[JVS]

Firstly, congrats on a great choice!  It will be your side-kick for many many happy miles 

Secondly, I would advise the following -

- Consider disconnecting side-stand switch (which your dealer has already done)

- Make sure that the ground terminal at the rear of the battery is held in properly. A fair few members encounter starting problems and loss of power due to this, which can be scary if you are in the middle of traffic.

- Check other electrical connections and make sure they are not overly tight and jumbled up together. Use electrical tape to properly insulate connections that might look a bit crooked.

- Break-in the bike with patience. Follow the speeds as highlighted in the manual. Accelerate a bit in each gear and then let go of the throttle. Repeat the process a fair few times whilst you're out on open roads. In any case, do not delay the first service at the 300mi mark. It is crucial.

- Go over any exposed nuts and bolts and check for tightness, especially in the first 500 miles or so.

- You might consider getting a better chain such as the Tsubaki o-ring chain. As the stock one is quite bad and other members will confirm the same. It will be better if you can swap the chain as soon as possible. Although the stock one should last you at least around 5000-6000 miles. Some members' stock chain went to trash within 4500 miles 

[Arizoni]

While we're at it, look for any areas where the wiring or wiring harness comes close to any sharp metal edges.  The black plastic tape they use to hold the harness together won't protect the wiring from those sharp edges.
Buying a foot of some 5/16" ID, 3/8" ID and 1/2" ID vinyl tubing you can cut lengths to suit the area and then slit it from end to end.  Placing the endangered wire inside the vinyl tube will protect it.

When checking for loose nuts and bolts, buy a small bottle of Blue Loc-Tight thread locking compound.  If you find a loose nut, back it off a bit and put a drop of the thread lock on the threads.  Then re-tighten it.

[mattsz]

Excellent advice!  I'd like to qualify...

- Make sure that the ground terminal at the rear of the battery is held in properly. A fair few members encounter starting problems and loss of power due to this, which can be scary if you are in the middle of traffic.

JVS may be suggesting this, but I'm going to state it again: many of us have had problems with the metal battery cable end terminals.  It's not that they don't hold properly - they break, and they break inside a wrapping of heat shrink insulation.  This insulation holds the piece together while hiding the evidence; you can't tell by looking at it if it's broken (you gotta strip the insulation completely away from the piece to examine it).  If it does break, you will get loss of power - as in, NO power!  The bike will not run if that connection is broken.  When mine broke, the insulation held it together intermittently for awhile, and when it finally stopped for good, I knew right where to look, thanks to the helpful guys on this forum.  A 10-minute road-side fix, followed shortly thereafter by replacement with proper terminal ends.

- You might consider getting a better chain such as the Tsubaki o-ring chain. As the stock one is quite bad and other members will confirm the same. It will be better if you can swap the chain as soon as possible. Although the stock one should last you at least around 5000-6000 miles. Some members' stock chain went to trash within 4500 miles 

A worn chain will wear your sprockets, too, turning a simple chain replacement into a proper repair job, so keep an eye on it.

My B5 came with a 17-tooth drive sprocket; this must be changed to an 18-tooth to accommodate a wider o-ring chain.  As I recall, your C5 comes with the 18-tooth sprocket, so it's an easy job to replace the chain with a "proper" o-ring one.

You got the easy chain replacement bike; the G5 is the easy fork oil replacement bike; I, of course, bought the bike on which neither job is easy! 

[JVS]

Mattsz, thanks for elaborating on those points. Maybe I am just lucky..thankfully I haven't had any problems with the battery and ground terminal side of things, yet!  I do keep a look out for them though.

For the chain on my B5, I did not change the sprocket to accommodate an o-ring chain. I simply bought a traditional solid bush chain from Hitchcocks. It is the 101 pitch Renolds chain. http://www.hitchcocksmotorcycles.com/page.php?currentpageref=5923 Part no. RN/110056/101A.

Pretty good quality for a traditional chain. I haven't had to adjust it as of yet. It runs great. Although you need to lube it every once in a while, just like the stock chain. And it did came greased/lubed from the factory. The modern Tsubaki o-ring chains on the other hand don't need to be lubed (not that often I guess), If I'm not mistaken.

[mattsz]

JVS:

Thankfully, not everybody has these problems, as you yourself can attest.  But it's good to let the new guys know about the possibilities.

I wanted to go with an o-ring chain, so the sprocket-switch is in my immediate future!

[Bulletman]

Excellent advice!  I'd like to qualify...

JVS may be suggesting this, but I'm going to state it again: many of us have had problems with the metal battery cable end terminals.  It's not that they don't hold properly - they break, and they break inside a wrapping of heat shrink insulation.  This insulation holds the piece together while hiding the evidence; you can't tell by looking at it if it's broken (you gotta strip the insulation completely away from the piece to examine it).  If it does break, you will get loss of power - as in, NO power!  The bike will not run if that connection is broken.  When mine broke, the insulation held it together intermittently for awhile, and when it finally stopped for good, I knew right where to look, thanks to the helpful guys on this forum.  A 10-minute road-side fix, followed shortly thereafter by replacement with proper terminal ends.

A worn chain will wear your sprockets, too, turning a simple chain replacement into a proper repair job, so keep an eye on it.

My B5 came with a 17-tooth drive sprocket; this must be changed to an 18-tooth to accommodate a wider o-ring chain.  As I recall, your C5 comes with the 18-tooth sprocket, so it's an easy job to replace the chain with a "proper" o-ring one.

You got the easy chain replacement bike; the G5 is the easy fork oil replacement bike; I, of course, bought the bike on which neither job is easy! 

Not True Matt..... You got the EASY "No Wobble Bike" 

[mattsz]

Touché.  All my wobbling is self-induced...

[patndhat]

Totally jazzed for you. I got the maroon one too. I'm thinking of printing up little FAQ cards to leave on the seat when I park it. So many of the same questions. I never got my "owners box" from my dealer. Phone calls and emails and lots of talk about shipping this stuff to me...nothin. Good to know what I'm missing. I could really use all that stuff...Perhaps our Enfield guy in MN who posts here some time could send a note over to Fremont...?

[heloego]

Ran the Odo up to 179 miles today! The more I ride the more I like the bike!
After I got home I re-sealed the Side-Stand switch bike side connector, and re-tied it to a different position. The bend in the wires has enough radius to prevent possible breakage and a short to ground.
Also re-routed the battery vent hose. I noted the hose was cut off fairly square, so I cut it to a 45 degree angle to allow venturi action to draw the fumes more efficiently. While in there I checked the terminal connectors under the sleeves and noted no discrepancies. Everything seemed solid and secure enough to worry about later.
 I remembered what a bitch it was to get the Tool box cover off the first time, so I thought I'd pass this on:
For those that haven't already done it, lubing the Tool box grommets' ID with a silicone lube makes the cover removal SO much easier.
Pics below of the Switch connector and vent hose, and Tool box.

[mattsz]

What is this battery vent hose of which you speak?  I still have the OEM wet battery; it has no vent hose.  The battery cover doesn't enclose it, so maybe that's it, but is the C5 battery in a closed space?

Or, maybe the newer bikes have a different battery?

[heloego]

On my C5, the battery is not in a completely closed space. The hose is connected to the black cap of the case.
Since wet cells produce sulfuric vapors I can only assume the hose is attached to bleed off gasses within the battery.

[heloego]

BTW, I'm a bit slow responding to all the generous info handed to me.
Just wanna say "THANKS!"
Some of this I already picked up from other threads, but gentle reminders are always appreciated.
I hope I'm able to return the favors to everyone down the road.

[Royalista]

Venting?
Y/N
  hm, reminds me of Homer Simpson.

My dealer knew the company had started installing another type of batteries that would fix the known problems. Would that be this one? 

[Arizoni]

The standard wet cell batteries have a vent hose to allow the gases created during charging and discharging to escape.
 Batteries with a vent hose loose usually have battery caps on the individual cells so the fluid in the cells can be kept up to the proper level.

Sealed batteries don't have battery caps or a vent hose.  They are filled with fluid but they don't require any maintenance.

Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) batteries are also sealed but rather than having a fluid in them they use a gel.  They also do not require any maintenance and (so I'm told) are less likely to develop internal breaks in their plates so they can withstand vibration better than the other kind.

[Royalista]

I thought all bullets came stock with the Exide lead-acid battery which has no tube.
First time I see a tube so prominently on a motorcycle battery.