Royal Enfield motorcycles for long have been used for long distance touring, especially in the Ladakh region. Thousands of tourists every year rent Royal Enfield bikes or bring them in trains from different corners of the country to ride in the Ladakh region. But how capable are they? This video will demonstrate exactly that.
The video was taken by RIDER 3003 from the helmet-mounted camera during their Spiti ride and it shows how easily the Honda CBR250R crossed the Paagal Naala water crossing while the Royal Enfield Bullet got stuck badly in between and had to be pushed out of the crossing.
The rider on the Honda CBR250R also said that if someone is not well-versed with Royal Enfield bikes and do not know their way around the working of the Enfields, they should not take them to such challenging situations. He also claims that the Royal Enfield Bullet and Thunderbird, which was also present during their Spiti trip created a lot of problems.
The Royal Enfield Bullet faced a fuse blowout and various other problems with the wiring on the trip as per the video. He also claims that the Royal Enfield bike could not cross any of the water crossings on its own. But that could be because of the riding style and not the capability of the bike itself. Royal Enfield bikes, apart from the all-new 650 Twins and the Himalayan are powered by lazy single-cylinder engines that need time to rev and build power. They are quite heavier than regular bikes too. New bikers may find it difficult to handle the Royal Enfield bikes at first. Due to the added weight, it may become difficult to handle the Royal Enfield bikes when compared to the regular commuter segment bikes or even entry-level performance bikes.
Why did the Honda CBR cross the water crossing but the Royal Enfield Bullet could not?
One of the main reasons for the Royal Enfield getting stuck in the water crossing is the way it is being ridden. One needs power on tap while crossing such situations and Royal Enfield Bullet’s engine takes time to build the revs and deliver the needed power. One can keep the throttle open and control the power by clutch too but most of the new riders do not know about this technique. Also, tyres can be one of the reasons for not getting a proper grip from the surface. Such water crossings can become very slippery and if the tyre treads are not deep enough to create a proper grip, it can create major problems.
The modern Royal Enfield bikes have become quite reliable. The new-age EFI engines used in the Classic, Thunderbird and the Bullet range is much more reliable than the cast iron engines. Royal Enfield has even increased the warranty on their bikes and most of the motorcycles are available with 2 years or 20,000 km warranty while the new-age Interceptor and the Continental GT 650 are available with 3 years warranty.
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