Nice one Gary! Yeah, it's wasted in the city and not at it's happiest even in Eco mode but it's great out on the twistie A and B roads. The handling is unbelievably good and confidence inspiring and the brakes are strong with good feel, especially the rear. It's an absolute joy to slip up and down the gearbox as required. I'm approaching 1250 miles on mine (in Playa Black) and find it comfortable enough to be out on all day ........ when we get some decent weather, that is 🤔 I'll look forward to your opinions in part 2. Cheers for now, Phil (Somerset, UK)
Hi Phil, that sounds perfect for me and it's pretty much what I had hoped the Guerrilla would deliver, should I end up owning one. The brakes are a standout feature for me. I mention in part two that this is the first RE I've tried where the brakes feel really strong and where you can come to a halt using just two fingers. I was delighted to see that ( at last ! ). The chassis feels extremely taught and poised but the bike is incredibly quick to turn in and lie down. It feels like a bike to put a grin on your face on any twisty road, you just need to keep stirring the gearbox to keep it on the cam and you can feel like a boy racer again ! I was slightly concerned to carry too much lean angle with those blocky tyres. They are clearly fine, I've seen reviewers getting their knee down, but psychologically I think that I'd be more comfortable with some road sport tyres on there. I think the chassis is good enough to warrant some sportier tyres for maximum enjoyment ! Are you happy with the block treaded CEATs or are you also considering getting some proper road focused rubber on there ? This bike has me checking my bank balance daily, which is a worry ! Thanks for your input Phil and I hope you get a mild winter with plenty of dry, crisp riding days ! Cheers, Garry
@@economicalrides Hey Gary, don't give me too many 'spoilers' for part 2 or I wont need to watch it 😊 The Ceat tryes feel just fine to me, they certainly out perform the rider (me). I've got 2 other bikes running on Avon Storms which I find very good but these Ceats are every bit as good and I do like the block tread look ....... bit scramblerish 😁 I think some people are more concerned with 'Brand' and image, personally, I just want a tyre that works well and these Ceats certainly do that. Regarding vibes, I haven't found them to be an issue, my feet must sit just right on the footrest rubber insets. But, if I tip my feet forward or backwards to contact the metal part of the pegs, I can feel vibes but in normal riding position (for me), can't feel the vibes at all. Also, if you loosen your grip on the bars there is a noticeable buzz but, again, with normal grip on the bars, the vibes disappear. I have made a small but helpful mod to the throttle twist grip though. Because the 'fly by wire' throttle doesn't drag bowden cables 'to and fro' with their associated friction, I found the throttle to free moving and difficult to control over rough road surfaces (we've got plenty of those) Overall, I think it's a great looking bike and a really engaging ride. I'll look forward to your Part 2 👍Cheers, Phil
@@PAGallagher OK Phil, I'll shut up now. Please watch part two for more information and be sure to like, subscribe and hit the notifications bell 😜 The throttle response on the Guerrilla is a lot more linear than on the Himalayan I tried, where the first part of the throttle didn't move the bodies very much but then as you wound the throttle on further, the response became more linear and cable like. On the Guerrilla the throttle curve seems to be linear, the same all the way from the beginning of the throttle to the end. So yes, I can see how on bumpy roads you might end up riding with a jerky throttle. Fortunately I am in a position to avoid such things 😂 I do mention throttle response in part two by the way, so strongly recommend that you watch it 😜 Cheers Phil, always a pleasure chatting with you. Garry & Ruby
@@economicalrides With the throttle response, I think I've just been spoilt rotten with the Hunter, I had, (similar to your Meteor I guess) Those little 350s have such perfect town manners. I might have to get another one, one day. Always a pleasure to chat with you too, Gary. Cheers for now, Phil
Hadmy Guerrilla 450 since September 1st and have now clocked up nearly 1400 miles. The engine starts to loosen up properly from 1,000 miles onwards. I can confirm that any vibrations on the bike are minimal and not intrusive whilst riding. I can also say that it goes like you know what off a shovel, very impressive performance, handling and comfort.🙂👍
HI Jonathan, great to hear. Yes, it does go. It has enough shove to be fun and probably not so much that you end up doing silly speeds instantly. It definitely feels like it wants to be ridden enthusiastically and on a twisty mountain road. Exactly what I could provide 😇 I would have to get the hang of obscuring the speedo in my videos, should I get one though 😂 I very much enjoyed it and was greatly relieved to discover that I had no issues with the vibes on this bike. It is a contender but as I conclude in part two, I have to consider my situation before committing to buying one. It's a tough one. I am just waiting for that Eureka moment to arrive, when suddenly I know what to do, one way or the other. Enjoy yours ! Garry & Ruby
I was just wondering whether it would be any good off-road Ken. If it is, I could buy one to keep Norman's KMs down a bit 😂 I do like it, I can see that it would offer something different to the other two bikes, but I am struggling to justify a third bike just because I only get to ride once a week at most. Or I would just have to ride more often. Yeah, that could work 😂 Still mulling it over, waiting for my brain to come down on one side or the other. No rush though. I've decided that it would be my Christmas present to myself IF I should come down on the side of YES. So still a month to go before I need to make my mind up ! The original plan was always for the third bike to be a pre-depreciated second hand bike, so I could still stick with that plan. At least that way the third bike is not losing too much value when I am not using it 🤔 But the Guerrilla definitely impressed me enough to cause me a bit of a dilemma ! Cheers Ken, Garry & Ruby
Enjoyed part one Gary . It seems very promising so far . Was pleased when you said the vibes were better than the 450 Himalayan . look forward to part two . nice to see Ruby as always .
Thank you John. Yes, I could be tempted by this bike, just not in this colour scheme 😂 Ruby is a bit poorly at the moment and has to go to the vets' tonight 😢 Hopefully she can be easily sorted out, bless her. Hopefully it's not a sossidge allergy. That would be terrible for her ! Take care you two, Garry & Ruby
A man of excellent taste James ! Plus you get an analogue speedo and genuine flashing "idiot lights" thrown in. Okay, you lose the rev counter but I ride by ear/feel anyway and don't really see the need for one, except perhaps when running in.
Good evening Garry and Ruby, thank you for the mention 👍😄 Great to hear you enjoyed the test ride, they are a lot of fun aren't they.? I've not gelled with the dash personally. I have a TFT protector to install, hopefully it will help with glare and protect the screen to some degree. It really does come alive on twistier roads so i'm looking forward to part 2. p.s. you're never to old to get funky! 🤣👍
I'm definitely too old to have PURPLE on my bikes Dave 😂 Pink is also out of the question ! I think a screen protector is a very wise move Dave because judging by the state of the screen on this bike ( apparently somebody just wiped some bird poop off it and it ended up permanently damaged ! ) it is quite easily damaged ! Be very careful with it, would be my advice, it doesn't seem to be the toughest, most scratch resistant of outer layers. I can really imagine how frustrating it must be to run this bike in. In those conditions it is not going to be in its element AT ALL ! I would definitely be riding this bike every evening after work, to get the running in done asap. I wouldn't be buying it to baby it about like that, so I'd need it "ready to play" asap ! Maybe just put it on some rollers in the garage and tie the throttle open for a few days ? 😂 If I go for the analogue dash ( with ACTUAL idiot lights that you can ACTUALLY SEE - "Indicator Dave !" ) I will of course have to make do without a rev counter and would have to do my running in by feel. But I did that with the Meteor anyway and that doesn't appear to be broken in any way 😂 I'm tempted Dave. I'm tempted. I find myself checking my bank balance daily. This is a grave concern ! 😛 Good luck with the running in and kudos to you for getting funky 👍 Garry & Ruby ❤🐕
I saw one of these at West Bay this week, it had only done 200 miles and was blue and white. I must agree about the colours; they do detract from the shape. I reckon it would look nice in all black. Not for me but a nice bike for younger riders, I reckon. Love to Ruby Take care Garry Dave and Willers 🐶❤
Hi Dave ! I'd actually be inclined to buy a silver one, just to prove to people how smart this bike actually looks. I think it Is a good looking design, at least judging by how the silver one appears on the RE website. Not a fan of the blocky tyres, it needs to be on road tyres because that's where I'd use it. Typical scrambler nonsense ! I doubt that anybody would take this bike off-road, so why compromise its handling by fitting blocky tyres ? This would be my naughty boy bike, should I get one. It's certainly not a bike for relaxed cruising because this engine doesn't suit that at all. It will be interesting to see if RE can put a tune on this engine to drop peak power and increase torque, thereby enabling them to bring out a cruiser with this engine. I think it's unlikely to b e honest. It just doesn't feel like this engine could ever sit well in a cruiser. But what do I know ? Thanks Dave and Willers. Ruby is poorly and is off to the vets' after work. Hopefully nothing too bad or too expensive ! All the best to you all, Garry & Ruby
@@economicalrides Agreed. It's a great shape but the colour scheme here draws your eye away from the shape. I also agree about the tyres. 99% of these are never going to see any off road, so they should have good quality road tyre from the factory. My mate has the Himalayan and says the same thing about the engine, willing you to rev it all the time, unlike the 411 Himmy. I don't think they'll do a cruiser, now the 650 Classic is coming and also the Meteor and Super Meteor takes care of the cruiser market. As I say, not for me but a nice bike, I'm sure. Oh no, poor Ruby. I really hope she is okay. Give her some love from me and from Willow. All the best Dave and Willers.
When you mentioned Dave, I thought you were thinking of the other one. I'm looking forward to trying one. Good news about the vibes too. Looks like they are on a winner with this one. Good job Mr G, are you tempted? I do like that sherpa engine. El outro to you and Rubes🎉🎉 🎉🎉🎉
Mornin' Steve. Yes, in part two I do conclude that I am tempted. I fear that common sense will get in the way but I would very much like to add one to my fleet. It would offer something totally different to the other two. This bike wants to be worked hard, much like "Dave". It's not for relaxed cruising ( although "Dave" of course can often be found cruising ). It wants to be spanked ( again, much like "Dave" ) and would be tremendous fun on a mountain road on those days when you feel like a bit more of an adrenaline rush. For me the biggest takeaway was that unlike with the Himalayan 450, on this bike the vibes didn't bother me at all. I wasn't expecting that to be honest. I thought that I'd feel the same as I did about the Himmy. Too vibey. But no, not at all. A fair bit through the pegs at certain RPMs but it does smooth out higher up and no annoying vibes in the bars. Much better and I could definitely live with it. So I am now conflicted. This is a bike that I would enjoy owning, most definitely. I'd probably bin the scrambler tyres asap and get some sportier rubber on there. I think this bike would benefit from that. Thanks for checking out my attempt at a "review" of sorts. We know that you are the "Reviewmeister" ! Having to take Ruby to the vets' today because she has licked her LHS rear leg until she opened up two wounds and now they won't heal. Not sure what that's all about, hopefully it can be diagnosed and sorted without too much time and money being involved 🤞 I have suggested to Ruby that we could just chop it off and mount a skateboard there but she wasn't too impressed 🤷♂ Much love to you, "Dave" and the rest of the Exmouth posse, Garry and Ruby 🐕
I loved the guerrilla when I tried one, but I'd also go for the plain silver one and I wasn't keen on the engine. I've already got a 600cc bike and I wanted something more relaxed and the guerrilla engine felt like it wanted to be thrashed everywhere, so I ended up buying a hunter. Far more relaxing.
Yes. The Hunter was definitely the right choice in that case. The Sherpa 450 is not an engine for relaxed cruising whatsoever ! It needs you to be working the gears to keep it on the cam. Soon starts to lug if you let the revs drop too low. Since I have the Meteor already ( and a Himalayan for the trails ) this bike would be my naughty boy bike, should I decide to get one. This would be the bike for those days when you feel the need, the need for speed. But you already have the 600 for that, so again, no need for you to consider the Guerrilla. Cheers Rob, something fast and something relaxed sounds like a good combination 👍 Garry
Glad you enjoyed the run out. Nice colour, let down with purple patches stick to yellow and black. You can’t even read the Royal Enfield on the petrol tank.😂 Colin of Droneon29, in France, just came home with the Playa Black. It’s very nice.😊😊
I totally agree Mark. Purple has no place on a Royal Enfield. Neither does pink !!! Fortunately other colours are available and the one I like best also bins the silly flashing TFT screen whilst adding proper "idiot lights". Okay, you lose the rev counter with the analogue dash but for me that's a small price to pay ! In part two I was able to have a bit more fun with it, because the dealer straightened out the gear lever for me ! Cheers Mark 👍 Garry & Ruby
@@weemark67 Yes. Wouldn't blame them if they were now reluctant to buy in bikes for demo. They will have to take a hit when they sell this bike on, with the damage that it has. Actually they did say to me, that it would be available cheaper now, for me, when they do get around to moving it on. I didn't tell them that there's no way I'd ever buy an ex-demo bike ! Just ask me why 😇
Ooooowwwhhhheee, my favorite channel to watch tells me it's Tuesday! Mr algorithm, please notify the masses that the good news has come and all should see this video. Not all are created equal and economical as this channel. I beg you mr. algorithm, make this video take off and be seen by everyone.😊
Thanks Blake. Somehow this comment contains "blocked words" and was in the list of "waiting for approval" comments, where I've only just discovered it. Maybe we are no longer allowed to say "algorithm" ? Thank you very much. I can always rely on you to schmooze the algo for me and once again it appears to be working, although in this case it is probably just the subject matter. Since Ainsworth Rider is also intrigued by the egg crate luggage that seems to be commonplace over there, maybe you could try to capture a prime example for us in one of your future videos ? It's not really something we see in Europe ! Take care my friend and embrace the suck ! Garry & Ruby
Evening Garry, it looks like Royal Enfield have done it again, a fabulous engine in a good frame, the guerrilla is suited to anyone who has ridden a supermoto, sharp handling, light and responsive it’s obviously fun to ride but what’s it like as a day to day bike, I’m sure we’ll see, enough RUclipsrs have bought one 😂 all the best buddy 👍
Hi Mike. Yes. If I had one, I would be eager to get some 100% road tyres on it. Those chunky CEAT tyres are probably okay but I'd rather have uninterrupted rubber as a contact patch when on the side of the tyre than knobbly, nothing, knobbly, nothing, knobbly etc. It just undermines my confidence on the side of the tyre to know that the contact patch is so variable. To get some proper sporty road tyres on there and go nuts would be my plan. And with a 450 you can go nuts at fairly legal speeds too. It would be a lot of fun once run in and on some sportier tyres, I'm sure. Day to day it would be fine. It's light and easy to handle. Just not sure of the luggage possibilities. A tail pack on the rear seat should be possible and presumably some Himalayan racks and bags can be fitted, because it's the same frame. It's a decent amount of poke, fun and spec for the money, that's for sure. I think the reduced range after the Himalayan and particularly the Meteor would annoy me though. Hate stopping to fill up and the tank on the Guerrilla is quite small and if you ride it like you stole it, it's going to drink a fair bit ! Thanks as always Mike.Take care ! Garry & Ruby
Thanks for another entertaining video. Personally,I would probably go for a cruiser version of this bike, but then again, maybe not. I'm trying to save up for a Meteor 350, which is what I actually want the most, going by your and other reviews on RUclips. Keep it up, and cheers to Ruby.
This bike would definitely be in addition to, rather than instead of the Meteor 🙂 If I could only have one bike, it would always be the Meteor. It’s just a special thing ! I‘m not convinced that this 450 engine would suit a cruiser anywhere near as well as the 350 single does. It is a bit too rev hungry for a cruiser 🙂 Thanks very much for your comment and good luck getting your own Meteor. All the best from the two of us 👍 Garry & Ruby
@@economicalrides Thank you for the kind reply and assessment Garry. This is my first time commenting here, although I have watched and enjoyed many of your videos, and wait eagerly for new ones to come out. You have, as the saying goes, 'the gift of the gab', which makes you endear yourself to your audience. I apologize for any mistakes, as English is not my first language. Being 54 myself, I agree with what you said and think the Meteor 350 would suit me perfectly. I used to own a Bullet Machismo during the millennial years, but I hear Royal Enfield has come a long way from that era, which is much welcome, and your channel is one of the factors that made me dream of owning a motorcycle again. Thanks again, and keep well to both you and Ruby.
Thank you for your wonderful reply and it’s always fantastic to get to know a long time viewer, first time commenter ! Your English is impeccable by the way, so you don’t need to have any concerns on that front 🙂 Yes, I came from a similar place when I bought my Meteor. You‘ve probably heard how terrible my 2004 Bullet 500 Classic was. An absolute nightmare. Buying ANOTHER RE after that was a huge leap of faith and friends and family advised against it. But having seen how well received the 411 Himalayan was, it gave me the confidence to believe that the Meteor would be a well made motorcycle and so it turned out to be. I am SO GLAD that I didn’t listen to others and gave RE another chance. I‘ve bought three REs since and am now pondering buying a fourth ! Like me, I think you will have a much more positive RE experience with the Meteor 🙂 Thanks again for introducing yourself, greatly appreciated ! Garry & Ruby
I think those tyres might actually work reasonably well on the sand Clive, they have nice large blocks in the tread ! If you bought a yellow, purple and black one like this one, the dingos would leave you alone I reckon, they wouldn't want to be associated with you 😂 A silver one though........🤔 We're looking forward to seeing your recommissioning ride on the Virago when she's done mate. As mentioned previously, looks like you did a cracking job ! All the best to you lot from the other side of the world, Garry & Ruby "Hi Budders ! I'm still digging but I've somehow damaged me leg and now I have to go to the vets' !"
Evening Garry n Ruby ( poverty sausages 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣) poor Ruby made me laugh out loud and she didn’t bother to run off with it cos who else wants a poverty sausage 😳 bless her well mate you Sound impressed already everybody seems to like it sat in my dealers in Rennes for two and a half hours last Friday with with a white and grey shotgun and 2 black n red guerrillas and the white one with the lines in that pale blue on the tank and wheels my mate in the Bretagne loves his, Colin makes it sound like it’s all the bike you will ever need, 😂😂😂😂oh dear 🙄 I live in a world of want at the moment 😊 Well got the Metzelers on and immediately felt a huge difference just going in a straight line no tram lining, and not sure how to explain this mate but a softer ride like the tyre had become part of the suspension smooth and compliant I had an 80+ km ride home on well surfaced auto rout, rout nationals and D roads with plenty of twisty bits and flip flop roundabouts 😂 and they turn in lovely a bit more quicker than the ceats as they have what feels and looks like rounder tread area and higher profile but ooodles of grip even though I was scrubbing them in, yesterday was out for a couple of hours doing more scrubbing in and yes mate good tyres seem to suit the classic fine, had a full service while they were doing the tyres and Fanch the owner who I think builds moto guzzi race bikes, gave my brake callipers a service as I said my front brake was getting snatchy he thought it may be a a warped disc which I thought it was but apparently no it was a sticking calliper pistons so he sorted and cleaned both, which bless him he didn’t charge me for. Didn’t get the bloody bar ends again they are now €240 with the fitting kit so sticking with the bugs bunny ears for the time being, they have the same mirror and and fitting kit but no RE name on them, on Amazon for €135 so may give them a go. Look forward to part 2 mate and one of your cracking roads on the guerilla 😂😂😂 Chilli says poverty sausages aren’t good enough Ruby you need Toulouse sausages proper ones, 😂😂😂😂 that lot in Normandie 🇫🇷
Morning Pete ! The good times are definitely over. I had to buy a stamp to send off those pension forms after all and the money doesn't come in until next month, so it's "poverty" everything here at the moment 😂 Gutted that you didn't get the bar ends and can't blame you at that price either ! Ridiculous. I'd be tempted to give the Amazon ones a go, if they look exactly the same. The quality of the glass or construction might not be as good as the RE ones though, so you might not get the same benefit as I found with my RE ones. Thanks for the feedback on the Metzelers, they sound really good. Just need to find out if they do the correct sizes for the Meteor now ! I think the Guerrilla covers most bases apart from the Classic 350 / Meteor 350 chilled cruise thing. That engine lugs readily once the revs drop below about 2500 rpm, it doesn't feel happy at all. I imagine that would improve with more miles on the engine, but regardless, this does feel like an engine that wants to be worked. You need to be in the right gear all of the time to keep it on the cam. Then it would be a lot of fun. The running in period must be quite frustrating because the engine WANTS revs but as the owner you would be reluctant to give them 😛 The road in part two turned out to be the road we used for the first part of the One Ride, where my GoPro refused to fire up. So belatedly you all get to see a bit of the missing part of that ride too. A nice road but with low speed limits on it, so hard to enjoy it at legal speeds. Of course I stuck to the speed limit at all times 😙 Take care Pete, love to the crew ! Garry and Ruby 🐕"Hi Chillers ! Off to the vets' later. Dad says they are going to chop me manky paw off. I hope he's joking cos I need four paws for chasing rabbits and sossidges, don't I ? !"
@@economicalrides blimey mate Ruby got a bad paw 🐾 what’s the matter with it our Marvin American cocker (we lost him and then chills came along ) had a deformed paw which started to cause problems for him at about 8 years old the vet tried to surgically separate the toes and pads but it wasn’t a great success and he was kinda lame after for the rest of his life but he was my mate we loved him to bits as we do all our dogs but he was a little bit more special, he wasn’t expected to live more than a year due to born a hernia with a puppy attached but we took him on and he lived to be 10, 🙁 hope she’s ok 👍 yes you can’t beat the chugability of the classic and meteor and to be honest the reason I sold the Ktm 690 Duke was be Ajs it was frenetic all the time even on tour mode, oh well just have to carry on in a world of want, and if I really wanted one would I have spent €500 on the classic, tyres n tubes + spare tubes ( in case I tour next year Michelin air stops used them on my scooters for years not so much air lost when standing) full service etc 🙄 he did have a nice white blue Norman with screen n boxes new, special price 😬
@@PeterHolland-mu7yn With each passing day the Guerrilla seems to be calling me more and more Pete. I'm scared !!! 😂 I seem to have convinced myself that I deserve it 🤔 As for Ruby, good news so far. Vet reckoned I should put a small amount of cream on it, very thin, and that way she would hopefully not lick it off. He reckoned that it should heal within four days, so a cheap and easy fix, if I can get her not to lick the wound all of the time. That will be the tricky part. When I am working, I can't have eyes on her and usually she takes that opportunity to start licking again. But I'll try it for a while and if it doesn't work, somewhere I have one of those lampshades that she might end up having to wear for a while ! But other than the wounds on her leg ( caused by constant licking for reasons unknown ! ) she got a clean bill of health last night, following a thorough checkup, so relieved about that. She will hopefully be around for a few more years yet and she was delighted to hear that it can't be the result of a sossidge allergy 😂 Cheers you lot, Garry & Ruby 🐕 "Hi Chillers ! I've got a gammy leg ain't I ? Better lick it better then, eh ?"
I like the black and yellow - I would wouldn’t I, being the younger generation 😂 I really do like these. I’m not in the market for one though. Not yet anyway 🥴 Are you sure you didn’t edit out the part where you fell off??? 🤪 Nice one! Look forward to the twists and turns. Much love to both from both 🙂
Black and yellow I have no issue with Jeff. Just look at Buddy ! He's epic as is the Bee-Strom. What I take issue with here is the PURPLE 🤮 The ROYAL ENFIELD script on the tank is in purple as well and looks pretty shocking imo. Yellow and black without the purple would have been fantastic. I just can't get onboard with the purple, I'm afraid. I know that in the 80s there were bikes with pink and purple paint on the fairings and I always found them shocking too 😱 I almost feel obliged to buy a silver one, just to show the world how good this bike looks in just one colour. It feels almost like my mission now 😂 I simply don't want to ride a bike that looks like it got dressed in the dark ! Cheers Jeff, Garry
@@Saddlebags73 Yes. I think late 80s / early 90s the Japanese started using pink and purple in some of their paint jobs and I think that triggered my aversion to seeing these colours on any bike since 🤮 Dave likes it though, says you’re never too old to get funky with it 😂
I have just bought the Player Black, I loving it. Interesting how reviewers talk about the vibration. I ride a 62 AJS 650 and a 77 750 Triumph. You guys have no idea what vibration is😂. To me the Guerilla is silky smooth, the throttle in power mode is a little snatchy,I tried eco mode which flattens out the power delivery and takes the snatch out of the throttle. Eco is good for dirt roads but power is really the only way to go. It turns me into a bloody old hoon😂
Ah well, I did own a Bullet 500 for many years. Not a Classic 500, a proper Bullet 500 with the cast iron head and four speed gearbox. Riding that at 60 mph taught me all about vibrations 😜 Those are a different kind of vibration though, long stroke, shaking your fillings out type vibrations. Probably good for breaking down any kidney stones one might have. I find the shorter stroke, higher frequency vibrations to be much worse, they are much more tingly. I've never ridden a British twin but based on my experience with early Japanese twins, they produce tingly vibes too, I would imagine. So it's the high frequency vibes that I am sensitive to and on this bike I found them to be well within the acceptable range. On the Himalayan 450 I tried, they were far worse and for me simply not acceptable. I'm glad that you are enjoying yours, it's definitely a hooligan tool, this one. It would be a great addition to my garage because it offers a different type of ride to the other bikes, just not sure that I have the time for a third bike and it would be a shame to buy it and then not use it, or to then neglect the others 🤔 Cheers bud and enjoy being a hooligan again. I think the Guerrilla is a bike that longs to be ridden like it's being ridden by a seventeen year old 😂 So that is your challenge, should you choose to accept it 😉 Cheers, Garry
Gold Dip only cost 50€ more than the base Smoke Silver. Did Njoy this first impression. hope they fix the bike for your review on it. Thank you very much & Cheers. Ruby & Garry 🍻
Trouble is, only the silver one comes with an analogue dash. OK, it lacks the rev counter of the digital one but to me it is just nicer. I also think that the silver one looks nice and less fussy but taste is very subjective. If I could have the white and blue one with an analogue dash, I‘d probably go for that instead. I took the bike back to the dealer after filming this part and they straightened the gear lever in time for part two 🙂 Cheers William, Garry & Ruby
Hi Pete. The purple was a bit much for me to be honest. Yellow and black I can accept 😛 Purple and pink have no place on a motorcycle IMO. Do you remember in the 90s there were sports bikes with purple and pink on the fairings. Yuck. Didn't like them either ! Part two comes out tonight and I get to throw it at some bends. But not before I took it back to the shop to get the gear lever straightened ! Cheers Pete, Garry & Ruby
I'm pretty sure that they believe that I didn't drop it ! I mean, even in this video, you can see that I left the shop, went up and down the motorway and was already having problems finding the gear lever. Then I parked up and discovered that it was bent. Case closed m'lud 😇 I felt sorry for them, it's the sort of thing that would stop you ordering demo bikes altogether, isn't it ? Unfortunately they don't check the bikes for damage before or after the ride, so they can't ever really prove who did any damage, although of course you sign an agreement beforehand to pay for any damage caused. Clearly there are some pretty nasty people out there who will crash one of their bikes and then return it saying nothing. My guess is that it must have been the person to ride it before me because anybody else would have also complained that the gear lever was bent. So my guess is that it happened directly before I got to ride the bike. But I am sure that they realise that I would admit it straight away if I had damaged one of their bikes. I think they know me well enough by now ! Still felt gutted for them. When it comes to selling that bike, they are going to take a bit of a hit because of all of the damage. Annoying ! Cheers Peter ! Garry
Hi Garry, enjoyed Part I and am looking forward to the second part. Question: I'm no spring chicken and, while my knees give me no problems at the moment (and I'd prefer to keep it that way!), I'd be interested in how comfortable the riding position is. Say, compared to the Meteor? Thanks & cheers, Glenn P.S. Also, the tire profile looks interesting. Are they also Ceat? As on the Meteor? I've got over 13 thousand on my tires now and will probably be looking to replace them in the Spring next year. I wasn't overly impressed with the cornering with the stock tires on my Meteor.
Hi Glenn, funny you should say that but in part two I do mention that with the low seat and relatively high pegs, I do end up with a more acute angle in the knees than would be comfortable for long distances. As I get older, that could become an issue. I'd be okay for now because with that relatively small tank, you'd probably be stopping every 90 minutes or two hours to fill up if you were on a longer trip. But yes, your legs do feel slightly scrunched up on the Guerrilla. The tyres are urban scrambler style tyres, again from CEAT. Since I don't feel comfortable doing extreme lean angles on knobbly tyres (!) I would be looking to replace them with some nice sporty road tyres, I reckon. What I'd save in buying the base version I could put towards a decent pair of tyres for sportier riding ! My Meteor is due a new pair of tyres having done about the same mileage as yours. I am currently looking at Metzeler and Michelin alternatives. I had no issue with the CEAT tyres and they've lasted very well but the rubber is three and a half years old now and certainly not as grippy as it once was ! Cheers Glenn, Garry
I think the Eliminator is going to be a more relaxed ride, so it depends what you want. I'd say that the Guerrilla wants revs, wants you to work the gearbox all of the time. It soon starts to lug if you let the revs drop. I think the Kawasaki would allow for a more relaxed ride with less effort required, purely based on the reviews I've seen, never tried one myself. Try to get a test ride if you can. You'll know fairly quickly which style of bike you prefer. The Guerrilla is more of a bike for carving up mountain roads, I'd say. It requires you to get more involved in the ride, if that makes sense. I imagine that the Kawa would be a lot more relaxed and easy going. Good luck deciding ! Garry
@@economicalrides I think as an older guy, I'm more inclined to take casual relaxed cruises. I really don't find racing fast, or carving corners very appealing. I think I'm going to look at the Eliminator and maybe the Royal Enfield Classic 350. I know they are completely different bikes, but both are optimal for back road casual cruising.
@@jjstuartonwriting8150 Well in that case you shouldn't overlook the Meteor 350. That bike has some sort of weird zen magic baked in. It puts you into such a relaxed state that you just savour every mile. It is an incredible bike, much more than the sum of its parts. After three and a half years I still love mine and everybody I know who has one, feels the same way. I think it would really deliver what you are looking for from your motorcycling. I highly recommend that you try the Meteor if you have the opportunity. But based on what you've just written, the Guerrilla is not going to be the right bike for the type of riding that you are looking to do. Good luck deciding. The Classic 350 or the Meteor 350 would both do the job for you, I would say. Cheers, Garry
@@economicalrides I'm coming to the same conclusion. I like the Guerrilla's larger engine but I don't want a high revving machine. The same holds for the Eliminator. Yes it's almost 500CC but it's so soulless and bland. I keep coming back to the Classic 350. I did sit on a Meteor back in August at the dealership and considered buying it, but when I came back it was sold.
@@jjstuartonwriting8150 Try both the Meteor and the Classic if you can. I’ve owned both and for me, the relaxed vibe of the Meteor won through. Both wonderful weekend motorcycles though, you can’t go wrong with either one 🙂
Great Review - but wait with the purchase as the 650 Classic is coming very soon. I couldn’t sell the Sportster for an acceptable price, so I invest in a complete overhaul (it is currently in the shop and bills sum up…)and keep it as an forever bike ( don’t like the idea…) Btw - Iceland was fantastic and I will go there again, but next time by bike…
Hi Sexy 😜 I was wondering where you'd got to ! That's a real shame that you feel obliged to keep the Harley even though you would have preferred to have moved it on and tried some other bikes. I thought the air cooled Sportsters were supposed to be highly sought after and prices were strong. Maybe if you can have yours in tip top condition, with receipts for all of the work done, you might soon be able to get all of your money back ? It should be worth more and easier to sell ( and nicer to use ) once all of the work has been done, so it's probably going to pay off in the end Michael. To be honest Michael, I am not really interested in the 650 Classic or any of the 650s. I just feel that they are too heavy and drink too much fuel. Maybe if the Classic 650 has an epic twin rumble coming from the factory exhaust, I could reconsider. But generally I find that engine too heavy for the power it makes and too thirsty. The 350 single certainly has more character to it. The 450 Sherpa engine doesn't really have character as such, but it does feel like a thoroughly modern and capable unit and combined with the excellent chassis and brakes of the Guerrilla makes for a real hooligan tool, which would be a worthwhile addition to my fleet. I am not going all in just yet but I am pretty close to deciding ! Take care Michael and good luck with the Harley. I'm sure you'll enjoy it when it's done and even if you don't, hopefully you'll find it easier to sell. LG Garry
Well I can't really make out what the silver one really looks like as the RE ad is so 'funky' - I think that's what it's called or is that a yesterday word? Hmm probably. Going straight from Norman to the Guerilla must indeed have been quite a shock as the geometry is so totally different isn't it. Looking forward to your ride impressions next week. 👍
Morning Peter ! The only place you get a decent view of the silver one is when you scroll down and get to "COLOURS" and can skip through the various colours and prices and even activate a 360 degree view of your chosen colour I think the silver one looks smart and understated. Just like me then ! 😇 Definitely, going from a 21" front, where you need to give the bars a good shove to get the bike over, to this bike was indeed a huge change ! Should I decide to buy one, the Guerrilla would very much be my naughty boy bike. It wants to be hustled. That engine doesn't really do the relaxed cruise thing like the J Series 350s do. It wants you to keep the revs up. When the revs drop, at least when new, it quickly starts lugging, something Dave also noticed when trying to run his in. This engine wants to remain above 2500-3000 rpm all of the time, and doesn't really feel happy below that. Thanks Peter, take care 🙂 Oh, Martin Trafford has arrived safely in these parts, so now looking forward to meeting up with him over the weekend ! Garry & Ruby
First gear still feels incredibly short, even with the smaller 45 tooth sprocket fitted to the Guerrilla. In the city, presumably you'd like to be able to keep the bike in first gear most of the time ? The jump from first to second gear is pretty big, so yes, I can imagine you might be constantly shifting between first and second with the standard gearing. In that case your suggestion could work ! In my brief ride I didn't notice how fast the Guerrilla would go in first gear without revving its nuts off, but it didn't feel particularly fast. So gearing up at the rear should give you a few more kph in first gear, possibly enough for most city riding. I only had a fairly brief test ride on the bike but first gear is still very low and it feels as though the engine would easily pull.a longer first gear. Whether two teeth smaller at the rear will be enough to be able to leave the bike in first gear in all traffic, I can't say. Somebody would have to try it 🙂 Cheers, Garry
Great video. Great bike. I too do not care much for the color scheme. Not sure what possessed the otherwise quite sensible firm to go nuts with colors.
Thank you kindly ! 🤗 Black and yellow I can get on board with. Just see Buddy, my Meteor. But in my humble opinion purple has no place on a motorcycle and particularly not when yellow is also involved !!! 😱 It looks like the Guerrilla got dressed in the dark. Definitely not my cup of tea ! Fortunately the smart looking silver one is the only one with the analogue dash, so that made my mind up for me. Silver or not at all ! Cheers buddy, appreciate you watching and commenting. 🙂 Garry
It’s definitely economical Stefan. A lot of bike for the money ! It’s just like the Meteor, fantastic value but a different style of bike but a ton of fun ! After filming part one and before heading for the twisties I took the bike back to the shop and showed them the damage. They knew nothing about it but then straightened the gear lever in time for part two 🙂 Unfortunately they never check the bike for damage before handing it over, so although they can suspect the previous rider, they can’t really prove anything. But it’s pretty terrible that somebody would damage their bike and then give it back without saying anything. I was gutted for them but they didn’t seem too upset, bless them ! Cheers Stefan, Garry & Ruby
Curses! You beat me to it! Microphone problems meant I had to do voiceovers, which extended the edit considerably. Mine is much shorter, but I intend to do a full review, if I can blag one for a bit. 😊 Not watched this yet, but will later, possibly with a glass of something relaxing 🥃
Well, well, well. So having watched your video after having (finally) completed mine, I am struck by how similar our conclusions are! It might be out on Sunday, but then again maybe the following Wednesday. The Guerrilla is a really nice little bike. It's actually about 56kg lighter than the SuperMeteor which is 123 pounds if my calculator is right which does explain a lot. However, the Autumn weather is closing in here and I think I'm going to be spending a lot time editing videos and not riding. 😐
@@CornishMotorcycleDiaries Like the Meteor, it is fantastic value, especially considering the added power, quality suspension and (finally) excellent brakes. If I didn't have two bikes already, I would have ordered one as my first or second bike, I'm sure. Just not sure that I can justify spending that much money on a third bike, unfortunately 🤔 I still haven't decided. Maybe one day I will wake up feeling reckless and go out there and order one 🤷♂ It would certainly offer something different to my two other bikes. It would become my "little naughty boy" bike ! Cheers Andy, Garry
In another "first ride" video, the reviewer echoed your remarks about the vibrations being felt in the pegs, but not the handlebar (at around 5,000 rpm). He did mention, though, that there was a momentary "stumble" felt after every upshift from 1st to 2nd gear. Maybe that was only in "Performance" mode, rather than "Eco," or just his test unit? I'll be interested to know how this bike compares to the new Triumph 400s.
Hi, can’t say that I noticed a stumble from first to second on this bike but first gear is very short and the step up to second is probably quite large. Since, at least when new, this motor has a tendency to lug if you let the revs drop, maybe that was the issue ? If you don’t shift into second quickly enough, I can imagine the the engine would protest slightly. I think the tendency to lug is likely to reduce significantly once these engines have a few more miles on them. When new, they definitely want to remain above 2500 rpm or so ! But vibes through the bars were definitely minimal on this bike, so a significant improvement over the 450 Himalayan, if you are familiar with that bike. Thanks for watching and commenting, very interesting ! Garry & Ruby
Blake, glad to hear that you are alive and kicking but this comment has me confused 😂 Do young people ride around with egg crates on the back of their bikes in Virginia ? 😝 I would definitely prefer the bike with sportier 100% road tyres. The whole scrambler thing is just a hipster trend. You end up buying a nice road bike handicapped by shite tyres ! I would definitely get some nice road tyres on this bike, if I had one. Cheers Blakester ! Garry & Ruby
@@economicalrides egg creates are awesome. They hold a lot and you can put a bungee net over the top. I was also thinking college kids going to school and first job. Semi off road for grass and dirt areas where someone would park that bike in the back yard. I am not sure I will see older adults would buy that here with out purpose. Might just be me.
@@BlakesPipes Wow. Cultural differences eh ? Would never have imagined that Blake 😂 Well, it does have semi-off-road tyres on it but attaching an egg crate could be tricky. It's certainly aimed at a younger market than most RE models, no doubt about that. But if you live near some twisty roads and you are a mature rider who wants to have some fun, without doing crazy speeds, then this bike is quite appealing. Dave from Mercia Moto wanted one for that reason, as do I, although I'm reluctant to buy a third bike when I rarely use the two that I currently have. But as a first or second bike, I think I would have ordered one of these. Great value and you can really have a lot of fun on one ! Cheers Blake and thanks for the cultural education. Egg crates as a sort of top case. Eggcellent ! 😛 Garry & Ruby
@@Ainsworth-Rider Nowt wrong with a cardboard top case if you live in a dry region James 😂 I'm trying to visualise what kind of crate people use for motorcycle luggage over there but am struggling with it. Maybe Blake can try to capture a prime example in one of his future videos because he clearly has us intrigued ! 🤔
Yes. The Showa stuff is doing a good job of damping out the shocks coming into the wheels. It's a nice firm, sporty setup, very much in keeping with the nature of the bike 👍 The Guerrilla could be epic with some nice sticky road sport tyres on it, I reckon, but it's also plenty of fun as it is. Cheers again, Garry
@@brettroman3218 😂😂😂 Funny you should say that but I have never had IKEA meatballs in my life. I know that they are a thing and they are probably the only reason I have to ever want to go to IKEA. Are they any good ? Cheer Brett, Garry & Ruby
@@brettroman3218 Thanks for that Brett. Sounds good. Do the meatballs come in a flat pack or are they served pre-assembled ? 😂 That might actually be a good topic for a video. Next time I am in Almeria getting one of the bikes serviced. I could share my first IKEA meatball experience with the world !!! I went into that store once by mistake and I simply could not find the exit ! Neither could I find a member of staff to ask where the exit was. All of the signage saying "Exit" did not lead me to the exit. I felt like I was in some sort of nightmare, trapped in an endless maze of furniture and scatter cushions. I honestly can't remember how I got out of there but I do remember passing the cafeteria with the meatballs ( where there were also freezers containing other Swedish delicacies to cook at home ). I shall return and next time I'll order the meatballs and film it ! 👍 Cheers Brett, Garry & Ruby 🐕 "Meatballs sound nice !"
Great story Garry! Exactly the same thing happened to me many years ago on my first visit to Ikea. I couldn't find the exit.Surely it must be designed this way.I drove a Volvo for years and never had any problem lol...Best car I ever had too! Cook it in a slow cooker with some sauce....aahh...Cheers Mate,looking forward to the Swedish meatball story..😅
@@brettroman3218 Hi Brett. Yes, I think they deliberately put up ambiguous signage to keep you in there, desperately seeking the exit. Those Swedes must have a cruel sense of humour, the blonde bar stewards. You could be in luck ! I have a service due on the Himalayan next week. I am seriously considering vlogging that and then stopping for my first ever IKEA meatballs on the way home. It would be a different type of video but still a motorcycle vlog because I did get Norman serviced at the same time 😂 I can see this happening ! I will give you due credit for the inspiration of course but will be keeping the millions in RUclips ad revenue for myself ! 🤔 Ruby's sossidges don't come cheap ! Thanks Brett. I think this could be a great idea for a video 👍 I just hope that I don't end up with a serious Swedish meatball habit. Almería would be a long way to go for a "fix". Cheers bud, Garry & Ruby
Strange that RE can't or won't sort out the flickering of the dash and that it is difficult to read in bright sunlight as India from what I see on YT videos is quite often in most places a sunny country. Therefore many people I assume don't know or care what speed they are doing in India.
Hi Simon, well I imagine that it can't be fixed in software and if it's a consequence of the hardware, before launching the bike they will have sourced the parts for the dash and ordered a large quantity of them. So I guess they can't really change anything now that the parts are all specced and ordered. It is odd that no other manufacturer has managed to do the same though. I suppose RE would say that it's not their problem if cameras can't film the dash properly. Clearly they heard about the issue early on because Itchy Boots pointed it out in her videos when she was over there with one of their pre-production bikes. 🤷♂ I agree that the analogue dash will be easier to read on bright days and also will come with proper "idiot lights" for the indicators etc., which are much easier to see than the little arrows on the dingy screen. Only downside to the analogue dash is that you lose the rev counter of the digital one but I ride by ear and how the engine is feeling, so can't say I've ever missed a rev counter. Handy during the running in period I guess but after that I'd never need it. So definitely silver with analogue dash for me, if I can convince myself to spend the money ! If I didn't have two bikes already, I'm pretty sure that I would have ordered a Guerrilla by now, because it is light, great fun and extremely good value. Cheers Simon 👍 Garry & Ruby
yes , well ,, pretty much what i guessed you would say , much better than the ugly himo mk 2 ,, you didn't show us the dealership ??, also it has ' buddy ' colours - which to me is top choice ,, don't understand the boring silver choice , , ruby and zen may have to work on you ;;;
But Simon ! It has PURPLE on it ! PURPLE ! Even the RE name on the tank is in PURPLE ! It's horrid. Black and yellow, like Buddy, I would buy all day long ( well, if it came with an analogue dash ) but there is no way I am buying a bike with pink or purple on it. Just not happening 😂 The silver one just looks smart. And more importantly doesn't have a silly TFT screen on it. Thanks Simon and Zen 🙂 Garry & Ruby
@@simongilbert2704 Yep. But if you go for the analogue dash, you do miss out on the rev counter. But I can live with that because you get a cleaner look and good old LED idiot lights. Old skool rulez 😝 Cheers Simon, Garry
My guess would be the person who rode it before me because I am sure that everybody who rode the bike after them would have complained about the gear lever being bent. It was quite awkward to ride it with the lever bent, so I am sure that everybody would have come back and mentioned it. Unfortunately the dealer doesn't check for damage before and after each ride, so they can only suspect who it might have been but not prove anything. But I wanted to let them know asap, just so they didn't find out much later on and end up thinking that I might have done it. If I'd have done it, I would of course have had no problem admitting that I'd done it. There are evidently less honest folks out there James ! I felt terribly sorry for them because it's the sort of thing that could make them reluctant to buy demo bikes in the future and then we all suffer. Fortunately they seemed a lot more relaxed about it than I would have been, had it been my bike ! Cheers James, G&R
😂 Well that was the intention. But in part two I did put it into Performance Mode because the dealer insisted that I try it. I can't say that I noticed any difference at all to be honest and if it uses more fuel than Eco Mode, then I definitely won't be using it, should I buy my own ! I'd be interested to compare the two modes when the engine is fully run in. It may become a more noticeable difference then, who knows ? 🤷♂ Although I think with the Himmy 450 people said the same thing - they couldn't tell the difference. Cheers James, Garry & Ruby
It seemed the handlebar is also bent from the drop. I hate bars that aren't straight!🥲 I love my Meteor but not so much the cruiser position. The Guerilla may be a good change.
Hi David, reviewing the footage, I did think that the bars might be bent or the forks no longer aligned although it didn't really feel like it when riding. But I know what you mean. In the footage the left hand bar end seems nearer to me than the right hand one when I am holding the bike in a straight line. It might just be that my head isn't on straight, we shouldn't discount that possibility ! 😂 With regard to a comparison to the Meteor, this 450 Sherpa engine is a totally different proposition to the lazy, relaxed J Series 350. Somebody said that they were waiting for a Meteor with this engine but I can't really see it. The Sherpa engine doesn't have the grunt low down that a cruiser should have. It really needs a fair few revs on before it feels comfortable. So be aware that the Guerrilla's engine will be nothing like your current 350 and the bike will want to be ridden in a different way to the lovely patient and forgiving Meteor. Thanks David, take care, Garry
@@petehealy9819 The footage would suggest that and the bike had clearly been dropped onto the LHS and that was indeed the bar which was nearer to me, so would make sense. Surprisingly though, when riding, I didn't really notice anything untoward and I am usually sensitive to such things. Whatever happens, I won't be buying that particular Guerrilla, that's for sure. It has had a hard life already, the poor thing. Thanks Pete, Garry
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Nice one Gary! Yeah, it's wasted in the city and not at it's happiest even in Eco mode but it's great out on the twistie A and B roads. The handling is unbelievably good and confidence inspiring and the brakes are strong with good feel, especially the rear. It's an absolute joy to slip up and down the gearbox as required. I'm approaching 1250 miles on mine (in Playa Black) and find it comfortable enough to be out on all day ........ when we get some decent weather, that is 🤔 I'll look forward to your opinions in part 2. Cheers for now, Phil (Somerset, UK)
Hi Phil,
that sounds perfect for me and it's pretty much what I had hoped the Guerrilla would deliver, should I end up owning one.
The brakes are a standout feature for me. I mention in part two that this is the first RE I've tried where the brakes feel really strong and where you can come to a halt using just two fingers. I was delighted to see that ( at last ! ). The chassis feels extremely taught and poised but the bike is incredibly quick to turn in and lie down. It feels like a bike to put a grin on your face on any twisty road, you just need to keep stirring the gearbox to keep it on the cam and you can feel like a boy racer again !
I was slightly concerned to carry too much lean angle with those blocky tyres. They are clearly fine, I've seen reviewers getting their knee down, but psychologically I think that I'd be more comfortable with some road sport tyres on there.
I think the chassis is good enough to warrant some sportier tyres for maximum enjoyment !
Are you happy with the block treaded CEATs or are you also considering getting some proper road focused rubber on there ?
This bike has me checking my bank balance daily, which is a worry !
Thanks for your input Phil and I hope you get a mild winter with plenty of dry, crisp riding days !
Cheers,
Garry
@@economicalrides Hey Gary, don't give me too many 'spoilers' for part 2 or I wont need to watch it 😊 The Ceat tryes feel just fine to me, they certainly out perform the rider (me). I've got 2 other bikes running on Avon Storms which I find very good but these Ceats are every bit as good and I do like the block tread look ....... bit scramblerish 😁 I think some people are more concerned with 'Brand' and image, personally, I just want a tyre that works well and these Ceats certainly do that. Regarding vibes, I haven't found them to be an issue, my feet must sit just right on the footrest rubber insets. But, if I tip my feet forward or backwards to contact the metal part of the pegs, I can feel vibes but in normal riding position (for me), can't feel the vibes at all. Also, if you loosen your grip on the bars there is a noticeable buzz but, again, with normal grip on the bars, the vibes disappear. I have made a small but helpful mod to the throttle twist grip though. Because the 'fly by wire' throttle doesn't drag bowden cables 'to and fro' with their associated friction, I found the throttle to free moving and difficult to control over rough road surfaces (we've got plenty of those) Overall, I think it's a great looking bike and a really engaging ride. I'll look forward to your Part 2 👍Cheers, Phil
@@PAGallagher OK Phil, I'll shut up now.
Please watch part two for more information and be sure to like, subscribe and hit the notifications bell 😜
The throttle response on the Guerrilla is a lot more linear than on the Himalayan I tried, where the first part of the throttle didn't move the bodies very much but then as you wound the throttle on further, the response became more linear and cable like.
On the Guerrilla the throttle curve seems to be linear, the same all the way from the beginning of the throttle to the end. So yes, I can see how on bumpy roads you might end up riding with a jerky throttle. Fortunately I am in a position to avoid such things 😂
I do mention throttle response in part two by the way, so strongly recommend that you watch it 😜
Cheers Phil, always a pleasure chatting with you.
Garry & Ruby
@@economicalrides With the throttle response, I think I've just been spoilt rotten with the Hunter, I had, (similar to your Meteor I guess) Those little 350s have such perfect town manners. I might have to get another one, one day. Always a pleasure to chat with you too, Gary. Cheers for now, Phil
Hadmy Guerrilla 450 since September 1st and have now clocked up nearly 1400 miles. The engine starts to loosen up properly from 1,000 miles onwards. I can confirm that any vibrations on the bike are minimal and not intrusive whilst riding.
I can also say that it goes like you know what off a shovel, very impressive performance, handling and comfort.🙂👍
HI Jonathan,
great to hear. Yes, it does go. It has enough shove to be fun and probably not so much that you end up doing silly speeds instantly.
It definitely feels like it wants to be ridden enthusiastically and on a twisty mountain road. Exactly what I could provide 😇
I would have to get the hang of obscuring the speedo in my videos, should I get one though 😂
I very much enjoyed it and was greatly relieved to discover that I had no issues with the vibes on this bike.
It is a contender but as I conclude in part two, I have to consider my situation before committing to buying one. It's a tough one. I am just waiting for that Eureka moment to arrive, when suddenly I know what to do, one way or the other.
Enjoy yours !
Garry & Ruby
I wouldn't be ever so shocked to see one of these on Gary's shopping list quite soon...... 😉
I was just wondering whether it would be any good off-road Ken. If it is, I could buy one to keep Norman's KMs down a bit 😂
I do like it, I can see that it would offer something different to the other two bikes, but I am struggling to justify a third bike just because I only get to ride once a week at most. Or I would just have to ride more often. Yeah, that could work 😂
Still mulling it over, waiting for my brain to come down on one side or the other. No rush though. I've decided that it would be my Christmas present to myself IF I should come down on the side of YES. So still a month to go before I need to make my mind up !
The original plan was always for the third bike to be a pre-depreciated second hand bike, so I could still stick with that plan. At least that way the third bike is not losing too much value when I am not using it 🤔
But the Guerrilla definitely impressed me enough to cause me a bit of a dilemma !
Cheers Ken,
Garry & Ruby
Enjoyed part one Gary . It seems very promising so far . Was pleased when you said the vibes were better than the 450 Himalayan . look forward to part two . nice to see Ruby as always .
Thank you John. Yes, I could be tempted by this bike, just not in this colour scheme 😂
Ruby is a bit poorly at the moment and has to go to the vets' tonight 😢
Hopefully she can be easily sorted out, bless her. Hopefully it's not a sossidge allergy. That would be terrible for her !
Take care you two,
Garry & Ruby
Morning R&G definitely the Silver one for me 😊
A man of excellent taste James ! Plus you get an analogue speedo and genuine flashing "idiot lights" thrown in. Okay, you lose the rev counter but I ride by ear/feel anyway and don't really see the need for one, except perhaps when running in.
Good evening Garry and Ruby, thank you for the mention 👍😄 Great to hear you enjoyed the test ride, they are a lot of fun aren't they.? I've not gelled with the dash personally. I have a TFT protector to install, hopefully it will help with glare and protect the screen to some degree. It really does come alive on twistier roads so i'm looking forward to part 2. p.s. you're never to old to get funky! 🤣👍
I'm definitely too old to have PURPLE on my bikes Dave 😂 Pink is also out of the question !
I think a screen protector is a very wise move Dave because judging by the state of the screen on this bike ( apparently somebody just wiped some bird poop off it and it ended up permanently damaged ! ) it is quite easily damaged ! Be very careful with it, would be my advice, it doesn't seem to be the toughest, most scratch resistant of outer layers.
I can really imagine how frustrating it must be to run this bike in. In those conditions it is not going to be in its element AT ALL !
I would definitely be riding this bike every evening after work, to get the running in done asap. I wouldn't be buying it to baby it about like that, so I'd need it "ready to play" asap !
Maybe just put it on some rollers in the garage and tie the throttle open for a few days ? 😂
If I go for the analogue dash ( with ACTUAL idiot lights that you can ACTUALLY SEE - "Indicator Dave !" ) I will of course have to make do without a rev counter and would have to do my running in by feel. But I did that with the Meteor anyway and that doesn't appear to be broken in any way 😂
I'm tempted Dave. I'm tempted. I find myself checking my bank balance daily. This is a grave concern ! 😛
Good luck with the running in and kudos to you for getting funky 👍
Garry & Ruby ❤🐕
@@economicalrides 😀
I saw one of these at West Bay this week, it had only done 200 miles and was blue and white. I must agree about the colours; they do detract from the shape. I reckon it would look nice in all black. Not for me but a nice bike for younger riders, I reckon.
Love to Ruby
Take care Garry
Dave and Willers 🐶❤
Hi Dave !
I'd actually be inclined to buy a silver one, just to prove to people how smart this bike actually looks. I think it Is a good looking design, at least judging by how the silver one appears on the RE website. Not a fan of the blocky tyres, it needs to be on road tyres because that's where I'd use it. Typical scrambler nonsense ! I doubt that anybody would take this bike off-road, so why compromise its handling by fitting blocky tyres ?
This would be my naughty boy bike, should I get one. It's certainly not a bike for relaxed cruising because this engine doesn't suit that at all.
It will be interesting to see if RE can put a tune on this engine to drop peak power and increase torque, thereby enabling them to bring out a cruiser with this engine. I think it's unlikely to b e honest. It just doesn't feel like this engine could ever sit well in a cruiser. But what do I know ?
Thanks Dave and Willers. Ruby is poorly and is off to the vets' after work. Hopefully nothing too bad or too expensive !
All the best to you all,
Garry & Ruby
@@economicalrides Agreed. It's a great shape but the colour scheme here draws your eye away from the shape. I also agree about the tyres. 99% of these are never going to see any off road, so they should have good quality road tyre from the factory.
My mate has the Himalayan and says the same thing about the engine, willing you to rev it all the time, unlike the 411 Himmy.
I don't think they'll do a cruiser, now the 650 Classic is coming and also the Meteor and Super Meteor takes care of the cruiser market. As I say, not for me but a nice bike, I'm sure.
Oh no, poor Ruby. I really hope she is okay. Give her some love from me and from Willow.
All the best
Dave and Willers.
@@davericketts9101 Thanks you two.
🤞 for the Ruber !!! ❤🐕
When you mentioned Dave, I thought you were thinking of the other one.
I'm looking forward to trying one. Good news about the vibes too.
Looks like they are on a winner with this one.
Good job Mr G, are you tempted?
I do like that sherpa engine.
El outro to you and Rubes🎉🎉
🎉🎉🎉
Mornin' Steve.
Yes, in part two I do conclude that I am tempted. I fear that common sense will get in the way but I would very much like to add one to my fleet. It would offer something totally different to the other two. This bike wants to be worked hard, much like "Dave". It's not for relaxed cruising ( although "Dave" of course can often be found cruising ). It wants to be spanked ( again, much like "Dave" ) and would be tremendous fun on a mountain road on those days when you feel like a bit more of an adrenaline rush.
For me the biggest takeaway was that unlike with the Himalayan 450, on this bike the vibes didn't bother me at all. I wasn't expecting that to be honest. I thought that I'd feel the same as I did about the Himmy. Too vibey. But no, not at all. A fair bit through the pegs at certain RPMs but it does smooth out higher up and no annoying vibes in the bars. Much better and I could definitely live with it.
So I am now conflicted. This is a bike that I would enjoy owning, most definitely. I'd probably bin the scrambler tyres asap and get some sportier rubber on there. I think this bike would benefit from that.
Thanks for checking out my attempt at a "review" of sorts. We know that you are the "Reviewmeister" !
Having to take Ruby to the vets' today because she has licked her LHS rear leg until she opened up two wounds and now they won't heal. Not sure what that's all about, hopefully it can be diagnosed and sorted without too much time and money being involved 🤞 I have suggested to Ruby that we could just chop it off and mount a skateboard there but she wasn't too impressed 🤷♂
Much love to you, "Dave" and the rest of the Exmouth posse,
Garry and Ruby 🐕
First time I've seen one. Thanks.
@@MeAndMyRoyalEnfield Thanks MAMRE 🙂
It’s a fun little beastie and I am sorely tempted ! 🤔
@@economicalrides Yeah, I know what you mean. If I had a house I would have a few steel horses in my stable.
I loved the guerrilla when I tried one, but I'd also go for the plain silver one and I wasn't keen on the engine. I've already got a 600cc bike and I wanted something more relaxed and the guerrilla engine felt like it wanted to be thrashed everywhere, so I ended up buying a hunter. Far more relaxing.
Yes. The Hunter was definitely the right choice in that case. The Sherpa 450 is not an engine for relaxed cruising whatsoever ! It needs you to be working the gears to keep it on the cam. Soon starts to lug if you let the revs drop too low. Since I have the Meteor already ( and a Himalayan for the trails ) this bike would be my naughty boy bike, should I decide to get one. This would be the bike for those days when you feel the need, the need for speed. But you already have the 600 for that, so again, no need for you to consider the Guerrilla.
Cheers Rob, something fast and something relaxed sounds like a good combination 👍
Garry
Glad you enjoyed the run out. Nice colour, let down with purple patches stick to yellow and black. You can’t even read the Royal Enfield on the petrol tank.😂
Colin of Droneon29, in France, just came home with the Playa Black. It’s very nice.😊😊
I totally agree Mark. Purple has no place on a Royal Enfield. Neither does pink !!!
Fortunately other colours are available and the one I like best also bins the silly flashing TFT screen whilst adding proper "idiot lights". Okay, you lose the rev counter with the analogue dash but for me that's a small price to pay !
In part two I was able to have a bit more fun with it, because the dealer straightened out the gear lever for me !
Cheers Mark 👍
Garry & Ruby
@@economicalrides same that it got dropped.
@@weemark67 Yes. Wouldn't blame them if they were now reluctant to buy in bikes for demo. They will have to take a hit when they sell this bike on, with the damage that it has. Actually they did say to me, that it would be available cheaper now, for me, when they do get around to moving it on.
I didn't tell them that there's no way I'd ever buy an ex-demo bike ! Just ask me why 😇
Ooooowwwhhhheee, my favorite channel to watch tells me it's Tuesday! Mr algorithm, please notify the masses that the good news has come and all should see this video. Not all are created equal and economical as this channel. I beg you mr. algorithm, make this video take off and be seen by everyone.😊
Thanks Blake. Somehow this comment contains "blocked words" and was in the list of "waiting for approval" comments, where I've only just discovered it. Maybe we are no longer allowed to say "algorithm" ?
Thank you very much. I can always rely on you to schmooze the algo for me and once again it appears to be working, although in this case it is probably just the subject matter.
Since Ainsworth Rider is also intrigued by the egg crate luggage that seems to be commonplace over there, maybe you could try to capture a prime example for us in one of your future videos ? It's not really something we see in Europe !
Take care my friend and embrace the suck !
Garry & Ruby
Evening Garry, it looks like Royal Enfield have done it again, a fabulous engine in a good frame, the guerrilla is suited to anyone who has ridden a supermoto, sharp handling, light and responsive it’s obviously fun to ride but what’s it like as a day to day bike, I’m sure we’ll see, enough RUclipsrs have bought one 😂 all the best buddy 👍
Hi Mike. Yes. If I had one, I would be eager to get some 100% road tyres on it. Those chunky CEAT tyres are probably okay but I'd rather have uninterrupted rubber as a contact patch when on the side of the tyre than knobbly, nothing, knobbly, nothing, knobbly etc. It just undermines my confidence on the side of the tyre to know that the contact patch is so variable.
To get some proper sporty road tyres on there and go nuts would be my plan.
And with a 450 you can go nuts at fairly legal speeds too. It would be a lot of fun once run in and on some sportier tyres, I'm sure.
Day to day it would be fine. It's light and easy to handle. Just not sure of the luggage possibilities. A tail pack on the rear seat should be possible and presumably some Himalayan racks and bags can be fitted, because it's the same frame.
It's a decent amount of poke, fun and spec for the money, that's for sure. I think the reduced range after the Himalayan and particularly the Meteor would annoy me though. Hate stopping to fill up and the tank on the Guerrilla is quite small and if you ride it like you stole it, it's going to drink a fair bit !
Thanks as always Mike.Take care !
Garry & Ruby
and now the big one ;;; am commenting before i have even watched ;;; here we go ;;
Thanks Simon. I believe the algorithm likes that sort of behaviour, so thank you !
🙏
Thanks for another entertaining video. Personally,I would probably go for a cruiser version of this bike, but then again, maybe not. I'm trying to save up for a Meteor 350, which is what I actually want the most, going by your and other reviews on RUclips. Keep it up, and cheers to Ruby.
This bike would definitely be in addition to, rather than instead of the Meteor 🙂
If I could only have one bike, it would always be the Meteor. It’s just a special thing !
I‘m not convinced that this 450 engine would suit a cruiser anywhere near as well as the 350 single does. It is a bit too rev hungry for a cruiser 🙂
Thanks very much for your comment and good luck getting your own Meteor.
All the best from the two of us 👍
Garry & Ruby
@@economicalrides Thank you for the kind reply and assessment Garry. This is my first time commenting here, although I have watched and enjoyed many of your videos, and wait eagerly for new ones to come out. You have, as the saying goes, 'the gift of the gab', which makes you endear yourself to your audience. I apologize for any mistakes, as English is not my first language.
Being 54 myself, I agree with what you said and think the Meteor 350 would suit me perfectly. I used to own a Bullet Machismo during the millennial years, but I hear Royal Enfield has come a long way from that era, which is much welcome, and your channel is one of the factors that made me dream of owning a motorcycle again. Thanks again, and keep well to both you and Ruby.
Thank you for your wonderful reply and it’s always fantastic to get to know a long time viewer, first time commenter !
Your English is impeccable by the way, so you don’t need to have any concerns on that front 🙂
Yes, I came from a similar place when I bought my Meteor. You‘ve probably heard how terrible my 2004 Bullet 500 Classic was. An absolute nightmare. Buying ANOTHER RE after that was a huge leap of faith and friends and family advised against it. But having seen how well received the 411 Himalayan was, it gave me the confidence to believe that the Meteor would be a well made motorcycle and so it turned out to be.
I am SO GLAD that I didn’t listen to others and gave RE another chance. I‘ve bought three REs since and am now pondering buying a fourth !
Like me, I think you will have a much more positive RE experience with the Meteor 🙂
Thanks again for introducing yourself, greatly appreciated !
Garry & Ruby
Nice one mate 👍 I wonder how it would go at Fraser Island in amongst the dingoes
I think those tyres might actually work reasonably well on the sand Clive, they have nice large blocks in the tread !
If you bought a yellow, purple and black one like this one, the dingos would leave you alone I reckon, they wouldn't want to be associated with you 😂
A silver one though........🤔
We're looking forward to seeing your recommissioning ride on the Virago when she's done mate. As mentioned previously, looks like you did a cracking job !
All the best to you lot from the other side of the world,
Garry & Ruby "Hi Budders ! I'm still digging but I've somehow damaged me leg and now I have to go to the vets' !"
Evening Garry n Ruby ( poverty sausages 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣) poor Ruby made me laugh out loud and she didn’t bother to run off with it cos who else wants a poverty sausage 😳 bless her well mate you Sound impressed already everybody seems to like it sat in my dealers in Rennes for two and a half hours last Friday with with a white and grey shotgun and 2 black n red guerrillas and the white one with the lines in that pale blue on the tank and wheels my mate in the Bretagne loves his, Colin makes it sound like it’s all the bike you will ever need, 😂😂😂😂oh dear 🙄 I live in a world of want at the moment 😊
Well got the Metzelers on and immediately felt a huge difference just going in a straight line no tram lining, and not sure how to explain this mate but a softer ride like the tyre had become part of the suspension smooth and compliant I had an 80+ km ride home on well surfaced auto rout, rout nationals and D roads with plenty of twisty bits and flip flop roundabouts 😂 and they turn in lovely a bit more quicker than the ceats as they have what feels and looks like rounder tread area and higher profile but ooodles of grip even though I was scrubbing them in, yesterday was out for a couple of hours doing more scrubbing in and yes mate good tyres seem to suit the classic fine, had a full service while they were doing the tyres and Fanch the owner who I think builds moto guzzi race bikes, gave my brake callipers a service as I said my front brake was getting snatchy he thought it may be a a warped disc which I thought it was but apparently no it was a sticking calliper pistons so he sorted and cleaned both, which bless him he didn’t charge me for.
Didn’t get the bloody bar ends again they are now €240 with the fitting kit so sticking with the bugs bunny ears for the time being, they have the same mirror and and fitting kit but no RE name on them, on Amazon for €135 so may give them a go.
Look forward to part 2 mate and one of your cracking roads on the guerilla 😂😂😂
Chilli says poverty sausages aren’t good enough Ruby you need Toulouse sausages proper ones, 😂😂😂😂 that lot in Normandie 🇫🇷
@@PeterHolland-mu7yn evening Peter, you should stop looking at the guerrilla, it won’t replace the Dukes 🤣🤣or the Buell 🤣🤣
Morning Pete !
The good times are definitely over. I had to buy a stamp to send off those pension forms after all and the money doesn't come in until next month, so it's "poverty" everything here at the moment 😂
Gutted that you didn't get the bar ends and can't blame you at that price either ! Ridiculous. I'd be tempted to give the Amazon ones a go, if they look exactly the same. The quality of the glass or construction might not be as good as the RE ones though, so you might not get the same benefit as I found with my RE ones.
Thanks for the feedback on the Metzelers, they sound really good. Just need to find out if they do the correct sizes for the Meteor now !
I think the Guerrilla covers most bases apart from the Classic 350 / Meteor 350 chilled cruise thing.
That engine lugs readily once the revs drop below about 2500 rpm, it doesn't feel happy at all. I imagine that would improve with more miles on the engine, but regardless, this does feel like an engine that wants to be worked. You need to be in the right gear all of the time to keep it on the cam. Then it would be a lot of fun. The running in period must be quite frustrating because the engine WANTS revs but as the owner you would be reluctant to give them 😛
The road in part two turned out to be the road we used for the first part of the One Ride, where my GoPro refused to fire up. So belatedly you all get to see a bit of the missing part of that ride too. A nice road but with low speed limits on it, so hard to enjoy it at legal speeds. Of course I stuck to the speed limit at all times 😙
Take care Pete, love to the crew !
Garry and Ruby 🐕"Hi Chillers ! Off to the vets' later. Dad says they are going to chop me manky paw off. I hope he's joking cos I need four paws for chasing rabbits and sossidges, don't I ? !"
@@economicalrides blimey mate Ruby got a bad paw 🐾 what’s the matter with it our Marvin American cocker (we lost him and then chills came along ) had a deformed paw which started to cause problems for him at about 8 years old the vet tried to surgically separate the toes and pads but it wasn’t a great success and he was kinda lame after for the rest of his life but he was my mate we loved him to bits as we do all our dogs but he was a little bit more special, he wasn’t expected to live more than a year due to born a hernia with a puppy attached but we took him on and he lived to be 10, 🙁 hope she’s ok 👍 yes you can’t beat the chugability of the classic and meteor and to be honest the reason I sold the Ktm 690 Duke was be Ajs it was frenetic all the time even on tour mode, oh well just have to carry on in a world of want, and if I really wanted one would I have spent €500 on the classic, tyres n tubes + spare tubes ( in case I tour next year Michelin air stops used them on my scooters for years not so much air lost when standing) full service etc 🙄 he did have a nice white blue Norman with screen n boxes new, special price 😬
@@PeterHolland-mu7yn With each passing day the Guerrilla seems to be calling me more and more Pete. I'm scared !!! 😂
I seem to have convinced myself that I deserve it 🤔
As for Ruby, good news so far. Vet reckoned I should put a small amount of cream on it, very thin, and that way she would hopefully not lick it off. He reckoned that it should heal within four days, so a cheap and easy fix, if I can get her not to lick the wound all of the time. That will be the tricky part. When I am working, I can't have eyes on her and usually she takes that opportunity to start licking again. But I'll try it for a while and if it doesn't work, somewhere I have one of those lampshades that she might end up having to wear for a while !
But other than the wounds on her leg ( caused by constant licking for reasons unknown ! ) she got a clean bill of health last night, following a thorough checkup, so relieved about that. She will hopefully be around for a few more years yet and she was delighted to hear that it can't be the result of a sossidge allergy 😂
Cheers you lot,
Garry & Ruby 🐕 "Hi Chillers ! I've got a gammy leg ain't I ? Better lick it better then, eh ?"
I like the black and yellow - I would wouldn’t I, being the younger generation 😂
I really do like these. I’m not in the market for one though. Not yet anyway 🥴
Are you sure you didn’t edit out the part where you fell off??? 🤪
Nice one! Look forward to the twists and turns.
Much love to both from both 🙂
Black and yellow I have no issue with Jeff. Just look at Buddy ! He's epic as is the Bee-Strom.
What I take issue with here is the PURPLE 🤮
The ROYAL ENFIELD script on the tank is in purple as well and looks pretty shocking imo.
Yellow and black without the purple would have been fantastic. I just can't get onboard with the purple, I'm afraid. I know that in the 80s there were bikes with pink and purple paint on the fairings and I always found them shocking too 😱
I almost feel obliged to buy a silver one, just to show the world how good this bike looks in just one colour. It feels almost like my mission now 😂
I simply don't want to ride a bike that looks like it got dressed in the dark !
Cheers Jeff,
Garry
🤣🤣🤣 it is a bit 80’s surf shop I suppose 🤦🏻♂️
@@Saddlebags73 Yes. I think late 80s / early 90s the Japanese started using pink and purple in some of their paint jobs and I think that triggered my aversion to seeing these colours on any bike since 🤮
Dave likes it though, says you’re never too old to get funky with it 😂
I have just bought the Player Black, I loving it. Interesting how reviewers talk about the vibration. I ride a 62 AJS 650 and a 77 750 Triumph. You guys have no idea what vibration is😂. To me the Guerilla is silky smooth, the throttle in power mode is a little snatchy,I tried eco mode which flattens out the power delivery and takes the snatch out of the throttle. Eco is good for dirt roads but power is really the only way to go. It turns me into a bloody old hoon😂
Ah well, I did own a Bullet 500 for many years. Not a Classic 500, a proper Bullet 500 with the cast iron head and four speed gearbox. Riding that at 60 mph taught me all about vibrations 😜
Those are a different kind of vibration though, long stroke, shaking your fillings out type vibrations. Probably good for breaking down any kidney stones one might have.
I find the shorter stroke, higher frequency vibrations to be much worse, they are much more tingly.
I've never ridden a British twin but based on my experience with early Japanese twins, they produce tingly vibes too, I would imagine.
So it's the high frequency vibes that I am sensitive to and on this bike I found them to be well within the acceptable range. On the Himalayan 450 I tried, they were far worse and for me simply not acceptable.
I'm glad that you are enjoying yours, it's definitely a hooligan tool, this one. It would be a great addition to my garage because it offers a different type of ride to the other bikes, just not sure that I have the time for a third bike and it would be a shame to buy it and then not use it, or to then neglect the others 🤔
Cheers bud and enjoy being a hooligan again.
I think the Guerrilla is a bike that longs to be ridden like it's being ridden by a seventeen year old 😂 So that is your challenge, should you choose to accept it 😉
Cheers,
Garry
Gold Dip only cost 50€ more than the base Smoke Silver.
Did Njoy this first impression. hope they fix the bike for your review on it.
Thank you very much & Cheers.
Ruby & Garry 🍻
Trouble is, only the silver one comes with an analogue dash. OK, it lacks the rev counter of the digital one but to me it is just nicer. I also think that the silver one looks nice and less fussy but taste is very subjective. If I could have the white and blue one with an analogue dash, I‘d probably go for that instead.
I took the bike back to the dealer after filming this part and they straightened the gear lever in time for part two 🙂
Cheers William,
Garry & Ruby
@@economicalrides CooL. 😀
I like the bold paint, am fed up with how conservative so many manufacturers are with their paint options 🙂
Seemed like you enjoyed the bike demo.
Hi Pete. The purple was a bit much for me to be honest. Yellow and black I can accept 😛 Purple and pink have no place on a motorcycle IMO. Do you remember in the 90s there were sports bikes with purple and pink on the fairings. Yuck. Didn't like them either !
Part two comes out tonight and I get to throw it at some bends. But not before I took it back to the shop to get the gear lever straightened !
Cheers Pete,
Garry & Ruby
@@economicalrides Yeah.... I bloomin loved them! 😀 The Yamaha and Suzuki paint schemes from the 80's/90's were amazing! 😀
@@HippoDrones Hmmm...now why does't that surprise me ? 😂
I don't want a bike that looks like it got dressed in the dark, can't be doing with it ! 🙂
@@economicalrides 😀 I have worn odd socks for the last 12+ years, one red, one green every day pretty much... 😀
@@HippoDrones 😂😂😂👏
Thanks for the review Garry. I will take a look at the silver eco version you mentioned. Hope they don't think you dropped it 🙈
I'm pretty sure that they believe that I didn't drop it ! I mean, even in this video, you can see that I left the shop, went up and down the motorway and was already having problems finding the gear lever. Then I parked up and discovered that it was bent. Case closed m'lud 😇
I felt sorry for them, it's the sort of thing that would stop you ordering demo bikes altogether, isn't it ?
Unfortunately they don't check the bikes for damage before or after the ride, so they can't ever really prove who did any damage, although of course you sign an agreement beforehand to pay for any damage caused. Clearly there are some pretty nasty people out there who will crash one of their bikes and then return it saying nothing. My guess is that it must have been the person to ride it before me because anybody else would have also complained that the gear lever was bent. So my guess is that it happened directly before I got to ride the bike.
But I am sure that they realise that I would admit it straight away if I had damaged one of their bikes. I think they know me well enough by now !
Still felt gutted for them. When it comes to selling that bike, they are going to take a bit of a hit because of all of the damage. Annoying !
Cheers Peter !
Garry
Hi Garry, enjoyed Part I and am looking forward to the second part.
Question: I'm no spring chicken and, while my knees give me no problems at the moment (and I'd prefer to keep it that way!), I'd be interested in how comfortable the riding position is. Say, compared to the Meteor?
Thanks & cheers,
Glenn
P.S. Also, the tire profile looks interesting. Are they also Ceat? As on the Meteor? I've got over 13 thousand on my tires now and will probably be looking to replace them in the Spring next year. I wasn't overly impressed with the cornering with the stock tires on my Meteor.
Hi Glenn,
funny you should say that but in part two I do mention that with the low seat and relatively high pegs, I do end up with a more acute angle in the knees than would be comfortable for long distances. As I get older, that could become an issue. I'd be okay for now because with that relatively small tank, you'd probably be stopping every 90 minutes or two hours to fill up if you were on a longer trip. But yes, your legs do feel slightly scrunched up on the Guerrilla.
The tyres are urban scrambler style tyres, again from CEAT. Since I don't feel comfortable doing extreme lean angles on knobbly tyres (!) I would be looking to replace them with some nice sporty road tyres, I reckon. What I'd save in buying the base version I could put towards a decent pair of tyres for sportier riding !
My Meteor is due a new pair of tyres having done about the same mileage as yours. I am currently looking at Metzeler and Michelin alternatives. I had no issue with the CEAT tyres and they've lasted very well but the rubber is three and a half years old now and certainly not as grippy as it once was !
Cheers Glenn,
Garry
Tossed between this and the Kawasaki Eliminator...I can't decide!!!!
I think the Eliminator is going to be a more relaxed ride, so it depends what you want.
I'd say that the Guerrilla wants revs, wants you to work the gearbox all of the time. It soon starts to lug if you let the revs drop.
I think the Kawasaki would allow for a more relaxed ride with less effort required, purely based on the reviews I've seen, never tried one myself.
Try to get a test ride if you can. You'll know fairly quickly which style of bike you prefer.
The Guerrilla is more of a bike for carving up mountain roads, I'd say. It requires you to get more involved in the ride, if that makes sense. I imagine that the Kawa would be a lot more relaxed and easy going.
Good luck deciding !
Garry
@@economicalrides I think as an older guy, I'm more inclined to take casual relaxed cruises. I really don't find racing fast, or carving corners very appealing. I think I'm going to look at the Eliminator and maybe the Royal Enfield Classic 350. I know they are completely different bikes, but both are optimal for back road casual cruising.
@@jjstuartonwriting8150 Well in that case you shouldn't overlook the Meteor 350. That bike has some sort of weird zen magic baked in. It puts you into such a relaxed state that you just savour every mile. It is an incredible bike, much more than the sum of its parts. After three and a half years I still love mine and everybody I know who has one, feels the same way. I think it would really deliver what you are looking for from your motorcycling. I highly recommend that you try the Meteor if you have the opportunity.
But based on what you've just written, the Guerrilla is not going to be the right bike for the type of riding that you are looking to do.
Good luck deciding. The Classic 350 or the Meteor 350 would both do the job for you, I would say.
Cheers,
Garry
@@economicalrides I'm coming to the same conclusion. I like the Guerrilla's larger engine but I don't want a high revving machine. The same holds for the Eliminator. Yes it's almost 500CC but it's so soulless and bland. I keep coming back to the Classic 350. I did sit on a Meteor back in August at the dealership and considered buying it, but when I came back it was sold.
@@jjstuartonwriting8150 Try both the Meteor and the Classic if you can. I’ve owned both and for me, the relaxed vibe of the Meteor won through. Both wonderful weekend motorcycles though, you can’t go wrong with either one 🙂
Great Review - but wait with the purchase as the 650 Classic is coming very soon.
I couldn’t sell the Sportster for an acceptable price, so I invest in a complete overhaul (it is currently in the shop and bills sum up…)and keep it as an forever bike ( don’t like the idea…)
Btw - Iceland was fantastic and I will go there again, but next time by bike…
Hi Sexy 😜
I was wondering where you'd got to !
That's a real shame that you feel obliged to keep the Harley even though you would have preferred to have moved it on and tried some other bikes.
I thought the air cooled Sportsters were supposed to be highly sought after and prices were strong.
Maybe if you can have yours in tip top condition, with receipts for all of the work done, you might soon be able to get all of your money back ?
It should be worth more and easier to sell ( and nicer to use ) once all of the work has been done, so it's probably going to pay off in the end Michael.
To be honest Michael, I am not really interested in the 650 Classic or any of the 650s. I just feel that they are too heavy and drink too much fuel. Maybe if the Classic 650 has an epic twin rumble coming from the factory exhaust, I could reconsider. But generally I find that engine too heavy for the power it makes and too thirsty. The 350 single certainly has more character to it. The 450 Sherpa engine doesn't really have character as such, but it does feel like a thoroughly modern and capable unit and combined with the excellent chassis and brakes of the Guerrilla makes for a real hooligan tool, which would be a worthwhile addition to my fleet. I am not going all in just yet but I am pretty close to deciding !
Take care Michael and good luck with the Harley. I'm sure you'll enjoy it when it's done and even if you don't, hopefully you'll find it easier to sell.
LG
Garry
Well I can't really make out what the silver one really looks like as the RE ad is so 'funky' - I think that's what it's called or is that a yesterday word? Hmm probably. Going straight from Norman to the Guerilla must indeed have been quite a shock as the geometry is so totally different isn't it. Looking forward to your ride impressions next week. 👍
Morning Peter !
The only place you get a decent view of the silver one is when you scroll down and get to "COLOURS" and can skip through the various colours and prices and even activate a 360 degree view of your chosen colour I think the silver one looks smart and understated. Just like me then ! 😇
Definitely, going from a 21" front, where you need to give the bars a good shove to get the bike over, to this bike was indeed a huge change ! Should I decide to buy one, the Guerrilla would very much be my naughty boy bike. It wants to be hustled. That engine doesn't really do the relaxed cruise thing like the J Series 350s do. It wants you to keep the revs up. When the revs drop, at least when new, it quickly starts lugging, something Dave also noticed when trying to run his in. This engine wants to remain above 2500-3000 rpm all of the time, and doesn't really feel happy below that.
Thanks Peter, take care 🙂
Oh, Martin Trafford has arrived safely in these parts, so now looking forward to meeting up with him over the weekend !
Garry & Ruby
I don’t want to do frequent gear shifts in traffic. Can i install 43 tooth rear sprocket to guerrilla 450?
First gear still feels incredibly short, even with the smaller 45 tooth sprocket fitted to the Guerrilla.
In the city, presumably you'd like to be able to keep the bike in first gear most of the time ?
The jump from first to second gear is pretty big, so yes, I can imagine you might be constantly shifting between first and second with the standard gearing.
In that case your suggestion could work !
In my brief ride I didn't notice how fast the Guerrilla would go in first gear without revving its nuts off, but it didn't feel particularly fast. So gearing up at the rear should give you a few more kph in first gear, possibly enough for most city riding.
I only had a fairly brief test ride on the bike but first gear is still very low and it feels as though the engine would easily pull.a longer first gear. Whether two teeth smaller at the rear will be enough to be able to leave the bike in first gear in all traffic, I can't say. Somebody would have to try it 🙂
Cheers,
Garry
Great video. Great bike.
I too do not care much for the color scheme. Not sure what possessed the otherwise quite sensible firm to go nuts with colors.
Thank you kindly ! 🤗
Black and yellow I can get on board with. Just see Buddy, my Meteor.
But in my humble opinion purple has no place on a motorcycle and particularly not when yellow is also involved !!! 😱
It looks like the Guerrilla got dressed in the dark. Definitely not my cup of tea !
Fortunately the smart looking silver one is the only one with the analogue dash, so that made my mind up for me. Silver or not at all !
Cheers buddy, appreciate you watching and commenting. 🙂
Garry
@@economicalrides Cheers!
Did they know about the drop damage, Garry? You forget to insert economical before the specifications of the bike 😀
It’s definitely economical Stefan. A lot of bike for the money ! It’s just like the Meteor, fantastic value but a different style of bike but a ton of fun !
After filming part one and before heading for the twisties I took the bike back to the shop and showed them the damage. They knew nothing about it but then straightened the gear lever in time for part two 🙂
Unfortunately they never check the bike for damage before handing it over, so although they can suspect the previous rider, they can’t really prove anything. But it’s pretty terrible that somebody would damage their bike and then give it back without saying anything. I was gutted for them but they didn’t seem too upset, bless them !
Cheers Stefan,
Garry & Ruby
Curses! You beat me to it! Microphone problems meant I had to do voiceovers, which extended the edit considerably. Mine is much shorter, but I intend to do a full review, if I can blag one for a bit. 😊 Not watched this yet, but will later, possibly with a glass of something relaxing 🥃
Well, well, well. So having watched your video after having (finally) completed mine, I am struck by how similar our conclusions are! It might be out on Sunday, but then again maybe the following Wednesday. The Guerrilla is a really nice little bike. It's actually about 56kg lighter than the SuperMeteor which is 123 pounds if my calculator is right which does explain a lot. However, the Autumn weather is closing in here and I think I'm going to be spending a lot time editing videos and not riding. 😐
Hopefully you did ! 🥃
@@CornishMotorcycleDiaries Like the Meteor, it is fantastic value, especially considering the added power, quality suspension and (finally) excellent brakes.
If I didn't have two bikes already, I would have ordered one as my first or second bike, I'm sure. Just not sure that I can justify spending that much money on a third bike, unfortunately 🤔
I still haven't decided. Maybe one day I will wake up feeling reckless and go out there and order one 🤷♂ It would certainly offer something different to my two other bikes. It would become my "little naughty boy" bike !
Cheers Andy,
Garry
In another "first ride" video, the reviewer echoed your remarks about the vibrations being felt in the pegs, but not the handlebar (at around 5,000 rpm). He did mention, though, that there was a momentary "stumble" felt after every upshift from 1st to 2nd gear. Maybe that was only in "Performance" mode, rather than "Eco," or just his test unit? I'll be interested to know how this bike compares to the new Triumph 400s.
Hi,
can’t say that I noticed a stumble from first to second on this bike but first gear is very short and the step up to second is probably quite large. Since, at least when new, this motor has a tendency to lug if you let the revs drop, maybe that was the issue ? If you don’t shift into second quickly enough, I can imagine the the engine would protest slightly. I think the tendency to lug is likely to reduce significantly once these engines have a few more miles on them. When new, they definitely want to remain above 2500 rpm or so !
But vibes through the bars were definitely minimal on this bike, so a significant improvement over the 450 Himalayan, if you are familiar with that bike.
Thanks for watching and commenting, very interesting !
Garry & Ruby
I think semi off road tires and a plate on the back to mount a egg create on the back for groceries or backpack, would be more for young people.
Blake, glad to hear that you are alive and kicking but this comment has me confused 😂
Do young people ride around with egg crates on the back of their bikes in Virginia ? 😝
I would definitely prefer the bike with sportier 100% road tyres. The whole scrambler thing is just a hipster trend. You end up buying a nice road bike handicapped by shite tyres !
I would definitely get some nice road tyres on this bike, if I had one.
Cheers Blakester !
Garry & Ruby
@@economicalrides egg creates are awesome. They hold a lot and you can put a bungee net over the top. I was also thinking college kids going to school and first job. Semi off road for grass and dirt areas where someone would park that bike in the back yard. I am not sure I will see older adults would buy that here with out purpose. Might just be me.
@@BlakesPipes Wow. Cultural differences eh ? Would never have imagined that Blake 😂
Well, it does have semi-off-road tyres on it but attaching an egg crate could be tricky. It's certainly aimed at a younger market than most RE models, no doubt about that.
But if you live near some twisty roads and you are a mature rider who wants to have some fun, without doing crazy speeds, then this bike is quite appealing.
Dave from Mercia Moto wanted one for that reason, as do I, although I'm reluctant to buy a third bike when I rarely use the two that I currently have. But as a first or second bike, I think I would have ordered one of these. Great value and you can really have a lot of fun on one !
Cheers Blake and thanks for the cultural education. Egg crates as a sort of top case. Eggcellent ! 😛
Garry & Ruby
Morning Blake egg crates are made of cardboard over here 😂😂😂
@@Ainsworth-Rider Nowt wrong with a cardboard top case if you live in a dry region James 😂
I'm trying to visualise what kind of crate people use for motorcycle luggage over there but am struggling with it.
Maybe Blake can try to capture a prime example in one of his future videos because he clearly has us intrigued ! 🤔
Suspension is on the firm side but not uncomfortable.
Yes. The Showa stuff is doing a good job of damping out the shocks coming into the wheels.
It's a nice firm, sporty setup, very much in keeping with the nature of the bike 👍
The Guerrilla could be epic with some nice sticky road sport tyres on it, I reckon, but it's also plenty of fun as it is.
Cheers again,
Garry
Thought you swap the sausage for Swedish meatballs from IKEA this time😅😋
@@brettroman3218 😂😂😂
Funny you should say that but I have never had IKEA meatballs in my life. I know that they are a thing and they are probably the only reason I have to ever want to go to IKEA.
Are they any good ?
Cheer Brett,
Garry & Ruby
one of my favourites for sure.Here in Canada you get it as a meal with a glass of wine,no less or you can buy it frozen in a bag.cheers!
@@brettroman3218 Thanks for that Brett. Sounds good. Do the meatballs come in a flat pack or are they served pre-assembled ? 😂
That might actually be a good topic for a video. Next time I am in Almeria getting one of the bikes serviced. I could share my first IKEA meatball experience with the world !!!
I went into that store once by mistake and I simply could not find the exit ! Neither could I find a member of staff to ask where the exit was. All of the signage saying "Exit" did not lead me to the exit. I felt like I was in some sort of nightmare, trapped in an endless maze of furniture and scatter cushions. I honestly can't remember how I got out of there but I do remember passing the cafeteria with the meatballs ( where there were also freezers containing other Swedish delicacies to cook at home ).
I shall return and next time I'll order the meatballs and film it ! 👍
Cheers Brett,
Garry & Ruby 🐕 "Meatballs sound nice !"
Great story Garry! Exactly the same thing happened to me many years ago on my first visit to Ikea. I couldn't find the exit.Surely it must be designed this way.I drove a Volvo for years and never had any problem lol...Best car I ever had too! Cook it in a slow cooker with some sauce....aahh...Cheers Mate,looking forward to the Swedish meatball story..😅
@@brettroman3218 Hi Brett. Yes, I think they deliberately put up ambiguous signage to keep you in there, desperately seeking the exit. Those Swedes must have a cruel sense of humour, the blonde bar stewards.
You could be in luck ! I have a service due on the Himalayan next week. I am seriously considering vlogging that and then stopping for my first ever IKEA meatballs on the way home. It would be a different type of video but still a motorcycle vlog because I did get Norman serviced at the same time 😂
I can see this happening !
I will give you due credit for the inspiration of course but will be keeping the millions in RUclips ad revenue for myself ! 🤔
Ruby's sossidges don't come cheap !
Thanks Brett. I think this could be a great idea for a video 👍
I just hope that I don't end up with a serious Swedish meatball habit. Almería would be a long way to go for a "fix".
Cheers bud,
Garry & Ruby
Strange that RE can't or won't sort out the flickering of the dash and that it is difficult to read in bright sunlight as India from what I see on YT videos is quite often in most places a sunny country. Therefore many people I assume don't know or care what speed they are doing in India.
Hi Simon,
well I imagine that it can't be fixed in software and if it's a consequence of the hardware, before launching the bike they will have sourced the parts for the dash and ordered a large quantity of them. So I guess they can't really change anything now that the parts are all specced and ordered. It is odd that no other manufacturer has managed to do the same though. I suppose RE would say that it's not their problem if cameras can't film the dash properly. Clearly they heard about the issue early on because Itchy Boots pointed it out in her videos when she was over there with one of their pre-production bikes. 🤷♂
I agree that the analogue dash will be easier to read on bright days and also will come with proper "idiot lights" for the indicators etc., which are much easier to see than the little arrows on the dingy screen. Only downside to the analogue dash is that you lose the rev counter of the digital one but I ride by ear and how the engine is feeling, so can't say I've ever missed a rev counter. Handy during the running in period I guess but after that I'd never need it.
So definitely silver with analogue dash for me, if I can convince myself to spend the money !
If I didn't have two bikes already, I'm pretty sure that I would have ordered a Guerrilla by now, because it is light, great fun and extremely good value.
Cheers Simon 👍
Garry & Ruby
yes , well ,, pretty much what i guessed you would say , much better than the ugly himo mk 2 ,, you didn't show us the dealership ??, also it has ' buddy ' colours - which to me is top choice ,, don't understand the boring silver choice , , ruby and zen may have to work on you ;;;
But Simon ! It has PURPLE on it ! PURPLE ! Even the RE name on the tank is in PURPLE ! It's horrid. Black and yellow, like Buddy, I would buy all day long ( well, if it came with an analogue dash ) but there is no way I am buying a bike with pink or purple on it. Just not happening 😂
The silver one just looks smart. And more importantly doesn't have a silly TFT screen on it.
Thanks Simon and Zen 🙂
Garry & Ruby
@@economicalrides oh right , -- that would swing for me as well if the bike had a normal clock style dash ;;
@@simongilbert2704 Yep. But if you go for the analogue dash, you do miss out on the rev counter. But I can live with that because you get a cleaner look and good old LED idiot lights. Old skool rulez 😝
Cheers Simon,
Garry
Who dropped the 🦍
My guess would be the person who rode it before me because I am sure that everybody who rode the bike after them would have complained about the gear lever being bent. It was quite awkward to ride it with the lever bent, so I am sure that everybody would have come back and mentioned it.
Unfortunately the dealer doesn't check for damage before and after each ride, so they can only suspect who it might have been but not prove anything.
But I wanted to let them know asap, just so they didn't find out much later on and end up thinking that I might have done it.
If I'd have done it, I would of course have had no problem admitting that I'd done it. There are evidently less honest folks out there James !
I felt terribly sorry for them because it's the sort of thing that could make them reluctant to buy demo bikes in the future and then we all suffer.
Fortunately they seemed a lot more relaxed about it than I would have been, had it been my bike !
Cheers James,
G&R
Economical Rides Only Rides in Economical mode 😊😅😂
😂
Well that was the intention. But in part two I did put it into Performance Mode because the dealer insisted that I try it.
I can't say that I noticed any difference at all to be honest and if it uses more fuel than Eco Mode, then I definitely won't be using it, should I buy my own !
I'd be interested to compare the two modes when the engine is fully run in. It may become a more noticeable difference then, who knows ? 🤷♂ Although I think with the Himmy 450 people said the same thing - they couldn't tell the difference.
Cheers James,
Garry & Ruby
It seemed the handlebar is also bent from the drop. I hate bars that aren't straight!🥲 I love my Meteor but not so much the cruiser position. The Guerilla may be a good change.
Hi David,
reviewing the footage, I did think that the bars might be bent or the forks no longer aligned although it didn't really feel like it when riding. But I know what you mean. In the footage the left hand bar end seems nearer to me than the right hand one when I am holding the bike in a straight line.
It might just be that my head isn't on straight, we shouldn't discount that possibility ! 😂
With regard to a comparison to the Meteor, this 450 Sherpa engine is a totally different proposition to the lazy, relaxed J Series 350. Somebody said that they were waiting for a Meteor with this engine but I can't really see it. The Sherpa engine doesn't have the grunt low down that a cruiser should have. It really needs a fair few revs on before it feels comfortable.
So be aware that the Guerrilla's engine will be nothing like your current 350 and the bike will want to be ridden in a different way to the lovely patient and forgiving Meteor.
Thanks David, take care,
Garry
Those handlebars are definitely bent or poorly mounted.
@@petehealy9819 The footage would suggest that and the bike had clearly been dropped onto the LHS and that was indeed the bar which was nearer to me, so would make sense.
Surprisingly though, when riding, I didn't really notice anything untoward and I am usually sensitive to such things.
Whatever happens, I won't be buying that particular Guerrilla, that's for sure. It has had a hard life already, the poor thing.
Thanks Pete,
Garry