[Mistgreen63]

Hi, I saw this top yoke in ebay and thought Id ask you if this top yoke would fit in bullet?


https://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/Royal-Enfield-Thunderbird-Top-Yoke-Thread-Fitting-Screw-Head-Bracket-Fork/132407995248?_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20160908105057%26meid%3D29a3abff19f34f7abff808716c8644ec%26pid%3D100675%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D132407995248%26itm%3D132407995248&_trksid=p2481888.c100675.m4236&_trkparms=pageci%3A485bab5c-8d99-11e8-8a4a-74dbd1803728%7Cparentrq%3Ac18403e61640aa1466442cdbfff51c24%7Ciid%3A1

[tooseevee]

Hi, I saw this top yoke in ebay and thought Id ask you if this top yoke would fit in bullet?

              It's kind of difficult for you to get an answer from the experts here when you don't even say what model or year of motorcycle you have.

               The ad says it's for a Thunderbird....

                And they don't give a part number.

[Adrian II]

I see that's a UK ebay listing, are you in the UK?

As mentioned above it would help to know exactly which model of RE you want to fit this to, though the answer to your question is probably yes, if your fork stanchions are the screw-in type (if not there is one for plain-topped stanchions), but you will need the correct bottom yoke to go with it.

If you look at the top yoke in the listing you'll see there's no provision for a locking screw to keep it in place against the steering stem, as found in the headlamp casquette, which helps keep the forks in line. What the Thunderbird models (and also the Bullet Superstar and Lightning models) have instead is a longer steering stem and two chrome nuts at the top, (with a chrome cover in between) the top one is a locknut.

There are two versions of this depending on the year.

This is the later one:



https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ROYAL-ENFIELD-THUNDERBIRD-MOTORCYCLE-STEERING-STEM-PART-NUMBER-804024/222583371832?hash=item33d300b838:g:Eg8AAOSwvc1Zazqa

and this is the older style:



https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Royal-Enfield-Thunderbird-350-500cc-Steering-Handlebar-Shaft-Stem-Rod/323223515981?hash=item4b419f734d:g:L~MAAOSwhFla3vv9

Make sure you get the version with the type of steering stops that match what's on your existing bottom yoke, and also that it has the longer threaded section at the top. You will also need to get the correct steering stem nut and locknut, earlier stem nuts have a sleeve the same as the normal Bullet top nut, later ones have a bevelled seating, the top yoke you looked at needs the sleeve type. I will see if I can get some part numbers.

Lastly, if you want to do a neat job of fitting a separate headlamp get a proper pair of Thunderbird headlamp brackets, not some cheap cafe racer nonsense!

The attached photos are of an Electra-XS (UK model only!) top yoke which used the Thunderbird front end.

A.

[Adrian II]

Another top yoke listing, this time with the stem nut and lock nut included but no chrome cover, also a couple of M18 x 1.5 threaded set screws to fit into the stanchion tops. The other two bolts are for the speedometer and rev counter bracket.

The quality of the casting and finish suggests these yokes are aftermarket items.



ebay item 232551021159

Note that this type of yoke moves the handlebars forward of the steering stem, needed on the Thunderbird and Lightning models to clear the custom-type tank fitted by the factory.

That's enough from me.

A.

[cyrusb]

Zoom in on the ad. That casting looks like rubbish. Buyer Beware.

[Adrian II]

The actual finish isn't TOO important if the casting is reasonable material and the machining is accurate. I recently bought the plain stanchion-top version of the yoke in the first listing, the finish is not great but it seems pretty solid, and if everything lines up properly (as it seems to) I shall use it.

A couple of years ago I did also buy from India an **alloy** top yoke (as opposed to a malleable cast iron yoke like these) which truly was a stinker - the material itself seemed OK, but the fork stanchions screwed in at different depths, and the hole for the steering stem was visibly drilled off centre. Hitchcocks' had to stop selling the Indian-made versions as the quality was too far off. But if you want to try one of these malleable iron yokes you can, and IF it's junk, claim your money back off ebay. Otherwise (if you're in the UK) Henry Price at Price Part Motorcycles can supply the items to replace the casquette.

A.

[Mistgreen63]

Hi,

Thanks for all the information and sorry that I forgot to tell the year and model of my bike. My bike is 2007 model bullet 500es cast iron.

[Adrian II]

With a C.I. model you could have something looking a bit like this.



This was the wonderfully-named Superstar Bullet produced in the 1990s. Careful attention to detail will give you an attractive motorcycle, but get it wrong and it will look like a dog's breakfast.

It needs to look at least as good as the stock casquette headlamp, if not better, or it's not worth doing!

A.

[Bilgemaster]

Zoom in on the ad. That casting looks like rubbish. Buyer Beware.

This. It looks like some guy cast it from rusted sewer grates in his wife's charcoal chapatti oven.

[Adrian II]

Whereas the bad alloy yoke I bought wasn't too badly cast and had a pretty decent finish, but the machining was way off...

The alternative is to cough up the necessary £££/$$$ for one of Mr Hitchcock's alloy yokes (he has used items too), or wait until fleabay throws up a genuine original, which it occasionally does.

This one could use a little work (see other photos in the listing) and being off a 1956-ish vintage Indian Woodsman it needs a 5" speedometer...



Ebay item 332580351394 .

Probably the best-looking of the lot was off the Series 1A Interceptor, (see damaged version in photo attachment) but these things don't exactly grow on trees - well, maybe triple trees ....

A.