2011 Royal Enfield Classic Desert Storm

 

    2011 Royal Enfield Classic Desert Storm

 

The iconic Indian motorcycle manufacturing brand Royal Enfield introduced 2 new motorcycles in the year 2011 to their classic series, the Classic chrome and the Desert Storm. The Classic Series has been a hit since it was launched in the year 2009, the new Desert Storm has the old school looks and the matte sand color which makes the motorcycle look extremely attractive. This motorcycle is an ideal cruiser and the single seat reminds us of the old Indian motorcycles.
The Classic Desert Storm is powered by a Single-cylinder, air-cooled, four-stroke, 499cc engine which generates 27.2bhp of maximum power at 5250rpm and 4.2kgm of torque at 4000rpm. The engine has been fitted with a Keihin Electronic Fuel Injection unit. Let’s find out all the details of this motorcycle.

Design

The Desert Storm looks different from other cruisers on Indian roads, The motorcycle has a matte sand color paint coat which looks incredible. The front round headlamps and the pilot lamps looks classy on the motorcycle, but there is no option of projector headlamps like the new Thunderbird 500, which is the latest offering from Royal Enfield. The instrument cluster which has been fitted with the headlamp cluster of the motorcycle consists of an analogue speedometer, fuel indicator beside the regular warning lamps but the modern instrumentation panel is missing on this motorcycle. The front telescopic suspension with metal encasing will definitely attract lots of attention beside providing a much smoother ride. The side profile of the motorcycle is also equally attractive like its front, The fuel tank look stylish with the thigh pad placed in the tank adds to the vintage look of the motorcycle, the single saddle on the motorcycle has been fitted with stiffer springs for the maximum comfort of the rider. The exhaust looks classy on the new Desert Storm and helps in maintaining the old charm on the motorcycle.
The rear of the motorcycle has a smooth flowing mudguard that leads all the way to the rear tail lamps; the rear exhaust occupies a large section and promises a smooth ride in any terrain. The wide 120/80 rear tyres looks bold in the motorcycle. The fit and finish and the quality of materials has improved than its predecessors but still there are some issues which exists with the overall quality of materials of the motorcycle, but the Desert Storm looks classy and attractive.

Engine and performance

The engine that powers the Desert storm is the same unit that powers the Thunderbird 500. The Desert storm is powered by a Single-cylinder, air-cooled, four-stroke, 499cc engine which generates 27.2bhp of maximum power at 5250rpm and 4.2kgm of torque at 4000rpm. There is an electric start for the motorcycle, the sound is the same old thump that is recognizable from a long distance.
The engine is pretty smooth and is ideal for cruising; this motorcycle is a cruiser so there is no meaning of pushing the motorcycle hard to extract the best performance out of it. The gear pattern for the Desert storm is one-down, four-up and the gears are pretty smooth and requires less effort for shifting, the Desert storm can be ridden at high speeds and the high speed stability is excellent in the motorcycle and the engine also does not feels stressed out. But when it is pushed hard there is lot of vibration that can be felt from the handlebars.
Overall the engine performance is descent and there is enough power with the twist of a throttle which will leave a smile on the face of the rider.

Ride and handling

The Desert Storm has been built around a single-downtube, heavy tubular steel frame and weighs about 187kg, the massive weight of the motorcycle can be a bit of a problem for the riders when they will be riding in the city traffic, but once it finds the open road the beast can be tamed easily. The rider seating position is upright and is not at all stressful for long journeys the sprung seats is an innovative idea by Royal Enfield. The Telescopic, 35mm forks, 130mm travel front forks and the twin gas charged shock absorbers with 5-step adjustable preload, 80mm travel suspension at the rear works wonders for the Desert Storm and they handle the Indian roads and rough terrains quite efficiently.
The Desert storm has been fitted with 19 inch front wheels and 18 inch wheels at the rear which gives the motorcycle stability. The rubbers that has been provided in the desert storm also offers tremendous amount of grip on the tarmac, the wide 120/80 section tyre increases the confidence of the rider. Now coming to the braking poart of the motorcycle, the big 280mm disc at the front and 153mm disc at the rear are quite capable of bringing the heavy motorcycle to a halt. Overall the motorcycle is ideal for long rides and open roads, the heavy weight of the motorcycle can hamper the handling for the riders in city traffics.

Pricing

The Royal Enfield Desert storm has been priced at RS.Rs 1.58-1.65 lakh (ex-showroom, Mumbai)

Competition

There is no such competitor for the Royal Enfield in this segment; the iconic motorcycle brand faces little competition from the Thunderbird 500 which is also another motorcycle from their stable. The Thunderbird 500 is a modern avatar of the Royal Enfield and has many new design features and elements which will definitely attract lots of attention towards the motorcycle, but if someone wants a unique old school designed motorcycle then the Desert storm is the ideal motorcycle for them.

Conclusion

Keeping in mind the customers and their needs Royal Enfield has improved all their products with passing time. The desert Storm is a reliable motorcycle but there are certain things that comes in the way of Desert storm being called the perfect machine on the Indian road today, the chrome metal parts rusts easily so the question still arises about the fit and finish quality of the motorcycle, the engine vibration is another issue when the motorcycle is pushed hard. Beside these the retro look and the thumping noise will definitely attract lots of attention towards this motorcycle for sure.

Quotes

“Royal Enfield must step up the pace, quickly improving its motorcycles, retaining all the old-world charm and charisma while simultaneously incorporating a lighter, more contemporary and reliable feel Indian bikers will soon have access to in this segment. It won’t be long before this veteran motorcycle maker will have to face serious threats from able cruiser rivals, as enemy number one — Harley-Davidson — is already preparing to launch in India”.—Autocar India

 Retro looks
 Ride and handling
 paint job

 Fit and finish

Press Release

The style quotient of leisure bikes in India just went up notches. Adding panache are two unique, new bikes from Royal Enfield- the Classic Chrome and Desert Storm. With their distinctive styling, drop dead gorgeous looks and a performance to match, both these bikes are poised to be trendsetters on the Indian roads.
The Classic Chrome recreates the magic of old school bikes while offering the best in class technology.With the design philosophy
of showing "metal as metal",a styling that suits RoyalEnfield Classic the best, the Classic Chrome retains the authentic styling with the unique chrome tanks,wide mud guards and oval tool box, apart from the distinguishing tiger lamps that Royal Enfield bikes are famed for. The single spring saddle seat, the unique tail lamp, the Royal Enfield emblems on the engine and even the font on the speedometer are all inspired by the original styling of the 1950’s. The stunning Chrome is accentuated by the artistic paintwork on the tank, crafted painstakingly by our artisans.
The Classic Chrome story is not just limited to the striking looks.The bike comes with the 500cc TwinSpark, unit construction engine that is designed to thrill the rider with its performance. The 27.2 bhp power output is made available with excellent drivability with a world renowned Electronic Fuel Injection system. The absolute reliability of the Unit Construction Engine, along with the hydraulic tappets, the auto chain tensioner, improved piston and piston rings and a more powerfulcharging circuit adds huge dependability
to the Classic Chrome.
The Royal Enfield Desert Stonn ignites the pride and excitement of the battlefield in the hearts of anyone who rides it. When the whole world is moving towards an age where there are no differences,the Royal Enfield Desert S1orm stands apart and delivers as a "One of Its Kind" rebel.
The Desert Storm draws inspiration from the World War era, with its bold, macho sand colour scheme. The matt finish paint job, with the Royal Enfield monogram on the tank and the thigh pads,portray the same strength and grit that of a true veteran.
The Desert Storm is also equipped with all the technical features of the Classic Chrome like the wide mud guards, oval tool box, the signature Royal Enfield tiger lamps, single spring saddle seat and the unique tail lamp. It comes fitted with the 500cc TwinSpark, unit construction engine and the 27.2 bhp power output is made available with the Electronic Fuel Injection system.
Speaking on the occasion Mr.ShajiKoshy,Senior Vice President - Sales & Marketing said, "Our customers have been demanding the "Chrome" model of Royal Enfield for quite some time now. Both Classic Chrome and Desert Storm are meant to bring more thrills to the customer. With leisure riding catching up rapidly, both these bikes will offer a unique choice to biking enthusiasts."
"Following the launch of Classic 350 & 500cc in September 2009, we have been continuously equipping our dealerships to take customer satisfaction to the next level. In 2011, we have added 15 dealerships and one Brand Store to our existing network", he further added.
Talking about the new bikes,Dr Venkatesh Padmanabhan,CEO,RoyalEnfield said, "When we launched the Classic in November
2009, we had not imagined in our wildest dreams that this new product would occupy almost 40% of our total sales within a year of its launch. During this time we have feverishly engaged ourselves in burnishing this gem. The fruits of this labour are now manifested in the Classic Chrome and Desert Storm."
Classic Chrome and Desert Storm, being limited edition products,would be available at select brand stores and dealerships across the country.