[3miler]

Well, I've been riding an Eliminator 125 for about 3 years now, and it works great for what I do (in-city commuting, generally short trips).  I'm looking at doing an upgrade though and ever since I started riding I've been in love with the RE styling.  However, I'm looking for some more knowledge from people who actually ride these things, especially as my nearest dealer is about 75 miles from me.

So, without further ado, a few questions:

What kind of gas mileage do the G5's with the UCE engine get (especially in the city)?
What is the effective max speed (I plan on taking it out of the city, but from what I've read I'll probably stick to the US highways rather than the interstates)?
How needy are the bikes for maintenance (I'm all for regular maintenance, but I don't want to tinker with it everyday before I ride)?
How comfortable are they for the rider, and also for a passenger (my wife gets sore on our current bike after about 30 min, and I can't blame her because the back of the saddle is tiny).

Any other advice or features you RErs can think of to tip the scales in favor of a new member of the community?

[Ducati Scotty]

Mileage tends to be around 65mpg.  I'm getting a little less on my C5, 55.  I'm exceptional and I'm trying to figure this out.

Break in takes about 1500-2000 miles.  Once it's broken in you should be able to cruise comfortably at 55-65mph.  I do 70-75 every day on mine for a short burst on the freeway.  80mph is about absolute max.  It's not confortable for you or the bike doing over 70 for long stretches.

It needs little things for the first few thousand miles, mostly regular tightening of bolts.  They vibrate a lot when new.  Some tightening and loctite and it should settle in after a few thousand miles.  Then it's mostly oil changes and air filters and the usual you'd expect.  It's not quite as reliable as a Japanese bike but it's pretty low key.

Can't comment on the G5 comfort for the seat, I have a C5.  Vibrations can get annoying at speeds over 60 mph for some people.  Without a wind screen the wind blast at those speeds is also not fun for sustained periods.

Hope this all helps,
Scott

[Superchuck]

You'll love the bike.  I have an Electra (AVL engine) that i just bought in february and am nearing the end of the break-in period.  It hasn't been much work, it's mostly just oil changes, tightening something here or there, but your new UCE bike won't have even half the maintenance of my AVL or the older Iron Barrels.

I'm still babying it so haven't taken it past 60-65 for short stretches, but it gets up to that speed well, and cruises comfortably too.  It's a great city bike (i live in downtown Baltimore, Maryland, USA) and I also commute frequently on it (80+ mi round trip) on backroads and state routes both.  Everything I've experienced will be even awesomer performance-wise and maintenance-wise on your new UCE machine.

I've been getting 71 mpg but maybe i'm crazy...


cheers and welcome!

chuck

[greggers]

I've had a G5 for about 6 months now, and it's a great bike. I recently did a ~500 mile trip (150-200 miles a day for 3 days) on it and not a single problem. I had to do a few stints on major freeways on it with a traffic flow going around 80mph, and I definitely had to sit in the slow lane, but was able to do stretches in the 65-70mph range (the speedo tends to read about 5mph fast FYI). However I would say the bike is happiest around the 50mph range, and really you'll have more fun on roads that post speed limits around that anyway.

My fuel economy, handling, and stability all improved when I upped the tire pressure to 24f/32r as is stated on the frame. I tend to get right around 70mpg now. From the dealer the tires were set around 18f/24r (which is what's in the manual), but as many here can attest to, that's too low.

You certainly won't NEED to tinker with the bike every day, though the simplicity of the whole machine might inspire you to That being said, there is certainly a break in period, actually I would say really 2. The first 500 miles or so you keep it real gentle, I never even went up to 50 at that point and did my best to keep the throttle slow and steady up the gears. After your first oil change, you'll probably need to tighten down a lot of the bolts, fasteners, etc. which will rattle a bit loose at first. You may even lose a few, I lost a couple on my exhaust and the dealer replaced them at that first service. The next 1000-1500 miles or so is the second break in, and here you can increase your speed and aggressiveness on the bike gradually, but it will be constantly still improving it seems.

Other things to watch for, the rear wiring harness seems to be poorly secured from the factory, I and others here have had warranty repairs when it comes loose and gets chewed up on the rear tire. Also watch the heatshield, it seems to have a tendency to come off (just replace the exhaust anyway, the stock one is a power killer and that torpedo tube hanging off the back is a bit unwieldily). Not saying any of this to put you off, if anything you can probably have the dealer check these things ahead of time and have them take care of it before its a problem!

Overall I love this bike, it's exactly what I wanted, and so far seems to be quite reliable.

[Arizoni]

My G5 is almost new  and I'm in the first leg of breaking it in so its gas mileage might not be normal but when I filled it yesterday it was getting 78 mpg on 87 octane gas.  Of course this was riding with a 45 mph limit at this stage of the break in.

Before I bought the bike I did a lot of web research on the UCE powered bikes and aside from a few fasteners loosening up they seem to be very reliable.

The saddle on my G5 is very well padded and comfortable.  After a 1 hour ride I feel like I could go another hour without needing to stop for a butt break.  I can't say how the passenger would feel but that area pf the seat is wide and well padded.

I figured with a big 500cc single vibration would be a problem but actually it doesn't vibrate the rider much at all.  The handlebars are well dampened and the low cycle vibrations don't bother my feet either.
The only  motorcycle I've had that vibrated less was my BMW K75 and it had a dedicated counterbalencer built into it.

So far I've found that trips to anywhere other people may be will take a bit longer.  That's because folks walk clear across the parking lot to look at my bike and ask questions.  They are amazed that a very traditional looking British style motorcycle is still being made and they all love it.
You can see the look of envy in their eyes.
I might add that this includes Harley riders.  Where most of them scorn the Japanese crotch rockets they all seem to appreciate that the Royal Enfield is one of the "Real Motorcycles" like their hogs.

[Ducati Scotty]

I should add, I rode from Portland, OR to San Francisco, CA when I had about 1500 miles on the bike.  It was about 3200 miles round trip.  The only problem I had was the speedometer cable coming loose, easily remedied.  I took the coast road so it was mostly 45-60mph but I did just fine on the 70mph freeways into the city.

The C5 seat is only good for an hour, two at best.  I'll get something better before my next long trip.

Scott

[Fox]

What kind of gas mileage do the G5's with the UCE engine get (especially in the city)?

With my normal commute bike ('00 KLR650) temporarily out of commission, I've been taking the G5 through some really rough parts of Philadelphia, both literally an figuratively. My commute is a mixture of riding, edging up to 65MPH in some spots, down to gridlock in others. I've been averaging 75-78MPG. I have adjusted my chain twice so far in 3000 miles, and I need to do it again today. I typically like to get ahead of the traffic at a green light, so some might describe my riding style as 'balls to the wall'. Being certifiably insane and 23, I tend to push the limits sometimes. Take heed though - while the tires on these bikes are a 50 year old design, the front brake is thoroughly modern and will ruin you on wet pavement if you don't give yourself some space ahead (ask me how I know).

What is the effective max speed (I plan on taking it out of the city, but from what I've read I'll probably stick to the US highways rather than the interstates)?

The bike will not go much faster than 90mph indicated on flat and level, but if you place your feet on the rear pegs and lay on the tank, you may be able to eke out a little more. Comfortable, sane riding ceases over 75mph indicated, and YMMV otherwise. I think a lot of the comfort has to do with age, proportions / weight, and tolerance of interesting handling at high speed.

How needy are the bikes for maintenance (I'm all for regular maintenance, but I don't want to tinker with it everyday before I ride)?

Be observant. I've never been left stranded, but this is not a Japanese bike. If you ride at high speed for long, things start to fall off.

How comfortable are they for the rider, and also for a passenger (my wife gets sore on our current bike after about 30 min, and I can't blame her because the back of the saddle is tiny).

Comfort is a matter of opinion. I don't like it on the highway above 65 for more than a few hours at a time, although I've done full-day rides without too much consequence. There is not a tremendous amount of space for the passenger - my girlfriend was right up against the rear grab bar, and neither of us is particularly big. If 2-up for long trips is high on your list, this is not the right bike.

[barenekd]

I have a new G5 with 1500 miles on the clock. So far the mileage has ranged from 80 mpg from my first tank as I was puttering around on the initial breakin down to 68 cruising at around 65 for 100 miles on the freeway. My longest ride was 230 miles one day when I went on a BSA club ride into the mountains and high desert. This included about 60 miles of freeway getting there and I took the streets coming home. The actual club ride was 110 miles. the bike performed well beyond my expectations in the mountains as it is quite good handling and one can keep a pretty decent speed going in the curvy stuff. I was dicing a bit with a Velocette and we were having a grand time. Actually outran several guys on twins up there, too. I got 78 mpg on that ride. I have averaged about 75 mpg overall.
The bike has been extremely comfortable for me, I can easily it all day and feel good after I'm done. Far more comfortable than a couple of Superbikes I've had. As far as wind goes, if you're use to riding unfaired bikes, you already know how it is. I had a Triumph Scrambler that I traded in on the RE.  I would cruise the Triumph at about 75 at which point it was lucky to break 35 mpg. Best average mileage 38. I like the RE much better.
Problems; so far, I have lost one screw that retains the heat shield on the muffler. The muffler is now departed for a much better one. The timing cover was seeping a bit of oil. I tightened the case screws, problem solved. I changed oil at 300 miles and 1000 miles and all was well. I don't have to worry about that for awhile again. The chain was adjusted 1 click a couple of days ago.
Changes; new muffler, the English EFI, K&N  filter, 7" headlight, smaller turn signals.
Conclusion; the bike is all I hoped it would be. I would go cross-country and really get to enjoy the trip as it would have to be on the side roads and I could actually see what's out there. The BSA club ride had me seeing stuff that I had never noticed before on the same roads out blasting through on superbikes and never getting a chance to check the view! Kinda get to stop and smell the roses. It's like cruising cross country in a Piper Cub at 500 feet and loving it all. Been there done that! The RE makes a real tourer rather than just transportation. It may not be fast, but it sho is fun!
Bare

[Maturin]

Changes;K&N  filter

Off-topic:
Bare, is that the K+N Filter Hitchcock is selling? I´d be interested on your experiences and if there is an effect on power output - can I bother you wrinting about that, maybe in the threat about K+Ns in the C5? That´ll be exellent. Thanks in advance
Maturin

P.S.:
I second all of the above 

[barenekd]

Off-topic:
Bare, is that the K+N Filter Hitchcock is selling? I´d be interested on your experiences and if there is an effect on power output - can I bother you wrinting about that, maybe in the threat about K+Ns in the C5? That´ll be exellent. Thanks in advance
Maturin

I posted a bit about the K&N filter on the C5 thread. I couldn't find a K&N filter on Hitchcocks site. But it is the K&N that douglasmoto is selling.

[Ducati Scotty]

It should also be mentioned that English riders use Imperial gallons which are about 20% larger than those in the US/Canada.  This is the reason for the claimed 85mpg in the RE literature.  Just something to keep in mind.

Scott

[Ice]

 I average low to mid 60's mpg with my Iron Barrel and it been re jetted , AVL's ( with a more efficient CV Carb ) were advertised as returning 70-ish mpg.

The UCE machines are of slightly higher compression and Electronically Fuel Injected.

The Fireball has returned 70-ish mpg when ridden judiciously.


I believe the oft cited 80+ mpg is US measure not imperial.


Of course all mileages go out the window when you ride it like stole it 

[Desi Bike]

As far as I know Scotty, the reason its called a US gallon is that it used in the US. Canadian gallon doesnt exist anymore. We went metric, joining the rest of the world back in the mid 1970's. I gave up many years ago trying to convert stuff to the old US system. What the heck is a furlong and a chain and an inch? Isnt the foot measuremnt based on the current ruler of your country's real foot or something like that? How big is Barrach O'Bama's foot anyway so  can convert my fuel consumption.

[Ducati Scotty]

I think all US/English measurements are now officially defined in terms of metric.  But we're still not switching!!! 

Then again, England does some funny things.  Like the Imperial gallon which is only ever used for fuel as far as I can tell.  Or 'stone' which is only ever used for body weight. 

Scott

[GA-DK]

I have an '09 G5 with a 2010 sidecar on it.  Have been riding it for about 6 mo now, but only have about 1700 mi on odometer.  I use it for errands around town mostly.  At speeds of 40 to 50 I am getting 60 to 65 mpg on 87 octane fuel.  At 55 to 65 MPH the mileage drops to 50 to 55 mpg.   Bike feels better at the lower speeds.  I am in my early 70's and have been riding since '53.  For high speed highway work I use a Morgan sportscar, but the RE is a lot of fun for local riding.  GA-DK