[Roy.S]

Originally Posted by Sandman689

Apologies for the misinformation. I stand corrected.

So tell us, Sandy, have you really been riding this long without ever having shifted into 5th? And did you finally use all available gears after others pointed out your error?
I am genuinely asking this because yours is an unique experience. On TBHP we don't ridicule a fellow petrolhead and most of us have done our share of silly things. A long time ago I poured a can of engine oil additive into the fuel tank of my moped with interesting results. Luckily 2 strokes are very forgiving.

[Sandman689]

Apologies again for the noobish mistake on my part.

Originally Posted by Roy.S

So tell us, Sandy, have you really been riding this long without ever having shifted into 5th? And did you finally use all available gears after others pointed out your error?
I am genuinely asking this because yours is an unique experience. On TBHP we don't ridicule a fellow petrolhead and most of us have done our share of silly things. A long time ago I poured a can of engine oil additive into the fuel tank of my moped with interesting results. Luckily 2 strokes are very forgiving.

I was always using 5 gears. Just that they changed unconsciously.

And all of you are correct in some ways.


I did learn to ride on a Hero Honda. But it was a 2000 CBZ. A 1 down 4 up gearbox.
So my mentality was 5th gear must have a 0.something gear ratio.
Desert Storm's gears are very evenly spaced out.


I never really counted the number of gears just remembered how many times I changed the gears. So I always change gear 4 times. Gears 3 & 4 are just a blur and happen without my knowledge.


And finally, I would like to clear out that I did not ride 29k all by myself. I bought it as a replacement to the earlier mentioned CBZ. I was stationed at Bangalore then and on my visit home in Kolkata made all the financial arrangements and left for work again. My Dad took the delivery and had been using it since October 2018. Which was around the time he retired and no longer was riding it. Once I came back to my hometown permanently, I started to ride it day in and day out.(Dad likes to take the car)


So I only clocked only a few thousand KMs personally.


Sidenote: The CBZ is a really well engineered machine and still runs till this day.

[saurabh89]

Hi,

Need inputs on titanium exhaust wraps for my DS 500. Searched for few on amazon.in and realised its mostly fake.

Should I go for imported brands like DEI? Any authorised dealer for the same in Delhi?

-Saurabh

[architect]

I am generally not visible in any biking threads, though I did start one about seven years ago. I sold my Pulsar nearly five years ago as I wasn't even putting 100 km/month on it.

Now, the biking itch has started again and I do not want a Pulsar like riding posture (not kind on my back) again. Also, I want something more torquey and more relaxed. I am almost 40, 5'-6" and 63 kg trying hard to bring it down to 60 kg or under! In short, I am not a big guy. I am now considering a Bullet, particularly a 500 cc, now.

My questions are:

1) It will be a weekend ride maximum use being 2-3 times a week. Is it worth it getting such a maintenance intensive bike? I am a reasonably skilled and safe rider and have not had a single fall in 60,000 km of biking but that was when I was younger. As you get older, your reflexes get worse.

2) Is a Bullet 500 okay for a small guy of my size (I have ridden a 535 Lightning way back in 2005. Thats pretty much the biggest Bullet ever, right? I could manage that though it was pretty much a handful)?

3) Considering the low usage (and consequent battery issues) is it a safe choice to go for a new 500 with the EFI UCE engine? Should I convert it to carb after purchase as some have done? I have read many stories of the EFI system being troublesome and expensive.

4) I have access to a very good Bullet Mechanic. Therefore, would it not be better to look for a used 500 since I would rather stay away from the Authorised Service Centres?

5) The complication basically is that new 500 UCEs have 2-channel ABS, discs at both front and rear and some other improvements but unfortunately come with the EFI and I am dependant on ASC for warranty reasons. They will also have a longer 'legal life' of 15 years from purchase, which is a major consideration for anybody in NCR now. The older ones (UCE only, not talking CI here) have carb but have only front disc brakes and have a reduced legal life.

6) Is there any reasons to go for a Classic 500 instead of a Standard 500 considering that it only offers better looks and worse seating at a higher price?

7) Is it worth spending nearly 80-90 thousand more on the Standard 500 over the Standard 350 if I am not wanting to do any serious touring?

Any answers would be appreciated. Thanks in Advance?

[neil.jericho]

Originally Posted by architect

Now, the biking itch has started again and I do not want a Pulsar like riding posture (not kind on my back) again. Also, I want something more torquey and more relaxed. I am almost 40, 5'-6" and 63 kg trying hard to bring it down to 60 kg or under! In short, I am not a big guy. I am now considering a Bullet, particularly a 500 cc, now.

Architect, those are certainly some interesting questions! Im glad to see a resurgence of sorts for born again bikers in our forum. I think the answer to your question lies in your budget and actual usage. If you are looking for a relaxed weekend bliss Royal Enfield motorcycle to potter around town, the best thing you can do is go for the entry level Bullet 350X which is priced well. The 500 will be too much really.

If you have a bigger budget and want to do touring and long rides, then the 350 platform should not be your primary consideration. The 500 engine is much better for sure. But what is even better than the 500 platform is the 650 twins platform. I would suggest, if you can afford it, go for the Interceptor at Rs 3 L on road. Its a far superior motorcycle to the 350 and 500s by a huge margin.

[The Great]

Originally Posted by architect

I am now considering a Bullet, particularly a 500 cc, now.

My questions are:

1) It will be a weekend ride maximum use being 2-3 times a week. Is it worth it getting such a maintenance intensive bike? I am a reasonably skilled and safe rider and have not had a single fall in 60,000 km of biking but that was when I was younger. As you get older, your reflexes get worse.

2) Is a Bullet 500 okay for a small guy of my size (I have ridden a 535 Lightning way back in 2005. Thats pretty much the biggest Bullet ever, right? I could manage that though it was pretty much a handful)?

3) Considering the low usage (and consequent battery issues) is it a safe choice to go for a new 500 with the EFI UCE engine? Should I convert it to carb after purchase as some have done? I have read many stories of the EFI system being troublesome and expensive.

5) The complication basically is that new 500 UCEs have 2-channel ABS, discs at both front and rear and some other improvements but unfortunately come with the EFI and I am dependant on ASC for warranty reasons. They will also have a longer 'legal life' of 15 years from purchase, which is a major consideration for anybody in NCR now. The older ones (UCE only, not talking CI here) have carb but have only front disc brakes and have a reduced legal life.

6) Is there any reasons to go for a Classic 500 instead of a Standard 500 considering that it only offers better looks and worse seating at a higher price?

7) Is it worth spending nearly 80-90 thousand more on the Standard 500 over the Standard 350 if I am not wanting to do any serious touring?

Any answers would be appreciated. Thanks in Advance?

Hello Architect Sir,

Being an ex Classic 500 User, I will attempt to answer some of the questions.

1, Classic 500 is pretty easy to ride and its one of the best from RE stable.

2, No problem on that front. Its far easier and simpler to ride than a 535 lightning.

3 and 5, Please do not convert it to a carb in my opinion. In my 3 yrs of ownership I never had any problems whatsoever with the FI. Keep this in mind, the EFI on the RE Classic 500 requires a minimum of 5 Liters of petrol at all the times. Just follow this rule and you might not have any problems. Its literally an area where you wont have to think about maintenance for instance carb setting or cold start problems or jetting or altering the carb at higher altitudes etc associated with the carbs unless you are a DIY sort of guy and specifically want to do all that.
Another point to note is that the company has done a lot of R&D and they supply the most optimum combinations of all the parts to function together. So say for example, if one changes the silencer which is the most common aftermarket thing that people change or the free flowing air filter as "performance" mods, here the sensors will send wrong data to the ECU and then the gadbad begins. All in all its better to understand the bike and the tech first.

6, Both the bikes have different seating positions, choose whichever looks you like and modify the seat according to your body frame and optimum riding posture that you desire. There are tonnes of customization's available on RE for seating to handlebar to foot-pegs etc etc. The most comfortable being the Thunderbird series.

7, There is a vast difference in the riding feel of the 350 and 500 Enfield's. Ride them both side by side and you will know that the torque and smoothness of 500 engine is very addictive. Its totally worth the extra money paid over the 350. You will be surprised to notice that the 500 engine is much smoother than the 350 and the throttle response on any fuel injected bike will always be crisper than the carbs. The only area where I think the 350 excels over the 500 is fuel economy and of course the initial cost of purchase. The 500 is fairly easy to maintain.

No offence to any 350 owners, its just purely my comparison between them, the 350 as an individual bike is also a great product and also all these are my personal views and opinions which might help you in making the decision.

Hope this helps. All the best !

[navin_v8]

Originally Posted by architect

Now, the biking itch has started again and I do not want a Pulsar like riding posture (not kind on my back) again. Also, I want something more torquey and more relaxed.

Mate, Torquey and Relaxed = RE 500cc models like Bullet 500, Tbird 500/X, CL 500, etc. take your pick.

I am almost 40, 5'-6" and 63 kg trying hard to bring it down to 60 kg or under! In short, I am not a big guy. I am now considering a Bullet, particularly a 500 cc, now.

If you're particular about 500cc then go for it as after riding a 350cc you will yearn for it.

1) It will be a weekend ride maximum use being 2-3 times a week. Is it worth it getting such a maintenance intensive bike?

The new RE's with all their electronics and stuff needs regular running as the notorious Exide 14aH batteries are known to deplete like there's no tomorrow. I am not sure if RE has started equipping their new 500cc's with MF Amaron batteries, if yes then they do a great job of holding up charge. Maintenance wise any RE bike will be expensive due to its service interval and parts cost vis a vis other bikes in its range.

2) Is a Bullet 500 okay for a small guy of my size (I have ridden a 535 Lightning way back in 2005. Thats pretty much the biggest Bullet ever, right? I could manage that though it was pretty much a handful)?

Mate size doesn't matter as I have seen even shorter guys riding an RE with ease. If you have ridden Lightning 535 you will feel at home with Tbird500/X

3) Considering the low usage (and consequent battery issues) is it a safe choice to go for a new 500 with the EFI UCE engine? Should I convert it to carb after purchase as some have done? I have read many stories of the EFI system being troublesome and expensive.

Mate if you are buying a new bike then your 2 year company warranty will cease the moment you convert from EFi to carb. Like TheGreat has mentioned the EFi unit is a fairly reliable unit. I have one working on my Tbird500 flawlessly.

4) I have access to a very good Bullet Mechanic. Therefore, would it not be better to look for a used 500 since I would rather stay away from the Authorised Service Centres?

But what about the 15 year rule in NCR? Are you willing to trade off limited number of years for a used motorcycle vis a vis a brand new one?

5) The complication basically is that new 500 UCEs have 2-channel ABS, discs at both front and rear and some other improvements but unfortunately come with the EFI and I am dependant on ASC for warranty reasons. They will also have a longer 'legal life' of 15 years from purchase, which is a major consideration for anybody in NCR now. The older ones (UCE only, not talking CI here) have carb but have only front disc brakes and have a reduced legal life.

You've answered your own question mate. If I were you I would wait till the BS6 norms kick in from April 2020 and new models start rolling out. It's hardly a few months from now. Only trade off from what I have seen is the new models will lose kick starter and come with Electric start only, this is not very feasible for a bike which will be used sparingly as once the battery goes down one wont be able to start the bike and EFi makes it even hard. For example, I can kick start my Tbird500 even with a low battery when the starter motor doesn't engage due to lack from juice from the battery. But then again I am using Exide 14aH which is notorious. Not sure if new MF Gel batteries resolves these issues in new RE models. Also on a new bike you will get ABS, revised BS6 engine, longer shelf life, etc. You win some lose some.

6) Is there any reasons to go for a Classic 500 instead of a Standard 500 considering that it only offers better looks and worse seating at a higher price?

Both motorcycles are same except for single seat set up on Standard. Test ride and see which one makes you feel more comfortable.

7) Is it worth spending nearly 80-90 thousand more on the Standard 500 over the Standard 350 if I am not wanting to do any serious touring?

Mate there are many I know who buy a 500cc and use it within city while many who use a 350cc for touring and vice a versa. It is all as per ones liking. All I can say is, once you ride a 500cc you will not be wanting to go back to 350cc. I own both hence saying.

I would also suggest you take a look at RE twin 650's, they are fantastic leisure bikes and are more torqueir and relaxed than their 500cc siblings.

Test ride and decide.

[architect]

Thank you everyone for the responses

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

Im glad to see a resurgence of sorts for born again bikers in our forum.

I don't know if its a resurgence or a manifestation of a mid-life crisis. My wife thinks its the latter. My parents and in-laws will be aghast, because of the safety issues with biking.

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

If you are looking for a relaxed weekend bliss Royal Enfield motorcycle to potter around town, the best thing you can do is go for the entry level Bullet 350X which is priced well.

If we are talking of new purchases only, the 350X makes the most sense as it is the least investment on a depreciating asset providing the closest to ideal experience. But that's a head decision, like a sort of a dilution of the heart's desires.

Originally Posted by The Great

Classic 500 is pretty easy to ride and its one of the best from RE stable.

Originally Posted by navin_v8

Mate, Torquey and Relaxed = RE 500cc models like Bullet 500, Tbird 500/X, CL 500, etc. take your pick.

Yes, from the reviews, the 500 is clearly a far more smooth, torquey version of the 350. That's something I look forward to, though test rides of the new versions will confirm. I am also well aware of the negatives of Enfields, so with the same reliability and issues, I might as well opt for the best riding experience.

Originally Posted by The Great

Both the bikes have different seating positions,
Ride them both side by side and you will know that the torque and smoothness of 500 engine is very addictive.

I think almost everyone appreciates the fact that the Standard has better seats than the Classic. The Classic does look nicer but the Standard 500 has its own charm, especially in the Forest Green Colour!

Originally Posted by The Great

Please do not convert it to a carb in my opinion. In my 3 yrs of ownership I never had any problems whatsoever with the FI. Another point to note is that the company has done a lot of R&D and they supply the most optimum combinations of all the parts to function together. So say for example, if one changes the silencer which is the most common aftermarket thing that people change or the free flowing air filter as "performance" mods

Glad to know your EFI isn't giving issues. That said, while I do not fully agree that Enfield brings out only well-tested technology after complete R & D, I am not worried about modifications as I intend to do none, partly because I love the muted note of the stock exhaust set-up.

Originally Posted by navin_v8

The new RE's with all their electronics and stuff needs regular running as the notorious Exide 14aH batteries are known to deplete like there's no tomorrow.

Originally Posted by navin_v8

If I were you I would wait till the BS6 norms kick in from April 2020 and new models start rolling out. Only trade off from what I have seen is the new models will lose kick starter and come with Electric start only

If the BSVI versions do not have kick-starters or do not kick-start or have functioning lights on low battery, then I am not buying the bike. Call me unreasonable but I am not plonking 2 lakhs+ on a bike which won't start if I do not ride it for 2-3 weeks.

However, it is perhaps the best to wait for the BS6 versions and even to wait for the recalls and fixes to the BS6 versions before buying

Originally Posted by navin_v8

But what about the 15 year rule in NCR? Are you willing to trade off limited number of years for a used motorcycle vis a vis a brand new one?

That is the only thing stopping me from picking up a used model. Any used versions which provide substantial savings over a new one (after adjusting for the hassle of ownership transfers) are too expensive to justify losing that many years of legal life. Buying new is the only way I can maximise the legal life in NCR. It is too much of an investment on a product used to little if I only have a valid RC for say 8-10 years.

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

If you have a bigger budget and want to do touring and long rides........
But what is even better than the 500 platform is the 650 twins platform.

There are two reasons I want to avoid the 650 twins: (1) too pricey for a hobby toy which might just not be used much and (2) too rare and new and therefore resultant dependence on ASC. With the standard, classic EFI etc at least there is some amount of knowledge base in the non- ASC Enfield maintenance circles. In fact, one could surmise that Enfield ASC are best avoided based on what one sees and reads and hears.

Originally Posted by navin_v8

You win some lose some.

Yes, pretty much sums up all purchases. Which compromises one is willing to bear.

[ashwinprakas]

Originally Posted by architect

Yes, from the reviews, the 500 is clearly a far more smooth, torquey version of the 350.

Torquey? Yes! Thing makes enough torque that can crumble the swing arm if you do something silly.

Smooth? Well, that depends.

The 500 motor by design is not as rev-happy as the 350, so while it can haul a house up a hill without breaking a sweat, it also does get quite turbulent at interstate speeds.

My co-rider for the GQ run was on his Bullet 500 UCE and I was on my CT100B, during the ride at interstate speeds a lot of things broke on the B500 due to said turbulence.

So do consider your priorities before investing, as my friend sold his B500 soon after the ride.

Regards,
A.P.

[architect]

Originally Posted by ashwinprakas

T
My co-rider for the GQ run was on his Bullet 500 UCE and I was on my CT100B, during the ride at interstate speeds a lot of things broke on the B500 due to said turbulence.

Reliability (or the lack of), niggles and parts falling off or needing constant adjustment are all part of the Enfield experience. I am prepared for that if I buy one. I won't be doing any serious touring on that, and definitely no GQ runs. I have a great mile muncher capable of handling Indian conditions very well already (the TUV 300).

[iron.head]

Originally Posted by ArizonaJim

The fuel pump filter is not replaceable and any attempt to clean it beyond spraying off the debris from its outer surface with petrol will damage it.

This filter is not a service item and I recommend leaving it and the fuel pump alone. Do not even bother trying to wash it off.
The possibility of damaging it or the fuel pump by removing the pump from the fuel tank isn't worth the effort.

I think perhaps some of the fuel available in India may be dirtier than the fuel I buy here in Arizona, USA but I have ridden over 19200 miles (31K km) and my pump and filter which have never been removed are both doing fine.

Please excuse me if this has already been clarified/shared by somebody else.

Just got my C5 fuel pump filter cleaned today. I also had the similar notion that fuel pump filter is a permanent part of the fuel pump and is not serviceable in any way. Well this is not true.

The fuel filter can be detached from the fuel filter by opening a few screws. It is available as a separate spare from the authorised workshop for around 2500 INR and the entire fuel pump assembly is close to 11,000 INR.

The fuel filter can also be cleaned with petrol though it takes a lot of effort and cycles to run it through petrol until it stops leaving out any residues in the petrol that change the colour of the petrol to a dark coloured one.

Other than that there can be some dirt around in the metal assembly that houses the fuel pump and the fuel filter etc. That needs to be cleaned as well.

The earlier C5 units had tanks which were painted on the inside and sooner or later the paint would chip and enter the fuel pump assembly and later the rust metal particles would enter as well. With the new galvanized tanks in the 2017-2018 models the service of the fuel filter is much longer hopefully.

Folks with the older models should keenly get their tanks and fuel filters cleaned/replaced as i could see a drastic improvement in the amount of fuel the fuel pump in my C5 was supplying before and after the cleaning. The difference was really enormous. So please get it cleaned right in front of yourself.

In addition to this, the new pump has a plastic construction which replaces some of the metal construction that was there in the older units and should be handled with greater care as the replacement cost is quite high. So if some workshop recommends to replace it take due care to verify what might have gone wrong with it.

Furthermore, the fuel pump is of very high quality and very long lasting so make sure to get things done in your own presence just in case some workshop tries to pull a fast one on you by recommending an entire assembly replacement when just replacing/cleaning the existing one can resolve the issue fully.

[saurabh89]

Originally Posted by Mohd Faiz

I have a 2011 model Classic 500 which has only two drain plugs. I am using Motul 300V 15W50 and it consumed around 2.4 Litre in total.

I am quoting a post from 2016 for some advice. Post diligently reading this complete thread for past few years, I had shifted to Motul 300V 15W50 a year ago on my Desert Storm. Since then I have done a Ladakh trip and a ride to few parts in Spiti in different tranches with this oil in engine (replaced oil before each trip)

Originally Posted by sudipta

So finally I changed my engine oil for my Classic Chrome.


So the new soaked oil filter with Motul 300 V goes in the slot with O rings on both the side. The cap goes in with 3 nuts tightened adequately (not very hard).

Must say, the engine has been butter smooth and I never felt the need to top-up during both the trips except during my ride back from Chitkul in May this year, since the oil level was slightly low.

Off late, I am on the lookout for engine oil for my bike and have been reading/watching extensively reviews of Liqui Moly performance pack which includes LIQUI MOLY 20597 Motorbike Engine Flush Shooter, LIQUI MOLY 2555 Motorbike 15W-50 4T Street Synthetic Technology Engine Oil, LIQUI MOLY 1580 Motorbike Oil Additive and LIQUI MOLY 7822 Motorbike T Shooter (fuel system cleaner)

Have been searching for comparison videos/threads for Motul 300V vs Liquidations Moly but could not find much on the internet/on this tread. Apologies if the same has been discussed here before. Has anyone used the latest Liqui moly products and any reviews for the same would help me make a prudent decision. My bike Odo currently reads 13.5k and its 3 years old.

Thanks and Cheers!
Saurabh

[vidyasagar]

Dear All,

I have recently picked up RE 500, from the official RE Vintage store in Bangalore. It is a used vehicle from 2017, and 7500 KM on the Odo.

While test riding, I had some issues in slotting to Neutral, coming from Japanese bike, I thought that I need time to get used to the shifter of RE.

After 500 km, still I have an issue in shifting to neutral. Interesting fact is when the engine is not running, I can shift very easily and correctly every time, also when I am slowing down and about to halt.

In slow moving traffic, when I suddenly come to standstill (with clutch fully pressed), either in first gear or second, and then I attempt to shift to neutral, I find it almost impossible, the neutral almost never slots. In this situation when I turn off Ignition, and try, voila, it happens like a charm.

When I looked up in the owners manual, it is mentioned (or I understood it like this) to move into neutral when user is slowing down to stop.

It was not the case in my Electra 350 earlier. Is there a trick I am missing here? Kindly let me know your views.

[ashwinprakas]

Originally Posted by vidyasagar

Kindly let me know your views.

Finding neutral with the engine running is something I'm yet to master myself, currently my P220 has GP Shift Pattern(1 UP Rest DOWN), even then finding neutral is as challenging as it used to be with the regular shifting pattern.

Usually I just land in 1st and then kill the engine, helps when some idiot rams into you from the rear.

So used to it that when I engine brake on the CT100B I tend to slot down into Neutral(N First Pattern) and then go back to 1st.

[navin_v8]

Originally Posted by vidyasagar

In slow moving traffic, when I suddenly come to standstill (with clutch fully pressed), either in first gear or second, and then I attempt to shift to neutral, I find it almost impossible, the neutral almost never slots. In this situation when I turn off Ignition, and try, voila, it happens like a charm.

Mate you've answered your own question below.

When I looked up in the owners manual, it is mentioned (or I understood it like this) to move into neutral when user is slowing down to stop.

It was not the case in my Electra 350 earlier. Is there a trick I am missing here? Kindly let me know your views.

The trick as mentioned is to shift to neutral while rolling just as you are about to come to a standstill. However if you're unable to shift while doing so at standstill then move press the clutch and move your bike frontwards and backwards and try shifting, it should slot into the neutral that way. In my experience the newer UCE gearbox is little less clunky compared to older CI separate unit gear box.