[gearbox]

I completely missed out to mention, So the tank finally hit reserve yesterday @ 312Kms on the ODO. I had filled in 12.4 liters on the date of purchase, meaning it had only about 1.1 filled by the Dealership.
At the time of Delivery the bullet had 5kms on the ODO, so I rode the bullet for about 307kms - consuming 11.5ltrs of petrol. Comes up to about 26.7 KMPL
Which is a very poor mileage. However, I must mention things that I did while riding these 300+ kms.
1) I have used the clutch very often, when slowing down, or when picking up from slow speeds.
2) I have idled the bullet at signals for 2 or more minutes over this period of time. and have also idled the bullet each morning at first start for about 2 minutes.
3) I have always ridden the bullet below 45kmph speeds. I do not trust the ODD/Speedometer' accuracy and hence chose to be within the limits than exceed.
4) I love that sound when the bullet pulls with that THUMP Spaced with a nice gap in between, meaning running in 4th Gear at speeds of upto about 30/35kmph. I have done that always, and here is where the clutch needs to be used to avoid shudders or knocking.
5) Tyre pressure maintained is 22F/32R.

I am a really calm rider, never in a hurry on my bullet. I think its just the nature of the bull that gets me into that zone. I am not the same rider on any other 4s or 2s bike, I do rip other bikes to a fair amount (Not the Bull).

How many of you experts feel that some/any or all of these things would have contributed to the low fuel efficiency.

[bhasker]

Originally Posted by gearbox

I completely missed out to mention, So the tank finally hit reserve yesterday @ 312Kms on the ODO. I had filled in 12.4 liters on the date of purchase, meaning it had only about 1.1 filled by the Dealership.
At the time of Delivery the bullet had 5kms on the ODO, so I rode the bullet for about 307kms - consuming 11.5ltrs of petrol. Comes up to about 26.7 KMPL

Dear gearbox,

1) Please make a note that the fuel tank capacity of your Electra might not be exactly 13.5 litres, as stated by Royal Enfield. I own the new Thunderbird 350 and the company states that it has a 20 litre tank. I tried to determine the total tank capacity and the reserve capacity by carrying out a short experiment and I was shocked to find out that the total tank capacity was just only 17.93 litres. My friend told me that the fuel tanks are hand made and the capacities always vary, even for two bikes of similar models, so nothing is perfect in Royal Enfield ! Please do try to determine the tank capacity of your Electra by following this experiment:

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motorb...ml#post3290533

You will be able to determine the fuel efficiency more accurately after this.

2) As far as the fuel efficiency is concerned, I followed a very basic practice during run-in for my Thunderbird. Please try out the following methods and let us know if the average improves.

i) No need for a long warm up of 2 mins. Rather, you can start riding the bike on first gear at very slow speeds of 10 km/h, for 2-3 mins. This will ensure that your bike moves at 1,500 RPM on first gear(the idling RPM for UCE bikes is 1,000 RPM). Hence, the bikes is not overloaded when the engine is cold and your bike also gets warmed up in 3 mins of time and you will also cover some distance in meantime.

ii) Do not go for sudden accelerations and prefer to go for smooth pick-ups. This will ensure better fuel efficiency and a smoother run-in for the engine, thereby the engine will have a good life later. The THUMP is definitely pleasant to hear when you raise the throttle, but it is also responsible for less fuel economy in Bullets in 65% of cases.

iii) Shift proper gears with the change in speeds. We want the engine to maintain between 2,000-3,000 RPM at all times. You should rather be riding at 42 km/h on 4th gear and 65 km/h on 5th gear. The engine will be doing approx 2,200 RPM for the these speeds. We don't want the engine to make dak-dak sound at low speeds on higher gears. Neither we want too much of ripping sound on low gears.

iv) Please utilize the electric start at traffic signals. If the traffic signal has the timer, then switch off the engine and relax, later you may start the bike.

v) Always prefer to fill petrol from Shell petrol stations. They offer the best quality and correct quantity of fuel, and they also claim to have some additives in their fuel which keeps the fuel and engine system clean, and improves the fuel efficiency. This is a golden opportunity for Bangaloreans as Bangalore has the maximum number of Shell filling stations. I always fill up at Shell.

vi) The fuel efficiency should improve after the first service. My Thunderbird gave a 37 km/l before the first service and 42 km/l after the second service.

[SuperSlick]

Originally Posted by gearbox

I completely missed out to mention, So the tank finally hit reserve yesterday @ 312Kms on the ODO. I had filled in 12.4 liters on the date of purchase, meaning it had only about 1.1 filled by the Dealership.
At the time of Delivery the bullet had 5kms on the ODO, so I rode the bullet for about 307kms - consuming 11.5ltrs of petrol. Comes up to about 26.7 KMPL
Which is a very poor mileage. However, I must mention things that I did while riding these 300+ kms.
1) I have used the clutch very often, when slowing down, or when picking up from slow speeds.
2) I have idled the bullet at signals for 2 or more minutes over this period of time. and have also idled the bullet each morning at first start for about 2 minutes.
3) I have always ridden the bullet below 45kmph speeds. I do not trust the ODD/Speedometer' accuracy and hence chose to be within the limits than exceed.
4) I love that sound when the bullet pulls with that THUMP Spaced with a nice gap in between, meaning running in 4th Gear at speeds of upto about 30/35kmph. I have done that always, and here is where the clutch needs to be used to avoid shudders or knocking.
5) Tyre pressure maintained is 22F/32R.

I am a really calm rider, never in a hurry on my bullet. I think its just the nature of the bull that gets me into that zone. I am not the same rider on any other 4s or 2s bike, I do rip other bikes to a fair amount (Not the Bull).

How many of you experts feel that some/any or all of these things would have contributed to the low fuel efficiency.

Hi there gearbox. I own an Electra too which has done 1569 Kms on the ODO as of today. During my initial 500 Kms I was very gentle with the throttle and the gear shifts and I ensured that he (his name is Thor) did not see any stop-go-traffic at least during the initial 500 Kms.

I used to take him for short rides on the highway almost every day early mornings. This was also because this is my first bike and my first RE. To my surprise, I got a mileage of about 56 Kms during the initial 500 Kms run-in. I was expecting something in the range of 40-45 and believe me each day when I took him out I had this thing in my mind that today it might hit the reserve!

1. I made sure he idled for a minute at least before hitting the roads. The throttle was not opened up completely during each gear shift. Very gentle with it but at the same time was sure that the engine did not lug or felt strained.

2. Varied the speeds from 55 to 60 Km/hr in 5th gear.

3. Downshifted if I felt the bike is not pulling in the gear I was riding in rather than depressing the clutch and giving more throttle to bring the rpms up. That is, if I were at 35 and in 4th gear and felt the bike did not pull, I'd down shift and give slight throttle and then shift to 4th once I have hit 40.

4. Tire pressure was maintained as you have mentioned above.

I'm not an expert, but I think since I was new to riding and also the bike was new, I was kind of extra-careful during the initial run-in at least and that might have helped in getting a decent figure on the mileage front! I'll try to share some data from the logs i've been maintaining from the day the Project Thor started

[gearbox]

Originally Posted by bhasker

Gentlemen,

Is it possible to improve the performance of my 2013 Thunderbird 350 by tuning its carburettor ? Can the tuning be done by myself or I have take it to a mechanic ?
As all of you are aware, it has a UCE engine and a UCAL BS29 carburettor.

Thanks !

What exactly are you looking for? Better pickup, mileage?
Carb' main purpose is to create the right mix of petrol and air and form a fine mist to be injected into the Cylinder for Ignition.

So yes, carb can be tuned (provided everything else is in good shape) to get a better performance.

Air Mix, Fuel Mix and Idling controls are present on the BS29 Carb to play around with, however, please bear in mind to know what you are doing before you touch the carb.

Since your TB is new year wise (2013), it may have done a lot of kms or may have done less, depending on that you need to decide whether carb tuning will do or carb cleaning and tuning has to be done.

General rule of thumb is to ensure that the mix is not lean or rich, it should be balanced, and if it is already balanced, I would leave it as it is.

To figure out if your carb is tuned rich or lean or balanced, you could do the following.
Run the bike for about 2 kms. Let the engine cool down a bit, open up a spark plug and check the tip - Light Brown = Lean Mix (Less Fuel, more Air), Dark Brown/Blackish = Rich Mix (More Fuel, Less Air), Darker than Light brown, and lighter than blackish = Correct mix (Balanced).

I would personally look at getting an aftermarket air filter (K&N), would use better petrol (Shell etc), Maintain the right Air Pressure, Ensure the services are done properly and would use the bull with care and affection.

These steps should get you good performance.

OK so enough of my philosophy, You may already be aware of things I mentioned in my post here. Just Saying

[gearbox]

Originally Posted by SuperSlick

Hi there gearbox. I own an Electra too which has done 1569 Kms on the ODO as of today. During my initial 500 Kms I was very gentle with the throttle and the gear shifts and I ensured that he (his name is Thor) did not see any stop-go-traffic at least during the initial 500 Kms.

I used to take him for short rides on the highway almost every day early mornings. This was also because this is my first bike and my first RE. To my surprise, I got a mileage of about 56 Kms during the initial 500 Kms run-in. I was expecting something in the range of 40-45 and believe me each day when I took him out I had this thing in my mind that today it might hit the reserve!

1. I made sure he idled for a minute at least before hitting the roads. The throttle was not opened up completely during each gear shift. Very gentle with it but at the same time was sure that the engine did not lug or felt strained.

2. Varied the speeds from 55 to 60 Km/hr in 5th gear.

3. Downshifted if I felt the bike is not pulling in the gear I was riding in rather than depressing the clutch and giving more throttle to bring the rpms up. That is, if I were at 35 and in 4th gear and felt the bike did not pull, I'd down shift and give slight throttle and then shift to 4th once I have hit 40.

4. Tire pressure was maintained as you have mentioned above.

I'm not an expert, but I think since I was new to riding and also the bike was new, I was kind of extra-careful during the initial run-in at least and that might have helped in getting a decent figure on the mileage front! I'll try to share some data from the logs i've been maintaining from the day the Project Thor started

Hey SuperSlick,

I hear you, and that mileage you got is really great during the run in period.

I live pretty far from the nearest highway, so never had that option with me to try. I used the bullet both on times with heavy traffic and also when there was not much of it.
I am sure on the highway I can easily pull off a better mileage. However, there could be 2 things that caused such low mileage for me.

1) I ran it in @ 30kmph in the 4th gear, which means the engine gulping more fuel to build the torque at a lesser RPM.
2) I would use the clutch only in situations when the bullet cannot pull @ a specific speed in a specific gear, or to change gears.
3) I ensured to never make the bull knock or come to a halt due to improper acceleration/gear choice @ a certain speed.
4) I NEVER touched 55 on my bullet yet, I do not trust the speedometer, and hence always ensured I am around about 45 to 48 kmph and never more than that.
The reason for going slow or making the bullet run at low speeds at low rpm's in 4th or 5th gear was only to ensure a smooth run up and down of the piston and all the parts.

A Proper Run In only happens when the moving parts are slowly yet steadily moved to create a nice sync between the other parts rubbing against them, for example the piston and the cylinder - There should be an even, unbroken film of engine oil between the spacing. Unbroken is very very important, else it doesn't matter really.

I am just trying to put across the reasons why i did what i did so far during the run in period.

Please correct me if i am wrong, so i can stand corrected and use the proper method. I still have about 200 kms to complete the official run in, However, I am going to continue the run in for at least 3k kms.

[man_of_steel]

Originally Posted by SuperSlick

3. Downshifted if I felt the bike is not pulling in the gear I was riding in rather than depressing the clutch and giving more throttle to bring the rpms up. That is, if I were at 35 and in 4th gear and felt the bike did not pull, I'd down shift and give slight throttle and then shift to 4th once I have hit 40.

You said it right. Thats the way it is supposed to be done.

@gearbox. Dont lug the engine for sound bro. Believe me, its not worth it in the long run. Shift to a lower gear available and keep the engine less strained. Why use clutch if you can stay in the powerband in a lower gear. Immediate overtaking will also be effortless in this way.

And since you love staying in low speeds, I would suggest switching to an aftermarket freeflow exhaust (goldstar/megafone..) after say 2500-3000kms or so. You will enjoy the feel of engine exhaling more freely in those low end and mid range and also the thump.

And while you mentioned about low mileage in the earlier post I thought you were mentioning about a C5! Now I realized that you are having an Electra, dont worry. AFAIK, the fuelling during the initial 500 will be kept a bit rich. Your ASC guys should ideally be retuning your Carb in your 1st service. I now remember I was also getting low mileage before the first 500km service. Do mention it to your ASC. And it will take some time for your FE to settle to a correct figure.

Cheers.

[SuperSlick]

Originally Posted by bhasker

Dear gearbox,

v) Always prefer to fill petrol from Shell petrol stations. They offer the best quality and correct quantity of fuel, and they also claim to have some additives in their fuel which keeps the fuel and engine system clean, and improves the fuel efficiency. This is a golden opportunity for Bangaloreans as Bangalore has the maximum number of Shell filling stations. I always fill up at Shell.

Hi Bhasker, on your post mentioning to fill up from Shell due to the additives it has, when I took the delivery of my Electra, the dealer specifically mentioned me not to fill up any premium fuels as it has resulted in some customer complaints due to rust development and as a result clogging up the fuel system. He mentioned to just fill up the regular unleaded fuel which I have been doing and so far I've been getting a decent mileage of 46-47 kmpl in peak stop-go traffic. So i'm not really sure if that makes any difference?

[bhasker]

Originally Posted by SuperSlick

Hi Bhasker, on your post mentioning to fill up from Shell due to the additives it has, when I took the delivery of my Electra, the dealer specifically mentioned me not to fill up any premium fuels as it has resulted in some customer complaints due to rust development and as a result clogging up the fuel system. He mentioned to just fill up the regular unleaded fuel which I have been doing and so far I've been getting a decent mileage of 46-47 kmpl in peak stop-go traffic. So i'm not really sure if that makes any difference?

Dear SuperSlick,

By filling up at Shell petrol station I did not refer to filling a premium fuel with additives. I meant to fill the normal Unleaded petrol only. The Shell stations have two types of petrols: 1) Unleaded; 2) Super Unleaded. Shell claims to have some additives both in their normal Unleaded and Super Unleaded petrol, as mentioned on their website, don't know if it is really true. But the Super Unleaded petrol definitely has more additive agents and it is approx Rs.10 costlier, hence not desirable. But I have noticed a difference in the fuel efficiency when I started filling up normal Unleaded at Shell. I asked the same to Service Manager at a Royal Enfield Authorised Service Centre. But he was not able to give a clear reply and said their should not be any harm if you fill the normal Unleaded at Shell. He further adviced me not to fill the Shell Super on any other premium fuels from other companies.

[SuperSlick]

Originally Posted by gearbox

1) I ran it in @ 30kmph in the 4th gear, which means the engine gulping more fuel to build the torque at a lesser RPM.
2) I would use the clutch only in situations when the bullet cannot pull @ a specific speed in a specific gear, or to change gears.
3) I ensured to never make the bull knock or come to a halt due to improper acceleration/gear choice @ a certain speed.

A Proper Run In only happens when the moving parts are slowly yet steadily moved to create a nice sync between the other parts rubbing against them, for example the piston and the cylinder - There should be an even, unbroken film of engine oil between the spacing. Unbroken is very very important, else it doesn't matter really.

Gearbox, while you have explained the process correctly below, I think you are lugging the engine just for the sound effect you'd want to hear in the points you have noted.

Bro, I'd suggest you hold that for now at least for the initial 500 Kms. I am also going for the 3k run-in and am still making sure that I don't lug it in higher gears and low speeds just for the Thump. Even when I go on the highways, I am still making sure that I don't cross 65 Kmph. Only if I need to overtake, I'd touch max 70-75 Kmph for the overtaking and get back to 60-65 cruising speed. So you can touch 60-65 on your bike, no problem, but again as I said you'd need to be gentle with the throttle and keep a steady pace and momentum to continue with that speed without knocking the engine or straining it.

Even during the city rides, I shift to the correct gear rather than use the clutch to keep the rpms up in slow-moving traffic and I would switch him off at signals that take longer than a minute and a half at least.

[gearbox]

Originally Posted by bhasker

Dear gearbox,

1) Please make a note that the fuel tank capacity of your Electra might not be exactly 13.5 litres, as stated by Royal Enfield. I own the new Thunderbird 350 and the company states that it has a 20 litre tank. I tried to determine the total tank capacity and the reserve capacity by carrying out a short experiment and I was shocked to find out that the total tank capacity was just only 17.93 litres. My friend told me that the fuel tanks are hand made and the capacities always vary, even for two bikes of similar models, so nothing is perfect in Royal Enfield ! Please do try to determine the tank capacity of your Electra by following this experiment:

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motorb...ml#post3290533

You will be able to determine the fuel efficiency more accurately after this.

2) As far as the fuel efficiency is concerned, I followed a very basic practice during run-in for my Thunderbird. Please try out the following methods and let us know if the average improves.

i) No need for a long warm up of 2 mins. Rather, you can start riding the bike on first gear at very slow speeds of 10 km/h, for 2-3 mins. This will ensure that your bike moves at 1,500 RPM on first gear(the idling RPM for UCE bikes is 1,000 RPM). Hence, the bikes is not overloaded when the engine is cold and your bike also gets warmed up in 3 mins of time and you will also cover some distance in meantime.

ii) Do not go for sudden accelerations and prefer to go for smooth pick-ups. This will ensure better fuel efficiency and a smoother run-in for the engine, thereby the engine will have a good life later. The THUMP is definitely pleasant to hear when you raise the throttle, but it is also responsible for less fuel economy in Bullets in 65% of cases.

iii) Shift proper gears with the change in speeds. We want the engine to maintain between 2,000-3,000 RPM at all times. You should rather be riding at 42 km/h on 4th gear and 65 km/h on 5th gear. The engine will be doing approx 2,200 RPM for the these speeds. We don't want the engine to make dak-dak sound at low speeds on higher gears. Neither we want too much of ripping sound on low gears.

iv) Please utilize the electric start at traffic signals. If the traffic signal has the timer, then switch off the engine and relax, later you may start the bike.

v) Always prefer to fill petrol from Shell petrol stations. They offer the best quality and correct quantity of fuel, and they also claim to have some additives in their fuel which keeps the fuel and engine system clean, and improves the fuel efficiency. This is a golden opportunity for Bangaloreans as Bangalore has the maximum number of Shell filling stations. I always fill up at Shell.

vi) The fuel efficiency should improve after the first service. My Thunderbird gave a 37 km/l before the first service and 42 km/l after the second service.

Originally Posted by man_of_steel

You said it right. Thats the way it is supposed to be done.

@gearbox. Dont lug the engine for sound bro. Believe me, its not worth it in the long run. Shift to a lower gear available and keep the engine less strained. Why use clutch if you can stay in the powerband in a lower gear. Immediate overtaking will also be effortless in this way.

And since you love staying in low speeds, I would suggest switching to an aftermarket freeflow exhaust (goldstar/megafone..) after say 2500-3000kms or so. You will enjoy the feel of engine exhaling more freely in those low end and mid range and also the thump.

And while you mentioned about low mileage in the earlier post I thought you were mentioning about a C5! Now I realized that you are having an Electra, dont worry. AFAIK, the fuelling during the initial 500 will be kept a bit rich. Your ASC guys should ideally be retuning your Carb in your 1st service. I now remember I was also getting low mileage before the first 500km service. Do mention it to your ASC. And it will take some time for your FE to settle to a correct figure.

Cheers.

Hey Thanks for the replies guys, I mostly do not lug the engine for the sound, even in the 2nd gear, I ensure a slow and smooth throttle increase (I LOVE THE SOUND I GET AT THIS POINT ) and then slowly increase the throttle before reaching a stage where I feel the gear must change. I trust my ears/Vibrations/Engine sound to decide when to change gears, than looking at the Speedo (I must have mentioned this a lot of times now, I don't trust the Speedo).

However, I will ensure I keep my ears open and take the right gear changing decisions.

The Tank capacity tip is great Bhasker, I shall do that test as soon as i can. However I know that I had filled 12.4 liters of petrol on the very day i got the delivery, which filled up almost till the brim of the tank, had a little gap, say about 5mm from the fuel tank tip (Filler hole tip).

I am sure Shell is better, I shall be getting Shell going forward.

Manofsteel - I sure have plans to get the Goldstar/Megafone silencer .
I thought the same about the rich mix during the initial run-in, however I will make a note and will get the ASC' check it.

[Sudarshan]

Dont know where to put this but I think it might help others too.

The Bike in Q is, the RE std 350 Bullet, old cast Iron block type. [Year 2009 June]

I am not too much used to the Bullet thing so wanted to ask a Q

What kind of spanners, for example Sockets, Ring or side,-- will suit in travel repair work the most. I am trying to make a compact & light weight tool kit for travelling.

Below is a general list of spanners in mm which I have physically checked on the bike.

Size mm = location

#30 Chain sprocket Nut , Steering main Bolt

#24 Rear wheel axle nut

#21 Main engine foundations, Swing arm, Foot rest arm pillion, Oil pipe banjo on head.

#18 Rear brake stator plate, brake lever(arm) on the plate, Oil filler GB, Clutch & clutch level

#17 Front Brake levers (arm) on stator plate, Handle bar fixing, Pillion foot rest (direct)

#15 Rear shock absorber

#14 Fuel Tank mountings, Driver foot rests, Silencer mountings

#13 Front wheel axle caps, Handle bar fixing (minor), seat, Kick & gear
lever.

#10 & 11 for misc

# 8 point plate

Checking places for allen keys is pending.

I personally felt that sockets & its extentions would be more useful along with side spanners.

With sockets one can use suitable length of Tommy bars for needed torque.

Sudarshan

[gearbox]

So I finished cleaning the drive chain on my bullet this morning, I captured the process in a video, so i could share it here with all of you. Hope its helpful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUW5x...ature=youtu.be

[adrian]

Originally Posted by Sudarshan

Dont know where to put this but I think it might help others too.

The Bike in Q is, the RE std 350 Bullet, old cast Iron block type. [Year 2009 June]

I am not too much used to the Bullet thing so wanted to ask a Q

What kind of spanners, for example Sockets, Ring or side,-- will suit in travel repair work the most. I am trying to make a compact & light weight tool kit for travelling.

Below is a general list of spanners in mm which I have physically checked on the bike.

Size mm = location

#30 Chain sprocket Nut , Steering main Bolt

#24 Rear wheel axle nut

#21 Main engine foundations, Swing arm, Foot rest arm pillion, Oil pipe banjo on head.

#18 Rear brake stator plate, brake lever(arm) on the plate, Oil filler GB, Clutch & clutch level

#17 Front Brake levers (arm) on stator plate, Handle bar fixing, Pillion foot rest (direct)

#15 Rear shock absorber

#14 Fuel Tank mountings, Driver foot rests, Silencer mountings

#13 Front wheel axle caps, Handle bar fixing (minor), seat, Kick & gear
lever.

#10 & 11 for misc

# 8 point plate

Checking places for allen keys is pending.

I personally felt that sockets & its extentions would be more useful along with side spanners.

With sockets one can use suitable length of Tommy bars for needed torque.

Sudarshan

Dear Friend, why don't you go for sockets and ratchets alone ? They are compact and sorted and I think they can be a replacement tool to spanners. Am I wrong here?
I think you forgot the size for the front brake linkage adjustment, I mean if you have the twin cam type front brake.
Regards adrian

[Shakensoul]

Any inputs on this sound, it happened again

Originally Posted by Shakensoul

I have a new RE Classic 350 which has just completed 1000 kms.

A few days back while riding out in the morning, just after about 5 mins when stopping at a red light, the bike stalled and stopped with a loud metallic 'krrrrrrrr...' sound. The bike started again normally with ES and I carried on.

A day later, when starting and idling the bike in the morning, it again stalled and stopped with a much more louder metallic sound.

The problem has not occurred again and the bike is behaving absolutely normal for about a week now.

Is this anything to be concerned about ?

[Sudarshan]

Originally Posted by Sudarshan

#18 Rear brake stator plate, brake lever(arm) on the plate, Oil filler GB, Clutch & clutch level

Edit: Clutch cover & filler is # 18 , level plug is of different size

Originally Posted by adrian

Dear Friend, ====
====Am I wrong here?

Not at all, I am in to assembling a compact, weight conscious yet comprehensive kit for long journeys. In fact I am finalizing on sockets mainly, plus usual side spanners.

I think you forgot the size for the front brake linkage adjustment, I mean if you have the twin cam type front brake.
Regards adrian

yep that must be around 10, 11 or 12 max. I consider sizes below (including 12-13) as misc.

Main thing which needs bit torque & a non slip grip are the larger & crucial sizes such as axle nut or swing arm nut.

Sudarshan