services was awarded for their
excellent work in Sales, Service as well as
Spares performance.
21
club
Bisons Ride Hard
I
t happened that fateful evening, when
Gurinder Singh (Founder and General)
called upon three trusted friends over to
Vinods garage in Kalina, Mumbai. Over a
bucket of tea and many more vada pavs and
samosas, Bisons Ride Hard was formed. It
was dramatic when Gurinder announced the
namea Bullet which was being worked on
cranked alive and roared to show its presence!
We knew this was the start to a long journey
weve always dreamt off.
Bisons Ride Hard came out of a strong be-
lief. The four who met at Vinods had always
ridden hard and not really caring about the
destination. The club would not be for the
weak or faint-hearted. Like Bisons the Royal
Enfield riders wouldnt stop at nothing, ex-
cept for a fellow rider. They just ride and ride
hard, even when it rains, even when the roads
are bad or even when there are no roads! The
club is about the beast in everyone, and not
just the Royal Enfield bullet that they ride and
the soulful unity between the two (Rider and
Royal Enfield) is what makes one a Bison!
Today Bisons Ride Hard boasts of over
60 full-time members in a short span of
less than 5 months and over 300 follow-
ers on Facebook. Each rider has to join up
for two overnight rides before being granted
membership. All riders have gone through
22
the rigours of a routine that can be best de-
scribed as endurance riding. Pushing the
bike and oneself to the limits in the ultimate
test of Bison vs the elements thats pretty
much sums up why they call themselves
Bisons Ride Hard.
The first ride of the club was to seek bless-
ings from Lord Ganesha and was symboli-
cally flagged off from Siddhivinayak Temple
in Mumbai and it meant every bit of our soul
was in the right place. This was to bless the
Bison colours and the Bisons ruled the roads
for two days with over 450 km
on the first day with the final
pit-stop at Kumbharli Ghats
and then finally 350 km on the
way back. On the second ride
they did the three Jyotirlingas in
Maharashtra. This ride required
them to cover over 1300 odd kilometres! In
Mahabaleshwar the visibility was seriously
impaired with thick fog descending on the
riders. But owing to their penchant of riding
hard, come rain or storm or even the clouds
as in this case, The Bisons proceeded back
on the ghats and rode up! They had almost
run out of fuel on the ghats at around 1 AM
but the sight of a fuel bunker and the joy in
everyones faces at that moment is something
none of them can ever forget. The next ride
was with over 1500 km across three days and
was the Dashavinayak Yatra (10 Lord Gane-
sha temples). Quite a few of the riders had to
take a leave on a Monday but that didnt stop
them there were 16 Royal Enfield Bullets
and 23 Bisons in all.
But with serious endurance riding also
come a lot of partying and a lot of fun! Next
was the ride to Gujarat to conquer Dang and
Saputara taming the elements right at its
heels. Camping in the forest, bathing in a riv-
er, barbeque and the customary cigar at night
they did it all! Vikram a proud Bison as of
12th November 2011, embarked on an epic
journey to the uncharted north east of India.
He would ride boldly to places where no man
has tried to ride before and aptly has named
his ride Love Thy Neighbour.
Amidst all the riding the Bisons also un-
derstand the responsibility towards the soci-
ety. For the same reason they decided that 30
per cent of all rides in a year would be towards
social awareness and doing good. For this rea-
son the Bisons have also partnered with the
Barefoot Marathon Runners and Narmada
Kidney Foundation. While one is for creat-
ing awareness on better health, the other is
for raising awareness on organ donation. Bi-
sons also plan to visit various missions during
Christmas spending time with unprivileged
children reminding ourselves that we are
lucky to have what we have. What the riders
spend on fuel on a single day, if
donated towards children would
not only bring smiles on their
faces but good tidings for all the
riders.
The Bisons are proud riders
of the Royal Enfield Bullet, a ma-
chine thats less mechanical and more soul!
Bisons Ride Hard represents a like-minded
Bulleteers group with members all over from
Greater Mumbai and a single passion to Ride
Hard, Ride Safe, and Ride Miles!
To join the Bisons Ride Hard visit www.
bisonsridehard.com or contact Vineet on
9987559693. Ping them on Facebook or
Twitter! www.facebook.com/bisonsridehard
www.twitter.com/bisonsridehard

A Winning Habit
A modest rider, even though he is a winner of many events and com-
petitions, Kenith Harsha from Shimoga firmly believes that he
is no different from the rest of the Royal Enfield riders
R
iding for Kenith Harsha was never
just a means for daily commuting.
It always had a special place and
the passion grew more and more with time.
He started dirt riding and rallying at a young
age, getting a 100 cc two-stroke indo-jap bike
in his hands. The sport soon became the driv-
ing spirit of his life. Besides rallying he also got
an opportunity to experience the treacherous
terrain of Leh-Ladakh on his motorcycle. It
was here that he saw that the Royal Enfield
motorcycles were cruising across this harsh
and formidable terrain in a rather cool man-
ner. It was this unique capability of the Royal
Enfield motorcycle which left him awestruck
and impressed. It was here that he saw many
riders who had come along on Royal Enfield
Bullets and that inculcated an interest in the
legendary marque.
After returning back to his hometown
he then purchased a 1986 Bullet 350 which
eventually became a priceless possession of
his life. Initially he found it slightly difficult to
ride owing to its peculiarities but in a few days
time and effort it was easy for him to ride the
thumper. His first ride was to Udupi which
is 150 km from his hometown, after which
his passion for touring increased and he be-
rider profile
power and grace: Kenith wins the 500cc
class dirt race at Rider Mania 2011
came a frequent traveller. On these long rides
he slowly started connecting to the thump,
torque, acceleration, road grip, balance, and
comfort aspects of his motorcycle. These just
got tuned to his emotions and formed the
bond that would last a lifetime. After getting
the Bullet he began short rides with my bunch
of friends, and soon formed a club (Bulls of
Shimoga).
With passing time he started getting more
and more involved in group rides with the
other members of the club. The riding style
now had changed as he was no longer just on
his own but had to act more responsibly as
there were some new riders who looked up
to him for guidance and training. He always
gives ultimate importance to the safety aspect
and made it an unsaid rule to make everyone
wear a full faced helmet and proper riding
gear in his club while on a ride.
His latest Royal Enfield was a Machismo
LB 500, the latest addition to his fleet consist-
ing of the 1986 Bullet 350 and a 1968 Vintage
Bullet 350. He credits the acquisition of his
latest steed to a friend who advised him to
check out the 500 and the power delivery and
grace immediately got him hooked on to it.
He wishes to keep on riding and see his
club the BULLS OF SHIMOGA grow and
be well known in the riding circles across the
country. He also wants to spread awareness
on safety while riding to all fellow Royal En-
field riders across the world in his own way.
A modest rider, winner of many events and
competitions he firmly believes that he is no
different from the rest of the Royal Enfield
riders and feel he is still a learner and has a
long way to go.
23
FLASHBACK
Royal Enfield
continental GT
T
he Royal Enfield
Continental GT
was a 250cc, ohv
single, 5-speed motorcycle
and came with the unique
unit construction engine. This
restyled version of the 5-speed
Crusader was definitely a head-
turner in its era with smartly
positioned clip-ons handlebars,
rear sets, alloy mudguards,
telescopic forks, racing style seat
and tank to attain a semi-racer
styling. The swept-back exhaust
pipe accentuated the sporty
lines of the neat power unit
24
and the sleek glass-fibre tank in
fire-engine red was adorned by
the Royal Enfield name in bold,
white lettering; a huge breather
pipe, in clear plastic, led to the
tail of the machine and two big
dummy brake-cooling discs
on the front hub. One of the
most noticeable features of the
Continental GT was the big-
bore breather pipe which wasnt
just for show. Through miles
of hard riding the engine unit
remained completely oil-free.
Handling was well up to
par and the engine could push
the bike along at nearly 80
mph, thus claiming to be the
fastest 250 cc motorcycle of
its era. Although the clip-ons
and rearset footrests were not
everyones cup of tea, a lot of
enthusiasts draped the GT with
a bunch of bolt-on goodies
making for just about the
snazziest-looking sportster ever.
The Continental GT goes every
bit as well as it looks. This bike
was never intended as a town
runabout and inching forward
in slow-moving trafficw at rush
hours did induce wrist-ache

but once it saw open roads it
would just get into its stride
and become a different bike
altogether. The low bars allowed
the rider to tuck in the elbows
neatly; crouch and watch the
needle go soaring round the dial
past the 80 mph mark.
To produce the very best in
performance, one needed to
keep an eye on the RPM meter
rather than the speedometer and
change up at the peak bhp point
(7,500 rpm) in each cog. Much to
the delight of the rider, nothing
flapped, vibrated or rattled on
this bike, while the celebrated
vane-type shock absorber in
the rear hub played its part in
keeping the power on the road.
For an out-and-out sports model,
the Royal Enfield Continental
GT proved to be remarkably
economical, returning a
consumption figure of 115 mpg
at a steady 30 mph and when
pushed it still gave an impressive
64 mpg at a cruising speed of 70
mph. The brake and gear-change
pedals mated in nicely with the
rear-mounted footrests; the gear
lever travel was extremely short
flashback
and the cogs meshed cleanly,
without clash or any effort.
The low bars
Neutral was just a shade tricky to
allowed the rider
find, particularly with the model
to tuck in the
at a standstill.
elbows neatly;
This is undoubtedly the finest
crouch and watch
250 Royal Enfield has ever
the needle go
soaring round the made, one which can be enjoyed
dial, past the 80 every mile of the way. It is sweet-
mph mark natured and accommodating,
built to go and built to stop. Fed
by an Amal carburettor, this
motorcycle had a claimed output
of 21 bhp at 7500 rpm and
weighing 306 lbs gave it a good
power to weight ratio.
25
keep riding

Various rides organized all over the country under the Keep Riding initiative by Royal Enfield

Pandu Pol famous for its reference in the

Chennai to Pulicat Lake epic Mahabharata. While riding on the
The Phoenix Cruisers rode out from the naarow road that cut through the forests,
Chennai Brand Store to Pulicat Lake on 18 they also came across nilgai, langurs, spot-
December. The riders started early and af- ted dear, foxes and majestic peacocks. A
ter the outskirts Chennai were behind them, total of 11 riders rode out on this thrilling
they ventured into broken roads and nar- ride into the lap of pristine nature and sce-
row village lanes to reach the lake around nic bliss surrounded by the flora and fauna
mid-day. After a boat ride to the island and of Sariska.
the beach nearby, lunch was served out in
the open and was prepared by local fisher-
men. In the evening the riders rode back
through interior roads and finally entered
Chennai via the NH 5 coming in from Nel-
lore. A total of 18 riders came for this ride
and all of them not only enjoyed the picnic,
but also the small and challenging country
roads that they encountered on the ride.
For more information on rides from
Chennai, contact DU Venkata Raman on
duvraman@royalenfield.com

Ambala to Dalhousie
Starting on 3 September 2011, a group of 21
riders belonging to the Royal Bikerz Club
from Ambala, led by the local dealer Mr
Harminderjeet Singh Oberoi (Jhonny), rode
out on the 21st ride of the club from Ambala
to Dalhousie. The return trip was on the 5th
of September and the riders covered a cool
800 km on this ride. This club has over 150
members now who all actively take part in
the rides regularly organised out of Ambala.
For more information on rides from
Ambala, contact Anil Goyal on agoyal@
royalenfield.com
Gurgaon to Sariska
To bring people from the corporate world
into the Royal Enfield riding experience,
a ride was organised under the Keep Rid-
ing initiative for NDS Services Pay TV
Technology employees from 28-29 October
2011, from Gurgaon. The riders rode out
to Sariska, a place famous for the wildlife
sanctuary and Tiger Reserve in the Alwar
district of Rajasthan. The riders did have a
rather tough time riding on broken roads
through the green dense hilly forests. They
also stopped at the Hanuman Temple at
Gurgaon to Dhanaulti
The ride from Gurgaon to Dhanaulti on 6
October, 2011 was for the people from Aon
Hewitt and Cognilytics. Dhanaulti is lo-
cated a 2300 m above sea level in the hills
of Uttarakhand, 25 km beyond Mussou-
rie. The 8 riders on this trip rode out early
morning and rode through Haridwar, Deh-
radun and Mussourie before climbing fur-
ther uphill into Dhanaulti covering a little
over 300 km in this ride.
Gurgaon to Neemrana
The riders from HCL, Bharti Infratel, Ac-
centure and TCS came together to ride from
Gurgaon to Neemrana on 16 Oct, 2011.
Neemrana is an ancient historical town in
Alwar district of Rajasthan, 122 km from
Delhi on the Delhi-Jaipur highway. The 11
riders started early in the morning on the

26
 keep riding
NH-8 and spent considerable time explor-
ing the legendary Neemrana Fort and then
returned the same day to Delhi.
For more information on rides from
Gurgaon, contact Anil Goyal on
agoyal@royalenfield.com

Lucknow to Dudhwa
National Park
A ride from the Lucknow Brand Store to the
Dudhwa National Park was from 10 Dec-11
December, 2011. 15 riders on 9 bikes started
in the early morning and rode via Sitapur,
Lakheempuri Kheri and Pallaya to reach
Dudhwa National Park around 4 pm . One
of the riders had his 15-year-old son along
as pillion to experience the Royal Enfield
lifestyle. On the way, they rode over a bridge
which had both the railway track, as well as
the road and at night they also rode their
bikes around 50-odd km into the forest. It
was a memorable evening for the riders who
later sat around a bonfire and exchanged
stories. The next day the group went on a
jeep safari to explore the jungle after which
they rode back to Lucknow.
For more information on rides from
Lucknow, contact Piyush Gupta on
pgupta4@royalenfield.com

Ahmedabad to Ahmedpur
Mandvi beach
The ride from Ahmedabad to Ahmedpur
Mandvi beach took place from 7- 9 Dec,
2011. This quiet seaside hamlet is located
just outside Diu and is one of the cleanest
beaches of Gujarat. The road to Diu via
Bhavnagar provided a great riding experi-
ence with salt plains on both sides of the
roads and beautiful views. The local au-
thorities at Ahmedpur-Mandvi were kind
enough to allow the riders to take the bikes
on to the beach for an amazing photo-op.
Ahmedabad to Polo Forests
In ancient times Polo Forest offered a hid-
ing place for rulers from enemies, citizens,
angry wives and even from the sun. Tucked
between sacred hills on the east and west, a
lot of ancient temples and relics adorn the
place and the picturesque location provides
an amazing opportunity to the photogra-
phers. Riders from Ahmedabad rode to
Polo Forest on the 13 November, 2011. The
riders were even allowed a special permis-
sion to take the bikes close to a dam inside
the forest. A lot of new riders came forward
on this trip to experience the passion asso-
ciated with this legendary motorcycle.
Ahmedabad to Parvati Hills
Riders from Ahemedabad rode out to Par-
vati Hills, a private resort spread over 516
acres perfect for a weekend getaway from
the humdrum urban life. This ride was
organised on 23 October 2011, and well
over 20 riders came for this trip. The re-
sort boasts of a few lakes, exotic birds and
horses and besides a breathtaking view the
resort also features dirt patches and small
off-road sections where the riders tried out
their riding skills. The Royal Enfield motor-
cycles did not disappoint any of the riders as
the machines took every rock, rut, obstacle
and rough patch in their stride thumping
over the terrain.
For more information on rides from
Ahemedabad, contact Pradeep Chaur-
asiya on pchaurasiya@royalenfield.
com
Guwahati to Tawang
Plateau
The ride from Guwahati to the famed Ta-
wang plateau started on 21 September, 2011.
The 10 riders planned their journey across
some of the trickiest terrain in the north-
east region on this ride. The first day they
rode to Bhalukpung via Tezpur through
the plains. The real adventure started as
27
keep riding
third day they rode further from Tawang
towards Bumla, the last village on the Indo-
China border, about 45 km away, which is
one of the highest points in the north-east
at 15,230 ft. It was an experience of a life-
time to ride on the Tawang-Bumla highway
with plenty off-roading as well as sharp and
blind turns.
For more information on rides from
Guwahati, contact Rajesh Sharma on
sharmar@royalenfield.com

Bhopal to Delawadi into the jungles of the Ratapani wildlife

they started climbing into the hills from
Bhalukpung and rode to Bomdila. Roads
were practically non-existent in this section
owing to ongoing construction and repair
work. On the second day they rode till Sela
Pass, which is the highest point (13,100 ft)
before reaching Tawang plateau. On the
Delawadi is a scenic and historical place
and a frequented picnic spot about 62 km
from Bhopal. A group of Royal Enfield rid-
ers rode out on the NH12 in the early morn-
ing proceeding towards Rehti. A smooth
road surface as well as the varying land-
scapes with small hills all around gave the
riders ample opportunity to appreciate the
beauty of nature. Riders thoroughly enjoyed
their one day break that took them deep
sanctuary. Although the distance was not
much, it was the experience and the bond-
ing with fellow Royal Enfield riders which
made the ride memorable. The rough road
patches also gave ample opportunity to the
adventurous lot to try out their off-roading
skills during the ride.
For more information on rides from
Bhopal, contact Puneet Singh Banga on
psbanga@royalenfield.com

U p c o m i n g R i d e s: Ja n t o f e b , 2 012
Date RIDE FROM RIDE to km Contact Email
08 Jan Ahmedabad Balasinor 180 Pradeep Chaurasiya pchaurasiya@royalenfield.com
08 Jan Pune Lonavala 120 Swapnil Shende sashende@royalenfield.com
08 Jan Bangalore Nagargali falls 170 T Karthikeyan tkarthikeyan@royalenfield.com
12 Jan Kolkata Maithon 235 Rajesh Sharma sharmar@royalenfield.com
12 Jan Aurangabad Goutad 200 Niraj Rathor nrathor2@royalenfield.com
12 Jan Pune Panshet 120 Swapnil Shende sashende@royalenfield.com
12 Jan Satara Mahabaleshwar 150 Swapnil Shende sashende@royalenfield.com
13 Jan Ahmedabad Udaipur 540 Pradeep Chaurasiya pchaurasiya@royalenfield.com
14 Jan Jammu Sanasar 250 Abhishek Kotwal askotwal@royalenfield.com
14 Jan Guwahati Ranikor 600 Rajesh Sharma sharmar@royalenfield.com
14 Jan Ahmedabad Tua Timba 250 Pradeep Chaurasiya pchaurasiya@royalenfield.com
14 Jan Mumbai Celebration Ride 200 Harshil Desai hjdesai@royalenfield.com
14 Jan Gulbarga Basava 200 Lijin Raj plijinraj@royalenfield.com
14 Jan Muzzarpur Vaishali 120 Ravi Asthana rprakash2@royalenfield.com
14 Jan Lucknow Agra 650 Piyush Gupta pgupta4@royalenfield.com
15 Jan Aurangabad Lonar 500 Niraj Rathor nrathor2@royalenfield.com
15 Jan Mumbai Tiger Point 110 Swapnil Shende sashende@royalenfield.com
15 Jan Cuttack Puri 250 P Srinivas srinivas.pilli825@gmail.com
15 Jan Bangalore Maheshi 170 T Karthikeyan tkarthikeyan@royalenfield.com
15 Jan Bangalore Kalasa 300 T Karthikeyan tkarthikeyan@royalenfield.com
15 Jan Bangalore Shole Hills 150 T Karthikeyan tkarthikeyan@royalenfield.com
18 Jan Jaipur Udaipur 700 Nitesh Singhal nsinghal2@royalenfield.com
18 Jan Hyderabad Mantralayam 600 P Srinivas srinivas.pilli825@gmail.com
20 Jan Cochin Wayanad 900 Binoy A Vijayan bavijayan@royalenfield.com

28
 keep riding
21 Jan Jaipur Rathambore 380 Nitesh Singhal nsinghal2@royalenfield.com
21 Jan Indore Mandu 620 Pradeep Chaurasiya pchaurasiya@royalenfield.com
21 Jan Vizag Badrachalam 650 K Veera Sudhakara Rao kvsrao@royalenfield.com
21 Jan Tirupati Talakona 300 Pradeep Kumar Reddy kvsrao@royalenfield.com
21 Jan Kadapa Horsehills 300 K Venkata Dinesh kvdinesh@royalenfield.com
21 Jan Chennai Elagiri 500 Venkat duvraman@royalenfield.com
21 Jan Coimbatore Nelliyampathy 350 T Karthikeyan tkarthikeyan@royalenfield.com
21 Jan Bangalore Chennai Plant 750 Lijin Raj plijinraj@royalenfield.com
21 Jan Bangalore Sakaleshpur 600 Abin Verghese avarghese@royalenfield.com
21 Jan Trivandram Kanyakumari 240 Vinayagasundaram ksundaram@royalenfield.com
22 Jan Ambala Manali 500 Anil Goyal agoyal@royalenfield.com
22 Jan Bhopal Raisin 100 Pradeep Chaurasiya pchaurasiya@royalenfield.com
22 Jan Ahmednagar Bhimashankar 240 Niraj Rathor nrathor2@royalenfield.com
22 Jan Nasik Bhandara Dam 120 Niraj Rathor nrathor2@royalenfield.com
22 Jan Satara Panchgani 120 Swapnil Shende sashende@royalenfield.com
22 Jan Jharkhand Hazirabad 320 P Srinivas srinivas.pilli825@gmail.com
25 Jan Bangalore Kushalanagar 500 T Karthikeyan tkarthikeyan@royalenfield.com
26 Jan Agra Fatehpur Sikri 200 Ehraz Siddiqui/Laiq Siddiqui zzesiddiqui@royalenfield.com
28 Jan Noida Murthal 130 K Deepak kdeepak@royalenfield.com
28 Jan Raipur Chitragut Waterfalls 650 P Srinivas srinivas.pilli825@gmail.com
28 Jan Chennai Pondicherry 350 T Karthikeyan tkarthikeyan@royalenfield.com
29 Jan Chennai Vedanthangal 200 Venkat duvraman@royalenfield.com
04 Feb Mumbai Kamshet 195 Nitin Chawla nkchawla@royalenfield.com
10 Feb Ahmedabad Little Rann 300 Puneet Singh Banga psbanga@royalenfield.com
10 Feb Siwan Rajgir 700 Ravi Asthana rprakash2@royalenfield.com
11 Feb Jalandar Kangra fort 280 Sanjeev Thankur sthakur@royalenfield.com
11 Feb Dharamsala Mandi 370 Abhishek Kotwal askotwal@royalenfield.com
11 Feb Chandigarh Karsog 450 Amandeep Singh asingh8@royalenfield.com
11 Feb Khanna Dalhousie 550 Sandeep ssmaan@royalenfield.com
11 Feb Mumbai Dukes Nose 180 Harshil Desai hjdesai@royalenfield.com
11 Feb Hyderabad Crocodile Park 200 P Srinivas srinivas.pilli825@gmail.com
11 Feb Hyderabad Vikarabad 300 Vikas Gautam vgautam1@royalenfield.com
11 Feb Vizag Hasrhavelli 300 K Veera Sudhakara Rao kvsrao@royalenfield.com
12 Feb Guwahati Pobitara 150 Rajesh Sharma sharmar@royalenfield.com
12 Feb Nagpur Navegoan Dam 270 Niraj Rathor nrathor2@royalenfield.com
12 Feb Dehradun Dhanaulti 200 Yogendra Kumar ykumar@royalenfield.com
17 Feb Indore Pushkar 1300 Pradeep Chaurasiya pchaurasiya@royalenfield.com
17 Feb Lucknow Bensor 1000 Piyush Gupta pgupta4@royalenfield.com
18 Feb Hyderabad Warangal 300 P Srinivas srinivas.pilli825@gmail.com
18 Feb Nellore Queensland 350 Pradeep Kumar Reddy pkreddy@royalenfield.com
18 Feb Allahabad Shivgarh 220 Ravi Asthana rprakash2@royalenfield.com
19 Feb Gurgaon Sultanpur 130 Anil Goyal agoyal@royalenfield.com
19 Feb Ahmedabad Dandi 220 Puneet Singh Banga psbanga@royalenfield.com
19 Feb Bhopal Udaygiri Caves 160 Pradeep Chaurasiya pchaurasiya@royalenfield.com
19 Feb Ahmednagar Ellora 240 Niraj Rathor nrathor2@royalenfield.com
19 Feb Nasik Saputara Dam 220 Niraj Rathor nrathor2@royalenfield.com
19 Feb Kolhapur Amboli 130 Swapnil Shende sashende@royalenfield.com
25 Feb Sambalpur Hirakud 320 P Srinivas srinivas.pilli825@gmail.com
26 Feb Bharuch Jambhogoda 340 Pradeep Chaurasiya pchaurasiya@royalenfield.com
26 Feb Indore Narmada Sagar 180 Pradeep Chaurasiya pchaurasiya@royalenfield.com

29
review
We compare two riding gauntlets the Alpinestar SP 2 and the DSG Primal gloves.
These gloves have been quite popular with many a Royal Enfield rider for their
comfort and safety, not to mention a reasonable price
Alpinestars SP 2
I ordered size large and the gloves
fitted true to size. The gauntlet area
seemed slightly larger, but this is
probably so that you can tuck your
jacket sleeve fully into the glove. It
closes with a Velcro strap and fits
tight even if when worn without a
jacket. The gloves definitely take a
few hours of riding to break in and
fit comfortably. Alpinestars has
pitched this glove as an all-rounder
that can be used on the street, but
can do occasional track duty if you
are a beginner on it.
The glove comes with a one-
piece carbon fibre knuckle protector
for impact resistance and rubber
inserts padding the glove at various
locations for abrasion resistance.
The area running around the outer
edge of the palm all the way to the
little finger is covered with Clarino.
30
The same is used for the area of
the palm between the thumb and
the middle finger, the part of the
glove that comes most in contact
with the handle bar grips and lever.
Clarino is high-end synthetic leather
and can be made to imitate the
characteristics of suede. I couldnt
make out the difference and thought
it was real till I did some research.
The advantage of this material is
it will not be affected by rain and
sweat. But the rest of the glove,
being full-grain leather, might catch
fungus if not stored properly. There
is a neat thermoplastic rubber (TPR)
Alpinestars logo right on the upper
side. This serves as an abrasion
protector also in case of a fall.
The glove is well ventilated and
does not cook the hands even in
temperatures above 40 degrees.
I cannot comment on their cold
weather usability right now, but
dont expect them to help much
when the mercury drops. The gloves
are priced reasonably well ($110
through most leading websites) and
wearing gloves any thinner after
using these does not feel as safe.
Overall, I would rate this glove 4 out
of 5, and would recommend buying
them. Ravi Kiran
DSG Primal
The DSG Primal is perhaps one of
the best gloves available eas-
ily in India and have become very
popular on the riding scene. People
who do not have access to picking
up their gear from abroad or buy
online usually choose these over
the others available locally. The
sizes are comparable to the ones
available internationally and I picked
up a size large nearly 5 years back.
Visually, the black and white look
is quite cool and the gloves are
comfortable. Later models came
with a horrendous looking skin-tone
coloured inside palm but the earlier
examples were a single colour tone
all over. They have seen close to
five monsoons, winters and even
one Ladakh ride. The build quality
of these gloves is definitely tough,
too tough for comfort as the leather
hardens up and loses its flexibility
with time. The leather started off
as supple and in a few weeks took
the shape of the hand perfectly
thus making for good riding comfort
but with time they do get a little
uncomfortable. In warm weather
perspiration does not stick to the
glove or make the hands slip inside
while in the cold it definitely insu-
lates the hand from the weather.
Air vents on fingers provide good air
flow even in summers to keep hands
comfortable. Sadly the dye is not of
great quality as when worn in rain
they leave behind colour stains on
the hands.
Over the past so many years of
usage there has not been a single
tear or damage despite couple of
falls and minor mishaps. The gloves
definitely do hold in all kinds of
DSG Primal
Over the past so many
years of usage there has
not been a single tear or
damage despite couple of
falls and minor mishaps.
weather. The Velcro has lasted so
far and still grips firm. There is a
double locking mechanism in the
form of a thin strap around the wrist
and then the large gauntlets which
snap together with Velcro. This dual
mechanism can get a little cumber-
some if too many frequent stops re-
quire you to take off and wear your
gloves. Also with a jacket sleeve its
really not the best combination. The
carbon fibre inserts on the knuckle
areas and extra abrasion resistant
padding in the palm area provide
very good protection to the hands
from injury in case of a crash. The
gloves use Keprotec fabric which is
considered to be five times stronger
than steel per gram. Priced at Rs
2,490 the DSG Primal comes at a
slight premium over other gloves
from the DSG stables but with the
kind of durability and protection that
it provides it is quite the bargain.
Overall, I would rate this glove 4 out
of 5, and would definitely recom-
mend buying them.
Praveen P Sathaye
 dIY

1
DIY
2 3

1 Place the motorcycle on the center

4 5 6
7 8 9 wear and tear in the engine.
10 11 12
13 14
note: Remember to change the oil
filter every-time you change the Oil.
caution: Filling up oil above the MAX
level may cause smoke and/or loss
of power. Do not allow oil level to
fall below the MIN mark ever. Less
oil will result in engine damage and
malfunction. Top up as soon as you
see the oil level dipping to this mark.
stand on a firm flat surface. (Preferably
one which is slightly raised so that you
can easily reach under the bike). Start
the engine and warm up for 2 minutes.
2 Place a clean empty tray under the
sump. Remove the primary drain cap
to drain engine oil, suction filter and
magnet.
3 Remove the secondary drain cap to
drain remaining engine oil
4 Check the drained oil for any residue,
metal particles etc which will indicate
5 Remove the oil filter cover.
6 Remove oil filter element on the right
hand side of the crankcase
7 Clean the magnet and suction filter.
8 Tilt the motorcycle both sides to
drain all remaining oil in the sump.
9 Clean the suction filter and drain
plugs thoroughly and fit back on the
crankcase after all the oil has been
drained out
10 Soak the new oil filter element in oil
and fit back inside the Right Hand Side
of the crankcase
11 Open the oil filler cap on the crank-
case
12 Fill the recommended oil (Motul 15
W 50 in case of Classic 500) .
13 The oil level should be at the MAX
level in the oil sight glass on the
crankcase.
14 Put the cap back on and screw it
tight.

31
32