[B O V]

Originally Posted by man_of_steel

You are partly right, theoretically, fatter tyre will make the chain work more because of increased unsprung weight and friction..

I did show it to my mech,he said that its best to replace the chain and sprockets.Said that the rollers seem worn out.I'll probably go and get a new set.And lubricate it every now and then(Something that I don't do now)

On another note,is the sprocket chain set available off the shelf at the spares shop suitable for the old models('83 4-Speed)?

Do the new ones also run the same set up?Reason I'm asking is that I was going through Hitchcocks website and their specifications confused me slightly.

Thanks

Originally Posted by jeeva

What type of chain is it?
The open type or the o-ring type?

I'm quite sure that its the o-ring type.

[Rennjit]

Have anyone come across a new piece of this Tail lamp mount bracket which came on early Machismo models? I hope Delhi / Bangalore shops may have it though No online parts dealer lists these.
Any lead is greatly appreciated

[LOKSIN]

Dear Friends,

Need your help.I have a Thunderbird 500 ,18 months old, done around 2200 kms.I had a problem with the battery of late and subsequently got it replaced.But even with the new battery the low voltage indication keeps coming especially when i use the headlights or the the indicator lamps.
Got the battery charged again ,but even with the fully charged battery the indication keeps coming.
The old battery was of WIND make(not heard much of this manufacturer) and the new one is of Exide 12V 14ah.
Although all the electrical functions including push button start are working fine,the indication is permanently there
Request your expert advice to set this problem right.

[ArizonaJim]

I'm just guessing but I think a large part of the problem with run down batteries in India is due to the way you folks ride and the alternator Royal Enfield chose to use in their motorcycles and any lighting modifications made to the motorcycle.

The alternator is a permanent magnet design which is installed on the engine crankshaft.
As such, the amount of electricity the alternator can create is directly tied to the speed of the engine.

At an idle speed with the headlight turned on, the alternator is barely making 12 volts. If the engine speed has been reduced below the recommended 1200 rpm to get "More Thump" the alternator may not even produce that much voltage.

Every time you turn on the ignition, the battery is providing the electricity and when you use the electric starter motor even more electricity is being taken out of the battery.

In order to replace or recharge this lost power, the alternator must produce at least 13 volts and in order to recharge the battery in a reasonable time, 14 volts is required.

Riding at 30-40 kmph in top gear, the engine is running so slowly its 12 volt output is just providing enough power to keep things running.

If the rider is riding at the same speed in 3rd gear, the alternators power output will rise to 14+ volts.

As a point of reference here, I have a LED voltage indicator installed on my Royal Enfield.
I'm running the stock 30 watt headlight.
When I stop at a traffic light, my voltage indicator says the system voltage is at 12 volts. (My idle speed is 1200 rpm). If I drag the clutch slightly to slow the engine down at all, the system voltage drops to less than 12 volts so during this period, the battery is being discharged.
Riding at 50 kmph in top gear will just begin to get the voltage up to 13 volts.
Riding at 50 kmph in 4th gear will get the engine running fast enough to provide the 14 volts needed to recharge the battery.

I should also mention that if a battery is in a low state of charge, the material in the batteries plates becomes brittle. Brittle battery plates when jostled by being attached to a vibrating motorcycle will break apart with pieces falling to the bottom of the cell.
Because there is less material in the plates, the cell will produce less power further reducing the batteries ability to provide electricity.

I mentioned this because I know that fuel economy is one of the big drivers in India but I think people must ask themselves, "Is running the engine slowly to save a little fuel worth the expense of having to buy a battery every year?"

[mehuel]

Originally Posted by LOKSIN

Dear Friends,

Need your help.I have a Thunderbird 500 ,18 months old, done around 2200 kms.I had a problem with the battery of late and subsequently got it replaced.But even with the new battery the low voltage indication keeps coming especially when i use the headlights or the the indicator lamps.
Got the battery charged again ,but even with the fully charged battery the indication keeps coming.
The old battery was of WIND make(not heard much of this manufacturer) and the new one is of Exide 12V 14ah.
Although all the electrical functions including push button start are working fine,the indication is permanently there
Request your expert advice to set this problem right.

As ArizonaJim commented, are you using any electrical accessories, which might be causing a constant battery drain?
If no, please have the low battery indicator lamp checked along with the battery. The amp meter should be able to tell what is the battery's current state. If battery is ok, it could be an electrical fault with the indicator/wiring.

[Argan365]

Originally Posted by ArizonaJim

"Is running the engine slowly to save a little fuel worth the expense of having to buy a battery every year?"

Valid point about most of them trying to ride for excessive mileage, but atleast in my case not extra fitments(everything stock except the silencer) to tap the battery power. I'm generally a little inclined on the free revving type who moves to 5th gear only post 60 and gear change generally at 3K rpm. Idle speed is at about 1000. I have infact resorted to use the kickstart consistently now to even avoid putting a strain on the battery. Shouldn't a new battery have enough charge that it doesn't drain immediately in a day ?

[ArizonaJim]

Originally Posted by Argan365

Shouldn't a new battery have enough charge that it doesn't drain immediately in a day ?

You are correct. A new battery should not drain immediately away although if you left the ignition on without the engine running, no battery could stay charged for a day's time.

The rest of the answer depends partly on how long the new battery has remained on the shelf and the charge the factory that made the battery gave it before shipping it out to the seller.

Wet cell batteries are usually charged when they are made but are often shipped out of the factory without any fluids in them.
This helps preserve the battery so long periods of storage won't cause it to degrade. It also simplifies shipping.

The seller must add the water/acid mixture to restore the battery to one that will operate.

After refilling the battery to the proper fluid level the new battery needs to receive a final charge. Most dealers omit this step so the battery you buy new is already somewhat discharged when you get it.

It is recommended that a brand new battery should be charged at a low charge rate of around 1.5 amps for 5-10 hours before it is used.

This same charge is recommended for the new totally sealed AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat batteries although obviously these AGM batteries don't need to be filled when they are bought.

Although this initial battery charge for the new battery is recommended, not all people have access to a low power battery charger.

The new battery will have enough power in it to start the motorcycle without the dedicated charge so my recommendation to those without a way to charge the battery is for them to avoid short trips and ride with the engine running at a moderate to high speed for longer distances without stopping if that is possible.
Also, if it is within the law, ride with the headlight turned off.

All of these things will recharge the new battery to its full power if you remember that the recommended charge time is around 5 hours of riding.

By the way, if you can find one, I highly recommend the sealed AGM type of batteries.
Although they are the simple lead-acid battery type the fact that they are totally sealed means you won't have to be bothered to check the fluid level.
Also, in the case of a dropped motorcycle, no fluids will leak out of the battery to dissolve your paint and steel parts.

Last but not least: If you have a battery with caps on it be sure to check the fluid level at least once a month. Especially in hot weather.

One of the things that can rapidly destroy a battery is using a lead-acid battery with the electrolyte (fluid) level below the low level indicator.
If the top of the battery plates are allowed to be above the fluid level, even for a short time, the plate material will begin to fall apart, greatly shortening the life and power of the battery.

Ride safely.

[adrian]

Originally Posted by ArizonaJim

Last but not least: If you have a battery with caps on it be sure to check the fluid level at least once a month. Especially in hot weather.

I can vouch for that advice.
I check and top up my battery electrolyte once in a month and usually find the electrolyte level near the minimum mark. I think the electrolyte gets depleted so fast due to the hot weather, overflow caused by the motorcycle bouncing on bad roads and also for the reason that the battery is constantly getting blasted by the hot air which gets past the engine cooling fins.

Would using a thermal proof cover to isolate the battery from the hot air blast do any good ?
regards adrian

[Silverflash]

Hi everyone

I have a question regarding the wheels and tyres of the Thunderbird 500. The current setup is spoked wheels and tubed tyres, which are a huge puncture risk, epecially on Indian roads.

Has anybody tried to replace the stock wheels and tyres with alloy wheels and tubeless tyres? If so, could you share the pros and cons of such a modification? Were there any handling penalties to the change, or was the benefit so small that the effort/cost is not worth it?

I'm asking because I'll be taking delivery of my TB500 this week (hopefully), and was considering changing the wheels and tyres.

Thanks
Anand

[ArizonaJim]

Originally Posted by adrian

Would using a thermal proof cover to isolate the battery from the hot air blast do any good ?
regards adrian

IMO, although adding a insulating cover would give some protection it would be of doubtful benefit in the long run.

There is a fairly large distance between the engine and the battery for airflow around the outside of the cooling fins to blow thru when the motorcycle is moving. Add to that the presence of some sort of insulating jacket would make checking the level of the electrolyte a bigger bother than it already is and I think you'll see my point.

It's not really the heat from the engine that causes the electrolyte to evaporate. It's just the fact that the hot air during the summer heats up the entire motorcycle including the battery fluid.

[B O V]

Has anyone here taken their single seat converted Enfield for the Vehicle Fitness Test?

My bike is due for a test in December,was just wondering whether the single seat is an issue with the guys at the RTO.

[man_of_steel]

Originally Posted by B O V

Has anyone here taken their single seat converted Enfield for the Vehicle Fitness Test?

My bike is due for a test in December,was just wondering whether the single seat is an issue with the guys at the RTO.

I guess it should'nt be an issue. Afterall RE is selling C5 and Continental GT as single seater in the sotck form. If those can meet homologation rules, fitness of old bike should not be a problem!

[slicvic]

Originally Posted by B O V

Has anyone here taken their single seat converted Enfield for the Vehicle Fitness Test?

Originally Posted by man_of_steel

I guess it should'nt be an issue. Afterall RE is selling C5 and Continental GT as single seater in the sotck form. If those can meet homologation rules, fitness of old bike should not be a problem!

The original RC will have it as a 2 seater, and so if the RTO wants to be firm you have no option but to return with a 2 seater.

The newer bikes would be registered as a single seater is my guess

[tharian]

Originally Posted by B O V

Has anyone here taken their single seat converted Enfield for the Vehicle Fitness Test?

My bike is due for a test in December,was just wondering whether the single seat is an issue with the guys at the RTO.

Yes, I did.

Not just a single seat, with an upswept exhaust and a huge Hella lamp on the handle. The inspector glanced at the bike and walked away. Before the inspector came , all the other guys there were looking at me weirdly, later I understood why.

He told me , it is a Bullet ,get it washed and get it back to how it is supposed to look and not to forget, with the saree guard. Next day went and passed!

[B O V]

Yes they normally will not pass with such mods done to the vehicle.Had a chat with the Enfield mech at my native place.He told me to to just add one split seat and that he will take care of the rest.

However since I have all my old parts I figured I could just re-install it and remove it as and when I feel like it.Just requires a bit of wrench time put in.

On an off topic note-I wonder how these guys who go all out customising their vehicles get 'em registered.Vardenchi RCM and the like.