The Royal Enfield Electra Bullet EFI - Modern Retro
The Royal Enfield Bullet Electra EFI has proved itself to be perhaps the perfect machine for touring the Thai country side. As we where riding through Khao Yai National park the Royal Enfield Bullet Electra EFI and I almost forgot about the arguments we had been having over the gearbox and enjoyed a delightful outing together. Unlike what I wanted, we could not 'go on for ever' but we carried on over the Khorat Plateau to explore a bit more rural Northeast Thailand.Away from main roads, fuel stations are not a regular sight in this part of Thailand, but this is no problem for the Royal Enfield Bullet Electra EFI. The manufacturers suggest that the Bullet Electra EFI uses 2.9 liter fuel per 100 kilometers from this new 'green' fuel-injection engine and I have no reason whatsoever to disbelieve them. The fuel tank holds 14.5 liters fuel so fuel consumption becomes almost an irrelevance on a motorcycle which, I might suggest, would not be one's automatic choice for long-haul trans-continental operations.
Comparison of the Royal Enfield Bullet Electra EFI with my own more traditional 500 Bullet has always been much in my mind. After all, it is difficult to make a meaningful comparison of the idiosyncratic Royal Enfield with anything else available in Thailand. Over the years the Royal Enfield engineers have worked hard to develop a classic traditional machine, very much a practical 'workhorse', into one which can be enjoyed by the modern motorcycle market.
I was certainly impressed by the improvement displayed by the electronic fuel injection system over my own old non-fuel-injection model. - so I felt that 'back to back' test runs would not be a bad idea. My faithful old Bullet (without EFI) chugged into life first push of the starter and, leaving behind a cloud of smoke, we exited the garage. I enjoyed an hour's trundle around familiar lanes. I found it difficult to believe just how different was a similar journey on the new Royal Enfield Bullet Electra EFI!
To be quite honest, I don't like the riding position on the Royal Enfield Bullet Electra EFI quite as much as the old 500 Bullet – something to do with the handlebars which I haven't quite been able to put my finger on it... But, that apart, the improvement in technical specifications and smoothness of operation was demonstrated to be far greater than I had given credit for.
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