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Royal Enfield Tractor. A review.

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  • Royal Enfield Tractor. A review.

    For the first time in my life i sat on a RE Bullet Electra. And thumbed the starter. It shuddered and shook so much that i thought i would have to call everyone a comrade now.

    Naxalites and all the people who love revolutions must love the Bullet.

    Starting it is like being on a cusp of a revolt. The point in history where the tide turned. Bike may or may not have moved, but yes history has been created. The bullet has come to life and it sends all the vibes to show its displeasure at being woken up, for something as humiliating as a test ride.

    Slot it into first gear and it moves as urgently as a kid sent to meet the principal. Reluctantly. Dragging its feet. With that much torque it should go like stink but it does not. With great torque comes great responsibility. Electra's motto, not mine.

    It is comfy though. It feels like a sofa with a handle bar. Or maybe sitting on the pot with newspaper in hand. Which is good because you arrive in style, no matter what time you arrive. Or if you arrive at all. Because the brakes are useless. I doubt there is a brake in there. The retardation is due to hamsters running inside the drum in the opposite direction. Or maybe braking is just a faith, if you have believe in it, it might stop. The infidels should just die.

    Osama and his bearded homies might also love the bullet then.

    Ohkay i admit you look good on it. Even Nannu looked smart on it. Which is something because otherwise Nannu is the only brother who looks good with his sister. The whole sit straight posture helps you look smart on it. But then think about it, the only way to sit on a bullet is straight. Any other way and the Frisbees in the spinal chord will fly out. No, really someday they will, the shudder form starting it will loosen them over time and then one day "Hello is it the Indian Spinal Injuries Centre. Yes I would like to book an appointment".

    And don't tell me it builds character. That's what my Dad said every time i protested at being taken to the Village for the summer vacation. That's also what the slap said when he slapped me for protesting too much. Didn't build anything. I still like boobs.

    But still i like it. Not as a bike, but as a thing. Sort of like a controversial opinion. It is an opinion. You can't be sitting on the fence with it. You are either this side or that side with the bullet. I like it for that. I also like it for making you have no respect for law, once you are astride it. It is the frown in "ohh those damn bikers".

    It does not have an accent. It has attitude and that makes me think of forgiving my friend for buying one.

    P.S: In case you have seen adverts of Bullet, don't believe a word of them. It is not a bike for grown up men. It is for young boys. You have to a boy to love tractors. Or fire engines.

  • #2
    Interestingly written. Did not understand the Boobs bit though!

    Approved
    The Wheel was a great invention; Two Wheels with a Motor in between was even better!


    BMW Motorrad Days 2011

    Xbhp's Indo-French Kashmir-Ladakh Tour

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    • #3
      thanks. that one is a perennial joke that i run.

      Also after i wrote that one i added this.

      I know i have derided Bullet for being agricultural, old and to some extent snooty. And like a petrol pump attendant, i stand by all that.

      But that is like judging a Ferrari just by its looks or just by its engine. A Ferrari brings occasion to every sense and sometimes sense to occasions. Now, Bullet can give you Parkinsons due to its shaky ride, and maybe, Syphilis too, but more importantly like Ferrari it can also give sense to some occasions.

      Occasions like good weather.

      You have to be on a Bullet to enjoy good weather and feel smug about it. In the same way you have to be in an old house with 15 foot high ceiling, old creaky ceiling fans, a bright summer day with light filtering through the drapes, lemonade on call and an old transistor to really enjoy Rafi or Kishore songs.

      You do need a Bullet to enjoy good weather.

      And that's because Bullet's are not supposed to go fast. At 70 you're at the Bike's limit and at 80 you are at yours. So you tend to drive at a middle-ground 60. Perfect speed for the breeze to gently brush past by, rather than the full-on rugby assault it is at 110 on my Pulsar.


      Riding into the sunset is old-school. So is smiling at fellow motorist. So is eating bugs; because you are wearing a half-face helmet. And so is riding a slow and crude bullet. It is the perfect tool to bring some old-school joy to good old-school things, like good old good weather.

      After all occasions are old-school too.

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      • #4
        Originally posted by ken cool View Post
        Interestingly written. Did not understand the Boobs bit though!
        ROFL. +1 to that Ken da. Wonderfully put forty6, but why the abrupt mention of the twins?
        ATGATT - Because hospital ceilings are boring !!!

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        • #5
          ^ trying to emphasize on the fact that going through pain is not a sure shot way to build character. because if it was i would have one. And openly claiming i love boobs is something that shows i don't have too much of character. So that is why it ends the argument.

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          • #6
            Fantastic!
            Thats some polished bullet bashing!

            WTH! You guys didnt get the boobs joke?
            Slap - Character - Still Like Boobs? Wasnt that simple! Or I guess I am just corny! (with a C)


            Awesomeness!
            Super CommuTOURer� - Talk less, Ride more

            .: FB :.|.: TW :.|*IG*| Ex
            PowerDrift:.

            #Give thy opinion, write em, dont throw em
            #Everyone errs, accept it, defending/cribbing about it only makes it worse
            #Dont defend a manufacturer as if you work for them
            #Write. Think. If relevant hit submit. If not hit yourself
            #Be kind in your choice of words, you never know who would make you gulp em
            � Satyen Poojary

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            • #7
              I was never a bulleteer till I bot one and enjoyed every bit of the bike. Am not a fan of 350 but sheer torq and feel of the 500 is something that brings a smile to my face . Having ridden numerous bikes over the years I feel it is the best Indian bike I have ridden . And I for one will always love the bullet for what it is. It was , is and will always be a great bike to own and ride.
              Bullet <-> Joy of riding .
              sigpicThe Moto Cafe - India's first bike theme cafe @ Chandni Chowk

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              http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XztkK4ej2U

              My Youtube channel

              http://www.youtube.com/user/niksdevil666

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              • #8
                indeed a differntly written blog good one..Good one Rossi
                --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Current rides-
                Iron 883 (2015- ); Interceptor 650 (2019- )

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                • #9
                  Awesome Writeup!!
                  Loved it completely.. Lol, B**BS part was the funniest!
                  Now that you have dared bashing bullet so bad, Be ready to see some Osama's missile's being fired at you!
                  Fun Starts at Redline!!!

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                  • #10
                    Impressed by your write up........thank u very much for expressing BOOBS (bullets) in such a manner .It's the real fact that until and unless you own a bullet or either ride a bullet you don't know what a bullet is, whether it is a bike for riding it on your own way or it is either a lords of the largest democracy in the world.....
                    Atlast it is the real bike which makes me proud to be an INDIAN where bullets are being manufactured and are the Pride of our nation.

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                    • #11
                      apply when some one makes a desi top gear. nice write up.
                      www.motorcykle.in - The lighter side of motorcycling

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by niks_devil666 View Post
                        I was never a bulleteer till I bot one and enjoyed every bit of the bike. Am not a fan of 350 but sheer torq and feel of the 500 is something that brings a smile to my face . Having ridden numerous bikes over the years I feel it is the best Indian bike I have ridden . And I for one will always love the bullet for what it is. It was , is and will always be a great bike to own and ride.
                        Bullet <-> Joy of riding .
                        That in software parlance means Not Equal to and I am dead sure you didnt mean that


                        Originally posted by Siddhant Mishra View Post
                        Impressed by your write up........thank u very much for expressing BOOBS (bullets) in such a manner .It's the real fact that until and unless you own a bullet or either ride a bullet you don't know what a bullet is, whether it is a bike for riding it on your own way or it is either a lords of the largest democracy in the world.....
                        Atlast it is the real bike which makes me proud to be an INDIAN where bullets are being manufactured and are the Pride of our nation.
                        Its actually neither if you ask me...

                        lords of the largest democracy = Splendour

                        Bike for riding in its own way = almost every bike!

                        Real bike = a loyal fanboyist comment who consider every bike which is NOT a bullet as unreal... go ahead, touch them, feel them... they are as real!

                        Isnt BAJAJ, HH, TVS not Indian enough?
                        Pride of a nation <> a 1920's design and originally a UK company that makes bikes for cheap here and sells it at a premium here only to be able to sell it abroad as well?

                        Dont get me wrong, I like the bullets for what they are... very agricultural, very basic and very simple machinery... but I hate the fanboyism!

                        Originally posted by pulsater View Post
                        apply when some one makes a desi top gear. nice write up.
                        +100
                        Super CommuTOURer� - Talk less, Ride more

                        .: FB :.|.: TW :.|*IG*| Ex
                        PowerDrift:.

                        #Give thy opinion, write em, dont throw em
                        #Everyone errs, accept it, defending/cribbing about it only makes it worse
                        #Dont defend a manufacturer as if you work for them
                        #Write. Think. If relevant hit submit. If not hit yourself
                        #Be kind in your choice of words, you never know who would make you gulp em
                        � Satyen Poojary

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                        • #13
                          Thankyouz for the comments.

                          Now i know there are thumpers and there are others. Like there are army people and bloody civilians. But let me repeat bullet is crap. It is not the bike that gets your heart racing, unless you try to do panic braking, it is not fun in the corners and above all, and that is what gets my goat the most, is just a way to milk obsolete technology.
                          Now i admit most of indian manufacturers milk us anyway, but i mean drum brakes in something that cost 80,000. seriously!

                          The only good thing to happen is the classic 350 and 500. They are new and look fresh, while still holding on to the charm of the old school and that is the way to go. I love the old school cafe racer look, but i like four pot calipers, CNC machined brake and clutch levers a bright DC headlight and a sorted suspension and chasis. Retain the look and feel, chuck the old technology. And as soon as the Bullet has given a hint of it, by bringing classic series, they have been overbooked. So i think it makes sense.

                          And to those who relate bullet to national pride, am sorry i don't agree, actually i am not sorry and i think you should be instead. Dude, how can an old technological paperweight be our pride. I mean is ambassador our pride, it can be charming and endearing because we have nostalgia attached with it, but pride? PSLV is pride. Nano is pride. Apache can also be pride. Bullet and Ambassador, relics at best. Junk at worst. And these guys need to learn this. We are spending money and they are selling us old horses.

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                          • #14
                            This is brilliant piece of writing! Loved every bit of it. Not because I am a bullet basher, but simply because of your writing style; its fresh, its creative, and its simple like the Hrishikesh Mukherjee's movies. Sarcasm at its best.

                            Would love to read more from you, even if you write something against my favorite Pulsars.

                            For someone who had to tow his bike to the service center the first thing in the morning and take a never-ending bus ride to the office, this one made me forget all that.

                            (Been There Done That) x 3.25

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                            • #15
                              good one forty-6

                              Only one thing I'd appreciate with the old bullets were that the name was quite literally referring to the engine. Yes they leak oil, yes they dont have a wonderful top end, leave alone decent midrange and low end pickup! the brakes are pathetic and vehicle bulky! But they were meant to be mile munchers, it really didnt matter if you arrived at your destination in one piece, but the "tractor" was the workhorse. Yes it is a rudimentary piece of technology but arent they easier to fix compared to a High Performance Computer controlled Kazzilion horsepower engine?

                              In no way do I admire a bullet and sometime i hate them for being noisy old beasts but you've got to admit, Hearing the thump of a bullet from miles on a highway will for sure, put a smile on your face.

                              I would agree however that it cannot and will never be the pride of India! I truly admire TVS and Bajaj for coming up with "Indigenous" products!

                              yes it's not understandable, but why would any sane (?) person buy one?

                              So here is my reply, Bullets will always have a special place in the heart of any true biker, but like zippos, they are highly overrated!

                              P.S. I'll produce the show if you agree to rip apart all the available bikes on the market and support only one proper Indian manufacturer and praise all other bikes from this side of the continent. we will call it the BS show in tribute to top gear
                              Sit Down, Shut Up and Hang on ....

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                              Ragavan Venkatakrishnan

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