“Selfism” is a term which can be only realized and not explained. I realized it when I took delivery of my Classic 500 (Black) after waiting for six months. Since that I have ridden over 600 in the span of 10 days including a Pondicherry trip which is about 300Km up and down from Chennai. Here is my first impression.
Style:
There is only one word for it. “Classic”. On my trip along ECR I was so busy waving back at people that I found it difficult to concentrate on the road. I even got a wave from a guy who was riding a Honda CBR. The Classic looks great with the single saddle seat and the huge fenders not only keeps water/dirt out but also adds charm. The overall height is little low coz of the 18” wheels but the overall appearance is impeccable.
Engine:
This is the new UCE technology from RE. My initial feel was the engine was modern and more responsive. RE has adopted this engine so as to minimize the no. of moving parts and there by improving performance. The produces around 27BHP and 42NM of torque. Even after a 300km ride there was not even a single drop of oil. Surprise!!!!...
Performance:
The bike weighs around 190kg which is about 40kg more than your average bike. Yet it is no slouch. Classic 500 is one of the fastest accelerating Indian bikes. The bikes come good when you are in 4th/5th gears. The torque is amazing. 40-80kmph is the strongest region in this bike. You can cruise all day at 80-90kmph without breaking a sweat.
Handling:
The angle of the OEM bars puts a little strain on your shoulders. One thing you could do is tilt it towards your side. Trust me it is much more comfortable. There are has been a lot of flaks thrown at the zappers. Personally, I loved it. It looks good and it performance nicely. At least in Chennai. The heat makes the zappers to soften up and stick to the tarmac. It performed equally well in the rains. Probably MRF didn’t do much of cold weather testing and people in colder parts of India finds the zappers a handful. Softer after market tyres is always an option.
Mileage:
Lets face it people who spend 1.5L for 500cc bike will be very happy if they get 25kmpl. This is no “Hoodibaba”. Oh my previous bike was Bajaj Caliber 115 and it returned 60kmpl. :-o
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