[SquadronROE]

Hey folks!

I bought a 2018 RE Classic Chrome a few weeks ago and decided to take it out for a quick ride yesterday despite it being very cold (like 40?) for riding.

So I let the bike warm up on the center stand for something like 5-10 minutes as I got ready, and rolled out easy onto the road. But when I turned on to the local highway (not interstate, like a 55-65mph highway) and tried to get up to speed the engine, uh, resisted the notion.

Basically it felt like if I rolled on the throttle too hard the engine would sputter and threaten to die. I'm not sure if this is expected behavior (All my previous bikes have been sporty so I might be riding wrong) or if I should consider further troubleshooting to sort out a problem.

After I was riding for a few minutes I noticed that if I slowly roll up the throttle (very slowly) it doesn't seem to hit the same problem. But if I roll too hard, it consistently happens.

Any thoughts? Do I need to just adjust my riding habits?

[Beardo]

Same thing here when I delivered my 2013 Bullet to my cousin. The condition presented itself as if momentarily running out of fuel.

The bike didn't do this last month when the was an oddly warm day. I filled the tank, it then pretty much sat until Thursday.

My theory? Water in the tank. The bike was out in a shed, with plenty of holes, plenty of draft and weather to intrude. The temps going wildly up and down. That's where I'm at.

It's been a strange winter....

[Stanley]

Water, clogged cap vent, poor fuel flow from pump or injector but on new bike I bet it's water.

[SquadronROE]

Interesting. I've got a bottle of sta-bil that supposedly might help with that. But it definitely felt as if the thing were running out of fuel.

I haven't had it for too long but it definitely sat at the dealer for a few minutes/months. I think sta-bil helps reduce the water presence, so I can give that a shot.

[Beardo]

Personally, I'm just going to be draining the tank on the '13. Gas is cheap, and not worth the aggravation.

And if that isn't it, I'll know almost immediately.

[SquadronROE]

Personally, I'm just going to be draining the tank on the '13. Gas is cheap, and not worth the aggravation.

And if that isn't it, I'll know almost immediately.

But that precious dinosaur juice!   

Yeah that might be easier. Or I'll just ride it until it actually runs out of gas then refill it with some of the ultra-grade no-ethanol stuff.

[Beardo]

Or repurpose that old gas, and be done with it all...

[GlennF]

The issue with alcohol fuels in rarely used recreational vehicles is they separate into 3 layers eventually .. gas, alcohol and water.  The stabilising addons do not stop the water getting in they stop it seperating out as much when the vehicle sits too long.

[mattsz]

Or I'll just ride it until it actually runs out of gas...

This is not generally recommended for the health and longevity of your fuel pump...

[9fingers]

This doesn't sound like your problem but what the heck. When I got mine I was perplexed as to why it would sputter on acceleration out of corners. Turns out I was used to cars and bikes with much higher redlines and this one has an automatic fuel cut off when you reach the rev limiter. I was over revving it which activated the limiter and causing it to sputter. My first road bike and I, like you, picked an odd one. And I wouldn't have it any other way. Watch the revs as it is running in and change the oil more often than the manual says, maybe at 300 and 1,000 and 2,000 miles. The engine gets much smoother as the miles build. Good luck with yours.
9fingers

[gashousegorilla]

  It certainly sounds like it could be the "issue"  to me 9fingers.  Especially if it is only happening to him in  first, second and thirds gears.... bouncing off the rev limiter. 

[johno]

Or the good old fashioned side-stand switch cutting the engine with vibration.
either tighten up the stand, or better still, just disconnect the switch.

[mike_bike_kite]

It's still in warranty so just ask the garage to fix it. It might be worth checking that the symptoms are the same each time.

[Dalmatian man]

Fast acceleration on a enfield forum?

[9fingers]

Fast acceleration on a enfield forum?

It's fast...........fast enough at least. OK, fast enough for me.
9fingers

[beagle]

Also, do a quick check the air filter isn't clogged up a bit and the fast idle lever is off.

[gashousegorilla]

   If your in first gear and you take off and get on that throttle HARD and rev the snot out of the motor,  and it starts to stutter... your getting into the soft cut on the rev limiter.   If you continue to rev it at that point, it will go into a hard cut with the rev limiter and the motor will cut out completely.  UNTIL... you back off on the throttle.  This  most likely will happen in first, second and third gears if your revving the hell out of it.    In fourth and and fifth gears, this is unlikely to happen because a stock bike does not have the power to hit the rev limiter in those higher gears.   A Tacho installed on the bike would tell the tale...

[Bert Remington]

I collected some information on the MMB tachometers here https://forum.classicmotorworks.com/index.php/topic,26258.msg302777.html#msg302777

Of course you want to pair it with a Smith's Chronometric Speedometer here https://forum.classicmotorworks.com/index.php/topic,26963.msg307324/boardseen.html#new and here https://smithsgaugesusa.com/chronometric

[9fingers]

I collected some information on the MMB tachometers here https://forum.classicmotorworks.com/index.php/topic,26258.msg302777.html#msg302777

Of course you want to pair it with a Smith's Chronometric Speedometer here https://forum.classicmotorworks.com/index.php/topic,26963.msg307324/boardseen.html#new and here https://smithsgaugesusa.com/chronometric

Bert, do those MMB tachs work with the UCE engine and EFI?

[Bert Remington]

Yes they would.  The RE uses a Kettering ignition so you would connect the MMB tachometer Green wire (Positive input) to the RE ignition coil trigger wire (ECU Pin 18 IG, White/Red as I recall) and the MMB tachometer Red wire (Ignition power) to the RE ignition coil power wire (ECU Pin 1 IGP, Brown as I recall).

Since I last visited the MMB site, the prices seemed to have gone up about 20 Euros and the installation PDF not longer seems available so I attached it.

[dickim]

I have the mmb unit waiting to be fitted (needs hole to be enlarged slightly) but works on testing before getting dremel out ?

[SquadronROE]

   If your in first gear and you take off and get on that throttle HARD and rev the snot out of the motor,  and it starts to stutter... your getting into the soft cut on the rev limiter.   If you continue to rev it at that point, it will go into a hard cut with the rev limiter and the motor will cut out completely.  UNTIL... you back off on the throttle.  This  most likely will happen in first, second and third gears if your revving the hell out of it.    In fourth and and fifth gears, this is unlikely to happen because a stock bike does not have the power to hit the rev limiter in those higher gears.   A Tacho installed on the bike would tell the tale...

Incredible. You folks figured it out.

It turns out that I really am used to cars and engines with much higher red lines than this bike, and without a tach I couldn't recalibrate my brain. I took the bike into the garage just to make sure everything was ok and they told me basically the same thing: There is a soft cutoff prior to the actual rev limiter being hit. So it will starve the engine of fuel instead of destroying the engine.

So ultimately it really is that I need to accelerate more gently. Which is certainly a habit I can form.

[gashousegorilla]

   Hehehe ! Glad you got it figured.  We are here to help ... sometimes we get it and sometimes we don't ?   Sometimes it's difficult to figure out  through a forum and not getting your hand s on a bike.  And having Tach really helps on these bikes, or any bike for that matter.  But anyway... I believe what is going on with the rev limiter, and from what I have seen , is that... It cuts spark first , on every other engine revolution.   Which causes a miss , or your " soft cut " at around 5250 rpm's.   You can actually hold your throttle right on the edge of that soft cut and feel it sputter.   At around 5500 rpm's  it will go into a HARD cut , were it cuts off the fuel.   The valve springs have a pretty lite seat pressure as well , so if you go much above that RPM range... give or take.   You could start floating the valves , which would kill power and pump a lifter temporarily.

[gizzo]

     You could start floating the valves , which would kill power and pump a lifter temporarily.

Happened to me on my CGT once when I missed a gear. It ran like snot and I thought I might have killed it but it bled back down and came good  .