Author Topic: 08 Bullet 5-speed question  (Read 12710 times)

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PhilJ

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Reply #15 on: July 26, 2008, 01:22:49 pm
Since some of these wonderful tidbits don't make it that far, I copy and paste to text and save in a maintenance folder. FWIW


fun2drum

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Reply #16 on: July 30, 2008, 03:56:53 am
Hello, everybody, I'm a new Electra owner too and today I was reading this thread thinking "hey, that's what mine is doing".   Well, right after reading this thread I went out for some errands on the Electra and lost the clutch completely while stopping at a stop sign.  It all of a sudden popped back into gear and I had to lock the brakes and kill the engine to keep from lurching out into the intersection.  I walked home, trailered it over to the dealer (fortunately about two miles away) and was told that some kind of arm that the cable hooks to had "torn" apart.  It's covered under warranty, so no worry there, but I'm wondering if anybody else has had a similar situation or if this is an isolated case.  I also wonder if the symptoms mentioned in this thread could be the warning signs of a defective clutch.  In case you were wondering, my Electra has 720 miles on it.   
« Last Edit: July 30, 2008, 04:01:38 am by fun2drum »
The Family Fleet:
2008 Royal Enfield Electra
2002 Buell Blast
1973 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia Convertible
...and a couple of boring and more practicle family vehicles that I won't mention here.


scoTTy

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Reply #17 on: July 30, 2008, 04:10:41 am
whooo.. bet that was exciting .. :o  i "m close to a 1000 with no problems :)


fun2drum

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Reply #18 on: July 30, 2008, 04:27:08 am
whooo.. bet that was exciting .. :o  i "m close to a 1000 with no problems :)

Yes, it was exciting, but I'm quite used to wierd and exciting problems because my other vehicle is a Land Rover.  The Electra has been a total pleasure to ride, and this is just a small bump in the road that's being handled the right way by my dealer.  I just can't help wondering if this "false neutral" and "can't shift to neutral" phenomenon could be related to an underlying problem with weakening clutch cable connections down in the transmission. 
The Family Fleet:
2008 Royal Enfield Electra
2002 Buell Blast
1973 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia Convertible
...and a couple of boring and more practicle family vehicles that I won't mention here.


No. 5

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Reply #19 on: July 30, 2008, 05:19:09 am
You can inspect the cable connection by removing the filler plug on the gear box.

The clutch actuating 'arm' that the cable connects to is what changes the pulling motion of the cable to a pushing motion on the thrust pin that moves the clutch in/out. This is the adjustment behind the 5 SPEED oval that was described earlier. These adjustments are very subtle when compared to your cable problem, so I would say you had both.

I know that there is a school of thought that you need to be in gear ready to move while at a stoplight, but with an Enfield I'm developing a habit of coming to neutral from second (light touch down or you'll end up in first) when coming to a stoplight. You'll find this much easier than walking the bike forward in order to find neutral when stopped.

I have not figured out what to do when stopped at the top of a hill and need to hold the bike with rear brake, shift to first, let out the clutch, give it gas, not stall, and not get creamed by the person turning left in front of me. I do it every day, but never the same way. I'm sure I look like an idiot. Right foot down, left foot down, right foot down, left foot down, now GO!  :-)
« Last Edit: July 30, 2008, 05:29:08 am by No. 5 »


PhilJ

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Reply #20 on: July 30, 2008, 12:48:28 pm
Front brake.


fun2drum

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Reply #21 on: July 30, 2008, 12:58:00 pm
...The clutch actuating 'arm' that the cable connects to is what changes the pulling motion of the cable to a pushing motion on the thrust pin that moves the clutch in/out. ...

In my case, the dealer told me that actuating arm appeared to have been ripped apart as if it were paper.   ??? 
The Family Fleet:
2008 Royal Enfield Electra
2002 Buell Blast
1973 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia Convertible
...and a couple of boring and more practicle family vehicles that I won't mention here.


No. 5

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Reply #22 on: July 30, 2008, 02:58:16 pm
That's the first I've heard of that.  ???  I assumed the weakest part was the cable. I'll bet the bad arm caused the cable to fray and break. In my limited experience with the Electra, it is most always the simple answer. sometimes so simple, it is overlooked by over thinking the problem. In any case, I'll be checking my actuating arm, if I think it needs adjusting :)

to PhilJ
Front brake?  :)

I should've added that I have small hands and rheumatoid arthritis and a fairly steep hill - but most of all - as my wife will tell you, I don't seem to mind looking like an idiot. :)


fun2drum

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Reply #23 on: July 30, 2008, 06:33:22 pm
I just got back from the dealer where my bike is still apart.   I saw the arm and it actually looks like the cable somehow tore through the metal and ripped itself free.  The arm is not only "torn" but also pulled apart between the connecting holes.  I think that it was probably failing and slowly pulling apart over the past hundred or so miles and that is why it was getting harder to find neutral and requiring more effort to change gears. 

It's really freaky looking.  The dealer and I agree that it must have been a bad cast when they made the arm.   Anyway, if any of you are experiencing those symptoms you may want to double check that arm while you're adjusting the clutch. 
The Family Fleet:
2008 Royal Enfield Electra
2002 Buell Blast
1973 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia Convertible
...and a couple of boring and more practicle family vehicles that I won't mention here.


PhilJ

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Reply #24 on: July 30, 2008, 07:44:57 pm

to PhilJ
Front brake?  :)

I should've added that I have small hands and rheumatoid arthritis and a fairly steep hill - but most of all - as my wife will tell you, I don't seem to mind looking like an idiot. :)

Arthritis would do it. When I put that reply there I was thinking that it would be easier to hold on a hill with the front brake, mine is, and it lets me do the little dance you described. When I come to a stop my left foot is the one making ground contact first. I won't come to a stop with just the front, landed on rocks before and fallen over like the Laugh-in trike guy.



PaulF

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Reply #25 on: July 30, 2008, 07:51:06 pm
I just got back from the dealer where my bike is still apart.   I saw the arm and it actually looks like the cable somehow tore through the metal and ripped itself free.  The arm is not only "torn" but also pulled apart between the connecting holes.  I think that it was probably failing and slowly pulling apart over the past hundred or so miles and that is why it was getting harder to find neutral and requiring more effort to change gears. 

It's really freaky looking.  The dealer and I agree that it must have been a bad cast when they made the arm.   Anyway, if any of you are experiencing those symptoms you may want to double check that arm while you're adjusting the clutch. 



Do you know when your bike was made? I'm curious to know if this was perhaps a bad run and, if there was a run of bad castings, what dates they might have been used on the line. Just reachin' here.


cyrusb

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Reply #26 on: July 30, 2008, 08:01:22 pm
Hey FuntoDrum, Did it look like this? See all the gory details in "Gearbox Apocolypse" Classic Model Forum..Today!!!
« Last Edit: July 30, 2008, 09:07:51 pm by cyrusb »
2005E Fixed and or Replaced: ignition, fenders,chainguard,wires,carb,headlight,seat,tailight,sprockets,chain,shock springs,fork springs, exhaust system, horn,shifter,clutch arm, trafficators,crankcase vent.


Jon

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Reply #27 on: July 30, 2008, 08:49:13 pm
I was sorting the garage out yesterday and started browsing the magazine pile
there was a comparison "test" in CBG between a fifty year old 350 Bullet and a
fairly new AVL Bullet the comment of interest in this context is that the gearbox
on the older machine was much more positive and slicker to use, maybe they
just take a long time to bed in?


fun2drum

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Reply #28 on: July 30, 2008, 09:01:11 pm
Did it look like this? ...

It was similar, except mine was a little more bent up and mangled-looking.   
The Family Fleet:
2008 Royal Enfield Electra
2002 Buell Blast
1973 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia Convertible
...and a couple of boring and more practicle family vehicles that I won't mention here.


fun2drum

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Reply #29 on: July 30, 2008, 09:03:18 pm
...Do you know when your bike was made? I'm curious to know if this was perhaps a bad run and, if there was a run of bad castings, what dates they might have been used on the line. Just reachin' here.

From the VIN I got this:
Manufactured in 2008
Engine number 502311

There may be more specific info on the bike itself, but I don't have it here to look at. 
The Family Fleet:
2008 Royal Enfield Electra
2002 Buell Blast
1973 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia Convertible
...and a couple of boring and more practicle family vehicles that I won't mention here.