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Message started by MShipley on 03/28/18 at 12:46:09

Title: Classic
Post by MShipley on 03/28/18 at 12:46:09

So I just got back from Nepal. Great trip. These RE classic 350's are everywhere. Does anyone have a Classic 500? Do you like it?

Title: Re: Classic
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 03/28/18 at 13:02:03

Looks comfortable.
Probably runs forever on that tank.

Title: Re: Classic
Post by springman on 03/28/18 at 14:52:06

I actually like the looks of it. I think I would enjoy it.

Title: Re: Classic
Post by Dave on 03/28/18 at 18:02:28

I have always liked the look.

I am just a bit too spoiled by more power, more smoothness and more reliability to buy a Royal Enfield.

(Perhaps I should ride one before I criticize them too much....as I am just repeating rumors about the lack of modern power, modern smoothness, and modern reliability).

Title: Re: Classic
Post by jcstokes on 03/28/18 at 18:14:12

You need to go to YouTube and put in Royal Enfield and watch both the praise and criticism.

Title: Re: Classic
Post by Dave on 03/29/18 at 03:04:40

If I could find a late model Royal Enfield with a blown motor......I already have an extra Savage engine........

Royal Savage?
Savage Enfield?
Suzuki Royal?
:-?

It look like that kind of an "engine ectomy" would not be easy as the final drive is on the other side - but I am sure it would be doable.

Title: Re: Classic
Post by MShipley on 03/29/18 at 08:04:17

310A0710010D16100B030E11620 wrote:

That would be awesome. Due to crowded roads and bad road conditions the Nepalese never drive over maybe 45 miles an hour. they dont see the lack of power as an issue. When I tell them I ride a 650 they are amazed at how big and fast my bike must be. I told one guy my brother rides a 1,700 and he did not believe such a machine exist .

Title: Re: Classic
Post by Armen on 03/31/18 at 05:17:27

Have worked and ridden a few. Old and new ones. The worst garbage produced in the modern world.
Lots of people love them. I'm not one. Working on one makes you realize how far things have come since the '40's when the bikes were designed.
The Continental is a pretty bike, with a semi-real chassis, but a big non-counterbalanced single on US roads is just no fun.
They still aren't up to the standards of 60's bikes, much less modern ones.
Again, some folks love them.
Kinda like adopting a brain dead quadriplegic with AIDs. Everyone needs a dad, so a pat on the head for you. You'll always feel needed. But there is only so far things will progress.
If you like the look, then put RE bodywork on a Savage.

Title: Re: Classic
Post by Dave on 03/31/18 at 05:30:13

Is it just the engine that is primitive.....or is the chassis, wheels and brakes also antique?

Would an engine transplant only fix a part of the problem(s)?

Are the modern parts (fuel injection, electronic ignition) reliable?

Is the engine primitive and shaky - but durable?

Title: Re: Classic
Post by Armen on 03/31/18 at 08:48:29

Just take a long look at the rear wheel/axle/brake. Then look at the Savage. The Savage does the job with about 1/3 the parts. A lot has been learned in the last 80 years in terms of how to better make a bike.
The one I worked on from the 70's. Grease filled gearbox, because they couldn't get the boxes to hold oil. The one from the 90's-a Rube Goldberg shift linkage to get the bike to shift on the left. Absolutely terrible trans. The one from early 2000's, horrible electrics, crap detail, lousy fit and finish, total lack of modernization except the new(er) power plant.
Not fun to work on.
They just suck. Look at one closely.
Outhouses are durable too.
To each his own. I work in NYC. A few of my customers decided to have their winkie cut off, get a boob job, and call themselves girls. And my bud's daughter wants to trade in her hole for a pole. Everyone has a different idea of good time.

Buy one and find out.
Better to try to fit the bodywork on a Savage. There isn't enough poop polish on earth to make that sh-t shine.

Title: Re: Classic
Post by Dave on 03/31/18 at 12:59:01

I have a friend that works on 60's/70's era Nortons - he does a lot of engine and transmission work on them. When I see how the engine/clutch/gearbox go together - I am glad that I have more modern bikes to ride and work on. The way that Norton designed the the clutch primary drive shaft to go though the center of the output shaft/drive sprocket to get into the transmission.......it sure is complicated and heavy looking.

It sounds like the Royal Enfield is built similarly complicated and primitive.

Title: Re: Classic
Post by Armen on 03/31/18 at 19:43:05

40's English engineering and Indian build quality.
Sounds like a hemmeroid transplant.
Just say 'No!'

Title: Re: Classic
Post by Dave on 04/02/18 at 04:50:47

But......you can buy some engraved brass plated fenders!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-ROYAL-ENFIELD-BRASS-BRASS-ENGRAVED-FRONT-REAR-MUDGUARD-350CC/112887354370?_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D50962%26meid%3D9682545ad4bb4063b1849426c1103c95%26pid%3D100675%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D15%26sd%3D112887354370%26itm%3D112887354370&_trksid=p2481888.c100675.m4236&_trkparms=pageci%3Aed8d7013-366b-11e8-9ff4-74dbd18044f9%7Cparentrq%3A8630ffb41620ab1d99d92927fff9a2f5%7Ciid%3A1

Title: Re: Classic
Post by MShipley on 04/02/18 at 10:07:42

I guess I will refrain from going out and buying one.

Title: Re: Classic
Post by HAPPYDAN on 04/02/18 at 11:58:40

I recently saw a Royal Enfield Bullet C5 Military in OD green. A 500cc single. Really appeals to an old military man. But the reviews, which are all over the internet, tend to agree with Armen. If you want a good looking garage queen, she's your bike. Otherwise, go elsewhere! I'll stick with my S40, until something better comes along.

Title: Re: Classic
Post by DieselBob on 04/04/18 at 18:23:41

Jeez! You guys are brutal. Dead on, mind you. But, brutal. I've got 2 in the stable and they're everything that's been described. It's all about perspective and accepting the fact that it's 1955 (at best) engineering. Like the days of flying behind the radials, the ratio of maintenance to flying/riding is completely out of wack, but it feeds the soul like no other. And still beats dragging that magnet on a rope behind the Harley to collect the parts that shake loose. But then, I've not owned a Davidson built in the last half century. Perhaps they've improved.

Title: Re: Classic
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 04/04/18 at 19:27:04

Perhaps they've improved.

Immensely..
They figured out which ones fall out and just stopped putting them in.

Title: Re: Classic
Post by Armen on 04/04/18 at 19:41:14

With the crazy import tariffs in India, the domestic companies really don't have to try very hard. Or improve anything.
My guess is that they will slowly evolve/improve.
There is always someone who has to own something different and 'quirky'.
Prob is not enough of those folks in the US to make RE the major player they want to become here. I also get the feeling that they aren't much on taking advice from Americans.
At the NY Bike show, the RE folks there told me they basically get treated like idiots from the folks in the old country. Often finding out about new models or important information by reading it in the press.
Same way the Brits, Germans, and Italians used to treat the US importers of their bikes.

Title: Re: Classic
Post by MMRanch on 04/04/18 at 19:56:00

Oh Yea Bob

I've had two Sportstrs since they rubber-mounted them , that came about in 2004 .
The first was a 04 -1200cc , the power was great ! Rubber mount and Carb-ed . It did vibrate a little ... ::)

So , in 2007 Harley put Fuel injection on . I've still got a 883 , 2007 model .

After having both : I've come to the conclusion that ... Harley built the 883 and balanced it perfectly 8-) . Its really a good bike if you don't mind the 560 # . Then as an after thought ... ::) ... They desided to up the piston size from 3" to 3.5" (883 to 1200) ... well they threw it a little out of balance when they did.

Also , the 1200cc I had :( ,
I was trying to keep up with a bunch of WILD-SAVAGES on the Blue Ridge Parkway one year and was having a hard time doing it . So , I was running 2nd and 3rd gear up and down through the RPM range to use power as an EQUEALIZER ... It kinda worked .
But running that bike like that made the front sprocket of the primary drive start working on the crankshaft splines that drove "said sprocket".
The end result was the splines disappearing :-[ :-[ :-[ . I made it home ... but less than a week later "said splines" were completely gone and I brought it home on a trailer . :-/

So , I built a weld shield around the crank and sat down beside the Crankshaft with a welder and a Dremel tool . Apparently the factory did not have any taper to them to tighten up on ... :( ... So , the splines I built did have a tapper (lightly) and I used sandpaper and a drill to make matching taper in the sprocket . I rode it around almost a year after rebuilding the crank splines and it never came loose again , how could it ... this time it was two mating tapers tightened onto each other ! :D
The most interesting thing I found was the fact that the CrankShaft was made out of Case Hardened Dough-Ball-Steel ... >:( ... 1,25 " Dough-ball steel ... I couldn't hardly beleive anybody would put 1200cc power on something so small and punney !
It seems to work just fine for the 3" (883) piston regular gas motor but that isn't near enough for the power the 3.5" (1200) piston High-test gas
motor.

So in some ways Harley has got better ::). But still not as good as a Single Cylinder 650cc I know of ! ;)

Title: Re: Classic
Post by DieselBob on 04/05/18 at 06:00:35

-
"There is always someone who has to own something different and 'quirky'."

I'm going to take that as a compliment. After all, our bikes are an extension of our personalities, are they not. And some would say the same of us who own a Savage.
I should note our Enfields are not of recent vintage. So, I can't speak to current Indian production.

Title: Re: Classic
Post by batman on 04/05/18 at 06:25:27

I guess if I was going quirky I be looking a Ural, at least they have BMW -DNA.

Title: Re: Classic
Post by Dave on 04/05/18 at 08:14:11

I agree....that I do like quirky things provided there is some historical or unique character involved, and I agree that the "thumper" character of the Savage complies. The Savage is pretty reliable and low maintenance once you get the petcock and timing chain tensioner under control....so it really isn't hard to live with long term..

If I had some extra money and wanted something cool to ride around locally.....I could likely appreciate a Royal Enfield or similar motorcycle.
(I am not sure I would like a sidecar well enough to get a Ural...does anybody ride them without a sidecar?)

Title: Re: Classic
Post by JLC on 04/05/18 at 08:24:45

There is a British program on Netflix I watch, "Death in Paradise". Whodonit type of thing. The local police has two vehicles: an old Land Rover, and a Royal Enfield with a sidecar. Sidecar is similar to the Steib ones fitted to BMW in the 1960s. Cool looking rig!

Title: Re: Classic
Post by MShipley on 04/05/18 at 08:25:45

I think the RE. is just cool. Lets face it we are all a little quirky to have the S-40...at least in the US where it is considered a tiny bike. It really does amaze me though that the S-40 does not sell by the truckload in this country. It's inexpensive, great on gas, easy to work with, perfect commuter bike.

I love to tinker and only ride on roads where the max speed is 55 and never for more than 20 miles at a time.... the RE would fit my bill...

Title: Re: Classic
Post by HAPPYDAN on 04/05/18 at 09:08:01

5E65687F6E62797F646C617E0D0 wrote:

The military Ural has a drive shaft that runs the outer wheel on the sidecar. Great traction in the mud (think "Operation Barbarosa" mud). Not sure if it works without the sidecar.

Title: Re: Classic
Post by JLC on 04/05/18 at 12:01:23

Yes you can ride a Ural solo, but it's not designed for that. You have to loosen the steering damper all the way, and you have turn signals on the left only (the right turn signals are fixed to the sidecar).

Ural used to make a solo bike (Ural Solo sT), but production ceased in 2012.

I thought of buying a Ural Gear Up (the one with the 2WD), but I want to do more riding than wrenching, and by all accounts owning a Ural motorcycle means a lot of wrenching!

Title: Re: Classic
Post by batman on 04/08/18 at 00:27:28

Before the solo st , they buddied up with a Russian motorcycle club and offered a solo that was a chopper.

Title: Re: Classic
Post by jcstokes on 04/08/18 at 01:31:44

There is a Youtube video, "So you want to buy a Ural".

Title: Re: Classic
Post by DieselBob on 04/08/18 at 06:08:22

"(I am not sure I would like a sidecar well enough to get a Ural...does anybody ride them without a sidecar?)"

Dave, go ahead and get that Ural and just take the Savage with you.

https://pp.userapi.com/c625522/v625522671/6be4/ac41OR5Ubls.jpg

Title: Re: Classic
Post by dustystranger on 04/10/18 at 18:42:50

I have to chuckle when I read these posts about the Royal Enfield. If you have one that is pre AVL, yeah, they are right out of the 1940s. With the AVL motor it received a roller big end, better oil pump, electronic ignition, cv carb, five speed, and a quantum leap in reliability. After I spent a couple hours with a tube of blue loctite my RE has been as reliable as a Honda. OK, it has a sweet spot between 50 and 60. And I also have a pair of 650 savages.Is the suzuki a better bike? For sure. But for around town and mellow rides on empty back roads the RE is plenty fun. And I get a hundred times more "wow what a cool bike" response from the public. My only long term concern is the location of the countershaft sprocket. But I replace the drive chain before it gets too stretched out. The newer UCE engine I understand is even better. But I have never owned a "better" bike than my Savages. However, if you want a genuine 500 old english single, RE is the only game in town. Of course the best 500 "english" single ever built was the SR500!