Aug 27, 2008 02:08 PM
20923 Views
Hi guys,
I am a proud owner of Bullet 350 Standard. Now, I doubt if I can say proud! Yes, normally, you see that people who ride bullets have a different personality and they seem to be the kings of their lives. They have a deep bonding and respect for the machine and never will prefer anything but the bullet. They are bulleteers.
But, my review is not for the bulleteers but wannabe bulleteers. Let me tell you guys, bullet is not a perfect bike in any sense. You pay close to a lac rupees. Neither are you getting the fastest bike off the block, nor are you getting an adept handler. Yes, it is the most comfortable bike to ride, I should admit.
The biggest glitch is the quality. A bullet perennially leaks oil from the clutch, gear box and even the crank case as the bike gets older. The breather tube, a unique feature on the bullet, will spill oil on to the chain cover and the rear tyre. So, if you are habituated to the clean look of the pulsars, think again. Bullet will give you niggles on a weekly, if not daily basis. The std version runs on point ignition. It wont start with a weak battery. And the battery wont charge if the head light is on. Let me quote on incident. I was taking a beautiful girl for the first time on a date. And at 9 PM on the hi-way, the bike suddenly halts from 80 Kmph. It refuses to start. The Ammeter shows there's no battery. I got the point, the points are burnt. Ackwardly, devastated on the hi-way, with passersby staring at my damsel, I call up my friends and ask them to drop the girl at her place. Me and one of my friends push the bike to the nearest mechanic, who not being a bulleteer, takes 3 hours to fix the points after which, the bike ran like it's infected with tuberculosis. I had to take it to the service center and keep it there for 3 days to get it rectified.
3 days? Yes. It's not that the work can't be done in an hour. So, my dear friends, welcome to another horrifying fact; Service. The service stations will make you doubt, whether they are authorized. You'll fear leaving your bike there. Though you'll be satisfied after the service, your wallet would be empty. Dont expect the service bill to be less than 1000 rs. as the bullet takes in close to 3 ltrs of engine oil as compared to 900 ml on your pulsars.
Not that it's all bad. I did around 7-8 road trips covering 300-400 kms each day, and it never protested. It never gave any problem. It depends on its mood.
I once tried pulsar 200 and felt like it was a toy. When I rode my bullet again, I felt, this is a bike.
Coming to the point: -
Pros:
1) Big ego satisfaction
2) It will serve 7 generations
3) Immense respect in society
4) You can escape on long tours on the hi-way
5) Mileage - 30-35 Kmpl even after being a 350 cc
6) Your friedns cannot ride it, due to ulta gear
Cons:
1) Be prepared to become a mechanic with greasy hands.
2) Always carry hefty cash in your pocket. You might get stranded anywhere, of course, rarely. Credit card se kaam nahi chalega.
You'll immensely enjoy your experience with the bullet, if you like challenges and respect the machine.
Decide for yourself.
Love,
D. Vijay Krishna
P.S - If you dont want bullet experience, and want somewhat bullet like road bike, go for Thunderbird Twin Spark.
