Royal Enfield – Your first buy?

Buying your first bike is quite exciting as well as confusing. Some of us are cruiser bike enthusiasts or might have an interest in classic bikes or any other type of motorcycle. A lot of you might get think of getting the Royal Enfield as your first bike. So let’s find out if really the Royal Enfield makes for a good choice. The topic is quite unusual but we will consider various factors so that you can decide whether to buy it or not?. 

Royal Enfield – Usage

If you are buying a bike, then you might have some idea about the usage of the bike. If you are going to use the bike for daily city commute and clock a lot of km in traffic the this is not the bike for you. The Royal Enfield is known for its retro and cruising bike. The bikes are not really comfortable while filtering through dense traffic and quick turns. There have been several reports that the bike heats up and it becomes uncomfortable traffic conditions.

But the bike does offer a premium feel and comfortable riding position and seats for long tours. So if you do travel inter-city or even tours on a regular basis, then we think you should consider it.  Also, the upright ergonomics give comfort but they do not make you feel engaging while riding the bike.

Royal Enfield – Weight

This is nothing to argue about and most of us know that the Royal Enfield is a heavy motorcycle. Also, the weight distribution on the bike is uneven. So pulling it out of a parking spot and doing slow-speed manoeuvres is a problem.

If you are not sure of the weight of the motorcycle then you can visit the showroom and take the test of its weight. As this bike will be your first bike and there is a high chance you might drop it while learning stages you should beware of the weight.

Royal Enfield – Mileage

If you are not really mileage oriented person, then you can skip this factor. Mileage is one of the most important factors while buying any bike or even any vehicle. Royal Enfield motorcycles are quite unpopular for its mileage. The mileage is not bad to the extreme level but is lower than other modern motorcycles. There are various reasons for the less mileage such as bigger displacement, torquey nature of the motor, etc. The bike can be pulled from any gear quite easily. So Royal Enfield motorcycle does justify the lesser mileage. Also if you think that speed compensates for mileage then that too isn’t the case on the Royal Enfield bikes. Their 350cc engine is very torque and the power is equivalent to some of the 200cc low power bikes. The bike can do comfortably at 80 Km/h but beyond that, it is a not a pleasurable experience to push the bike.

Practical bits

Most of the Royal Enfield motorcycles misses out on the fuel level indicator, tubeless tyre and LED headlamps. So that restricts some of the practicality of the motorcycle but for convenience, most of RE motorcycles come with two-way gear shift lever which is quite useful in heavy traffic.

If all the factors fit into your category, then there’s no problem in buying. But you should think about your usage and then buy this bike. If you want a good Royal Enfield motorcycle and budget is not a concern then you should go for the Interceptor 650 which is exactly opposite than the Royal Enfield bikes. Know more about the Royal Enfield Interceptor. Also if you are looking for the Retro Charm then Benelli and Jawa have amazing products which eliminate most of the flaws in the Royal Enfield Machines. Currently, the Royal Enfield’s portfolio has bikes that start from Rs 1.21 lakhs (ex-showroom) and go up to Rs 3.01 lakhs (ex-showroom). Other manufacturers that have been recently entered into a retro motorcycle segment are Benelli and Jawa. Also, a lot of beginner sports bikes are available in this segment.