[ArizonaJim]

As you asked for my views about these proposed mods, here you go:

1. As discharged batteries seem to be more of a problem than running out of fuel the ammeter is a more useful device. With the lights on the RE won't keep the battery charged at idle or very low engine speeds. Riding with the engine running fast enough to keep the ammeter needle on the + side at all times will keep the battery charged.

2. A tachometer is a neat toy to look at but unless your racing and trying to keep the engine at max power speeds it is basically useless. I guess it could be a bragging point and is useful for setting the idle speed.

3. I firmly feel a second spark plug adds nothing to a low speed engine like the RE has.
The only place I've seen a second spark plug giving an advantage is in a top fuel dragster which is burning alcohol/nitromethane at a rate of 2 liters/second and 8000 rpm.

4. Sounds good if the seat will fit the frame.

5. I'm not sure there is any benefit but if you want it, go for it.

6. Sounds like a great idea.

7. That would work.

8. So would that. The carb will require re-jetting. Especially if you mess with the exhaust system.

The electric starting system on the old Iron Barrel and the AVL Lean Burn engines was little short of a disaster. The sprag clutches are known for failing at the drop of a hat making electrical starting useless and expensive to repair.
Even after the creation of the UCE engine in 2009 with its automatic decompression device to prevent kick back. the starter sprag clutch was a weak point in the early UCE engines.
It was only after a year of production and the replacement of the sprag clutch with a new, special heavy duty design in 2010 that the electrical starting system became reliable.
The new UCE engines electrical starter system is quite reliable but it cannot be refitted into one of the old Ci or AVL engines.

[rki2007]

Hi friends just have a quick query. I got by tbts 350 2 months back. Till today i have completed 1000 kms and have not taken the bike beyond a speed of 60 kmph.

Now i plan for a highway ride. Maintaining at 60 kmph is very difficult on highways. Also i do not want to strain the engine by taking it at 100 kmph speeds during the initial run in period of the bike.

But i still have doubts because i was told by the service center guys that the initial run in period is 500 kms but however the manual book says that one should not take the bike beyond 80 kmph till 2000 kms.

Can someone clarify the above

[rajneeesh]

Originally Posted by rki2007

Hi friends just have a quick query. I got by tbts 350 2 months back. Till today i have completed 1000 kms and have not taken the bike beyond a speed of 60 kmph.

Now i plan for a highway ride. Maintaining at 60 kmph is very difficult on highways. Also i do not want to strain the engine by taking it at 100 kmph speeds during the initial run in period of the bike.

But i still have doubts because i was told by the service center guys that the initial run in period is 500 kms but however the manual book says that one should not take the bike beyond 80 kmph till 2000 kms.

Can someone clarify the above

RKI2007, thee is no problem in exceeding the 60 KPH now that you have crossed 1000 KM. I just hope that you have got the first service done and the oil replaced. You should be ok if you keep the bike in the 60-80 kph band for the next 1000 KM. These old technology engines need to broken in step by step.Also make it a point not to stick to a particular rpm/ speed for too long and take short breaks after every 100 km or so. Happy riding!!

[rki2007]

Originally Posted by rajneeesh

RKI2007, thee is no problem in exceeding the 60 KPH now that you have crossed 1000 KM. I just hope that you have got the first service done and the oil replaced. You should be ok if you keep the bike in the 60-80 kph band for the next 1000 KM. These old technology engines need to broken in step by step.Also make it a point not to stick to a particular rpm/ speed for too long and take short breaks after every 100 km or so. Happy riding!!

Many thanks for your reply. The first service is completed with oil change etc. I understand from your reply that 60-80 kmph is fine for the next 1000 kms.

However you have said not to maintain a particular rpm/speed for a long time. But eventually if you see on a highway trip , i have to engage 5th gear and have to run only in 80 kmph for a long distance right, which is unavoidable. What is your take on this?

[rajneeesh]

Originally Posted by rki2007

Many thanks for your reply. The first service is completed with oil change etc. I understand from your reply that 60-80 kmph is fine for the next 1000 kms.

However you have said not to maintain a particular rpm/speed for a long time. But eventually if you see on a highway trip , i have to engage 5th gear and have to run only in 80 kmph for a long distance right, which is unavoidable. What is your take on this?

Well keep the bike at 80kph most of the time, but once a while drop the speed a bit or ride a wee bit faster. This ensures that engine is not a a particular frequency for too long which might generate too much stress causing some damage. This is true not only of REML bikes but any vehicle ( 2 Wheeler/4 Wheeler)

[balenopower]

So I have been checking the bullet 500 for a while now and plan to get one soon. The dilemma I have is how much of a diff in performance is there between the 500 efi unit and the carbed one. My bike will be used 2 up for long distances only. I am not interested in the TB even if it might be the better highway bike. Classic or the Bullet 500..any suggestions? And why

[csubhojit]

I have a quick question. I am from Hyderabad. I wish to learn the mechanics of my new RE Classic 500. Any good mechanics who would let me watch and learn? I do not wish to open a shop but want to be able to maintain my RE on my own.

[adrian]

Originally Posted by rki2007

Many thanks for your reply. The first service is completed with oil change etc. I understand from your reply that 60-80 kmph is fine for the next 1000 kms.

However you have said not to maintain a particular rpm/speed for a long time. But eventually if you see on a highway trip , i have to engage 5th gear and have to run only in 80 kmph for a long distance right, which is unavoidable. What is your take on this?

You will have to run in the bike to 70 and then to 80 and so on. With your bullets engine warmed up @ 60kph, take it upto 70kph for 1/2 a minute and bring it down below 60 kph. Repeat the procedure after 10 minutes for the mating surfaces to cool down. After a couple of 1/2 minute riding @ 70 kph, hit it for 1 minute and so on thereby gradually running in your bike to higher speeds. Have patience, you won't regret it.Don't forget to take break every one hour of riding. All the best with your highway ride.

Originally Posted by balenopower

So I have been checking the bullet 500 for a while now and plan to get one soon. The dilemma I have is how much of a diff in performance is there between the 500 efi unit and the carbed one. My bike will be used 2 up for long distances only. I am not interested in the TB even if it might be the better highway bike. Classic or the Bullet 500..any suggestions? And why

500 EFI
1.Complicated machine with electronic gimmicks
2.Repair costs- High compared to Bullet 500
3.Scope for DIY - LOW
4.Throttle response - QUICK
5.Mileage - Low compare to B500
6.Engine won't knock due to lean burns
Bullet 500 carb
1. Simple old machine
2. Slightly sluggish throttle response when compare to EFI
3. More mileage
4. The carbed bullets are like persons with multiple personality
You feel change in the way it rides with the change in weather and altitude. But then all it takes is to tune up the carb.

So as a bottom line if you don't to fry your brains over the carburetor tuning, go for the EFI and ofcourse the gurus in the forum will be able to help you out with their your choice.
regards adrian

[sahil_mohile]

Could anyone please tell me what type of paint is used on the engines of the new TB's. I was considering powder coating mine flat black till someone was kind enough to point out that its a rather foolish idea from the heat dissippation perspective.

Thanks & regards

[KkVaidya]

Originally Posted by sahil_mohile

Could anyone please tell me what type of paint is used on the engines of the new TB's. I was considering powder coating mine flat black till someone was kind enough to point out that its a rather foolish idea from the heat dissippation perspective.

Thanks & regards

I guess a Matt finish 2K paint will do the jobs but not powder coating.

[wanderlustindia]

What is the waiting period of the 'Classic' in Mumbai currently? I would imagine it would not be outrageous considering the second plant of RE is now churning out motorcycles at full capacity (not certain!).

[SuperSlick]

Hi guys, last Friday the battery in my 10 month old Electra twinspark went kaput and the dealer has now agreed to replace it with a new one. The current battery that went dead was a Fiamm make that came with the bike.

He had provided a standby battery which is Exide make and said that due to complaints with Fiamm make batteries the new bikes all come with Exide batteries only. Is this true? Can any new owner confirm this?

Also with the current standby Exide battery, the Electric start does not work, will this be an issue if the dealer provides me an Exide as the replacement? Please advise!

[vinit.merchant]

Originally Posted by SuperSlick

Hi guys, last Friday the battery in my 10 month old Electra twinspark went kaput and the dealer has now agreed to replace it with a new one. The current battery that went dead was a Fiamm make that came with the bike.

He had provided a standby battery which is Exide make and said that due to complaints with Fiamm make batteries the new bikes all come with Exide batteries only. Is this true? Can any new owner confirm this?

Also with the current standby Exide battery, the Electric start does not work, will this be an issue if the dealer provides me an Exide as the replacement? Please advise!

AFAIK, All Bullets used to come with Exide Batteries. And the OEM one's used to last long as well. I still use the same stock Exide Battery which came with my Electra in 2009.


Also, since your starter is not working, it means the standby battery is of a lower spec i.e. less than 14 ah. Dont use the starter too often, else you will be stranded if the standby battery is drained.

Just one piece of advice. Do not use the starter too casually. I make sure that if the Bullet is idle for more than 3-4 hours, I use the kick to start it, instead of the starter.

PS: the OEM Spec Battery is hard to find at times. Use it sparingly.

[SHAHBAAZ]

Hi friends, as mentioned in my previous post, my bike is running hard and pickup has gone down a bit after completion of its 4th service. When I took it to the service center, the attendant checked the bull and adjusted the clutch. On inspection, he said chain tension is good, clutch setting is also perfect, the noise coming while changing the gears is absolutely normal. I rode it for around 1200kms after the service and the problem still persists.
Sometimes it feels as if there is no clutch. Syncronising gears is hard and pulling or coming back to lower gears (4th to 3rd or 3rd to 2nd) is becoming a difficult task. During this time, the bike rpm drops drastically and when the clutch is realeased, the bike sucks and then moves on, almost feels like a turbo lag bug. This is getting on my nerves. The bike is 11months old and its last month of warranty. Kindly suggest what can be the issue, or kindly guide me to a good mechanic in Pune.
Thanks in advance.

[john doe]

Originally Posted by SHAHBAAZ

kindly guide me to a good mechanic in Pune.
Thanks in advance.

Without wasting one more day, kindly visit Kunal's Bike Works in Vimannagar, next to the Coffee Day. He is in and out of Pune nowadays, so make sure to go soon.