[jdon]

Ever since I came upon the Royal website, I've been absolutely in love with the Classic.. I simply must have one.  A few of my mates ride (monster, street triple, sportster) and my style totally fits the Classic.  Before I make the jump, however, I have a few questions for you veteran riders out there..

1. Is the engine in an 08' the iron vs. an 09' with the AVL?  What is the reliability or any other difference between the two engines?

2.  If I buy my classic in Baltimore, will it make it's maiden voyage back to Pittsburgh?  Follow-up to that, will I be able to keep up with my mates on average 200-mile (country road) rides every month or so?

3.  Accepting the fact that I will have to tinker and be my own mechanic, is it recommended that the Classic be my first bike? 

Thanks for all and any opinions and suggestions.  Looking forward to test driving one this week, but will hold off buying till spring 09'.  cheers!

[Coronach]

1. Is the engine in an 08' the iron vs. an 09' with the AVL?  What is the reliability or any other difference between the two engines?

Correct. The AVL is probably the less maintenance-intensive of the two from what I have read, but actual reliability seems to be pretty much a wash (treating problem-fixing and preventative maintenance as separate issues)

2.  If I buy my classic in Baltimore, will it make it's maiden voyage back to Pittsburgh?

One the back of a truck? Sure. Being ridden?  Probably not. Or, I should say, you can do it, but you will have to map out an all-secondary road course and keep the speed exceeding low (like, sub 40-MPH, with variable throttle and gearing, so at times well below that), so it will take you a while to complete. Run-in is extremely important for these bikes, and failure to follow the break-in routine will result in problems. I don't think it is very practical to ride it home. I would not even consider it, over that distance and those roads (I know the area).

Follow-up to that, will I be able to keep up with my mates on average 200-mile (country road) rides every month or so?

The distance is not a problem, but the speed may well be. How fast do they like to ride? Your practical top-end over any distance is going to be 55-60 MPH.

3.  Accepting the fact that I will have to tinker and be my own mechanic, is it recommended that the Classic be my first bike?

Depends on how much you like to tinker and be your own mechanic. The bike is very easy to ride, so it is a great bike in that regard. Just be prepared to get your hands dirty.

Mike 

[1Blackwolf1]

1. Is the engine in an 08' the iron vs. an 09' with the AVL?  What is the reliability or any other difference between the two engines?

Correct. The AVL is probably the less maintenance-intensive of the two from what I have read, but actual reliability seems to be pretty much a wash (treating problem-fixing and preventative maintenance as separate issues)

2.  If I buy my classic in Baltimore, will it make it's maiden voyage back to Pittsburgh?

One the back of a truck? Sure. Being ridden?  Probably not. Or, I should say, you can do it, but you will have to map out an all-secondary road course and keep the speed exceeding low (like, sub 40-MPH, with variable throttle and gearing, so at times well below that), so it will take you a while to complete. Run-in is extremely important for these bikes, and failure to follow the break-in routine will result in problems. I don't think it is very practical to ride it home. I would not even consider it, over that distance and those roads (I know the area).

Follow-up to that, will I be able to keep up with my mates on average 200-mile (country road) rides every month or so?

The distance is not a problem, but the speed may well be. How fast do they like to ride? Your practical top-end over any distance is going to be 55-60 MPH.

3.  Accepting the fact that I will have to tinker and be my own mechanic, is it recommended that the Classic be my first bike?

Depends on how much you like to tinker and be your own mechanic. The bike is very easy to ride, so it is a great bike in that regard. Just be prepared to get your hands dirty.

Mike 

  I have to totally agree with Mike on this, if you are going after a first bike you may want to consider a Japanese or German rig.  These are great bikes, but definitely have limitations in their stock form.  22 horse power at about 2200 rpm, low gearing, and air cooling add up to a fine country back road cruising bike when you don't expect to go more than about 55 mph.  And that after about a 1000 mile break-in period.

  Mods can be made to increase the bikes overall performance, 535 kit, different front drive sprocket, more open exhaust, etc.  But you are certainly putting the bike up to the cost of a used Sportster, or new Jap 700/750.

  Generally all the vet riders who have one of these understand the challenge of Brit bikes, we've owned more than one of them.  They are more of the I have all day to get there/no particular hurry to make it anywhere type of machine.  They are tough, but don't lend well to being flogged.  But if your mates are willing to slow down or you can reasonably be sure they'll be at the same finish point at the end of the day, go ahead.

  Not trying to dissuade you, just wanting you to be happy with your final purchase.  These are quirky, funny, some times exhausting machines for maintenance, but are well respected/loved by their owners.  Enjoy, Will.

[jdrouin]

About four weeks ago I picked up an '07 iron-lunged Classic and have been having a great time with it. I think you'd be fine with it as a first bike as long as you're willing to be proactive with maintenance, as you seem to be. So far I've done the oil change and checked the valves. These aren't complicated to do, and you'll have them down well after you do them once. I've had no problems yet at 385 miles.

While the break-in procedure is important (keep it under 40-45 mph and don't let it get too hot), do keep in mind that these are very rugged and substantial bikes. Mine handles with aplomb the moon-surface streets and aggressive traffic of New York City. Just try not to get stuck idling in city traffic, and get out where you can ride at a constant 35-45 mph without continual stopping and starting. That's the real test for me.

I agree with what's been said already about driving it home. It's definitely worth the money to rent an inexpensive van (I've had the best luck with Enterprise) and buy some tie-down straps to carry the bike home. If you don't have a ramp, you can just get some sturdy plywood and reinforce it with concrete blocks underneath, or maybe borrow a gangplank from a construction site.

I would also consider having your dealer replace the stock exhaust with the English-made 1950s exhaust system (or another free-flowing one) sold by CMW. The stock system is very restricted, and the free-flowing one will let the engine breath better and run cooler, which is better for break-in. Plus the added power will help you keep up with your friends once break-in is complete.

While the Bullet is capable of doing 200 mile rides (after break-in), keeping up with those modern bikes might be a problem. The Bullet is geared very low with the power band topping out in the low RPM range (it's very torque-y). That means you have to shift quickly to get up to cruising speed, which takes some time, and at 60 mph the motor is definitely not relaxed. 50-55 is best. In fact, I'm considering going up a tooth in the front sprocket to give the bike slightly longer legs. I don't know how your friends ride, but they might need to go slower than they're used to in order to keep you with them.

It's a really fun and raw bike, though, and if you're that enamored already (like I was) you'll probably love it no matter what.

Hope his helps.

Jeff

[birdmove]

    The best way to break one of these in is to truck it home, and then do some short rides on low speed streets. One of the keys to break in is to constantly vary the rpm, and not to just cruise along at a constant rpm. The lower the mileage on the bike, the more important is the proper break in.You want to keep the first rides shorter to keep the engine from anything near overheating. My 2007 Classic iron head is just at 1550 miles, and breakin is just about over.These bikes make a fun ride, but are made for the back roads at speeds like 40-55 mph. Buy one, break it in right, and you'll be rewarded with a great looking, good handling British designed long stroke thumper that gets great gas mileage (75-85 miles per US gallon), and you'll be approached by strangers asking what year it is, and admiring your Bullet. If a person buys one of these and trys to break it in and ride it like a Japanese bike, that person will be in for a big dissapointment. My Bullet uses no detectable amount of engine oil between changes also.
    jon

[LotusSevenMan]

I was reading a piece on the web somewhere (just spent 15 minutes trying to find it again, but it's not been unearthed again) that the TRUE Bullet died in 2008 when the last iron was built.
RIP 1955 - 2008.
Make your own choices in terms of reliability/character etc but I love the  (IMHO) genuine Classic with four speed right foot change etc.

[Slider]

...the TRUE Bullet died in 2008 when the last iron was built.

I think there's about a dozen of us on here who got the 'last' iron Bullet. 

[cyrusb]

The only way cruising with your buddies will work out is if you give them a couple of Valiums prior to the ride. (20 minutes prior seems to work best)

[Suitor_Stu]

The only way cruising with your buddies will work out is if you give them a couple of Valiums prior to the ride. (20 minutes prior seems to work best)

Yeah, I think taking 20 of them, minutes prior to the ride would do the trick! 

Stu

[jdon]

I appreciate the candor from everyone, it has been helpful.  I didn't realize the break-in was so substantial, but no worries.  The plan is to stop by the dealer tomorrow to see one in person and possibly test-ride one.  If/when i get it, does anyone else recommend something (the the CMW exhaust) that would be worth getting sooner than later?  Keep in mind, I'm not trying to make it a powerhouse, just keep it a little less susceptible to as many problems as possible.  As for the suggestion to go Jap, not an option for my first bike.  Maybe a CB-750 for a cafe-racer project but I def want the Bullet first. 

Perhaps I buy down here and drive it around till I break it in (at least I'll be close to the dealer for any first-time surprises) and then plan a good road trip back home.  The 40-55mph range is acceptable for me.  It's the experience i'm looking for.  As for my buds.. let them go fast while I go slow past the ladies.  Thats been the plan all along.   haha.  Thanks again for the input.

[The Garbone]

Jdon,

I know where you are coming from as far as your first bike. My Bullet was my first motorcycle as well and with 2k miles on it now I love it.   It works great on my 6 mile commute to work and tooling around town.    I have yet to find a surface street that has a speed limit of over 55 and since I am not that big on tickets the RE works just perfect.

I plan to move in a few years and commute about 45 miles, when that happens I will be getting one of these ----->Linky<-----    at which point I will put a Hack on my Enfield and use it on shopping days. 

[birdmove]

    I have a nice 7.5 mile each way commute myself, on a nice backroad with speed limit of 35-40. I often go to the gym after work, and the quickest way is to jump on I-5. Since I will never let my Bullet touch a US freeway, it just took a little planning to find myself a nice back road route. This can almost always be done, and the back roads are way more fun and relaxing than a freeway. The only person I go riding with is my wife when she rides her Honda Metro scooter. Although I did take my Bullet recently to the Vashon TT, which is put on by a vintage motorcycle club each year on Vashon Island. That was a perfect use for my Bullet-except for when the kick starter fell off while I was riding. I pulled over to get a latte and a nice lady in a car pulled over and yelled at me that something had fallen of my bike a little ways back. This illustrates another concept----maybe once a week or so, take a few wrenches and tighten things. Any thumper (and many twins) have issues with nuts and bolts loosening due to the vibration. I think there have been maybe 4-5 of us on this forum that have had the kick starer fall off. Thats whats so great about this forum (and others)-learning from each other.
    Its good that many of us point out the realities of Bullet ownership to prospective buyers. Someone with unrealistic exspectations that buys one of these makes for a bad situation for all of us. They might buy a new Bullet, for instance, leave the dealership, run it down the freeway and blow it up. The next thing you know, they are writing a review at www.powersports.com or somewhere, and just railing about what a pos the Bullets are. But read what those of us have to say that did the proper break in, and do not try to soup up these engines, and intend to stay away from high speed roads, and you'll read a different kind of ownership experience. They don't even sound like the two owners are talking about the same motorcycles.
    I have read many times, where a prospective owner has come here asking questions, and will say that they will have to ride on a freeway at, say, 70 mph for 10-20 miles a day, and forum members will tell them not to buy a Bullet.
    By all means take a test ride on a Bullet. Bear in mind that the shifting may be a bit "quirky" if its brand new, as in a few missed shifts and false neutrals.This gets much better as the trans breaks in, and the new owner understands the technique of shifting the Bullet trans. I think the 5-speed trans is quite a good one.
    And my last two tanks?? How about 84.8, 78.9 miles per gallon?? The AVLs are reportedly even more fuel efficient than my iron head is. So I can commute the 75 miles a week on a gallon of gas easily.
    If you want a brand new iron head Bullet, you may have to move quickly, as I exspect the dealers are running low, or running out soon.(?) I'm quite happy with mine, and, though I own two other motorcycles, I like to take the Bullet.

    Jon in Puyallup, Wa. USA

     

[Coronach]

No no. They're all gone. I know that becuase Slider and I both got the last one available. Hey, I heard it from a dealer. It has to be true, right?

Mike

[LotusSevenMan]

This is all rubbish. I got the last one..................... in 2003. Oh well, I thought it was a free for all arguement     
The important thing is just to own one eh?

[meilaushi]

2.  If I buy my classic in Baltimore, will it make it's maiden voyage back to Pittsburgh?  Follow-up to that, will I be able to keep up with my mates on average 200-mile (country road) rides every month or so?

What all the fellows have said above is right on the money... but I have a question:

Why, if you are living in Pittsburgh, would you buy the bike in Baltimore?  It sounds like you are after a new bike, and, unless you've located and nailed down an iron barrel classic in Baltimore, or have relatives there to visit, it seems like a far longer trip than merely (70 miles) up to Hubbard Ohio and L & L.  I live just north of the 'Burgh, and L & L was the closest dealer... and I've found them to be really great guys, bang on the money when it comes to the bike's technology, and kinda the 'old fashioned' "I'm a friend, not just a dealer" guys (Matt the owner and Jerry the mechanic).  I'd suggest you check them out:
L&L Classic Cycle
413 Drummond Ave
Hubbard, OH 44425
Phone: 330-770-4985
They're right off the I-80 Hubbard exit, and, in addition, Matt does the "In your driveway" program and delivers new bikes if you're at a distance.  He brought mine to Bakerstown so I didn't have to ride the 70 miles at < 40mph for the first 310 miles.  Matt said he's delivered other bikes to Pittsburgh when I got mine, so you might consider that as an option.
They're generally open in the evenings weekdays (both have day jobs), and on Saturdays by appointment.  It's best to call first.  If you've never ridden an RE, you can get a test ride, and getting to his place is easy as pie up 79 and over 80.

[jdrouin]

Ralph's suggestion for the closer dealer and paying him to deliver the bike is very sound. I will second that. Also consider that if this is your first bike, and if you're not used to riding in traffic, both you and your bike might not be ready for that kind of trip.

I had a similar dilemma before buying mine. My dealer is 55 miles away via 50 mph roadways. In order to save money, I was considering riding the bike home on slower parallel streets. But forum members talked me out of it (and I'm very glad they did). Even though I had passed the MSF course with flying colors, it's different riding in real traffic conditions. With my skill level where it was then, the ride would have been harder on the bike than it needed to be and might have caused some damage.

Don't get us wrong, these bikes aren't made of glass. My Bullet with 475 miles can handle the *very rough* parkways around NYC very well. It's a very tough machine. For break-in, just use your head and don't thrash it.

Since you asked about add-ons, I would just re-suggest the English made free flow exhaust and the aluminum heatsink ring, which takes heat away from the head and header pipe. Those will keep the motor healthy and cool. That's all I did with mine. I'll add other stuff later when I know more about my needs.

Jeff