Tamil Nadu consumer court asks Royal Enfield to pay ₹5.1 lakh over defective Continental GT 650

A consumer court in Tamil Nadu’s Coimbatore has directed motorcycle manufacturer Royal Enfield and its authorised dealer Bharat Automotives to jointly pay ₹5.1 lakh compensation to a customer after finding repeated service failures and unresolved defects in a Continental GT 650 motorcycle.

The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission ruled in favour of Coimbatore-based advocate Uthresh Gobu, who had purchased the premium café-racer motorcycle in May 2022. The commission observed that the bike suffered recurring mechanical and electrical problems for nearly three years and spent a combined 294 days at service centres, raising concerns over service quality and defect resolution.

According to the complaint, the Continental GT 650 began experiencing issues soon after delivery and continued to develop faults despite repeated repairs and replacement of key components. The complainant alleged that several important parts of the motorcycle repeatedly malfunctioned, including the instrument cluster, keyset, suspension components, throttle body, sensors, electrical wiring, silencers and exhaust system.

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One of the most striking allegations involved the motorcycle’s instrument cluster, which the buyer claimed had to be replaced six times due to fogging and malfunction issues. The keyset was reportedly replaced three times, while other components were repeatedly serviced or changed at authorised workshops.

The motorcycle was serviced at Royal Enfield-authorised centres across several cities, including Coimbatore, Pune, Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Noida, New Delhi and Kullu.

The complainant further argued that repeated replacement of the instrument cluster affected odometer readings, ultimately impacting the vehicle’s resale value. He also alleged that Bharat Automotives charged excess insurance premiums at the time of purchase and made errors in vehicle registration, resulting in a spelling mistake in the Registration Certificate.

Despite multiple service visits and repair attempts, the issues were allegedly never permanently resolved. The buyer subsequently approached the consumer commission, accusing both the dealer and manufacturer of deficiency in service.

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The bench, comprising President P Dakshanamoorthy and Member G Suguna, observed that the recurring defects and inability to rectify them indicated clear lapses in customer service.

In its order issued on May 6, the commission directed Royal Enfield and Bharat Automotives to jointly pay ₹5.1 lakh for mental agony, hardship and related expenses, along with ₹10,000 towards litigation costs.

The commission also stated that if the amount is not paid within two months, it will attract 12% annual interest.

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