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Let's face it we love our bullets more than most of our relatives. In fact everyday when I kneel in front of it (to check the oil, tyre pressure, chain or brake slack people confuse the ritual with praying. And praying it is, for another day of joyous ride.
So everytime I had to take my bull for maintenance it made my heart ache tranferring my love to someone else's care.
With time I have developed the art of maintaining my Bullet. With time I have also developed a circle of mechanics who I can rely on. Why a circle? you might ask. Is one good mechanic not enough. Plain answer is no. Like in the case of every doctor, lawyer or banker you need a second opinion.
So I am listing down my tried and tested mechanics around NCR. In case you have any more to add do inform and I'll add them in my poll list. if they recieve enough positive polls I'll review them too.
A word of advise, always treat your bullet mechanic with the respect they deserve, be friendly with them and they'll really take care of your ride. Otherwise you are just another job to be gotten over with.

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Gurdial Auto Engineers review

Gurdial Auto Engineers

Whenever people talk of Bullet mechanics in Karol Bagh two names come to mind. Lalli Singh and Gurdial. Both names are synonymous for good quality work, honest people and reasonable prices. They are also synonymous for cramped quarters, overcrowded shops and foreign tourists but we'll touch those points later. It was their age old heritage and longer than Qutb Minar list of illustrious clientele that drew me to them.
I first tried finding out about Lalli Singh. It was not very hard to find their shop but then it was a shop that rented out motorcycles and not repaired them. Their workshop was on the other end of the market, in Gali no. 4. When I did wade my way through the myriad of motorcycle shops and reached Lalli Singh workshop, I was promptly informed by their very efficient staff that they carried out repairs only for their motorcycles. While this tit bit, about a shop having enough number of motorcycles in Karol bagh to warrant its own workshop was very interesting, nevertheless it did nothing to uplift my mood. What it did to my Bullet's mood was another story because as I emerged from Gali no. 4 it gave three quick jerks as if to throw me over and came to a halt. It was a winter morning and I was a novice in matters related to Enfield engineering. So cold sweat LITERALLY ran down my head as I goaded my ride to move on. It was in this condition that I found my way to Gurdial Auto engineers.

Location of Gurdial Auto Engineers


The place is a nondescript shop tucked away in Gali number 35 in Karol Bagh. Though the location is fairly easy to find as it is bang in the middle of Karol Bagh Motorcycle market. However reaching there in the "near enough to kiss" traffic of Karol bagh without getting the love of your life (not implying your girl friend or wife) scratched would be miraculous. No worries once there you can have the scratched fixed as well.
For location I give it 7/10

Locality  of Gurdial Auto Engineers

There can never be a better place than Karol bagh for a motorcycle enthusiast in NCR. It is the biggest, the most diverse, the most unscrupulous (ooops remind me to warn you about this one) market around. Everything from exhaust pipes (the most mundane) to the portable western toilet for Bullet (the most exotic) can be bought here. That is if you know the right shop. If you reach the wrong shop you would wish that you were shitting gold.
Having an age old motorcycle repair shop in this place is an advantage in itself. Having such a shop with a good brand name to boast about is purely magical.
For locality I give it 9/10

Overall knowledge of Gurdial Auto Engineers

I need not degrade this shop by talking about the knowledge of people here. They have been in Karol bagh forever. The list of their illustrious clientele is covering an entire wall in their shop and extends to many foreign locations I have not even heard of. They have the knowledge and wherewithal to fix oldest 350 CC to the newest continental GT. Even if they are not able to fix some electrical parts you have electrical automotive expert "Simpy" nearby to take care of it. 
For knowledge I give it 7/10

Care and ownership at Gurdial Auto Engineers

This one is a bit tricky and is mostly dependent on the time you reach them. By time I am not referring to the one that shows on your watch. By time I mean the two distinctions called "
Busy time" and "Easy time". Reach them at an "Easy time" and you'll have him and/or is son personally take care of your Enfield and you are sorted. God forbid if you reach them at a "Busy time" you'll learn the meaning of the word pandemonium. Hopping from one foot to another (because there is not space enough to keep both your feet planted). While getting your ride worked on by his many minions is not a pleasant experience and may sometimes give unexpected results.
For care and ownership I give it 7/10

Sophistication at Gurdial Auto Engineers

If you think that in an age old place which is always brimming with people to get their beloved Bullet fixed, sophistication would be the last thing you'll hear about. You are dead right. While cleanliness is next to godliness is no mechanics mantra. Karol bagh seems to be a place bathed in grease and tar and all sorts of motorcycle fluid. Asking for anything devoid of grease in such a place is like asking for an "aloo ka paratha" without grease in a Punjabi dhaba. 
For sophistication I give it 5/10

Overall ease at Gurdial Auto Engineers

Having all kinds of mechanics specialists and Bullet shops in the vicinity works in its favour. Though getting your motorcycle in and out of the shop's vicinity can be tricky, you can rest assured once work has started on it nobody will tell you to move it around. (Till then be sure to be light footed with your heavy cruiser. Payment here is by cash only.
For overall ease I give it 7/10

Genuine parts at Gurdial Auto Engineers

Even though he does not have a big supply of OEM items you have Sriram Motors nearby to buy Genuine products. Additionally there are lots of shops including a Royal enfield authorised spare parts dealer around to buy from.
For genuine parts I give it 7/10

Variety/Innovative parts at Gurdial Auto Engineers

Again there is a whole market of innovative products around to choose from. Just choose the right shop.
For variety I give it 8/10

Rates at Gurdial Auto Engineers

Going to this place I did not feel like bargaining at all. The rates are so nominal and were so much below my expectation for the work, that I actually felt embarrassed paying up
For rates I give it 9/10

Timing at Gurdial Auto Engineers

Gurdial Auto Engineers is open on weekends. However they are closed on Tuesdays.
For timing I give it 8/10


Final Rating: 74/100

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