[Gypsyjon]

So I now have a motorcycle endorsement on my license. I passed the exam at the Texas Department of Public Safety. So hopefully this weekend there will be a Royal Enfield in my garage. I'm so excited, this is going to be fun.

I will tell you what...I have been riding for more years then I care to recall. Sold my last Harley a year or so back. Could not stand being bikeless, I bought my RE and is the most fun bike I have ever had. You will totally love it.

[Ducati Scotty]

A few Harley's went by the other night while I was having dinner with my wife.  Do they have to be that freakin' loud?!?  Jeez!  The weren't even accelerating or going fast and the whole room shook.  I like a nice rumble as much as the next guy by this is out of hand.

Scott

[gremlin]

A few Harley's went by the other night .....I like a nice rumble as much as the next guy by this is out of hand.

friggin' straight pipes should be illegal,,,,,,   oh, wait.....  they are !
friggin' cops should do their jobs.

[heloego]

Congrats, Joel! The requirements in New Mexico aren't as stiff as my course was jammed into a weekend and the card was all they needed at the MVD. Glad you made it!
As stated earlier, the Advanced course is highly recommended, especially if you plan to ride with a group.
I didn't ride for 30 years and am very glad I followed someone's advice about taking the course.
And yes, USE those parking lots! It's the fastest way to practice your learned skills and get ride-intimate with your RE.
Congrats again, and ride safe!

[barenekd]

Do they have to be that freakin' loud?!?  Jeez!

Now you know why so many people hate Hardlys and their riders. The people are idiots.
There is a Mexican restaurant on Chapman Ave in Orange, for you familiar with SOCal, that is the route the Hoglies take to Cook's Corner. It's impossible  to enjoy a meal on there outside veranda, which is a big part of the restaurant, in the afternoon as all the Hogs go by, rendering the place literally uninhabitable. Those guys are real dipshits.
Bare

[heloego]

I get the impression those straight pipe idiots are just craving attention.
I also wonder if they even realize it's usually the wrong kind of attention.

[High On Octane]

friggin' straight pipes should be illegal,,,,,,   oh, wait.....  they are !
friggin' cops should do their jobs.

Now you know why so many people hate Hardlys and their riders. The people are idiots.
There is a Mexican restaurant on Chapman Ave in Orange, for you familiar with SOCal, that is the route the Hoglies take to Cook's Corner. It's impossible  to enjoy a meal on there outside veranda, which is a big part of the restaurant, in the afternoon as all the Hogs go by, rendering the place literally uninhabitable. Those guys are real dipshits.
Bare

I get the impression those straight pipe idiots are just craving attention.
I also wonder if they even realize it's usually the wrong kind of attention.

I agree with everyone.  I LOVE a nice loud exhaust, but straight pipes are freaking ridiculous.  And I hate to admit it, but you think Hardleys suck???  Here in Denver, it's getting very popular with the crotch rocket boys to run straight pipes.  And to top it off, they are running a short slash-cut pipe that exits underneath by the foot pegs.  It's soooooooo effing obnoxious.  I want to punch every one of them.

Scottie

[gremlin]

......It's soooooooo effing obnoxious.  I want to punch every one of them.

I'll join that queue !  (me next !)

[Craig McClure]

OK Joel, I'm an oldish motorcyclist, & grew up learning that DIY maintainance was part of motorcycling. If you love your bike, you will find maintainance to be a pleasureable thing, & not just a chore. I love to ride & also to make improvements, & saving $$ making the bike the way I want it.  I have TV & Stereo Music in my work area. Then some years ago I purchased a big red H.F.S. Platform Lift, Then I purchased myself a few sets of different metric Ratcheting Box End Flat Wrenches, to go with my family heirloom older technology tools. These deluxe gifts ad to the ambiance of a pleasant way to spend bad weather days!  So, You also can learn to be a good steward to your machinery, if you change your attitude from dread to delight.

[heloego]

@Craig McClure
+1!

[Joel-in-dallas]

Yeah. I may start to do some of the work on the motorcycle. But for now I have been letting the dealer take care of it. But I did take rags to it and get it nice and clean.

[Gypsyjon]

OK Joel, I'm an oldish motorcyclist, & grew up learning that DIY maintainance was part of motorcycling. If you love your bike, you will find maintainance to be a pleasureable thing, & not just a chore. I love to ride & also to make improvements, & saving $$ making the bike the way I want it.  I have TV & Stereo Music in my work area. Then some years ago I purchased a big red H.F.S. Platform Lift, Then I purchased myself a few sets of different metric Ratcheting Box End Flat Wrenches, to go with my family heirloom older technology tools. These deluxe gifts ad to the ambiance of a pleasant way to spend bad weather days!  So, You also can learn to be a good steward to your machinery, if you change your attitude from dread to delight.

Is there a beer reefer out there too?

[Bulletman]

Yeah. I may start to do some of the work on the motorcycle. But for now I have been letting the dealer take care of it. But I did take rags to it and get it nice and clean.

I've never worked on any form of bike or car before June of 2012, that's when I got myself a new 2011 C5, now I thoroughly enjoy tinkering with it...I mean its gets to be soooo easy because everyone in the Forum here "makes" it easy to work on, all I had to do was invest in some tools and its now made me quite the mechanic, thanks to my wanting to learn my bike as well as to this great forum, besides I didn't know that it would be this much of fun..

[REpozer]

Here's one for you Joel.
My RE will do 80mph in a down hill burst on 87 octane gas. I drained the old gas out and filled with fresh 90 octane gas.
Now I have to bump up the idle, and it will top out at 75 mph. Whats going on 
I don't know the answer yet, but I will look at the last things I touched while draining the  old gas. I don't have a dealer (800 miles away, no joke).
If I can't figure this out, I will ask for help on this forum,....that's how you/I learn, take it easy, have a Coke and a smile, pick up the spanners...enjoy.

[barenekd]

Regardless of old wive's tales, higher octane does not mean higher performance! Remember that, higher octane does not mean higher performance. All octane does is stop pinging, as in autoignition that higher compressions can cause by igniting the gas from compressing the mixture to much, rather like diesels are supposed to do. The stuff you have to put in the gas, formerly tetraethyl lead, I don't know what kinda crap they use nowadays, but whatever they put in there takes away the power from the gas.  Drag racers in the know only add as much antiknock material to keep the knocking down, but the octane remains as low as they can get away with because low octane fuel provides more energy. There is no reason at all to use higher octane in a stock Royal Enfield.
Go back to the stuff that was working. You didn't mention what brand of gas you were using, but because it all contains different ingredients, there are varying qualities out there.
I have no recommendations. I usually use 76 because it is available close to the house. The bikes ran fine.
Bare