[Royal Stargazer]

New owner in Minnesota here, just got the bike a couple hours ago. I'm happy with how the bike performed just on that first ride, and that sound! My only gripe is the false neutrals, but I'm sure that's something that I'll either get used to, or that will work itself out - right?

I've gleaned a little from the forum (only stumbled upon it like a week ago) so I know to switch in an NGK plug at my earliest opportunity, avoid K&N filters (right?), be gentle during the break in period, and to try to keep it below 65mph.

Any other gems I should adhere to so far as care or performance goes? I might only ride around town (especially before 1,500 mies or so) but I want to get the most bang for my buck. Thanks in advance!

[GSS]

Greetings from another MN Bulleteer! Congratulations and welcome to the group. The false neutrals are normal until it breaks in fully and are gone after 1000 miles. Until then just take extra care while shifting and make sure you fully pull up or press down each time you shift. Meanwhile just have fun and change your oil at 300 miles. Mine got changed about 3 times by the time I reached 1500 miles and it is amazing how much better and smoother it got with each oil change as it broke in!

GSS

[gremlin]

Hello from yet another MN Metro area owner.
GSS'es advice is spot-on.

I regularly run mine around the loop (694,94,394,100,169,&35) at over 70 - no worries.

keep in mind, airfilter and muffler changes will get you 10% more speed, but, it'll cost you 25% of your MPG.

[squire]

You'll enjoy your bike. Any issue I've had with my bike could have been prevented with a proper set-up by my dealer so no point in elaborating. Changing my plug with an iridium one made a big difference, I couldn't take the look of the stock exhaust any longer and switched it for an EFI and couldn't be happier, I use 18 and 24 PSI, had quite a few false neutrals for a few hundred miles but haven't had one in ages and now it's all good.

[Rich Mintz]

Congratulations! You've picked a really fun bike.

One simple but important thing: get a set of metric wrenches and tighten EVERYTHING that can be tightened. Use blue Loctite on the threads of nuts and screws. The engine vibrates heavily in normal use, especially at speed, and nuts and screws will work their way loose if you don't.

I didn't heed this advice when it was given to me, and as a result, the following fell off my bike in the first 3000 miles or so while I was in motion: 2 heat shield screws, the nut on the long crossbolt securing the neck of my gas tank, and all 3 screws that hold the headlight cover in place. One of my engine mount bolts worked its way so far loose that it almost fell out. All easily repaired, so no harm done, but an inconvenience that I could have avoided.

There's a separate thread on this, but: a set of combination wrenches from 8mm to 17mm, and a set of 3/8" socket heads from 8mm to 17mm, covers pretty much every fastener on the bike. It's worth having them, even if you don't plan to do any major maintenance yourself. I didn't think of myself as particularly mechanical when I got the bike, but I've learned fast!

[Graylic]

Welcome from another new MN rider.  This forum is about the best advice there is.  If something goes wrong, It is a good bet someone on here will know how to fix it. 
Have fun and ride safe

[Arizoni]

Congrat's on your new RE.

Hope you don't mind nosy people who go out of their way to walk over to admire your bike.  "I haven't seen one of those for years!  I had a BSA back in those days and let me tell you........"

You'll get used to it after a while. 

[AussieDave]

 Greetings,Welcome,and congratulations on displaying such excellent taste in motorcycles. As Rich Mintz correctly states these machines  have been known to shed the occasional bolt or nut (and by nut I'm not referring to the people that ride them) and a bottle of blue loctite is a wise investment. However do be aware that the crankcase is aluminium and relatively soft so it is easy to strip a thread if you're over enthusiastic with a spanner. A gentle tweak,with loctite ,is usually all that is required. All the best ,Dave. 

[wildbill]

best advise from me!!
1. run the bike in properly and especially for the first 300 miles. no need to use 5th gear at all. give it a 15 minute rest per hour depending on temp.
2. 300 to 600 miles up to 50 mph and by them you will notice a great improvement in the running of the bike.once your around the 45 to 50 mph - the 5th gear is fine on the flats.
3. do 3 or 4 quick oil and filter changes during this run in period.
4 get the iridium plug asap. no more rough idle or sooty plug and better start ups.
5. a quality drive chain is a must. i'm about to pick up another new bike next week. i've already told the dealer to toss the factory chain and replace it with a better quality unit.
6. if you strike a problem -hit this forum first. plenty of good help here.
7. enjoy your ride.

[barenekd]

keep in mind, airfilter and muffler changes will get you 10% more speed, but, it'll cost you 25% of your MPG.

My bike averages 70 mpg over 16,000 miles with air filter, and muffler changes. It isn't the changes you make, it's how fast you go that changes the mileage. I liked to keep mine at about 60. If I ran it up to 70 the mileage dropped markedly. But a lot of the good mileage was made at high altitudes which you don't have a lot of in MN.
Blue Loctite isn't a good idea, it's mandatory! Get some and put it on every nut and bolt you can find! In particular, tank mounting bolts (2), 3 little screws that hold the heat shield on, these also hold the muffler on! Motor mount bolts, etc. The bikes will remain in one piece very well with the loctite.
As for K&Ns, I used them, but it wasn't the one they are selling now. I had one from a BMW 1200C, P/N BN-1298. IT is bigger than the one being sold now, and I never had any problems with it at all.
You don't need an iridium plug, the standard NGK BPR6ES works fine. Saves you $5.00 or so. I put 15,000 miles on one and swapped it out because I had more here anyway.
The chain is junk.
As for break in, the breakin given in the owners manual is straight out of the 4 speed iron barrel book,and has no validity whatsoever to the UCEs. I broke mine in buy checking the throttle and finding how much throttle was halfway and noted it on the grip and throttle casing. I never exceeded half throttle for 5-600 miles, then I started easing on up. That still gives you adequate  acceleration for traffic and top speed around 55 or so. You will definitely use 5th gear! You want to use the gearbox a lot to break it in. You should find some twisty roads to ride and keep changing speeds. Do not go very far at a consistent throttle opening. Keep varying it as that improves cylinder lubrication an ring breakin.
But basically od ride it and use it mostly as you normally would without the stoplight grand prixs. Enjoy it and learn it as it learns you!
I changed my oil initially at about 300 miles then at about 1000 miles, then just followed the books maintenance schedule. Kevin, the importer and host of this forum offered about the same breakin regimen in a post awhile back, but I don't recall where it is.
Get some cable lubricant, I use Dri-Slide. Lube your throttle and clutch cables. They will last a LOT longer! As in double or so miles.
Bare

[mattsz]

+1 to everything Bare says -

except I'm going to inject one little detail, which is true for my bike, but may not have been for his: the three screws that hold the heat shield on my OEM silencer didn't do anything to hold the silencer on the bike.  I could, and did, remove them (after two of them fell out!  ), and the heat shield came right off (the little clip that holds the front end of the shield to the header pipe had already broken, so that wasn't doing anything either). but the silencer didn't.  It was held securely in place at the header pipe and at two brackets which attached to the frame.

RE does have a habit of changing things on the fly, though...

[Ice]

New owner in Minnesota here, just got the bike a couple hours ago. I'm happy with how the bike performed just on that first ride, and that sound! My only gripe is the false neutrals, but I'm sure that's something that I'll either get used to, or that will work itself out - right?~~~

~~~Any other gems I should adhere to so far as care or performance goes?

 False neutrals decline as the transmission bits bed themselves in. To hasten the process ride long and often.

 EDF or Enfield Delay Factor ) answering questions about the bike at every stop) will slow your average travel speed down.


  Bullet ownership has been linked to a condition affecting the muscles of the face known as perma-grin 

Welcome aboard and congratulations on your new Bulllet.

[D the D]

Oh! They forgot something; you have to smile and talk about your bike and then excuse yourself politely to get away.  Only Hardley riders get to be Dicks.   

[mattsz]

EDF or Enfield Delay Factor ) answering questions about the bike at every stop) will slow your average travel speed down.

Or, just come on up to mid-coast Maine for a ride - nobody ever notices or comments on my bike here - just one guy, in fact, in the year I've been riding it.  Maybe they don't notice it past me in all my dorky riding gear - full face helmet and day-glo yellow jacket... I look like I should be touring on a Beemer, I guess.  Boo hoo, I'm devistated.

[barenekd]

It was held securely in place at the header pipe and at two brackets which attached to the frame.

If the clip isn't broken, try to pull the muffler off with the camp and two bracket bolts removed! The three little screws may not be the main thing to hold the muffler on, but they do a good job!
Bare