[potboiler]

Hi,
I have just bought a 2008 AVL Bullet 'Machismo'( 1800 miles on clock). and I am now horrified to read all these accounts of exploding sprags! I have this nagging feeling in the back of my mind that I now own a time bomb and that it is only a matter of time before it goes off.
Why was this defect not recalled by Enfield and rectified? Can you imagine that if this was a Toyota car with such a problem whether owners would tolerate such a situation? ( and then pay for replacement parts AND do the work themselves!). There are various consumer rights laws here in Britain whereby products have to be 'fit for use' and to last a reasonable amount of time. We motorcyclists are basically just doing product testing for free for Enfield!!   

[Ice]

Hello potboiler and welcome aboard !
 On this forum we tend to hold each and every little niggle up to the microscope, as so to speak, to share with all and because the lot of us here are just plain open and curious in general. Consequently you will hear of the ones that failed and not the hundred thousand that didn't.

 For sprag health, make sure yours has the green TCI box and use the de-comp instead of the key or kill switch for shutting down.

BTW Congrats! on your AVL Machismo.
I am doubly envious as none were imported "over here".
 
 

[Adrian]

Guys,

regarding Buckeroo's question #3 above, there isn't a direct kickstart-only replacement inner case, but the IS one that comes quite close and can be adapted.

The inner case in question is used on the later Indian home market 350cc 4-speed kickstart Electra, I'm using one on my AVL project which is based on a set of iron engine 350 cases. You'll need to drill and tap three 5/16" or 8mm holes in the drive side crankcase in the original mounting position (there are alloy bosses in the casting to take these), and if you haven't converted the gears on your Electra-X/AVL Classic/500 Machismo to right-foot shift you will also need to drill an accurate hole for the gear shift shaft in the inner casing.

Where do I get one of these?  Try here:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/251021647790?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

Hopefully, a picture of it fitted (but no gear-shift hole) can be found here:

http://tinytim.forumcircle.com/viewtopic.php?t=2415&highlight=



Regards,

Adrian

[D the D]

Hello potboiler and welcome aboard !
 On this forum we tend to hold each and every little niggle up to the microscope, as so to speak, to share with all and because the lot of us here are just plain open and curious in general. Consequently you will hear of the ones that failed and not the hundred thousand that didn't.

 For sprag health, make sure yours has the green TCI box and use the de-comp instead of the key or kill switch for shutting down.

BTW Congrats! on your AVL Machismo.
I am doubly envious as none were imported "over here".

+1  RE was making over 50k bikes per year when yours was built, over 35k per year when my '07 was, and currently somewhere between 100k and 175k per year.  Six or eight of us post about a  bad sprag clutch, usually due to our own foibles of inadvertently allowing kickbacks somewhere along the line.  Those really aren't bad stats.  The Spaceshuttle solid booster was more likely to blow up than your sprag clutch is likely to crap out.
Dennis

[Buckeroo]

Probably because Bendix has a patent and RE would have to pay to use it.

Makes me wonder why most motorcycles don't use a Bendix.

[D the D]

Probably because Bendix has a patent and RE would have to pay to use it.

Nah, Mr. Bendix's patent had run out by 1925.

[Arizoni]

AIR, the Bendix was big and cumbersome.   It used a ratchet/pawl clutch that wasn't without problems of its own when it came to life.
That's why many Bendix units used a massive solenoid to engage it with the flywheel when the starter was used.
 When the starter wasn't being used the drive gear connected to the ratchet wasn't engaged with anything to keep it from breaking.

IMO, there's nothing wrong with a sprag clutch if it is designed to take the load/shock in the system.
Unfortunately, RE didn't size the Iron barrel or the AVL solenoid to take long term exposure to the loads and shocks the big engines can produce.

The UCE's seem to be much better but even they have had a few problems with their  sprag clutches.

[Buckeroo]

My Cub Cadet Lawn mower has a better starting system than these sprag gears.  I'm going to upgrade the ignition module and try to be very careful when kick starting.   

[Buckeroo]

Adrian, I love that red frame.  What are you doing with the tins?

[D the D]

My Cub Cadet Lawn mower has a better starting system than these sprag gears.  I'm going to upgrade the ignition module and try to be very careful when kick starting.

Your Cub Cadet has a Bendix type starter as does most outboard motors, even the big, several hundred horsepower ones, and probably your car.
I don't understand why anyone would say they are "big and cumbersome" nor faulty.  They're a spiral drive gear on a spring.  Elegant in it's simplicity.  It's the most common starter in the world.