OK Guys and Girls, Give me some advice!
I'll be renting an Enfield in Delhi for about 2 weeks for my trip to Leh & back.

The famous Lalli Singh of lallisingh.com has quoted me $294 USD/week with a $588 USD deposit. This is a kick start 500cc Enfield and I've been told that Lalli has reliable bikes in good condition.
Indiabike.com has a "new" 2008 model 500cc Enfield with low kilometers used and electric self-start for $210 USD/week with a $1,172 USD deposit. They have been very good at returning emails and answering questions.
Tonybulletcentre.com also has the 500cc Enfield with electric start for $115 USD/week and 1,172 USD deposit. They have also been good at returning emails.

My questions are: has anyone done business with any of these people and can give me some feedback? What are your thoughts on the various prices? Is an electric self-start desirable or just one more thing to go wrong on an Enfield? I want to minimize my time picking up a bike in Delhi so convenience and reliability is more important than $. What would you do?
THANX!

Hi ColdC.

I'm arriving to Delhi june 7th and more or less 12-15 june i leave to Leh ( via Manali). I haven't found a bike yet, i wanna make the deal there, due that there's a big offer and you can choose. I think that if you close the deal from home via internet it will be more expensive.

I want a Bullet 500 and i've heard that Lalli Singh is very reliable, but it seems quite expensive. Didn't know anything about Tony Bullet Centre, but the price is good and, looking at their web, they seem reliable too. Thank you for the discovery...

My advise is that you close the deal right there.

Cheers.

P.D: When do you think you will be leaving Delhi to Leh?

I've heard that the 350 is the one with the most reliability, but either way, it's still an old brit bike so problems are likely. Probably just small stuff that you can take care of by tightening bolts and the like.

Good luck!

I show up in New Delhi on July 15 and plan to spend several months there.

--Dave

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Dave, Interesting thought as I will be riding solo with minimal luggage and thought about the 350cc as the rental rates are much cheaper.
The bike suppliers have steered me toward the 500cc saying that it will "have more power for the hills." It also probably brings them more profit.

Does anyone have experience taking the 350cc over to Leh? Underpowered or can it do the job? More reliable than the 500cc?
THANX!

Ha, I'm on a 250cc and the power has been fine so far. I think it depends on you. I like the small bike for my foreign adventures because it forces me to go slow. For me, a bigger bike just means more speed and less time looking at scenery and more time looking at the road itself.

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I hear you Dave. You wouldn't believe the tracks I've conquered on a 125 Honda Dream in South East Asia with my luggage roped to the seat!
However I've heard the 150cc Indian Pulsar will out run the 500cc Enfield. Remember this is 500cc of rolling antique.
Cheers

A friend and I rented Enfields in Delhi a few years ago. I got mine from Lahli Singh, and Frank got his somewhere else (can't remember but it was close by in Karol Bargh). Frank had a 350 and we had a 500 as we were two up. We went up some rrrreally steep roads as we went as far as we could to Leh (Rotang La) as the passes were closed for a bit longer than normal. We then changed our plans and headed east from Manali with the idea of riding to Nepal instead. The roads that way were even steeper! Both bikes had their share of breakages and things falling off, even with a 10 minute spanner and screwdriver session every morning. However, they were ridiculously cheap to get fixed pretty much anywhere (7 new spokes, oil and gearbox grease top-up, tappets, timing and points, extract and replace two broken studs, a couple of gaskets and some other stuff I can't remember, NZ$14 including decent tip!!!).

As to starting, the kick start ones we had were very easy to start, once you learnt the very simple technique based on watching the ammeter to see when the motor was at top dead centre. It was really part of the fun. And yes, the smaller modern bikes would out-run and were more reliable than the Enfields, but they are not Enfields, if you know what I mean. I would do it again on an Enfield. Talk about living history, but then I do collect old bikes.

350 or 500? The 350 will do the job, and seemed to be less fussy about altitude and fuel. There are very few places where the 500 was significantly better. However, we were two up. I'm sure it could easily have been due the individual bike's differences. I would probably take a 350 if there was a big difference in rental rates, and they use less fuel too.

As it turned out, we could not cope the 45-50deg C days and went back to New Delhi five days early, then flew to Nepal. Lahli Singh sent a boy around to our hotel to collect the bike, WITH a full refund for the five days! Frank had booked his bike for longer than us and got no refund at all from the other place. I have heard similar stories from other travelers who have had rented from Lahli. I would go straight back there, myself.

Kind regards

Nigel in NZ

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I really appreciate the detailed reply. I had originally thought the 350cc was adequate since I'm solo and traveling light. I got talked up to the 500cc but I think my original idea was probably right on.
Funny, but I just thought I'd mention that I kept reading to take a set of "spanners" as part of the tool kit but "spanner wrenches" refer to a different tool here in the States. I kept thinking what in the hell do I need a set of spanner wrenches for?! Thanks again for the feedback on your experience with the different size bikes and Lalli Singh.
Cheers, C

Spanner is the English term for wrenches. Open ended and box. You can buy cheap ones there that will work. Nothing that you'd want to bring home. They updated to metric, not whitworth. I like that they're building bikes from 60 year old British plans but they've updated to metric. The USA is the only country that uses kooky sizes now. But it's still basically an old Brit bike, so you'll want to take some blue or red loctite with you and tighten everything down. And constantly check to make sure they're tight. Like once a day.

I hope it goes great for you! If I blow up my Ducati again, I'll probably switch to an Enfield 350.

--Dave

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Not Ted Simon since 1970!
http://nokilli.com/rtw

Hi there,
Rented a 'new' bullet from Indiabikes in Mumbai (Bombay) last December. It was totally reliable for a leisurely 2000km holiday and we got over 90 mpg two up with light luggage. The electric starter wasn't the strongest but the bike kickstarted with no problems hot or cold. the 'new' bullet is reported to be a world away from the older bikes in terms of reliability, which may be less important on a longer trip where you have the time for characterful repairs, but with only two weeks reliability was important for me. Another advantage for me was the left foot gearchange and disc brake, I'm sure it wouldn't take long to adjust but I'd prefer not to have any additional challenges when dealing with Indian town traffic!! I paid Rs9,000 per week with a Rs90,000 deposit left in an envelope which was returned unopened. Fully recommended.
Regards Graeme.

I just came back few weeks ago from a 7000 miles ride in India and Lahli and the place have great bike , the kick start is very easy to use even if you are not use to it, now as far as reliable ??, mine had few issue but I was doing a lot of miles on it so maybe that is the reason.

Good luck driving in India.

People have taken 100cc scooters and suchlike to Leh, not to mention bicycles. The 350 puts out more than those. And the 500 puts out 4 bhp more than the 350 (little over 20% more). An electra 5s (with disc up front, correct sided gears) would do just fine, if you have decided on enfields, and enfields only.

The rental is much more for the 500cc bikes. If you want "more power" get your own bike in, but then I don't think you are coming here to race with anyone.

....great info on the 350cc. 4bhp more; I think I'll just go on a diet before I leave. The 350 sounds fine for my trip and besides, will be better on petrol.
Actually, I would prefer not to take an Enfield. I'm sure you've read some of my posts elsewhere inquiring about a non-Enfield rental. It just seems the Enfield is the easiest way to go as far as rentals are concerned for a short trip. If I had some more time I would probably just purchase a more modern bike. I am going to briefly look for an alternative and if something falls into my lap I'll take it, but the Enfield rental appears the easiest way just to arrive, take care of business and be on the road to Leh asap.

Perhaps you could fix up with Chanderjeet or Mani to take you with them to Karol Bagh immediately on landing, so as not to waste time. If you are prepared to buy new, I'm sure something other than enfields can be arranged, which can then be bought back (you'd have to work that out at the time of buying).

People are reluctant to rent out the 150cc+ indo jap stuff. Faster, more crash prone (because it is faster), more commonly stolen (for some reason thieves usually don't target bullets - maybe they know something!!?) but none of that famous character. Indiabikes had a couple of pulsars, both totalled now, and he is not buying any more.

agree with everything said abut the 350cc. Unless you have sh!tloads of luggage or a passenger go for a 350. I'm in Manali now with a 350 and have had no probs. with the roads. Also I'd say go for a standard bullet - unless you can't handle the gears on the right hand side - none of this electric start business.

Lalli Singh has got a very good reputation all over India, but is def. more expensive. Never heard any bad stories about his rental/sale bikes. A couple of friends bought a bike from Tony Bullet Centre in Delhi and have been fairly happy, but had a few problems mechanically. Lalli will have th bike ready for you to go when you arrive and should have your bike in good nick when you take it. Nothing is guarantted though buddy, these bikes are bombproof but not foolproof.

Good luck anyway, I'm gonna miss out on the Leh trip as my visa is nearly up so I'm v. jealous. When you going by the way? Passes are only just about open and a French guy I just met said he was riding through knee high water some of the way last week!