Author Topic: I just bought a C5 military 2012 (Read 6836 times)

NationalCylinderHead · **on:** June 19, 2012, 02:27:48 pm

Hey guys I have purchased a 2012 c5 military after visiting my local kawi dealer. The dealer and I have had a good relationship for the past several years. Ive bought maybe 5 or 6 bikes from them but, now they have RE's! To be honest it was the first time I had ever heard of the brand. I am 22 years old and own a Ducati 848 evo and Kawasaki Vulcan 900 custom. I have a feeling since I rode the RE last weekend I will love this bike more than the others it just makes me grin!
So anyway if anybody has any suggestions or tips on owning a 2012 C5 military please feel free to share. Eager to learn
(and ride)

motorat · **Reply #1 on:** June 19, 2012, 04:46:23 pm

congrats on the new bike.
i picked up a 2012 c5 military last saturday.

Fogrunner · **Reply #2 on:** June 19, 2012, 05:23:48 pm

Congratulations!! I love the olive green bikes, but my wife persuaded me to get the Teal Green!! You should have a blast. This is the most fun I've had on a bike in ages!!

NationalCylinderHead · **Reply #3 on:** June 19, 2012, 05:53:18 pm

I was really torn between the teal and the military at first, but ive always wanted an WW2 army looking bike. Hey and congrats on the pick up wish I had mine. My stealership showed me the catolog and i got carried away ordering tan seat and tan bags new brake light and turn signals also the upswept exhaust. Does anyone have the upswept enfield exhaust yet? If so how does it sound.

rav · **Reply #4 on:** June 19, 2012, 05:57:14 pm

Quote from: NationalCylinderHead on June 19, 2012, 05:53:18 pm

I was really torn between the teal and the military at first, but ive always wanted an WW2 army looking bike. Hey and congrats on the pick up wish I had mine. My stealership showed me the catolog and i got carried away ordering tan seat and tan bags new brake light and turn signals also the upswept exhaust. Does anyone have the upswept enfield exhaust yet? If so how does it sound.

Please post pics of your bike when you get all the stuff on it, would love to see them.

NationalCylinderHead · **Reply #5 on:** June 19, 2012, 06:00:20 pm

oh and I will have a blast Fogrunner! I couldn't believe how much fun I was having on the test bikes. I rode all 3 of them just to keep riding lol. As a younger guy I had never thought how much fun I could have just taking it easy and enjoying a wonderful machine. I was wrong when I thought my ducati EVO was the best looking bike id ever seen as well. The c5 beats it hands down.

barenekd · **Reply #6 on:** June 19, 2012, 06:03:58 pm

Quote

Does anyone have the upswept enfield exhaust yet? If so how does it sound.

A friend of mine has an upswept pipe on his C5. It's a little louder than the EFI and sounds good. i had the choice between the EFI and the Upswept (The same pipe my friend got, as a matter of fact). I picked the EFI over the upswept, because it was a bit skinnier, and I knew the upswept was a bit noisier. I like to keep it down a little bit.

Bare

motorat · **Reply #7 on:** June 19, 2012, 06:33:45 pm

mine came with the upswept exhaust.
a little noiser but not too loud. i like the way it looks.

NationalCylinderHead · **Reply #8 on:** June 19, 2012, 06:57:13 pm

That's a good looking bike motorat!! Did you change the knee pads on the tank the picture wont enlarge for me. Just got off the phone with my dealer the seat and bags will be a few more days coming in but I should have my bike and parts installed before or on the weekend. BTW if anyone is interested i bought the British turn signals and rear brake light from the catalog my dealer supplied and am removing the giant rear electrical section mounted on rear fender. Don't know if anyone has tried or done this but it should be really attractive once i clean up all that mailbox looking gunk RE put on my fender lol

barenekd · **Reply #9 on:** June 19, 2012, 07:06:29 pm

No taillight box.

motorat · **Reply #10 on:** June 19, 2012, 07:07:21 pm

no they are the ones that RE put on it.
there is a bigger pic of the other side on the thread..finally got the c5

Arizoni · **Reply #11 on:** June 19, 2012, 08:45:22 pm

NCH
Congratulations on your new Bullet.
Take it easy and follow the recommended break in that's recommended in the Owners Manual and your bike should last for years.

As for things to do, be sure to check out the wiring leads that come off of the main harness.
I found several that were protected from sharp metal edges by black electrical tape.
I enclosed them in short lengths of clear tubing slit end to end and so far I haven't had a problem with shorting.

Also, the tires that come on the bike have fairly stiff sidewalls and work best at lower pressures like 18-22 psi front and 24-28 rear.
I mention this because these are very low pressures by most modern bikes standards but the low pressures work well.

Have fun.

NationalCylinderHead · **Reply #12 on:** June 19, 2012, 09:28:21 pm

Hey arizoni thanks I am very excited to be part of the Bullet "crew" now. I creeped around on the forum for awhile before i joined so I actually read your thread about the tubing. Did you have to disconect the harness and run the tubes down or did you just slit the tubes and hose clamp them on. Also since there is no tac on the bike recommended speed until 600mile mark is 60mph tops? or less?

Also Bare thats a cool looking tailight where did you get it?

Arizoni · **Reply #13 on:** June 19, 2012, 09:51:20 pm

No clamps were needed. I just selected a tube size like 5/16" or 3/8" and slit them lengthwise. I suppose I could have wrapped them with black electrical tape but it didn't seem necessary.

My OM suggests a max speed of 50mph and no more than 3/4 of full throttle up to 600 miles.

The 300 mile oil/filter change is really important.
Lots of metal chips are usually found and in some (like mine) a lot of fiber like crap was partially plugging the oil pump inlet screen.

barenekd · **Reply #14 on:** June 20, 2012, 12:36:59 am

I got the basic tail light from Nfield Gear actually,at one of the points that they had stuff. It's the Classic British-Style Taillight.
The Cat's face, I got a a local Vintage Triumph shop, Moore's Cycle Shop. The bad part was that the lens wouldn't fit on the backplate, so I had to put the one on that came with the lens. That meant rewiring the taillight...again.
If you search Google for Vintage BSA motorcycle parts, you can find the cat's faces there. Or probably even on Ebay.
Bare

NationalCylinderHead · **Reply #15 on:** June 20, 2012, 12:28:20 pm

Thanks for the info guys im going to look up those tail lights. Also 300 miles is news to me its always been 600 with all my bikes I guess thats due to a smaller engine. When i bought my vulcan 900 after 800 miles I did first service and found the same fiber and metal shavings in the oil. $:-\$ i feel like 300 miles is going to be the second day i have it hahah

barenekd · **Reply #16 on:** June 20, 2012, 06:23:00 pm

The 300 mile change is important. There's a lot of clag in there. You should do it again at about 1000 miles. That will get rid of most of the crap, then after that you can follow the book. Some guys still recommend every every 2000 miles. I do mine about 3500 which is the factory recommendation. Be sure to rock the bike side to side a few times while the oil is draining. There are a lot of crooks and nannies for the oil to get hung up in if you don't! Also be careful about overfilling the sump. Some guys have had trouble with the excess oil blowing out of the breather.
When yoiu refill it, stop before you have put a full two quarts in and start it so the oil circulates and check the oil level. If it's low add a little to bring it up to the middle of the sight glass. Be careful, it doesn't take much oil to fill it up.
Bare
Bare

NationalCylinderHead · **Reply #17 on:** June 20, 2012, 07:01:16 pm

Thanks Bare that's excellent advice. I am actually OCD about maintenance so I will be doing it every 3k miles. I will follow your advice and do a 1000 after the 300.

P.S. Isn't Kevin Mahooney the President of RE USA?

Okie Enfield · **Reply #18 on:** June 20, 2012, 07:49:55 pm

congrats on the bullet, derHead! on the subject of the upswept, i had one on my bullet breifly, loved the look and the sound, however, after the install i rode a little over a hundred miles before the baffling seperated inside the can and then i loved the sound no more. I have been waiting for a replacement now for 3 months. hope yours doesnt take so long or come apart so fast. I hate Backorder

Desi Bike · **Reply #19 on:** June 20, 2012, 08:06:42 pm

Quote from: NationalCylinderHead on June 20, 2012, 07:01:16 pm

P.S. Isn't Kevin Mahooney the President of RE USA?

Yes he is the grand poohbah. Great guy too. Unlike other vehicle companies our Prez drops into the forums, shoots the sh*t and is one of us.
Welcome to the family.

NationalCylinderHead · **Reply #20 on:** June 20, 2012, 09:04:16 pm

Hey okie ive been meaning to get in touch with you on one of the threads I was born and raised in wichita kansas. Was wondering if I ever rode down there on my enfield if your anywhere close (assuming okie stands for OK) also thats scary I was unaware of any warranty issues involving this pipe. I hear you on the pain of back order I want my bike so bad.

and Desi thanks for letting me know how cool Mahooney is ive never heard of the prez coming down to peasant level!
and glad to be part of the family loved the bullet since the second I layed eyes on it.

Oh and for anyone who wants a good seat and bags but doesnt want to wait 6 weeks for back order I have a guy making mine and his work on a friends chrome RE is amazing ill post pics when hes done and you all can decide if you want him to make anything for you! Id be willing send the seat and bags to your residence or however youd like once you see them.

Okie Enfield · **Reply #21 on:** June 23, 2012, 04:06:47 pm

NatCyHead- cant think of any reason fer anyone to claim the Okie title without being and actual Okie. Im in Tulsa and ifn you are ever passing through go ahead and shoot me a PM and Id be happy to meet up wit ya. On the subject of that upswept, the fact that they are willing to warranty a replacment for an "aftermarket part" does show the level of customer service that Kevin and co try to uphold, however this stinking backorder situation in the last 4 months or so has certainly got everyones hackles up.

NationalCylinderHead · **Reply #22 on:** June 25, 2012, 12:27:57 pm

Ha ha well that's true. Just picked up my C5 Saturday morning and had a different pipe than the upswept on it. I was told by my Stealership that the upswept manufacturer changed locations and they think they are six weeks out from being in production let alone shipped here. Anyway so I picked the bike up Saturday and i have 287 miles on it already!

gremlin · **Reply #23 on:** June 25, 2012, 03:28:28 pm

doing the first 1000 miles with the stock "torpedo" exhaust is probably a good idea ..... just sayin'

NationalCylinderHead · **Reply #24 on:** June 25, 2012, 09:03:14 pm

Why is that gremlin?

NationalCylinderHead · **Reply #25 on:** June 25, 2012, 09:43:22 pm

pics as promised

motorat · **Reply #26 on:** June 25, 2012, 10:11:24 pm

nice...the girl looks like she belongs there.

Arizoni · **Reply #27 on:** June 25, 2012, 11:14:55 pm

Blasphemy!
Sense 1948 Royal Enfield, one of the first companies to install tubular front forks in place of the old fashioned springer units has had the axle displaced in front of the fork tubes.
This was the easy way to tell that the motorcycle was a Royal Enfield!

Now, they have joined the rest of the companies and lost a bit of their character in the process.

Just kidding.

That's a good looking bike and I do like the painted front rims.
They are going to get beat up and chipped whenever someone changes a tire but after all, this is a piece of military equipment, meant to do a job, not win a beauty contest.

I know your going to enjoy owning it.

rav · **Reply #28 on:** June 25, 2012, 11:24:37 pm

Looks awesome, but then again I am biased

gremlin · **Reply #29 on:** June 25, 2012, 11:50:42 pm

Quote from: NationalCylinderHead on June 25, 2012, 09:03:14 pm

Why is that gremlin?

less to do with science, more towards avoiding weazel-words.

NationalCylinderHead · **Reply #30 on:** June 26, 2012, 12:56:38 am

hahah well Im sorry I happen to like it inspite of the blasphemy you see. God its a beautiful machine and its day 3 and i have 289 miles on it! at this rate I might as well change the oil every week!

Also everyone go play phototag! search for it in the forum and join the fun!

seriously GO!

GreenMachine · **Reply #31 on:** June 26, 2012, 02:47:31 am

NCH - It does look so good with the painted wheels ..It will look great as she ages ..Good luck and enjoy the suggestions and wisdom that the board provides. Good Karma here. .You want to break her in just right and then enjoy the years of riding her and making whatever mods you want or have the dinero for..Its all good isn't it..I really like the drab mil style machines..GM

NationalCylinderHead · **Reply #32 on:** June 28, 2012, 05:54:37 pm

Im in love with the color its perfect. I was so torn between this and the teal one (green) its such a classy looking bike.
Also no fair making me frett over first tire change