Author Topic: tips required for first time electra owner  (Read 1708 times)

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Mr.SINGHsational

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on: April 12, 2014, 08:54:12 am
Hello Gentleman,

pleased to see this forum. I am buying an RE Electra and I need tips from you all on what to do and what not to. I am completely new to RE and it has been my childhood dream to own one. And now when i am finally getting one, I am getting a little worries about what problems I could face in it. How should I maintain it. Anything and everything which any RE owner should be worried about is bugging me. Please guide peepz.

Ahoy...


potboiler

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Reply #1 on: April 12, 2014, 09:42:27 am
If you intend to use the electric start, your priority is to learn how to start AND stop the engine. The sprag clutch is a time-bomb just waiting to go off if you mis-treat it in any way. You want to avoid damaging it because it will be expensive to replace. So to avoid breaking the sprag, the engine must not be allowed to rotate backwards. This can happen due to the engine kicking back when starting, either due to a half-hearted prod on the kickstarter or starting the kicking process at the wrong point in the combustion cycle. Or, if using the electric start with a weak battery. Or, if using the electric start without first getting the piston just  over TDC, so as to help the starter motor get a 'run-up' at spinning the motor before it hits compression ( I use the valve lifter to keep the valve open while the motor spins a few cycles and then release the lifter and it should fire up).
Also keep the carb from getting too lean in the winter which can cause harder starting.
When it comes to stopping the motor, always use the valve lifter to kill the engine, and THEN switch off the ignition. NEVER stop the motor with just the kill switch or ignition key. Doing so can cause a slight 'bounce-back' when the piston hits compression - putting the sprag at risk. For the same reason, also avoid the engine stalling due to too slow a tick over at idle. Here endeth the first lesson.


Adrian

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Reply #2 on: April 12, 2014, 10:06:48 am
Hi,

welcome and please forgive for the stupid question, but is this the US/Europe market 500 Electra-X you are buying, or the Indian home market 350 Electra? They are two very different models. The 350 Electra is an update on the all-time classic Bullet and should be just fine with regular maintenance, the Electra-X is a potentially great motorcycle but does need some careful handling, as potboiler has explained. Some Electra-X owners have simply junked the electric start...

Regards,

A


DocVSK

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Reply #3 on: April 16, 2014, 03:49:44 pm
Firstly, I'd like to welcome a fellow "Singh" to the forum and congrats on the new bike!

Secondly, my advice would be avoid using the electric start whenever possible given the risk of sprag clutch failure and the resulting headache from removing/replacing it. You bought a Bullet, which means you have a passion and eye for the classics . . . treat it like one and kickstart it whenever possible. I have an '09 AVL and my sprag went out at around 1.2k miles, which prompted me to remove and not replace the electric start.