[tharian]

Originally Posted by B O V

That good huh

Overheating ? does that mean it can't be ridden hard?


BOV

I could ride my 500 hard only when dark or during dusk or dawn.

During the day when the sun is out, I had to stop now and then or ride at a slower than usual speed,but even then it tends to overheat. All this on the highway,in city its just like riding a 350, except much more fun.
Engine pinging is an issue with the 500 cast irons when on trips.

Not sure how many other riders have felt the same.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by B O V

I'm thinking of gettin a cast iron 500 to keep my 83 CI 350 company, can anyone tell me what to look out for with the 500's?

Which parts might be hard to get and other such details would be extremely helpful.

Regards,

BOV

If you do manage to buy a Std 500, in all likelihood the owner would also have a treasure chest of 500-specific parts. Do ensure you ask and work them into your deal. Because the parts can be sold individually at current market rates very easily, as they are rare, difficult to get, and a company part is not the same as an aftermarket part, no matter what anyone says.

Push rods

Piston

Rings

Block-Piston kit OR Sleeve + spare block

Con rod

Spare Crank or Flywheels

Spare engine casings (a bout of stupidity - I sold the spare engine I got from salvage post the Gujarat floods, for a song; kept the head though)

Head (worth its weight in gold)

Valves

Valve springs

Engine studs

Head bolts

Timing cover bolt set

Bend pipe (worth its weight in gold for an original one)

Carb (better if you can lay your hand on a 535 one both are VM28s but the internals are different)

Carb rubber manifold (the one piece Mikuni design one)

Tank (an adaptor is just not the same)

Petrol cock (worth its weight in gold - no other alternative flows just right)

Oil pump

Gaskets (head, block, engine)

Front sprockets (17, 18, even 19, though the first two should be enough)

Spark Plugs (I buy W5DCs whenever and wherever I find them)

Mud guards, stays, rear tail light glass (all specific to Std 500)

[FuelInjector]

Originally Posted by man_of_steel

Bottomline: There is no way one can justify a 85K pricetag for this ill maintained contraption! He is trying to sell you the brand and not the bike.

Took the advise of many. Went to the showroom and test drove all the bikes. Have gone ahead and booked a new bullet 500 forest green.

[navin_v8]

Originally Posted by FuelInjector

Took the advise of many. Went to the showroom and test drove all the bikes. Have gone ahead and booked a new bullet 500 forest green.

Congrats on your booking the Bullet 500 mate (I am not posting on the other thread as it is about the RE Electra). Like they say, "If you ride a 500cc after riding a 350cc, you will yearn for the former."(In short the 350 is no match for a 500) The Bullet 500 UCE is a wonderful bike and the paint scheme you chose is awesome. What is the waiting period on this one by the way?

[Ketan T]

Bullet owners in Pune, if you have fitted an aftermarket exhaust for the thumping sound beware of the traffic police. This article was published in TOI today.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by Ketan T

Bullet owners in Pune, if you have fitted an aftermarket exhaust for the thumping sound beware of the traffic police. This article was published in TOI today.

I was seeing exactly the same article today morning. Either I let Doppie take a break until the mamas move on to the next flavor of the season, or if I ride her, I plan not to get caught. There is nothing ambiguous or restrained about her exhaust note, be it at idle or full chat.

As any self respecting Bullet should be.

[john doe]

The thing about buying a CI 500 is that nobody knows how much work needs to be done on the engine till things go terribly wrong.

Keep in mind that the self proclaimed "Royal " company does not support the 500's and the 535's at all.

Getting a piston is impossible. Getting a block piston kit is almost impossible. Heads are rarer than horns on a donkey's head. Chain sprockets are rather rare.

If you must buy, buy it from someone who will not lie to you. If you were to buy my bike, I would show you every Rupee that has been spent on it and every thing that is wrong with it. Maybe people like me are also as rare as horns on a donkey's head

PS: Even if you get the block piston kit, most likely you will still need to sleeve it!!! "Royal" company's quality standards are in a gutter of it's own!

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by john doe

Getting a piston is impossible.

My mechanic has an entire 500 engine lying with him and he is planning to build it up completely and put it onto an old rolling frame that has been with him for donkey's years.

He just managed to get a standard piston in company packing. 4000 bucks (though he apparently got a bit of a discount). He already has a standard 500 sleeve (one half of a pair I had gotten from a firang in Goa).

The thing about a std 500 though is, after all the trials and tribulations and sweat and blood and tears and burnt wallets and frazzled nerves, the day she runs soft and purrs perfectly, that one day makes it all seem worthwhile, and all your troubles fade into the distance as you and your cast iron single pot dragon ride into the distance.

Touch wood, I am having a lot of these rids off late after a few years of a lot of the above (most down to my own pigheadedness .... but that's another story).

[FuelInjector]

Originally Posted by navin_v8

Congrats on your booking the Bullet 500 mate (I am not posting on the other thread as it is about the RE Electra).

Thanks buddy.

Like they say, "If you ride a 500cc after riding a 350cc, you will yearn for the former."(In short the 350 is no match for a 500)

absolutely. felt a complete different kind of thrill while driving the .5ltr one.

The Bullet 500 UCE is a wonderful bike and the paint scheme you chose is awesome. What is the waiting period on this one by the way?

one month in Coimbatore. Nevertheless, he said he would try to get it by Aug 3rd (apparently this month is auspicious down south and the 18th day is super auspicious). anyways am ok to wait for a month

[navin_v8]

Originally Posted by FuelInjector

One month in Coimbatore. Nevertheless, he said he would try to get it by Aug 3rd (apparently this month is auspicious down south and the 18th day is super auspicious). anyways am ok to wait for a month

Waiting period seems to have come down, I think it is because 500cc models have less takers(for example I got my Tbird500 in less than a months time). One month is reasonable enough. Enjoy

[B O V]

Originally Posted by ebonho

If you do manage to buy a Std 500, in all likelihood the owner would also have a treasure chest of 500-specific parts..

Thanks for the detailed reply, will keep those points in mind.

Although I suppose the valves can be retrofitted from the new 500's? I just did a complete engine rebuild on my 350 and installed new valves on it, along with adding skf 4205 bearing to the timing side and converting it to an oil seal.

Originally Posted by john doe

The thing about buying a CI 500 is that nobody knows how much work needs to be done on the engine till things go terribly wrong

Hahaha! Thanks for the frank views on the topic.

I'm looking at a fixer upper for all intents. Just finished with the 350 and looking for something else to eat away at my time and patience

Regards,

BOV

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by B O V

Although I suppose the valves can be retrofitted from the new 500's?

There are always workarounds. Plus Hitchcock's is always there when you come up against a blank wall here.

To my knowledge, the valve stems of the modern 500s are capless, and the std 500 has valve caps, which causes some issues for retrofit. Check. There should be a solution, though I've got a mint original Stage 1 ported head with brand new rockers, guides, springs, valves, seats, and head nuts, safely packed away, plus a set of valves and push rods spare as well. I plan to keep my 500 forever.

[The Great]

Originally Posted by ebonho

I plan to keep my 500 forever.

Which one do you own sir. The CI or AVL or the UCE 500.

I am just in the market for a "Forever Bullet".

Regrettably sold my CI 350 5 years back and since then have failed to find a replacement no matter how many bikes I changed.

Looking at this thread it seems that the CI 500 is hard to maintain. So the options would be CI 350, or brand new UCE 500, or maybe to wait for 2016 for a newer avatar ? I know the pros and cons of both engines and don't want to start the uce vs ci debate. Its just that my heart says CI and mind conflicts with the parts availability.

Geez a decade and a half back I didn't have to make any choices when I had owned my old bullet.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by The Great

Which one do you own sir. The CI or AVL or the UCE 500.

I am just in the market for a "Forever Bullet".

Regrettably sold my CI 350 5 years back and since then have failed to find a replacement no matter how many bikes I changed.

Looking at this thread it seems that the CI 500 is hard to maintain. So the options would be CI 350, or brand new UCE 500, or maybe to wait for 2016 for a newer avatar ? I know the pros and cons of both engines and don't want to start the uce vs ci debate. Its just that my heart says CI and mind conflicts with the parts availability.

Geez a decade and a half back I didn't have to make any choices when I had owned my old bullet.

I presently own a 2002 Standard 500. In the past I also had a 2007 LB500 and a 2012 Cl 500, both of which were sold and are not with me now.

[john doe]

Originally Posted by The Great

Regrettably sold my CI 350 5 years back

The best buy would the one bike you owned earlier: The Cast Iron 350. Very reliable, easy to repair since parts are all easily available.

If I were you, I would stay away from the Cast Iron 500 / 535.