Author Topic: UCE history...  (Read 1893 times)

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mattsz

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on: February 24, 2013, 03:28:26 pm
In my occasional spare time, I've been reading through the earliest threads posted in this UCE section of the forum.  It's been very interesting and informative to read about the hopes and expectations for this new bike.  In the days before the unveiling, there is shown genuine excitement by the faithful, cautious skepticism by the undecided, and even a bit of seemingly genuine hatred by the odd iron-barrel purist.

One question that was raised was about the move of the drive chain to the right side.  Kevin contributed: "The drive was moved to the right for a couple of reasons. Since it is a Unit Motor with a self contained transmission there was no need to keep it on the right. As has been pointed out the UCE models will all have a nice o-ring chain. This is a welcome addition..."  A nice o-ring chain would have been a welcome addition, but at that time, the C5 was the only model in discussion, and it does indeed, I believe, ship with an o-ring chain.

I bring that up as an example of how interesting it is to read discussions regarding what were at the time unanswerable questions of price, feature, form, function and availability - questions which by now have been long answered.

It's proven to be quite a community - I'm glad I'm part of it!  Thank you all!

~ Matt


barenekd

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Reply #1 on: February 25, 2013, 03:28:02 am
Actually the G5s were the first to show up over here. They were based on the Electra. The first gearbox recall was for the early G5s that had mismatched machining on, I think, second gear. The recall was cured at the factory before the C5s were released, so they were never affected. (2009).
As for changing sides for the chain, it was to get the shifter to the left side on the left side as required by US Federal law. To keep all the mechanism clear of the chain, the gearbox had to be changed to accommodate the new mechanism, as opposed to the Rube Goldberg shifter mechanism that was used on the LH shifting 4-speed.  Also makes changing primary sprockets an MUCH easier job!
Bare
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The_Rigger

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Reply #2 on: February 25, 2013, 04:10:48 am
...and it does indeed, I believe, ship with an o-ring chain.

Uh, mine didn't...
-Dave
2012 C5 Special
Central Michigan, USA (when I'm not working somewhere else)


mattsz

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Reply #3 on: February 25, 2013, 01:38:15 pm
Uh, mine didn't...

Really?  Well, there you go.  I thought that the C5's were being supplied with a mediocre o-ring chain.

Bare - it's interesting that the G5s were the first to the US (I haven't gotten to that point in the archive yet!).  The discussion which I refer to is that which chronicled Kevin's October 2008 visit to Europe: "UCE unveiled at Intermot in Cologne" (http://www.enfieldmotorcycles.com/forum/index.php/topic,2680.0.html).  The bikes shown in his pictures of that event were all C5's.


t120rbullet

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Reply #4 on: February 25, 2013, 05:36:30 pm
Bare - it's interesting that the G5s were the first to the US (I haven't gotten to that point in the archive yet!).  The discussion which I refer to is that which chronicled Kevin's October 2008 visit to Europe: "UCE unveiled at Intermot in Cologne" (http://www.enfieldmotorcycles.com/forum/index.php/topic,2680.0.html).  The bikes shown in his pictures of that event were all C5's.

Don't let Europe confuse you, different timelines between them and the US. I'll bet that Kevin wishes to this day he would have let Europe worked out all the bugs in the UCE before he brought it here. 1 year and he would have missed the whole REcall thing.
In Sept. of 08 Kevin brought a G5 out to the Rally on the River. He left the keys in it all weekend and all present got to go thrash it.

All the 09 C5's, G5's and E5's were included in the REcall that ended up replacing all 3 of the sliding gears with ones that had bronze bushings in them. I think only a few bikes actually had a problem and they were in the home market. None of the ones I did showed any galling of the shaft at all and the sizes of the gears and shafts were all within the specs.
I think the large scope of the REcall had more to do with Kevin wanting to make all of the bikes perfect than it did really  correcting a problem. If I would not have gotten a REcall notice I would have still been riding mine with the original gears in it.
CJ 
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ace.cafe

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Reply #5 on: February 25, 2013, 05:45:48 pm
IIRC, I believe the first G5 UCE bike purchased in the US was SinghG5.
The first C5 UCE bike purchased in the US was by Danny from Arkansas, and he got a commemorative wall plaque.
I don't know who the first B5 was.
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mattsz

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Reply #6 on: February 25, 2013, 06:35:39 pm
Don't let Europe confuse you, different timelines between them and the US.

CJ... Europe doesn't confuse me - well, actually, quite a bit about Europe confuses me, but not the part we're talking about.  I was just making an observation about a certain thread.

And, I also read through the posts which described, and showed, the '08 Rally.  It sounds like it was a fun weekend, with the "new bike" (used frame with new engine installed, IIRC) ready and waiting for all comers...


t120rbullet

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Reply #7 on: February 25, 2013, 08:50:24 pm
And, I also read through the posts which described, and showed, the '08 Rally.  It sounds like it was a fun weekend,

All of those rally's in Mo. were great. They'll be missed.
CJ
1972 FLH "Sambo"
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2023 Guzzi V7 Special "BOB"


The_Rigger

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Reply #8 on: March 04, 2013, 03:04:49 am
I thought that the C5's were being supplied with a mediocre o-ring chain.

Nope...  Just a mediocre non-O-ring roller chain.
-Dave
2012 C5 Special
Central Michigan, USA (when I'm not working somewhere else)


Kevin Mahoney

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Reply #9 on: March 04, 2013, 05:52:45 am
G5's were first because the factory was a bit behind on the introduction of the C5 (couple of months).  Normally when they make an improvement they just do it with no regard to model year etc. The recall was mostly on C5's. I had a warehouse of them. Scooter Bob and a kid that worked for us spent all winter day after day doing the recall. It was brutal but they saved the day for us. By far the most of them were done in our shop by SB. The issue was reported accuratly in that a couple of the gears did not have a bronze bushing between the gear and the shaft. The reason for bronze is to prevent galling. There were two cases in India and kind of a "semi-case" in the UK.
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