Samvado Gunnar Kossatz: 2002 - A Bike Odyssey. From India to Italy by Enfield. Part 4
So the somewhat unceremonious end of this trip was me driving back in a Micra to Hamburg while my bike hung out another two weeks in Italy. The ADAC had to collect enough other victims to fill up a truck to make the tour worthwhile. The bug that had stalled the bike turned out to be a five-minute repair issue. A part of the GERMAN MADE electronic ignition had come loose - it was glued back on. I suggest you keep the old and trusted breaker points. They wear out quickly but at least are easy to adjust and cost next to nothing.
Although I never had the slightest problem starting or running the bike the German mechanics reported a stuck piston when they tried to kick start - it was replaced for €80.-, not that much either. The conversion to European technical specs, including new rear shocks, both tires and turn signals, a headlight and re-doing some adventurous electronic soldering experiments of the Indians who installed the horn and extra beams came to €1100.-. That doesn't look like a lot but compared to its selling value it is. I am trying to sell the machine for €2.600,- since over a month now with zero response. That says something about the Enfield's acceptance here in Germany - which must be close to ZILCH. New with no extras Sommer asks €5000.- for a Bullet 500, in comparison mine seems to be a great deal.
In retrospect I should not have spent that much on the conversion but tried to get it sold for €1500,- as-is with possibly more success. Why did I not keep it? In my humble opinion it's too slow for western highways which I need to use frequently. I drive bikes for transportation, not JUST fun, and have to go long stretches, often over 1000 km. For that I have a Yamaha 600N and changing from left to right gear drives me nuts. It almost caused an accident with a bunch of deer I had to brake for on my way back home one midnight. It took me all of a month to get my left-gear-right-brake reflexes back to work.
Facts:
Motorcycle: Royal Enfield Bullet 500
Ex showroom price w. insurance: Rupees 69.000 (~$1500.-)
Extras: carrier, crash-bar, CDI-Ignition
20 liter tank, high handlebar,
12V plug for GPS, 2 metal boxes
Travel time Delhi-Hamburg: 26 days
Bike road kilometers: 9200
Average fuel consumption 3.7 liter/100 km
(approx. $180.- for the trip)
Average oil consumption: 0.3 liter/1000 km
Tires (Indian Enfield standard): about 60% use of 1 set
Spares needed: 1 clutch cable
Papers needed: Carnet de Passage $300.- plus
$3000.- bank guaranteed loan
Visas: India (5 year), Pakistan, Iran (1 month each)
Remark: As of 03.02 you need the 5 year visa to register in India, or you will NOT get a carnet from ADAC. The Indian automobile club will NOT issue a carnet that does NOT return to India (kind of useless ..).
