Author Topic: What Gives???  (Read 5316 times)

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PhilJ

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on: June 10, 2008, 12:45:39 pm
Are these AVLs  that good. Not a posting or question in 3 days.


Adrian

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Reply #1 on: June 10, 2008, 01:00:05 pm
Phil,

too quiet?

Well, I'm getting together the parts for an AVL custom bike - all major components will be Royal Enfield, though not all are from the same factory!

You should have enough information there to guess what I'm up to...  ;)

A.


PaulF

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Reply #2 on: June 10, 2008, 02:01:53 pm
If your just itching for AVL conversation, I'm about to re-jet my carb for the second time and go to a 125 on the main jet because the stock AVL intake plumbing is so gawdawful strangling to those poor engines, it's a wonder they run at all out of the factory.

I rode it 200 miles after the first re-jet by the dealer and it ran "fine". There was sort of a perceived flat spot about mid-throttle but I thought it was break-in effect and, after all, it's barely 30 HP with the re-jet and new exhaust so I thought maybe thats all there is at that point in the throttle.

Then I pulled the spark plug - not good. Ash grey with the mixture screw out 1/2 turn from seated! It still runs too lean. Spoke to the dealer again and he's sending me a 125 main jet to put in this weekend. Hopefully, this will feed the motor properly.


PhilJ

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Reply #3 on: June 10, 2008, 04:30:19 pm
Itch? No, just curious about the lack of problems either real or perceived. Seems the AVL doesn't have a lot. Mine doesn't.
So what kind of pipe did you install? How about the gas mileage?
I'm real happy with the way mine performs, but there was a time in my life when cams, carbs and other paraphernalia would have been on order. ;)


PaulF

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Reply #4 on: June 10, 2008, 05:20:53 pm
Pipe is a Dunstall. Its a great looking recreation of the original and fabricated in India. I don't see it on the CMW store so I have no idea where the dealer got it from. It has no baffle so it farts and pops a little on de-cel but sounds awfully good, (it has what you might call the "end cap" on the muffler, but the muffler itself has no "guts", its hollow).

Gotta confess, I have no idea what gas mileage I'm getting. I can't commute with the RE so it's a pleasure machine for me. My assesment of gas mileage is when I go 30 miles, open the gas cap and go "wow, didnt seem to go down".

I only have a few hundred miles now. So, except for getting the fuel mixture right, and that's a non-factory performance thing anyway, I've had no problems whatsoever.


PhilJ

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Reply #5 on: June 10, 2008, 05:46:40 pm
Which is what I expected out of the AVL. No wonder there aren't many posts about this or that. ::)


shrugger

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Reply #6 on: June 12, 2008, 12:51:40 pm
No problems so far with mine really. Just the occasional difficulty with the shifter.
Most likely caused by the left side linkage.
2008 Bullet 500 Classic AVL


REpozer

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Reply #7 on: June 15, 2008, 04:56:54 pm
I think everybody is out riding or on vacation. Everybody but me ???
2008 ( AVL) Classic Bullet in British Racing Green
REA member # 84  (inactive)


LJRead

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Reply #8 on: June 15, 2008, 08:50:21 pm
Since we're stirring up the AVL column, I have a question.  I heard a brief mention of the Machismo A350 (original AVL) has an "original Mahle piston".  Is that something that the older cast iron engines had as well?  There were a few modifications made to the original AVL when it first came out and I'm trying to pin them down.  I have noticed, for example, that they apparently rerouted the oil pathway to the valves (rockers?). 

Just thought I'd ask.

LJ



LJRead

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Reply #9 on: June 17, 2008, 06:05:14 am
Well, to answer my own question, I found that there was a collaboration between Escort and Mahle in India such that the Bullets had a Escort/Mahle piston.  Later the collaboration ended and another company started to make the OEM pistons.

Interesting also is the finding that in India, those bent on tradition put what they call a CI kit (CI=cast iron) on their AVLs which consists of traditional iron cylinder, piston, head and carburetor.  I guess one could call that a hermaphrodite Enfield.  Others just replace the AVL with an iron engine.

So if some of you want to go that way we could have a new category called Cast Iron AVLs.

How does that grab you?

LJ


PhilJ

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Reply #10 on: June 17, 2008, 02:21:57 pm
Well LJ, it grabs me pretty good.
While I really like my AVL, someone the other day was mentioning  that the AVL is an interim engine and will be gone in a couple of years. Probably true. That being said, India will still make parts for a certain number of years, but at some point will not. As to availability after that is anyone's guess. So, at the time, I was wondering if one couldn't put an "iron" cylinder on the AVL and go from there. Most of my question have now been answered, thank you very much for you effort.


PaulF

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Reply #11 on: June 17, 2008, 03:44:58 pm
Do you mean AVL pattern parts MADE FROM cast iron or do you mean traditional Iron Head parts bolted to the AVL case? Would they fit? I just don't see the reason for retrofitting the AVL. Kinda defeats the purpose and is probably pricey. I would simply buy an iron head RE.

If what LJ says is true, that the AVLs are averaging a life span of 40K miles, (in India where I'm sure they don't exactly get perfect maintenance), then you shouldn't worry. Besdies, I'm sure our host will squirrel away enough AVL parts to last a long time.

RIGHT KEVIN??


PaulF

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Reply #12 on: June 17, 2008, 03:53:53 pm
One more comment about engines and the market. It is my earnest hope that India realizes the propularity of the non-unitzed configuration in the US. If RE goes solely with the UCE, my relationship with RE will end. If I wanted a single-cylinder untized engine/trans, I would grab up a GB500, SR500, Savage or some other Asian fare that is far more available.


PhilJ

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Reply #13 on: June 17, 2008, 06:27:23 pm
I didn't mean to imply that parts would not be available after some time into the future. However, there will be a time when they won't be readily available, just try to get parts for the original English made Bullets. With the large numbers of cast iron Bullets around, parts will be there for many years.
If I would be willing to accept an Asian machine, I'd have just got one of those. I wanted an English design single. Simple to work on, a real pleasure to ride and  "classic". Not a large scale mass production robot assembled bland bike.


LJRead

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Reply #14 on: June 17, 2008, 07:45:07 pm
In answer to PaulF's question, I believe that this is stock iron parts used on the AVL bottom end.  It is sold in India as a kit including, as mentioned, an iron cylinder, piston,head and carb, which then simply bolt on.  Other Indians are replacing their AVLs with standard iron engines, either new or rebuilt.  Iron engines are both traditional and apparently have a different "sound" which the Indians prefer.  I think  the iron cylinder would be quieter as well.

If one were to use the AVL lower end, there would still be greater reliability of the mechanical oil pump and the piston rod's needle bearing big end.  The mindset of Indians would also be different since they are so used to the irons and most seem to prefer them.

When I mentioned the figure 40K kms, what I was told, by Lalli Singh, of New Delhi, was that they were getting at least that on their AVLs.  Lalli rents bikes for tours and also repairs them, so is in position to know. 

Last evening I went into an Indian site that gives diagrams of parts for Irons and AVLShttp://jainenfield.com/index.html and found that in reality, though there are different parts in the two types, there is also much that is interchangeable.  I take it from what has been told me about the CI kits, that this includes the hole pattern for the cylinder studs in the casing. The stroke is the same for both engines, but, of course, the pistons are different.

 I have had to consider what might be needed in the way of spare parts because of the long time delay in getting them, so have already been stocking up.  I don't think spares will ever be a problem though - there will always be after market sources in India as well.  With the low speeds and small size of the island I live on, I doubt if I'll wear my engine out in any case.  Maybe I'll drive a thousand miles a year, mostly for local errands.

One interesting thing is that export markets for Indian parts has grown and this is driving up, to some extent, the price of parts sold in India.  Part of the globalization process which will eventually see a leveling out of the economics of all participating countries throughout the world. 

My own opinion is that we have happened on an ideal older British type of bike for which parts will always be in ample supply.  We should consider ourselves very fortunate - at least I do.

Regards,

LJ