After 5 months of wait, last weekend I finally got the delivery of Royal Enfield Thunderbird 350. I was really excited to get the bike. When I arrived at the store, I couldn’t see my bike parked outside and was wondering where it was. I asked the RE guys and they said it is standing outside, and they haven’t put the number plates yet. I decided to go outside and check out the bike. Just as I was standing there and admiring the black beauty, another RE mechanic was trying to park his continental GT next to the bike and in the process broke the left side rear view mirror. Needless to say I was extremely pissed. Here, I havent even received the bike yet and the mirror had already broke. In the mean time, my dad who had also come to pick up the bike with me and brother started arguing with the RE guys and was generally disappointed because of what had happened. The RE guys apologized profusely, put on a new mirror and were like this is a good omen and dont worry about it. Soon after another RE guy arrived and started putting up the number plate. I decided to wait outside and watch him do his thing. While watching, all of a sudden a dead rat fell from a tree and I was like Oh Oh!! “Today is not a good day it seems”.
The number plates got fixed and RE guy started explaining all the bike features to me. There were a couple of things which I think RE could have done better in the bike – one of them is place where you can keep bike papers. There is a box which is given on the left side of the bike to keep papers and the medical kit. The lid of the box comes off completely and thus the papers and medical kit needs to be placed properly to ensure that the lid closes properly and papers don’t slip out. The other thing which I feel they could have taken care of is the petrol tank lid. While they have given a 20 liter tank, the lid of the tank comes off completely, instead of being attached to the tank. Getting to the tool kit, which is on the right hand side of the bike is also a pain. After explaining to me all the features and congratulating me on my purchase, I took the bike to the temple where the priest performed the pooja and the blessed the bike. Given all that happened a couple of hours earlier, I was sure me and the bike both needed the blessings. So far I have been commuting to work on the new bike and slowing breaking it in – which is not going over more than the speed of 50kmph, and everything is working like a charm. I am on my way to begin another riding chapter with RE Thunderbird 350.
My thoughts...My story 