Re: Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500

Well after 7 months of trouble-free 'honeymoon' ownership experience, my TB 350 finally gave me its first problem. The SELECT and SET buttons on the instrument console just stopped working completely all of a sudden! Ekdum se out of the blue.. I tried pressing and holding the button, turning the ignition off & on and then re-trying pressing the buttons, but to no avail. The buttons just stopped responding. However, the Hazard light button was working absolutely fine throughout this whole time. So that confused me even further. I had just returned from a monsoon bike trip in Konkan and had ridden through extremely heavy rain. So i thought that perhaps some rainwater may have seeped through inside the panel from somewhere, and this might be causing the problem. But then, how come the hazard light button was still working in this case? This question was bothering me.
Also, just 2 days before, I had got the bike spray washed from a washing centre. After the wash, I could see some moisture trapped inside the speedometer and RPM meter glass panels. This had not happened during my bike trip in the rain. So I thought that maybe some water had seeped in from the side edges of these panels (where the chrome cover meets the rubber lining) during the spray washing, and maybe this had caused the set & select buttons to malfunction.

So I took the bird to the ASC (Dhone auto @ Market yard, Pune) yesterday. The mechanic said that the internal 'software' would have to be re-installed and that this is an outside job (he said that RE has itself outsourced/authorized such jobs to that third party provider) so I will have to leave my bike with them for 1-2 days. Yesterday being a saturday, I didnt want to give away my bike during the weekend, so I told them that I would return on monday.

Later yesterday evening, just for the sake of it, I tried operating the set & select buttons once again, and wonder of wonders...they started working again! As if nothing had happened at all.. I was completely surprised and so tried operating them thoroughly, just in case they had started working again by fluke. However, once they had miraculously recovered, they continued to work fine thereafter..

Obviously, now I wont make the trip to the ASC on monday (frankly, most of the staff there are dumb confused ppl and just need excuses to keep the bike with them). However, I am a little concerned after this whole experience. Just wanted to know, has anyone else faced any similar issues with those set/select buttons? If yes, plz do give some inputs..

Also, has anyone else experienced moisture/water on the inside of the speedometer/RPM meter glass panels? Any solution to this problem?

Oh and by the way, my prolonged use of saddle bags during my monsoon bike trip has taken its first toll on the saree guard paint. But more on that in the next post (with suitable pictures)

Re: Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500



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I faced similar problem after my Thunderbird 500's first wash. The Hazard light was erratic, SET and SELECT buttons were not responding. As there's no authorized service centre in these islands I didn't take it to anyone. Just waited for the water to dry off and 2nd day all switches worked fine. Now while washing I take care not to pour water on the console and just wipe it with damp cloth.

You could also cover the console with a plastic bag or something before water washing.

My Blue Bird Gets A New Petrol Tank

Today, my Blue Bird got a new petrol tank fitted at Royal Enfield company-owned service station at OMR, Chennai. The new tank does not have the grey coating. The service manager Mohanakrishnan was kind enough to call me yesterday evening to inform that the new petrol tank arrived there and requested to me to come and get it replaced. I told him that I would come the next morning [today]. Again, he called this morning to remind me.















Mohanakrishnan informed me that the new tank is galvanised without the grey coating. I am thankful to Royal Enfield for quickly responding to my complaint and resolving it to my full satisfaction.

Re: My Blue Bird Gets A New Petrol Tank

It's time for a photo op with the new tank.











Some unknown useless fellow successfully disfigured my Blue Bird's rear registration number plate by unsuccessfully trying to peel off the Ashoka chakra hologram.

Re: Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500

Hi fellow riders, I am new to this forum but not new to biking
I have booked a thunderbird 500 in april. I ride a ci 350std at present. The mechanics at the RE showroom say that the bike is not that good as the previous one (owned a 2004 thunderbird avl)many friends advised against going for it citing various reasons which has left me in a sort of dilemma
So I would appreciate your advice on the issue since there many bikers who have purchased the tb 500...please share your opinion and reviews

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Re: Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500

Have you taken the test drive of a new TD500/350? There is a sea change between old & new TB. Mechanics are a helluva community. What reasons did they cite? The thing is that they cannot repair new TB500 on their own like they did with old TB. Chalta hai attitude no more works for RE EFI engines. Now they have to be precise, & tech savvy. The most important thing in buying a TB500 is that you will join a group which is exponentially growing day by day, & it also has become The Flagship Model of the company. Apart from many other major changes, in a C5 when you brake hard the force is transferred to your thumb at belly level, you will have to push yourself down in event of hard braking. Whereas in similar case of TB500, the force is transferred to your palm face at chest level & goes to fatter front forks. This makes a lot of difference. Its easier to manage & less effort is needed. Think again, take test drive again & again & again if you like, from different dealers. Sit alone & think & it will be easier to decide. I think you should go with the flow, be it 500 or 350. Good luck.

Re: Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500

Thanks buddy for the advice....have ridden the tb350...there's no tb 500 here for a test ride!!!
Just 2units have been sold at RE outlet here. The manager says the waiting period puts people off(8-12months) but I have made up my mind and the waiting period doesn't matter as the tb500 is worth waiting for! In the meanwhile, using all my influence to try and get it as early as possible
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Chennai To Bangalore

Yesterday, my Blue Bird flew from Chennai to Bangalore and will remain there for the next coupla months. I left T Nagar, Chennai, by 1:40 pm, had a 45 minute food break at Saravana Bhavan, Vellore and a 15 minute fuel break at BP COCOO at Chinnar, between Krishnagiri and Hosur, and reached my home at Basaveswara Nagar, Bangalore, by 9:15 pm.







My Blue Bird recorded a fuel efficiency of 29 kmpl perhaps due to my aggressive riding this time.



After filling petrol upto the brim of the tank at Chennai and Chinnar, I observed 4 bars only as against 6 bars normally displayed on the fuel gauge; perhaps, this has something to do with the replacement of new petrol tank. Today, I discussed this issue with Mohanakrishnan, service manager. He assured me that he would coordinate with his counterpart at Bangalore company service station, where this fault would be rectified. I intend to go there on 13 July 2013 [Tuesday].

Re: Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500

The waiting period of TB500 reduces once you book it. Don't know how but it is there. Go ahead.

Re: Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500

Off late have noticed that my battery is getting drained and the battery symbol starts blinking on my instrument cluster. I was under a impression that i had an Exide Battery, to my surprise its not !! some unknown company called FIAM??? who does that after taking so much $$ for the bike didn't even give a good battery. So i thought it must be me running all the lights and the trumpet horn draining the battery. FYI - i have additional indicators on the handle as DRL's + 2 Aux lamps with H3 Bulbs drawing 35W, + 35W HID in the projector lamp and the Horn!! i know it sounds crazy, but im very vigilant in using all the lights except the DRL's. But i am running this set up for the last 4 Months and till now didn't face any issues.
I Gave the Battery for charging, got it back and yet no luck, the battery symbol still blinks. On the Multimeter the readings are correct. That is during standby 13.2V, Idiling 13.7-13.9V and during constant rev 14.4-14.7V. Don't have an extra battery to check if that works fine but i think its the battery!
Let me know what you guys think?
I have used my bike in crazy rain and never did the water enter the instrument cluster, even during get spray wash. However my Hazard button had got spoiled and got the entire thing changed.
So far things that i have got replaced from RE are 1) Engine, 2) Fuel Pump, 3) Instrument Cluster, 4) Rear Disk Break (Complete Set), 5) Chain.
Yet i would say its the best you can get from RE.

Re: Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500

Hello Friends,

This is my Debut in xbhp .

Got inspired from various forums including xbhp and went for a test ride of TB500 at Shree Hanuman Motors on NH5 between Cuttack to Bhubaneswar(Odisha). Loved the test ride, and booked it immediately.

While booking, the showroom owner said, he has pre-ordered a bike and doesn't know which color. But he said, I can give you delivery within 15 days(as there were no other bookings). I prayed to God to give me a Matt Black.

I was blessed. Got the delivery within 15 days of booking that too Matt Black.

I have already covered 400 KMs on it (I will put pictures in few weeks time. Could not find the best time to take some nice pictures.) A couple of initial looks are there in my profile album.

So far, Everything is fine on the bike except the battery problem. I noticed that when ever I ride my bike with head lights on, the horn starts sounding bad, something like when battery goes low.

I will get it verified in the service center, but any other suggestion which I should keep in mind?

Regards...

Fuel Float Replaced

Today, I rode on my Blue Bird to the company-owned service station near Bannerghatta Road, Bangalore after calling Suraj, service manager. First, they tested with a brand new instrument cluster, which also showed the same 4 bars when the tank was full. Then, they removed the tank after draining out petrol. They replaced the fuel float with a new one, fitted back the tank and filled back petrol. Then, the fuel gauge displayed 6 bars instead of 4 thanks to Suraj.





Earlier, my Blue Bird successfully completed 3,000 km within 4 months of purchase at the Inner Ring Road, BTM Layout, Bangalore, on my way to the service station.

Re: Fuel Float Replaced

Royal Enfield is opening new dealerships. Recently, Bangalore has a new dealership [Sai Ram Autocraft, Outer Ring Road, Mahadevapura]. Hope, similar new dealerships and service centres will come up in Mumbai for better service.
Thanks for the compliments.

Re: Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500

Hello Friends,

I am looking forward to replace spoke wheels and put alloys with tubeless tires.

Any suggestions please?

Thank you !!

Re: Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500

Wait for Cafe Racer. Heard it will sport tubeless tyres. Swapping its rims to your TB500 will be easy if the design matches. If we are lucky there might be many more part swappable with TB500.