My 2023 Royal Enfield INT 650 came with pannier bags and rails installed. Someone stole the bags, so I removed the empty rails. I did not realize the rails were also functioning as the bolts holding the rear suspension at that mounting point.
I had just ridden through a canyon. About five minutes after I got out, on a straight road, the suspension detached. I somehow kept the motorcycle upright. The timing was lucky.
I still do not know whether the rails were installed incorrectly or whether separate bolts were supposed to be there. Foothills Motorcycles only knew that the suspension had detached. The final paperwork listed both rear shocks, several rear body components, bushings, washers, and two locking bolts. The repair totaled $1,253.84, which Royal Enfield covered.
Getting it to the dealer
I contacted Royal Enfield by email on July 5. The motorcycle was not safe to ride, so they directed me to the Roadside Assistance included with the bike. The nearest authorized dealer, Royal Enfield of Denver at Foothills Motorcycles in Lakewood, was 25.9 miles away. Roadside Assistance covered 25 miles. Royal Enfield agreed to arrange the tow and cover the distance beyond the normal limit.
Arranging the pickup took several rounds of emails about my address, phone number, availability, and ETA. The motorcycle was collected on July 13. The next day, Foothills called because they had the motorcycle but no instructions from Royal Enfield. I sent the dealer's contact back to customer service so they could coordinate directly.
On July 18, Foothills confirmed that Royal Enfield would cover the repair under warranty. The parts were not available, and they expected the repair to take a few weeks.
Waiting for parts
I checked with Foothills on August 4. They were still waiting for parts. On August 11, they said the motorcycle was scheduled for Friday. They finished it on August 14 and told me I could pick it up the next day.
The process took 41 days from my first email to getting the motorcycle back. Communication between Royal Enfield and the dealer was slow at the start, and the limited parts supply caused most of the wait.
I'm happy overall with the outcome. Royal Enfield covered the tow, parts, and labor despite the uncertain cause. I wish I had gotten the motorcycle back sooner. I picked it up on Saturday, August 15, and rode it home.