Thread: Royal Enfield Electra 5S

Who on earth is gonna pay for a Bullet Electra, left -side shifter?' I politely asked the chap at the showroom. He just smiled a superior smile and said, 'Don't worry, our customers have class.' As if that explained it all. But in a perverse way, it does. Royal Enfield has always been a cult. Not in the manner of dark night. voodoo chants and animal sacrifices, of course, but in the sense that cult members repeatedly make what seem to be irrational buying decisions, and exult at their 'folly.'

As someone who has never seen eye-to¬eye with the truckfulls of cash you have to shell out for Bullets today, I am a thumper sceptic. A ride to Leh opened my eyes, at least one at any rate, to the much flogged 'charm and character' of the Bull. However. after having a leisurely morning filter gently through my faceshield, I can say this with confidence. The Bullet Electra 55, to me, is the most appealing left-shift 350 in the rapidly expanding stable. And here's why.

First off. there's something nicely retro in the two-tone paint scheme, and I'm willing to bet the black and silver alternative looks less attractive than this. More importantly, all the bits are now present. The clear head lamp, clear city lights, white face meter, thumb starter, disc brake, bulged sidepanels, stepped seat and a neat and more contemporary tail lamp that fits the looks of the rather handsome package. Add in the barend vibe dampers and consequent lack of bar vibes, a comfy seat and the convenience of getting the thump on minus kick starts and you have a swooning sceptic at the very minimum.



As we rolled off into Bandra's spaghetti bowl of side streets, I could feel the extra torque of the Electra easily boost me forward at minimum revs. At these revs, the Electra makes the sort of thumps that'd set a nightclub dance floor on fire. More to the point, the Electra makes its torque earlier than theTbird, which you will notice in traffie, where a chap on a Tbird will tend to shift more gears. Not that that is an issue any more. The left-shift is a pretty slick unit (we're not going to compare it to the tele¬pathic gearshills on, say, the Yamaha Gladiator). our brand new test ride machine was already shifting sure and slick, and the slightly notchy feel will go in time. I still felt that the feel could have been crisper with less shifter travel. As of now, your toe goes from Madagascar to Madras upon each shift; Madras to Bangalore would just hit the spot.

The engine sports all the right kit TC ignition, cast bore and lately, a 'cat-con.' As does the front hub (disc brake) and the rear of the chassis (gas shocks). And right is exactly the word I've been hunting for. The Bullet Electra 55, in a word, is right. If you've desperately wanted a Bullet but have never figured out a way to storm the Brit Bike castle's formidable defenses shattering kick start procedure, irritating left side shifter here's news.

I hope you are right. I have just booked one and I'll get her on wednesday. I'm first time thumper so I'm still looking for confidence. How has the Electra been to you till now? Is she being good to you or did she run out on you?

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