I test rode the Royal Enfield Thunderbird and have almost made up my mind on buying this bike so that I can do some weekend travelling around Pune to start with andthen do a cross country tour on the bike. What seemed most appealng about the bike was that it now has brakes like the regular Japanese bikes and is more powerful than the Kawasaki Eliminator plus that it is probably easier to service anywhere in India. Does anyone have any feedback to offer about this bike. Thanks.

"I would rather regret the things I have done than regret the things I never did."

caught a glimpse of the bike myself.. for once the gear shift is on the correct side!!!

i just finished riding a Royal Enfeild Bullet from Chennai to Delhi, and before that a Bicycle from Mumbai to Goa. there is much to share, but here i'll just make some suggestions.

Mumbai to goa on the Konakan Route is absolutely fantastic. 600kms of roadside paradise. If you are motocycling then spend 2-3 days, but riding a bicycle, as i did will take at least 6 days. the route is simple, quiet and beautiful. the traffic is negligible, people are exceptionally nice and the riding easy. the hills do seem punishing at some points, but the excitemnet of the descending slope that will follow shud keep you going on every climb. Also highly recommeded on the route is the waterfall at Maraleshwar (a little detour from Snagameshwar in maharastra) and the Hot water well in Arvali. if you bicycle, and plan to do it in this part of the country. this is a must do.

about chennai to Delhi. my route was Chennai-Bangalore-Managalore-Goa-Pune-Nasik-Indore-Gwalior-Agra-Delhi.

Now that i've done this route, i'd rather have done Pune-Mumbai-Surat-Ahmedabad-Udaipur-Jaipur-Delhi. It's a fantastic ride from chennai upto pune. but after that from Nasik to Agra the road is the worst in my 30,000 kms of indian riding experience. Gwalior is nice plaace and a majestic fort there. but not much to see on the highway or any of the other cities in between.

the road from manglore to Goa is also beautiful as it goes up along the sea shore. :)

if you have any question, shoot then right at me.
for now i am off riding again tommorow - Horses in the Himalayas this time.