Royal Enfield 500 Classic

[2wheels]

Motorcycle Thailand has a very positive ride of the RE500 Classic in Bangkok.

http://www.motorcycle.in.th/article.php/Royal-Enfield-Classic-500-EFI_Perfect

 

[Ally]

The Royal Enfield Classic 500 EFI - Perfect Experience

I don't know quite what it's about a Royal Enfield Classic 500, that makes people stop, stare and grin when you ride past, but when you ride an Enfield Classic 500 a day in Bangkok, which are standard equipped with an exhaust system that probably just pass the Thai 92dB sound limit you see shoppers, walkers, police, and basically everybody else looking at you.

The attention of police officers made me a bit nervous, while the Enfield Classic 500 is 100% road legal, it was still not outfitted with the required license plates. Something what could cost me 200 THB, but no police officer was interested in giving me a fine - what is remarkable at the end of the month.

The Royal Enfield Classic 500 looks like a real classic bike. Although the kick starter remains, there's a nice little button on the right side of the handlebar that saves you the effort of lifting your leg, and the cleverly concealed ultra-modern Keihin fuel injection, which replaced the AMAL carburetor, does a perfect job of keeping the 499cc single cylinder engine running.

[More...]

 

[2wheels]

Sadly, word is that this bike will actually cost quite a bit more that originally suggested.
Try 280,000 baht; right in Versys territory.

 

[Ally]

Hi Ron, do you think the Royal Enfield bike will be an attractive buy for people in Thailand?

Ally

 

[2wheels]

It would have been more enticing at the original 230,000 baht, which I saw stated somewhere.
However, I think many young Thais will want one even though the Versys is saying 'buy me instead'.
Obviously two entirely different bikes but the RE does have that extra bit of charisma that is attractive to some.
We'll see.
Of course, dealership support is critical and, hopefully, there'll be dealerships in major Provincial centres such as Chiang Mai.

 

[Ally]

It would have been more enticing at the original 230,000 baht, which I saw stated somewhere.

However, I think many young Thais will want one even though the Versys is saying 'buy me instead'.

Obviously two entirely different bikes but the RE does have that extra bit of charisma that is attractive to some.

We'll see.

Of course, dealership support is critical and, hopefully, there'll be dealerships in major Provincial centres such as Chiang Mai.

Mmm you deliberately point to 'young Thais' but I wonder if this type of nostalgia style bike might appeal to another age group altogether. I would be interested to hear other peoples opinions.

Ally

 

[Davevb]

I've felt for a long time that these bikes will appeal to many older Thais. Back in the 60's and before the influx of Japenese scooters there were plenty of Thais riding classic British bikes. That is all there was around then. I always remember the photo in my MIL's house of "Paw" astride his BSA and I think it wasn't the only home with a photo like that. I think there are plenty of good memories about that sort of thing that will have middle aged Thais flocking to these sorts of bikes. As stated in the article, it gets a lot of attention.

It would be great to see them getting around!

 

[2wheels]

" The price, 280,000 THB for the Royal Enfield Classic 500, was confirmed by the owner of the Thai distributor ... "
(Motorcycle Thailand).​

 

[The Bigfella]

I've got the thought tickling away somewhere to perhaps buy one in India for a little ride over there...

 

[KTMphil]

I've got the thought tickling away somewhere to perhaps buy one in India for a little ride over there...

Ride it to Thailand and sell it?

 

[The Bigfella]

Ride it to Thailand and sell it?

Now there's an idea. I've met the Oz Foreign Minister a few times.... you reckon he'd organise a transit letter for Burma for me?

 

[monsterman]

If the seat height is low enough my wife might fancy that instead of HD 883 sportster low to replace her rebel 250. seat needs to be

680mm or less