The Winning Odyssey

Harmininder Singh is the winner of Royal Enfield Desert Storm ridden by Farhaan Akhtar in the movie Bhaag Milkha Bhaag.

“The contest was our way of celebrating the spirit of epic journeys that we frequently see in our fans and customers. The Bhaag Milkha Bhaag contest provided these enthusiasts with a platform to tell their hitherto untold stories of their own odysseys”, said Shaji Koshy, Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Royal Enfield.

The Winning Odyssey
In Harmininder’s words, “This odyssey ended on 25th Feb, 2013 back in Chandigarh after 11000kms, almost 50 days, bruised knees and ankles, chapped skin, tanned arms, but a very bright smile on face. We had accomplished our dream of touching the youth of the nation.” You see, the aim Harmininder Singh and his cousin, Bupinder Singh set out with was, “Visiting various colleges holding discussions with students to research what is going on in their minds”, about Social, Political, and Cultural issues.

They interacted with faculty and students regarding the social structure of their institutions with respect to various social issues, like female foeticide, inclusive education and special children. “In 50 days we visited 15 states and almost 25 colleges; interacting with youth… we kept on realizing the truth of society.”
The journey wasn’t easy, in fact, “We were called ‘insane’ by many; who rides a bike in this cold weather? The questions came from all directions, but determination and will made us carry on… We were low on money but high on spirits… We slept on roadsides at times, ate with locals, got chased by police and dogs, fought with drunkards had to hide in trees, but it all was exciting and lovely. The spirit of the road and zeal of adventure, combined with a mission and heart to take everything as it comes made us go on.” This spirit is what every true Royal Enfield rider identifies with.
His interactions with students across the country led him to this, “We had their point of view and realized the real reason which is driving them insane is the fact that they lack a direction and are in search of it with the help of misdirected means. We are now in a process of starting a youth based international magazine. This journey taught me about the realities of the world and road. Both are identical, if faced with confidence you can conquer both. While watching Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, I could identify with his problems at every step with ours on the journey, and his confidence with ours every time.”
As for his motorcycle on the journey, “150cc bike, Loved it, but power was a problem.” And so is thrilled to be presented with the Royal Enfield Desert Storm 500cc.
Harmininder Singh along with his cousin, Bupinder Singh are an inspiration to everyone they come in touch with, and we hope the keys to this Royal Enfield Desert Storm ridden by Farhaan Akhtar in the movie Bhaag Milkha Bhaag helps them to continue unlocking and inspiring minds of the youth everywhere.

Judging Notes
Harmininder Singh’s entry stood out from the rest because of how layered his experience was, and how inspiring his story is to everyone who comes in contact with it. Just as Milkha Singh repeatedly overcame hurdles along the way to achieve what he had set out to, this expedition was no easy task.

Themed around ‘Bhaag Milkha Bhaag this consumer engagement campaign attempted to bring to the fore the spirit of self-discovery and enterprising Odyssey that has long been the essence of the Royal Enfield brand and its loyal enthusiasts.

Source: http://goo.gl/qDg6Uz

Three variants of Royal Enfield Continental GT Spotted

Recently three variants of Royal Enfield Continental GT were spotted and pictures were posted on Royal Enfield Group ( http://goo.gl/JkZOu ). The three different variants can be distinguished on the basis of three different types of seats installed in all the three.

The Continental GT 535cc is inspired from its ancestors from Europe, which was launched in 1965, a 21 bhp (16 kW) variant called the GT Continental, with GRP tank, five-speed gearbox , clip-on handlebars and rearset footrests, was launched. It sold well with its "Cafe Racer" looks. The Continental GT 535cc has the same old school charm and racing characteristics inheriting most of the looks and styling from 1965 Continental GT.

The motorcycle will be powered by a 535cc single cylinder, four stroke, liquid cooled UCE engine. The Royal Enfield Continental GT Cafe Racer which is scheduled to be released in the end of 2013 is with the first new chassis to be released by the Indian motorcycle manufacturer in 50 years. Along with the new chassis Royal Enfield have added a selection of performance upgrades and Cafe Racer styled parts you won't find on any other motorcycle in their current line up. 

              

Along with the 535cc single-cylinder unit, a selection of performance upgrades and Cafe Racer styled parts, this new Continental GT is the first bike ever to have been completely designed in india with no parts lifted from the historic engine models of the past.

The Company is testing the models with different upgrades (i.e Black Silencer which has never been used on any RE bike before and three different Seat variants) which can suit best to the Indian Road Conditions. One more feature which amazed that it comes with adjustable rider foot pegs.

The New Royal Enfield Continental GT’s  will be produced at the company’s new plant in Oragadam.

Royal Enfield Bullet CLUB

Royal Enfield Monsoon Maintenance Tips 2014

“If you don’t ride in rain, you don’t ride.” – This quote that has that much inspiration to make every Bulleteer ride into the rain once. But before riding in rain are you sure that your Bullet will bear the rain or would it be a safe ride???

In rain your Bullet needs as much as maintenance as you take of yourself. Monsoon time care is very important as far as Bullet is concerned. As we all want our Bulls in good working condition and moreover rough ‘n’ tough. So here are some Monsoon Maintenance Tips for Royal Enfield which will help you to get rid of minor issues caused by rain and dirt.

Let’s start with 

TYRES:

Keeping your tyres in good shape is very important during monsoons. Tyres play a very important role during monsoons as it saves you from fatal injuries preventing slipping of the bike in wet areas and making you not to fall off from your bullet. If the tyres are worn out or grip is poor , make sure to replace the tyres before hitting the wet road during monsoon. 

To check the tread depth of the tyre use any thin component or coin to check the depth as front tyre must have 2mm tread depth and rear tyre must have 2-3 mm tread depth which is fair enough to provide you a good grip on wet roads. Depth less than the above mentioned range will lead to slipping of bullet due to sudden braking or cornering.

 Tyre pressure has a huge effect on the grip you get on wet road. Tyre pressure should be few psi below the recommended tyre pressure.The recommended tyre pressure for 18” tyres is 20psi front and 30psi rear while in 19” tyres 22psi front and 32 psi rear. Check the tyre pressure regularly.

While changing or checking your tyres, go through your spokes. If they are broken or missing one or two, replace them. Check both the wheels for alignment as  an out of alignment wheel will make riding much more dangerous on wet roads, even more so when cornering. Paint the inner area of the rims with red oxide primer to prevent rims from rusting. Tubes with more than 2 punctures should be replaced with new one as you can keep the old tube as backup.

BRAKES:

Make one thing clear that braking hard on wet roads will increase the chances of slipping tyres on wet road. Always apply brakes softly to avoid any mishap.

Lets first talk about the drum brakes-

Drum brakes once water filled into it does not work at all. If your bike was standing into rain there are chances that your front brakes will not work until you ride few meters and water gets out of the drum. There are also chances of front drum brakes getting jammed not because of the brake shoes or brake cable but because of the cam that drives them. 

Running your bike on old worn out pads or liners, or a brake that is not very effective and can lead to disaster. To avoid jamming dismantle the from brake assembly replace the brake shoes if worn out, clean up cam with petrol and after that apply grease properly so that it moves properly. Replace the cable if it is too old as effort of brake cable also increases on wet roads. Get the whole drum cleaned up with the sand paper properly so that brake shoes will get more traction with drum and let friction does her work properly.

Same applies for the rear brake also. Dismantle the rear wheel and hub and follow the same instructions.

Disc Brakes-

Disc Brakes does not need that much maintenance as that of Drum Brakes.  Make sure that your disc pads aren’t worn out and brake oil is at level.

CHAIN:

Chain is a very important part of any motorcycle as if there is no chain there is no ride. In Royal Enfield Unlike other bikes the chain is exposed to dirt and air. In rain chain gets really messy as all the dirt from rain gets sticked to it. To clean the chain and make it work properly you have to do some effort. Remove the chain from the machine and dip it in clean 

petrol/diesel for 2-3 hrs. Then use the plastic bristle brush for cleaning the mud out of it, and then again dip it in petrol/diesel for few minutes and re-wash it in clean petrol/diesel. You can either use grease or chain spray to re-lubricate it for its better function. Grease is economical as spray is a bit costly but isn’t if 4 riders buying one. Lubricate the chain properly as all the joints get greased properly. Now install the chain properly and give a last lubrication to it. 

Once the above process you can re-lubricate the chain without removing it from bullet. Keep the chain a bit loose to avoid damage to your sprockets. There should be tension of about 1/2 an inch to 3/4th of an inch. Clean and lubricate it twice a week during the monsoons as a lot of mud will accumulate on it.

CONTACT BREAKER POINT: 

Bulleteers having Cast Iron Engine Bullets with Contact Breaker Points make sure that you have a clean Contact Breaker points with properly greased up point plates. Adjust the gap as per the settings , don’t adjust it if you don’t know how much gap needs to be set. After greasing up close the cover.  Buy an after market Rubber cap for CB point unit. It plays very important role in rain as it prevents any drop of water entering into the CB point unit and not letting your Bullet - miss a beat.

AIRFILTER: 

Before hitting the wet roads and rain falling all over make sure that your Bull is breathing properly and effectively. Old Air Filter must be full of dust and impurities so clean it up better get a new one. It took out all the dirt and impurities from air just to make your bullet alive now its time to pay attention to the caretaker or airtaker. Sorry got emotional….. lol ;)

CONTROL CABLES:

All Control Cables works really fine before they break-up in the middle of the road. So if Control Cables haven’t been changed for a while now it’s a good time to do it. But before replacing old cables a small effort need to be made, you should oil them before the installation . To oil the hold the cable upside down put some drops of oil into it and start moving the tail of cable and down so that oil applies to all the portion of cable and outer, this will help it work smoothly even if water enters the cable. Make sure doing it to every cable as will make a smooth operation of all cables in harsh conditions.

SPARK PLUGS: 

There is always a danger of a plug being short no matter how long or how short the ride is. Always keep a spare plug with you whenever you ride in rain. Make sure that the spark plug cap is properly tightened with the spark plug wire and spark plug cap gets completely attached to the spark plug. Always use a genuine spark plug cap to prevent water from entering into it.

ELECTICALS:

 Check all the wiring joints, check the battery electrolyte level, grease up the battery terminals. Clean all the copper terminals with sand paper (including battery terminals). Check all the connections or joints made after you installed horns or other accessories, rejoin them all and tape them properly. Check if all the Indicator bulbs, meter bulb, indicator indication bulb (in meter), high beam indication bulb, ammeter bulb and headlight bulb are working if not change the non-working bulbs. Tape all the terminals exposed i.e Horn relay and Horn terminals etc.

Create a mixture of oil and petrol and put a drop in kill switch, headlight/pilotlight switch, high/low beam switch and indicator switch for their smooth operation in rain.

Cover all the major electrical joints with plastic bags as ammeter connector (clearly visible when you tilt the handlebar towards left) and ignition switch connector (clearly visible when you tilt the handlebar right). Rectifier, Regulator and Flasher joints below the seat. Cover Rectifier, Regulator and Flasher as well to avoid any short circuit or failure.

Always keep an extra pair of fuse to replace the short ones.

CHROME: 

Chrome has been a very important part of Royal Enfield Bullets in India. As they say – “The Beauty of the Motorcycle lies in the Chrome”. There are numerous ways to protect chromed parts of Royal Enfield and number of anti rust sprays available online or after market spare part shops which works really well.

Let us make you one thing clear that Engine is not chromed, it is buffed and the process is called Buffing. And parts like Silencer, Bend Pipe, Head Lamp Ring, Leg guard etc. are the chromed parts and the process is called Nickel Electroplating.

Anti-rust sprays are for chromed parts of Royal Enfields as they gets corroded but buffed part gets dull, so there are different ways to protect them.

Keep in mind that the dirt is chrome’s enemy. Whenever you ride in rain lots of dirt gets stick to silencer and other parts like inner mudguards etc. After reaching home make sure that you remove all the dirt sticks to the chromed parts using wet cloth or water spray. Use nickel powder on engine as well as chromed parts to make them shine back at its best.

Those Bulleteers who are thinking of re-buffing or re-chrome the parts after monsoon should think twice as there is a lot of difference in Company and After Market process in terms of Quality. If you go for re-buffing or re-chrome it decreases the lifespan of the part effectively plus it won’t last longer as the genuine parts.

PAINT: 

In rain not some parts but whole bike gets affected as water reaches everywhere with dirt as its company. So do wash your bike properly after riding it in rain for few days. Use a decent shampoo with a high pressure water spray to remove excess dirt from the bike. If you think you had a really bad ride with dirt sticking all over the paint, wash it with plain water just to remove the dirt from the bull.

If you have Teflon coating on your bike you don’t have to worry much about it as won’t let rain damaging the paint as it could without the coating.

GENERAL TIPS:

·     Clean your carburetor to remove any impurities or water entered. Replace carburetor gasket and packing if worn out.

·     Keep the spark plug gap adjusted and clean for a smooth ride.

·     Keep the tyre pressure 2-3 psi below the normal pressure as mentioned above in Tyres section.

·     Make sure that all the nuts & bolts are tightened properly.

·     Oil or Grease each and every joint of Royal Enfield Bullet for its smooth movement.

·     Check that all the bulbs are working properly and always keep a spare headlight, brake light and indicator bulb.

·     Make sure that you have all the basic tools in your Bull to open up the parts if water enters in them.

·     Check all the air filter rubber hoses for any holes or wearing out issues and immediately replace them if worn out.

·     Tape all the electrical wiring joints or cover them with plastic bags.

·     Check the rear shocker and swing arm rubber bushes for any damages as if swing arm bush wears out it will result in shaky rear wheel.

Royal Enfield Bullet CLUB wishes you all the best for your future rides. These preventive measures will make your ride safer. Hope these tips could help the Bulleteers in anyway. Ride Safe Ride Hard.

As they say “if you don’t ride in rain, you don’t ride.

Cheers to Bulleteer Brotherhood.

Enjoy the rain.

Royal Enfield Tyre Pressure

Royal Enfield UCE (Unit Construction Engine)

For 18" Wheels

SOLO
Front 20psi
Rear 30psi

With PILLION
Front 22psi
Rear 30psi

Royal Enfield Cast Iron Engine

For 19" Wheels

SOLO
Front 22psi
Rear 32psi

With PILLION
Front 25psi
Rear 35psi

PSI = Pounds per Square Inch

Royal Enfield Bullet CLUB

ROYAL ENFIELD COMMENCES COMMERCIAL PRODUCTION FROM THE ORAGADAM MANUFACTURING FACILITY

Rolling out the first motorcycle from the Oragadam plant, Mr Siddhartha Lal, MD & CEO, Eicher Motors Ltd. in the outskirts of Chennai. This is Royal Enfield’s second production facility and has been constructed at an investment of Rs 150 crore for the first phase of the facility.

The new 50-acre plant which is almost five times bigger from the original plat of Royal Enfield will significantly reduce waiting periods on Enfield bikes, however, even as we start commercial production today with the target of 175,000 motorcycles this year of 2013, “we have already begun working on the second phase of expansion at Oragadam, which will further increase the production capacity to 250,000 motorcycles in 2014." said Mr. Siddharth Lal.

Last year, the company sold 1,13,000 units, and it has grown by over 50% over the last 

couple of years. 

Siddhartha Lal, managing director and CEO, Eicher Motors Ltd. said, “We have re-tooled many of the parts that make up our motorcycles – so that they are of exacting accuracy and finish. The ability to increase capacity fast is a crucial step for Royal Enfield towards meeting our global ambitions. While we are adding new models and new dealerships in the Indian market, we are also working on building our presence globally.”

A new CED (Cathodic Electrocoat Deposition) paint shop with a capacity of 600 motorcycles per day has been set up. Further, a robotic painting system and powder coating system have 

also been employed to reduce wastage.

The new plant will help Royal Enfield to improve the quality of its motorcycles and reach out to new global markets. Built in 11 months, the Oragadam plant has been designed to optimize cost of production through relevant automation while retaining the human craftsmanship that is distinct to the iconic Royal Enfield motorcycles, the company said. 

At the same time, processes such as the pin-striping continue to be done through craftsmen 

who lend that special human touch to each motorcycle. The vehicle assembly line at Oragadam comes with several features such as ergonomic assembly work stations, torque controlled tools with feedback device and a capacity of producing one motorcycle a minute or over 800 per day on two shifts. Effective controls and process, right from material handling to review mechanisms, have been created on the backbone of a modern and strong IT infrastructure.

In addition, chassis dynamometers and a 1.4 kilometre test track within the factory premises allows for the motorcycles to be thoroughly tested before they are dispatched for customers.

The second plant would initially begin with the production of Desert Storm and Thunderbird vehicles. By the end of the year, the company expected to produce the entire range, including the Bullet and Classic, he said. Construction of the facility began in February 2012. Trial production began in January this year. Royal Enfield already has a plant in Tiruvottriyur near here. Pointing out that the U.S. was the largest export market for Royal Enfield, Mr. Lal said that last year the company shipped about 3,500 units to the country out of the total 1,13,000 units sold.

The Oragadam facility has been built with sustainability in mind from the very beginning of the design stage with several initiatives such as reduction of effluent generation at source and zero liquid discharge system of treatment. In addition conservation of resources such as electricity, water and fuel has been given top priority. Even during the construction stage, the green concept was applied such as using soil from within the site for filling, as well as using the ideal quantities of steel, concrete and cement. The focus was also on creating efficient work spaces, equipment and utilities and hence effective use of natural, diffused lighting, natural air flow inside plant and 25% of wooded area have been ensured. 

Royal Enfield Bullet CLUB

Royal Enfield Launches Bullet 500

The new Bullet 500 is essentially the motorcycle with the timeless iconic handcrafted design of the legendary Bullet now powered with a solid 500 cc Unit Construction Engine with Twinspark ignition for better combustion, superior power delivery and improved fuel economy. Now technologically equipped with modern advances in engineering this motorcycle still maintains its impeccable lineage it has withheld for decades altogether. The iconic Bullet is now available in an all new shade of Forest Green with the same aristocratic livery pinstriping now in a silver finish symbolic of automotive royalty.

Royal Enfield today web launched its new Bullet 500 Forest Green. The new 500 features spectacular retro looks with replacement to fuel injection unlike other 500cc variants with carburettor for its Unit Construction Engine (UCE) in 500 Forest Green. The bike gives out 26.1 bhp with a maximum torque of 40.9 Nm @ 3800 rpm. The new shade certainly does look retro, but overall the variant is similar to the Bullet 500 EFI. 

500cc Forest Green got the Long Traditional twin seat contoured to suit rider posture and comfort as well as pillion comfort on long rides with all new PILLION-GRAB Rail as aesthetically designed with Cusion End. The 13.5L fuel tank consists of traditional Royal Enfield winged badge with bot Silver and Gold dual tone lovery.

The 19” wheels for MRF Zapper tyres for amazing grip on roads. Prices could be around 1.45L.

Let's check out some of the features of Royal Enfield Bullet 500cc Forest Green:

     500cc ENGINE

      POWERFUL SINGLE CYLINDER, 4-STROKE, TWINSPARK, AIR-COOLED, 500

      ENGINE

    LEGENDARY WINGED BADGE ON TANK NOW

    RE-DESIGNED

     THE LEGENDARY ROYAL ENFIELD WINGED BADGE NOW IN SPECIAL SILVER AND

     GOLD DUAL TONE LIVERY SIGNIFICANT OF THE LEGENDARY ICONIC AURA OF THIS

     MARQUE

   DISCBRAKES

     280MM DISC BRAKES WITH 2 PISTON CALIPERS FOR THE ASSURING STOPPING

     POWER

   ELECTRIC START
     ONE TOUCH ELECTRIC STARTER FOR EASE

   TAIL LAMP
     VINTAGETAIL LAMP ASSEMBLY FEAR\TURES A CLASSIC DESIGN

    NEW COLOUR
      A BRAND NEW COLOUR FOREST GREEN ENHANCING THE CLASSIC LOOKS OF THE 
      MOTORCYCLE ADDING REGALE TO THE FLOWING LINES AND PROPORTIONS

    SEAT
      THE LONG TRADITIONAL TWIN SEAT CONTOURED TO SUIT RIDER POSTURE AND
      COMFORT AS WELL AS PILLION COMFORT ON LONG RIDES

    NEW PILLION-GRAB RAIL
      AS AESTHETICALLY DESIGNED NEW PILLION GRAB-RAIL WITH CUSION END

    HEAD LAMP-TIGER EYES
     THE HEADLAMP CASING FEATURES THE SIGNATURE TWIN PILOT LIGHT KNOWN AS
     'TIGER EYE LAMPS' FOR THAT BULLET LOOK. THE HEADLAMP IS TRADITIONAL BUT
      WITH A POWERFUL HALOGEN BULB TO PROVIDE GOOD ILLUMINATION.

   19 INCH WHEELS
     19 INCH SHOD WITH NEW MRF ZAPPER TYRES FOR STAB SURE SHOT GRIP ON
      ROADS 

ENGINE

Type	Single Cylinder, 4 stroke, Twinspark, Aircooled
Displacement	499cc
Bore x stroke	84mm x 90mm
Compression Ratio	8.5:1
Maximum Power	26.1 bhp @ 5100 rpm
Maximum Torque	40.9 Nm @ 3800 rpm
Ignition System	TCI Unit, Multi curve
Clutch	Wet, multi-plate
Gearbox	5 Speed Constant Mesh
Lubrication	Wet sump
Engine Oil	Oil 15 W 50 API, SL Grade JASO MA
Fuel Supply	Carburettor with throttle position sensor
Air Cleaner	Corrugated Paper Element
Engine Start	Electric/Kick

CHASSIS & SUSPENSION

Type	Single downtube, using engine as stressed member
Front suspension	Telescopic, 130mm travel
Rear suspension	Twin gas charged shock absorbers, 80mm travel

DIMENSIONS

Wheelbase	1370 mm
Ground Clearance	135 mm
Length	2140 mm
Width	810 mm (Without Mirror)
Height	1110 mm (Without Mirror)
Kerb Weight (with 90% Fuel )	193 Kg
Fuel Capacity	13.5 Ltr

BRAKES & TYRES

Tyres Fr.	90/90 – 19
Tyres Rr.	120/80 – 18
Brakes Front	280mm Disc, 2-Piston caliper
Brakes Rear	153mm Drum, Single Lead Internal Expanding

ELECTRICALS

Electrical System	12 volt – DC
Battery	12 volt, 14 Ah
Head Lamp	60/55 W, HALOG
Tail lamp	12V, 21W/5W

Visit Royal Enfield Website for 360 degree view and more: http://royalenfield.com/bullet500/



Royal Enfield Bullet CLUB

FRIENDS vs. BIKER FRIENDS

FRIENDS: Never ask for food.
BIKER FRIENDS: Are the reason you have no food.

FRIENDS: Will say "hello".
BIKER FRIENDS: Will give you a big hug and a kiss.

FRIENDS: Call your parents Mr. and Mrs.
BIKER FRIENDS: Call your parents mom and dad.

FRIENDS: Have never seen you cry.
BIKER FRIENDS: Cry with you.

FRIENDS: Will eat at your dinner table and leave.
BIKER FRIENDS: Will spend hours there, talking, laughing and just being together.

FRIENDS: Borrow your stuff for a few days then give it back.
BIKER FRIENDS: Keep your stuff so long they forget it's yours.

FRIENDS: Know a few things about you.
BIKER FRIENDS: Could write a book with direct quotes from you.

FRIENDS: Will leave you behind if that's what the crowd is doing.
BIKER FRIENDS: Will kick the whole crowds' ••• that left you.

FRIENDS: Would knock on your door.
BIKER FRIENDS: Walk right in and say, "I'm home!".

FRIENDS: Are for a while.
BIKER FRIENDS: Are for life.

FRIENDS: Will ignore this.
BIKER FRIENDS: Will forward this.

Royal Enfield Bullet CLUB