Royal Enfield 500. Thoughts For A North Thailand Ride?

[Iwantablackrz]

Hi Gents,

In planning for my third trip riding North Thailand.

Thought my riding days would be severely hampered if I ever settled down but I'm very fortunate that my fiancee has agreed to be my pillion on our honeymoon in March. The plan is a leisurely ride up to Pai and surrounds. Probably not the full MHS loop but it might be an easy sell if she enjoys the first day.

I'm looking at bikes that would get the job done and hoping for some thoughts on the Royal Enfield 500 Bullet that I can hire in Chiang Mai from POP.

The last trip I hired a Honda CB500X from TBB and I loved that bike. I have no aversions to hiring it again but I love the style of the Royal Enfield and it’s lower seat height might be favoured by the other half. I also have a history of riding big singles having owned several SR400’s but I rarely had a pillion and never up hills like the 1095.

My concern is that it might not have enough juice to get up the hills comfortably and I’m keen to see if anyone has had any experience riding this bike two up in Thailand. I don't want to be struggling to keep momentum.

My pillion is a sub 50kg filo girl. I’m a little heftier at around 85-90kg. I doubt we’d have anymore than 7kg of luggage.

Any thoughts?

 

[Dodraugen]

Have done a couple of organised tours in the Himalayas (Bhutan and Sikkim and Nepal) on a Royal Enfield Bullet 500. And several of the other participants rode two-up on a RE Bullet. I didnt notice they had any problems or complaints about the bikes.
For myself I can say its the most comfortable bike I have ever ridden. On other bikes I always get pain in my behind, more or less of course depending on the seat/bike type. But on a RE - not even near - ever!
Cant answer on behalf of the pillion of course.
Juice enough for uphills - well its certainly not a very powerful machine so you got to take it for what it is. Take it smooth and slow and enjoy the scenery. I have ridden the MHS loop on my 250 cc with a pillion two times, we came around just fine. Backpackers ride the MHS loop two-up on 125 scooters and do it just fine. But not at 100 kms/h.
I quite sure you will be just fine but you will of course go a bit slower than on a CB500X.

 

[Iwantablackrz]

Awesome. The comfort factor alone sounds like it make this bike a winner. Thanks for your 'review'!

 

[monsterman]

Enfield bullets even the 350 regularly go up the mimalayas in nepal and india ,, they have the torque for sure ,, just take it gently