[Bilgemaster]

I'm pretty lucky down here in Virginia, what with our occasional semi-balmy and shirtsleevey riding days, even in mid-winter.  But winter's winter. I may not have to completely mothball my ride for the duration just to stare balefully out the frosted windows at those drifts and glaciers month after month after month, but some days are still better spent binge-watching YouTube Royal Enfield videos...even the ones in Hindi or Tamil or whatever, often as not inexplicably and annoyingly posted with English titles. I know, I know: "First World Problems". Still, if you had any sense you wouldn't lob entirely English-language videos up there with Hindi, German or Serbo-Croatian titles, would you? But the most annoying Indian Royal Enfield video I've yet encountered by far has to be the surly and depressing drudge-fest titled, THE MACHINE "A Tribute to Royal Enfield Desert Storm 500cc", which is in English.  Please tell me this was not something commissioned by the Royal Enfield company itself. If so, then someone in their Publicity Department needs to be cleaning out their desk while a pair of security guards observe.

I seldom leave any but favorable YouTube comments, but in the case of this particular gurken I posted the following:

""David" must be a  lot of laughs to hang out with. That whole gloomy and intense vibe doesn't so much say, "I've just had a superb snort down twisty country lanes on my lovely new thumpin' Bullet" as it does, "I need to talk to my pharmacist about doubling down on my Zoloft prescription to treat my worsening depression since I ran over my dog."  Lighten up, Francis!  That gal seems nice though. She can ride with me.  At least I have a lovely bouncy sprung pillion seat for her on MY old cast iron barrel Bullet.  Also, what sort of clueless dipshit would ever greenlight a motorcycle ad that concludes with some sneering dead-eyed numbskull wearing what looks A LOT like a Nazi helmet?  WTF?"

[heloego]

Jeeezus!
I wanted to kill myself after the first minute! 

[Arizoni]

The ad was made to appeal to a different culture.  A different way of looking at life and a different perspective of the things around us.

I wouldn't expect a person from the US or Europe or Great Britain to understand it and I can't say I totally do but that is the way life is in India.

Since over 94% of the Royal Enfields sold are sold in India I guess it's only natural some of their ads would try to be about things and feelings the Indian people would relate to.

[REpozer]

I'm pretty lucky down here in Virginia, what with our occasional semi-balmy and shirtsleevey riding days, even in mid-winter.  But winter's winter. I may not have to completely mothball my ride for the duration just to stare balefully out the frosted windows at those drifts and glaciers month after month after month, but some days are still better spent binge-watching YouTube Royal Enfield videos...even the ones in Hindi or Tamil or whatever, often as not inexplicably and annoyingly posted with English titles. I know, I know: "First World Problems". Still, if you had any sense you wouldn't lob entirely English-language videos up there with Hindi, German or Serbo-Croatian titles, would you? But the most annoying Indian Royal Enfield video I've yet encountered by far has to be the surly and depressing drudge-fest titled, THE MACHINE "A Tribute to Royal Enfield Desert Storm 500cc", which is in English.  Please tell me this was not something commissioned by the Royal Enfield company itself. If so, then someone in their Publicity Department needs to be cleaning out their desk while a pair of security guards observe.

I seldom leave any but favorable YouTube comments, but in the case of this particular gurken I posted the following:

""David" must be a  lot of laughs to hang out with. That whole gloomy and intense vibe doesn't so much say, "I've just had a superb snort down twisty country lanes on my lovely new thumpin' Bullet" as it does, "I need to talk to my pharmacist about doubling down on my Zoloft prescription to treat my worsening depression since I ran over my dog."  Lighten up, Francis!  That gal seems nice though. She can ride with me.  At least I have a lovely bouncy sprung pillion seat for her on MY old cast iron barrel Bullet.  Also, what sort of clueless dipshit would ever greenlight a motorcycle ad that concludes with some sneering dead-eyed numbskull wearing what looks A LOT like a Nazi helmet?  WTF?"

Hmmm, this photographer watches too many old westerns......https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3a-DaJE5ab4
Is that the same guy?

[Chuck D]

Ahh... the brooding loner-rugged individualist trope except this time played out by a guy with a "funny" accent.

[Stanley]

That guy waited 8 months for a bullet. No wonder he's bummed!

[Bilgemaster]

That guy waited 8 months for a bullet. No wonder he's bummed!

Could be worse. Back when East Germany was a happy socialist workers paradise the average wait time for one of those little two stroke Trabant cars of theirs was about 12 years. Kids would sign up for one when they were fresh out of high school and finally be able to get one when they had a couple-few kids of their own to toss into that little back seat.

[gizzo]

Hahaha what a load of claptrap. I put off watching this until now, kind of glad I made the effort. That was awful to say the least. Indian people trying to be hipsters are also extremely sad and pathetic.

[Bilgemaster]

Hahaha what a load of claptrap. I put off watching this until now, kind of glad I made the effort. That was awful to say the least. Indian people trying to be hipsters are also extremely sad and pathetic.

This reminds me of my unsung hero and your countryman, Ben Carlin, who circumnavigated the globe in a modded Ford GPA amphibious "Seep."  Stationed in India during the War, where he got the idea in the first place, for some reason he was no fan of the Indian people. That said, if our man Subbu-500 in Bangalore were to find his way to these shores for a looksee, I doubt there's much I wouldn't do to accommodate his travels--might even arrange to have something like this nice enough looking 350 handy for him to potter around on for a good long looksee (you might say "rollabout"). And I'd likely take the time to wrap a little PTFE thread sealing tape around those handlebar cable ends to make their operation silky smooth to help soothe that carpal thing. Don't suspect he's very "hipsteroid" though--doubt he rocks a soul patch. Still...with our without, Subbu's always welcome here in Virginia. That "David" in the film maybe not so much. Bring Nag Champa, Subbu lad. Already got your tent and Indian-made saddlebags at the ready. My superb ride today and the folks I met along the way lead me to believe that something like this might well happen if this whole "Enfield Thang" were to start cross-pollinating in a special way.

[gavinfdavies]

Just for the record, the typical German 'Nazi' helmet originated in WW1, where is was by far the most effective and practical. It was later roughly copied by some country between Canada and Mexico and the general shape still lives on. 

Kind of the way large amounts of German technical data on weapons & engines was collected post-1945 and used by many allied countries.

[Bilgemaster]

Just for the record, the typical German 'Nazi' helmet originated in WW1, where is was by far the most effective and practical. It was later roughly copied by some country between Canada and Mexico and the general shape still lives on. 

Kind of the way large amounts of German technical data on weapons & engines was collected post-1945 and used by many allied countries.

Until I retired in December, I worked 27 years as a librarian and senior researcher at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. I think I can spot a Nazi helmet.

[gizzo]

I don't think I've ever heard that story. Good one  . I'm sure if our Subbu500 lobbed in Australia, he'd find a warm welcome too. I don't mean to sound like an Indian basher as such, but I do find the way they latch onto whatever was in fashion last week in the western world and act like they invented it a bit off. It seems even more fake and contrived than the westerners who faked and contrived it in the first place. They have their own culture, they ought to embrace that (I'm not a big fan of young Australians mimicking American culture, either BTW). Indian friends have similar feelings.

[Subbu-500]

Relax folks...i just watched the video and it was funny to be honest. I wonder why this particular video is being talked about in such depth. It is just one of hundreds if not thousands on you tube and it is from 2015!! This guy is probably just one of those thousands of people who bought RE motorcycles in haste and is over excited about his purchase without really knowing what he has gotten himself into  ...a couple of hours on you tube and anyone can make their own video drawing influence from others. If he still rides his RE with the same emotions toward it, good for him...but he would have probably already traded it in for some faster (plastic) 300/400 cc "Machine" (as he might be calling it that now) by now

[Bilgemaster]

Yeah...you're both right. Maybe I'm just being a bit sensitive, and the guy's just "acting" after all. Still--Ugh!