Electric Problem in my Bullet

                   Electric Problem in Electra (Royal Enfield)

My Bullet gave me its first hitch a week back, it all began with the horn not working. Bangalore isn't really a place where you could live without a horn, though am one of those beings who would rather not use horn until it is extremely necessitated (am a noise pollution activist in my own way). I lived without the horn for a couple of days. Then i went down on my hunches to check what could be wrong, i checked the sockets, they were fine. Checked if there was any loose contact in the switch, there wasn't any issues there. So i did not have any other go but to take it to the dealer. I could have got it checked at my place, but the dealer would be more adept at knowing his art (vehicle).

Hence I landed up at the dealer, thinking it could be a minor infringement, i reached the dealer by around 4 PM. The technician too started by checking the prelims, but after half an hour of plodding & poking he realized it was something more complex & it was getting late for him. And Enfield dealers are loaded now-a-days, i remember taking my bike to the dealer from where i purchased to check on getting the 3M fuel tank sticker work completed by around 8:30AM, there was another biker who arrived after me & the dealer was like, we are done for the day - no more bikes. I was really taken aback. But then he agreed to take the bike in but it would be delivered the next day.
So here i was at the dealer with the option of either leaving it there or taking it back the next day. They gave me the diagnosis that the issue was with the wiring & hence more complex, requires time, effort & patience.

So i had to take her back in the same condition, but i was in for a shock when i realized that now not only the horn was not working, but also the brake light, parking lamp, the turn lamps & their indicators.
Being in the automobile industry for more almost two decades had given me the expertise to drive with even lesser faculties. I remember a particular episode where, a customer of ours call & reported that his vehicle would not start & that we should go & pick it from near Nandi Hills.

On reaching the spot we see that the vehicle had turned turtle and perched on its roof. Over & above the locals had gathered around &on seeing us approach the car, took animosity to our steps.
To cut a long story short, we drove that vehicle finally to our garage - towing it with our pick-up, sometimes speeds crossing dangerous limits (with no power steering or vacuum brakes).

So i landed up at the Enfield dealer the next day early, dropped the bike, met the Service Manager.
I requested for the manufacturer's e-mail & the dealer was not really very forthcoming. But then most dealers are so. But i reasoned that this is something which has to reach the manufacturer's ears, this is to do with design & could happen in other bikes too.

The Service Manager himself called me to acknowledge Royal Enfield having received my mail detailing the concern. Royal Enfield too was quick with their response.

The bike was ready was reported to me by early evening & i went to the dealer before late evening, before the crowd hits.

The diagnosis was that the a main wire had cut, this was basically due to the routing of the wiring harness. It went near the handle bar & turning the handle bar left or right used to effect the wire, hence they checked & the wires which were damaged were restored. And they made sure that turning of the handle bar did not damage the wiring. Hence my decision of letting the manufacturer know about this defect was correct, that is as long as they check the same during Pre-Delivery-Inspection.

Now the bike is up & running. Things are honk-dory, will remember to keep you guys in the loop.