Royal Enfield Rumbler 500

Royal Enfield has a legacy stemming from rugged and go anywhere military bikes. The Rumbler 500 would like to remind you that they are just as home on the urban battleground. The basic elements are still the same. The bike has a classic round headlight, a teardrop tank, and the unmistakable silhouette. But there are small modern touches and improvements that make it more suited to modern-day needs. The headlight, as well as the taillight, uses LEDs. The tank sports an offset fuel cap and an amazing paint finish. The exhaust is laden with chrome except for the end can which gives it a more muted exhaust note. The foot pegs and switchgear have a much nicer feel. The rear seat has a cast alloy backrest cum grab handle. Even the rear view mirrors are in a more aerodynamic shape than their previously round shape. There are dollops of chrome but the engine itself is blacked out to give it a compact look. The bike itself is more compact with its dimensions of 2060 mm (L) X 790 mm (W) X 1205 mm (H). The twin-pod instrument cluster houses a small digital display that displays the odometer, clock, tripmeter, and fuel gauge. The wheels are spoked units with a 19” for the front and an 18” for the rear. The tires are 90/90 front and 120/80 rear. The biggest change, however, is the new handlebars which are pushed further back and give the rider a more cruiser-like riding position. What you’ll notice more easily are the new color options – Stone, Marine, and Flicker. The build quality is also top notch and there are some quality details like the embossed logo on the backrest.

The Rumbler 500 is a very comfortable bike. The frame uses a single downtube with the engine as a stressed member. The front uses 41 mm telescopic forks with 130 mm of travel and the rear uses twin gas charged 5-step adjustable for preload shock absorbers with 80 mm of travel. Combined with a deep and supportive seat that supports your back. This bike has an excellent ride quality. The rider sits very comfortably thanks to front set footpegs and wide and raised handlebars as if on a throne. This setup also proves to be surprising when it comes to tackling corners. But it is best suited burbling along the highway at 80 kmph.

Powering the Rumbler 500 is the single cylinder air-cooled and fuel- injected twin-spark 499cc SOHC engine that produces 27.2 hp at 5250 rpm and 41.3 Nm of torque at 4000 rpm. The engine is mated to a 5-speed transmission. The characteristic thump is much more muted or should we say civilized but the rest of it is very much what you would expect from a Royal Enfield long stroke engine. The engine feels unstressed at any speed and rpm. Being fuel injected, the throttle response is a bit slow but the engine is just as torquey as ever. Even at low revs, the torque comes like a surge that sweeps you away if you are caught unaware. This surge of power comes very handy in highway driving and makes for an intoxicating ride. This also means that driving long distances is a breeze as you can sit comfortably without having to shift through gears. The bike finds it not very difficult to reach triple-digit speeds and can reach a top speed of 130 kmph. The gearbox, however, is a bit clunky especially at the get-go and the clutch feels a bit heavy. Worst of all the excessive vibrations that never really go away at any speed. But all is forgiven when you consider that intoxicating torque. The fuel tank is massive and can store 20 L which lasts a long enough time with a fuel economy of 22-30 kmpl.

Braking is provided by 280 mm front disc and a 240 mm rear disc with a twin-piston caliper setup in the front and a single piston caliper setup for the rear. The Rumbler 500 also comes equipped with dual channel ABS. The braking would have been adequate had the bike not weighed almost 200 kg.

The Royal Enfield Rumbler 500 brings the classic motorcycle to the new age. It improves the classic character of the bike with modern features while still preserving its identity. But the big price difference does not seem worth the advantage. Why pay more for the slightly improved version when the real thing is much cheaper?