[ashwinprakas]

Originally Posted by HONESTabdul

I have a Thunderbird 350 run in about 10000kms. Lately there is a clicking sound in the engine after the bike has run about 20 to 30 kms i.e. in a hit engine. The sound is pronounced at idling and mutes above 2500 rpm. Not continuous, it comes and goes. Mileage fine and so is the power delivery. Can anyone help me identify the source so that I can convince the service center guys to look into it? Trying to attach a audio file of the noise. Attachment 1751864

Attachment 1751865 please bear with me for trying to upload a sample of the sound in video and audio format. Do excuse for making two posts for the same

That's tappet noise which ideally should not be present in a UCE engine due to the hydraulic tappets present, so either they or their oil circulation is at fault.

[ArizonaJim]

Originally Posted by ashwinprakas

Put the motorcycle on main stand, raise the front and rock the stanchion, if there is play you'll know.

Carrying on with this, if the steering head bearings seem to be loose, adjusting them on the Royal Enfield is not very difficult.

First, the two bolts and nuts that clamp the fork tubes to the lower crown fork must be loosened.
Before doing this, raise the front wheel off of the ground slightly by placing a jack under the front engine mount. With the motorcycle sitting on the center stand, just a little jacking under the front mount will do this.

These 2 bolts on my 500 UCE are also holding the front turn signals and the sheet metal name plate that is located below the casquette in place.
If this is the case, it may be advisable to first temporarily remove the turn signals to give access to the nut that tightens the bolt that clamps the lower fork to the fork tubes.
Do not remove these bolts. They just need to be loosened to allow the lower crown fork to move easily.

With both the right and left lower crown fork clamping bolts loosened a few turns, direct your attention to the large chrome crown nut on the top of the steering head.

Slightly loosen this nut and then while holding the handlebars, tighten it to a torque of 18-20Nm (13-15 lb/ft).

Now, without moving anything, again loosen the large crown nut and then re-tighten it to 2-4 Nm (1.5-3 lb/ft).

Tighten the two bolts/nuts on the lower crown fork and reinstall the turn signals.

If the steering head bearings are in good shape, the steering should be back to factory specifications.

[B O V]

So, The laziness bug had bit me and being away from home, I hadn't really ridden my motorcycle around. Just used to start her up and keep her running in neutral for a while and that's it. 6 months since shes been ridden around.

I needed to take her out for a wash last week , and when I popped her into 1'st , she just jumps forward and stalls. Common sense and logic tells me some sort of an issue wherein the clutch is not getting engaged.

Any fixes for the same( except going to the mech, I do believe there must be a fix, these are rudimentary motorcycles after all) Oil leakage from the clutch case took place as well.

Motorcycle in question is a 1983 Bullet.

[Abhishek3001]

Originally Posted by B O V

Common sense and logic tells me some sort of an issue wherein the clutch is not getting engaged.

Sounds like your clutch plates might have stuck together. I may be wrong but you could try putting the bike in 2nd or 3rd gear, pull the clutch lever in and try to roll the bike till the bike starts rolling freely like it normally does with the clutch lever pulled in.

Cheers

[ArizonaJim]

I agree.

Wet Clutches like the one in the Royal Enfield have several individual clutch plates stacked. one on top of another and these can become stuck together after sitting for a period of time.

To cause them to loosen up, before starting the engine, move the kick starter lever out and place your foot on it.
Squeeze the clutch lever to totally disengage the clutch and then press the kick starter all the way down.

The lever will move rather freely until the engine starts on its compression stroke.
Add more pressure to the lever and suddenly, the clutch plates will lose their grip on one another and the lever will move easily to the bottom of the stroke.

Once this is done, the clutch lever can be released and the engine started as usual.

This phenomenon of the plates sticking can occur in just a few hours such as when the motorcycle sits overnight. It becomes more noticeable when the motorcycle sits for several days.
It is also not just a "Royal Enfield" problem. It happens to all motorcycles that have a wet plate clutch.

[ashwinprakas]

Originally Posted by ArizonaJim

It is also not just a "Royal Enfield" problem. It happens to all motorcycles that have a wet plate clutch.

True about that, the bang is more pronounced when using a higher grade oil.

I don't bother shifting into neutral at the end of the day, so the next day morning I just pull the clutch in and back out from the garage as a result of which the clutch breaks free and is good to go.

[B O V]

Originally Posted by Abhishek3001

Sounds like your clutch..

Originally Posted by ArizonaJim

I agree..

Thank you both for your inputs. However it has not been solved. In my 8 years of owning this same motorcycle, not once has this issue ever happened.

I did try all the methods as was asked and it still behaves, with the kick lever in place and with the clutch lever engaged, as though the clutch had not been pulled in at all.

[ashwinprakas]

Originally Posted by B O V

Thank you both for your inputs. However it has not been solved. In my 8 years of owning this same motorcycle, not once has this issue ever happened.

I did try all the methods as was asked and it still behaves, with the kick lever in place and with the clutch lever engaged, as though the clutch had not been pulled in at all.

Do as I've mentioned in the previous post and share your experience, its a sure shot means of breaking the clutch loose.

Engage 1st gear, with the clutch disengaged i.e lever pulled in move the motorcycle until the clutch breaks loose.

This is not an issue per say, it is just that your clutch plates are sticking which can either be due to using a heavier grade oil or from clutch basket wear, over time the clutch basket develops grooves causing the clutch plates to "settle" in place. Replacement is suggested only when the clutch fails to disengage even after warm-up and riding.

Cheers,
A.P.

[saurabh89]

Hi People!

Getting my bike ready for the Ladakh trip planned for this month.

This is going to be my first long tour on my bullet. The odo reads 7105 kms as on date. Trip planned is for 4000 kms.

Had got my bike serviced at 5500 kms (synthetic oil, new brake pads). What are things to be checked/changed before the trip. Also, what all essential accessories to be carried for the trip?

[Vikvkv]

Originally Posted by saurabh89

Hi People!

Getting my bike ready for the Ladakh trip planned for this month.

This is going to be my first long tour on my bullet. The odo reads 7105 kms as on date. Trip planned is for 4000 kms.

Had got my bike serviced at 5500 kms (synthetic oil, new brake pads). What are things to be checked/changed before the trip. Also, what all essential accessories to be carried for the trip?

Sir best of luck for the ride. Although I'm a novice in terms of long rides i would still tell you to carry spare cables like accelerator cable, clutch cable. If you aren't on alloy wheels please carry spare tyre tubes and puncture repair kit. If you already own a portable tyre Inflator carry with you although it might require a cigarette lighter/charger unit on your bike. If you are going to ride during the nights please go for auxiliary lights. Although you got your bike serviced some 1500kms ago try to get bike inspected at a RE service center. Lookout out for lose bolts, nuts and inspect the vehicle thoroughly. One more thing i forgot which i believe you might be already carrying are Jerry cans. Ride safe and I'm waiting for your travelogue.

[ashwinprakas]

Originally Posted by saurabh89

Hi People!

Getting my bike ready for the Ladakh trip planned for this month.

This is going to be my first long tour on my bullet. The odo reads 7105 kms as on date. Trip planned is for 4000 kms.

Had got my bike serviced at 5500 kms (synthetic oil, new brake pads). What are things to be checked/changed before the trip. Also, what all essential accessories to be carried for the trip?

1. Always start an extended ride with new oil, ALWAYS!

And I would recommend that you go with mineral this time, cause from my experience bashing around small displacement(yet a gazillion times more reliable compared to a RE) motorcycles around the country what I've learnt is that mineral tends to stay for the long-run compared to synthetics which tend to play the vanishing act at times without warning.

2. If you ride like me then pads would last you 10k km's, and since you've changed them roughly 2k km's ago it would be safe to assume that you've got roughly about 8k of life left. But what you should take caution is to change your brake fluid once every year, so better do it if you're yet to.

3. Control cables, again these have to be changed once every year. Ignore what your local mechanic tells you on this front cause best bet I can guarantee you that the bugger has never crossed his very own Panchayat Limits on a motorcycle to know better, plus it is only commonsense to invest in a few hundreds now that wait for it to bike you in the nether-regions when you least expect it to. A pro-tip would be to carry 2 sets of 'Bajaj RE' clutch cables(inner and lock) along with you, they would serve as a throttle cable/clutch cable/brake cable replacement in the event that you'd need one. Plus its a better choice compared to carrying every individual cable or worse doing that senseless thing that RE folks usually do i.e route a second cable.

4. Air filter, now having ridden around the country alongside a RE Bullet 500, I know for a fact that the stock air filter is highly inadequate, so make sure you start with a fresh filter and also carry a spare cause chances are you'd need one, we didn't bother to carry a spare during our 7000~8000 km's ride presuming that the filter would last as we had put in a new one immediately before the ride, so yeah, we learnt things the hard way.

5. Remember that scene from the movie 'RUSH' where Niki Lauda and his future wife end up with a broken down car. To not end up like that I'd suggest you acquaint yourself with fixing your own motorcycle rather than depending on "Expensive Services", plus trust me when I say that the best place to replace a part for the first time is your own garage, you really don't want to experience the polar alternative to that situation.

On a lighter note I got to know for the first time that a Royal Enfield has 3 drain bolts while changing its oil by the side of the road somewhere in Odisha in the dark, funny part being that I'm neither from Odisha nor do I own or have owned a Royal Enfield

[ArizonaJim]

Sorry but I must disagree with ashwinprakas's comment about oil.

First, synthetic engine oils do not disappear or vanish any more than a old fashioned mineral oil does.
Synthetic oils don't leak past seals or piston rings any faster either.

Synthetic oils are made from long lasting chains or elements that will not break down like regular motor oil does. This break down problem is caused by high heat and on a extended trip ridden at high speeds, the temperatures that can cause mineral oil to break down can be encountered.

My recommendation to saurabh89 is to use a good synthetic motor oil in his Royal Enfield.
It will have the best anti-foaming, anti-oxidation, detergents and heat stabilization which is exactly what his engine will need on his trip.

Happy Riding

[Who_are_you]

Originally Posted by ArizonaJim

Sorry but I must disagree with ashwinprakas's comment about oil.

First, synthetic engine oils do not disappear or vanish any more than a old fashioned mineral oil does.
Synthetic oils don't leak past seals or piston rings any faster either.

Royal Enfield' UCE engine burn oil, I generally top up 100~200 ml every 1~1.5K interval. Using fully synthetic oil is just waste of money in IMO.


I prefer to use mineral oil and change at 3000Km interval. I have clocked more than 80K+ Km in last 5 years and never faced any engine issues.

[LoneTraveller]

Hello everyone,

My uncle is planning to purchase a Cast-Iron engine Electra (of 2006-2009 vintage) with disc brake and self start.

-What are the pointers that he needs to keep in mind while searching for one?

-What are the issues that he'll face later on ?

-Parts availability?

Regards,
LoneTraveller

[KkVaidya]

Originally Posted by LoneTraveller

Hello everyone,

-What are the pointers that he needs to keep in mind while searching for one?

-What are the issues that he'll face later on ?

-Parts availability?

Regards,
LoneTraveller

I have a 2002 model Electra which has clocked around 24,000kms (i know i dont use it daily). Apart from the rubbers, there is nothing to worry about. Check the chain drive as mine was prematurely worn out at around 18,000 kms
Parts availability is not a problem in Royal Enfield. Even if they dont have in stock, they can order it from the factory.