5 Royal Enfield Motorcycle Crashes: What We Can Learn [Video]

People love Royal Enfield motorcycles. The signature thump, torquey engine and the wind-in-the-hair experience are all very likeable. But what if this fun-ride turns into a nightmare? Well, here are five such cases in which people riding Royal Enfield bikes met with accidents. A compilation of these was shared on the channel 'Bullet Guru'. Let's see what went wrong in each case.

Crash #1

The first crash seems to be from somewhere in Gujarat. The chest-mounted action camera of a cyclist captured it. He was riding through the city when the accident happened. We see a man riding a Royal Enfield Classic moving with a steady pace. An autorickshaw can be seen following him.

At what looks like a crossroad, the biker slows down slightly. The three-wheeler then tries to overtake him on his right. The biker fails to notice and continues to ride, leaning slightly towards the right. He soon rubs his right leg against the rear wheel arch of the autorickshaw.

The contact makes him lose his balance and fall off the motorcycle. The cyclist pulls over and rushes to rescue. We can also see other two-wheeler riders stopping by to help. In this case, the rider's inability to exercise ample caution and notice the approaching autorickshaw seems to have caused the crash. It is very important that we keep high situational awareness while riding motorcycles, especially on populated roads.

Crash #2:

The second video has been captured from a motorcycle cruising at a speed of 94 kph. It is travelling through a two-lane highway, keeping left. Soon, we see a Royal Enfield motorcycle aggressively overtake it through the right. It even has a pillion on it. Soon, we see the two bikes approach a curve.

The Royal Enfield fails to take the curve safely, likely because it was riding too close to the median. It rubs its tyres on the median and loses balance. Both riders should have taken notable injuries as the crash occurred at a speed close to 100 kph. Both occupants were wearing helmets and proper riding jackets. This should have helped in minimising the impact.

The visuals make us doubt if the rider here was attempting a 'lean and turn' manoeuvre at the curve. Doing so with a pillion on public roads can be dangerous. As responsible riders, we should avoid such attempts.

Crash #3

The third crash seems to have happened when a group of Royal Enfield motorcycles were riding together. It is clear from the speedometer of one of these bikes that they were doing a speed of just 30kph. One of them is seen approaching with his left indicator lamp turned on. He soon loses control of the vehicle and crashes into the first bike.

The Sandstorm coloured Bullet that he was riding overturned and landed on his leg in a weird position. The other riders can be seen getting the bike off and freeing the rider, later in the video. The exact cause of this crash remains unknown. What we do know is that a scooter ferrying a family was also involved in this crash, hitting which may have caused the Bullet to crash.

Crash #4

In the fourth video, we see a White Royal Enfield Classic being ridden at a safe speed. Soon we get to hear a metal-like sound. In another microsecond, we see the bike's front end collapse. The front wheels (allegedly aftermarket alloys) had broken down mid-ride!

The takeaway here is that if you are to buy an aftermarket alloy wheel for your car or bike, always make sure to invest in a good-quality one. Poor quality wheels may look good and come cheap, but will also be prone to serious safety issues.

Crash #5

The final video seems to be from a group ride. It has been recorded by a man riding a Royal Enfield Interceptor 650. As he is riding along a highway, he comes across a crash. A truck had crashed into a Royal Enfield. Both vehicles took severe damage. The Interceptor rider soon realises that the crashed bike belongs to their group. The injured rider needed immediate medical attention.

The Interceptor rider rushes to help, and is soon joined by other members of his group. He tries to summon an autorickshaw, but nobody cares to take the ride. The video doesn't show how they finally managed to get the injured rider to the nearest hospital. It, however, says that he could be saved on time. In situations such as this, always be the first one to show up with help for the injured...