[BrianP]

Hello, I'm a noobie to the forum, but have been riding for more years than I like to think about.  I'm considering buying a used Electra (actually its essentially new with less than 100 miles).  However, before doing so, I wonder if you guys could answer some questions for me.

1.  I commute in Chicago all year around so long as there isn't ice on the roads.  Can the Electra's electrical system handle heated gloves?  How about gloves and a vest?
2.  How reliable is an Electra if periodic maintenance is performed regularly?   I can pretty much do anything needed to the bike, although I hate working on transmissions.  I'm considering replacing a SV650 with the Electra because I'm tired of working on bikes where everything is crammed in so tight that you sometimes need to use a mirror to see what needs to be removed and I just like simple.
3.  How's the vibration compare to a thumper with balance shafts, say a Savage or KLR650?
4.  Somewhere on the forum I recall seeing something about decoking the head periodically.  Was this just for the iron engine and is it really needed?  Are there other routine maintenance tasks that you typically wouldn't find on a japanese bike?
5.  How does the bike like cold weather?  Will I have difficulty getting it to start in the winter?

A Bullet seems like a good fit for most of my riding - commuting at speeds uo to 50 mph, some backroad riding at 55-60 mph for up to a couple of hundred miles, short rides on interstates within the city(which can mean sustained speeds anywhere from 0 to 65-70 mph for 15 miles or so).  Any comments ?

Thanks in advance for the help

[BrianP]

I forgot one more question -How many miles before needing to do a rebuild?

Thanks,

[ace.cafe]

Not sure about the electric gloves, If they don't pull alot of juice, you might be able to do it

It's pretty reliable with regular maintenance. You'll have to deal with certain known issues, maybe, or maybe not. Depends on how lucky you are.
If you are thinking this is going to be like an SV650, it's not. Alot slower too.
Vibration is more than anything with a balance shaft. Not terrible, but more than any Jap bike.
If you don't run it too rich, you won't have to de-coke the head until you need a valve job, which should be a while.
There are issues with things breaking off, and falling off from vibration, sometimes.
Starters break the sprags often enough to mention it.
It's carbureted, so you have to deal with jetting issues for weather conditions.
It's air-cooled, so you have to warm it up  before riding.

If you are serious about not doing over 60-65mph most of the time, can tolerate 1000 miles of low-speed break-in time, and can deal with some of the quirks, then you should be able to be at home with the bike.

Regarding rebuilds, there aren't going to be any rebuilds with the Electra.
They don't supply spares for the engine crankshaft assembly. You have to buy a new short block, if you need a rebuild with the Electra. But, the bottom ends seem to hold up pretty good with the Electra, so you won't be likely to be needing a bottom end. I haven't heard any reports of any Electra bottom ends going bad so far. But some might have, which I haven't heard about. They have a roller bottom end with steel rod and decent oil pumps.

One thing is that it's not going to replicate Japanese bike reliability. I may not be able to predict exactly what things will happen, but they will happen. No Royal Enfield so far has been able to match the "appliance-like" ability to just "push the starter button and ride anytime/anywhere" without something happening sometimes. They are quirky in ways. Maybe not quite as quirky as the older Bullet, but not too far from it.
It's just not a Jap bike.
But the Bullets have a way of "endearing themselves" to you with their enjoyability and charm, so we tolerate the quirks and issues to get what we like.

I have an older Bullet which I really love, and it has always done what I've asked of it, with very little need of anything except some oil changes and cables. However, I don't commute with it. It's just my fun bike. It has never let me down.

[scoTTy]

i would be more inclined to use those battery powered clothing rather that the RE's electrics..  or layer clothing..  I would use these electrics for no more than they were intended to

[fun2drum]

I'm not a mechanic so I won't be able to say much about that, but I do ride my Electra daily running appointments for my job, and I've not had any problems.  I'm now at 2600 miles and going.  That being said, it doesn't get as cold here in the NC foothills as it does in Chicago.  I'm starting it at 40 degrees in the morning with no problems on kick or electric start.  I generally kick it first thing in the morning just because it's fun and it starts from cold on one or two kicks.    Vibration is there but not too bad.  I don't really notice it because the whole ride is so much fun in general.  I have had to replace a few screws, though.   It's a real head-turner and gets a lot of attention.  Don't buy it if you don't want to be noticed.

[PhilJ]

Mine is an '08 Classic AVL. I've yet to experience a problem other than not plugging in the electronic ignition after changing the oil in the primary.  For the last seven months of ownership I've ridden it approx. 45 to 65 miles a day 5 days a week sometimes six. I've taken two trips one 600 miles (300 each way) another 150 each way. The first was at the 300 mile servicing so the dealer could look it over. I took it easy on that trip and stop for coffee and cigs. every 20 to 40 miles, but it has given ZERO problems. After about 200 miles I started kick starting it just because it's so easy.

[BrianP]

Thanks for the responses.  I don't expect a RE to be as reliable as a new Japanese bike, but I was hoping it would at least be the equivalent of the ones I had in the '70s. Sounds like it would be that good or better.   Well, except for some items like the sprang clutch.  I like kickstarting anyway.

My commuting would work well for breaking it in.  Don't need much speed or power for that. -I doubt I ever need to open the SV650 throttle more than 10% unless it is just for the heck of it.  I'm a bit surprised about the extended breakin on the Electra.  The videos I saw gave the impression that the tooling is pretty new and would hold closer tolerances.  But then, who knows where the rings come from.

I'm still concerned about the electrical system.  I have to use heated gloves in the winter because I pretty well froze them one winter and I can't find any nonheated gloves that keep them warm enough since then.  My wife is the one that uses the heated vest, but I doubt she'd be putting on many miles as pillion.  Especially if I fit a solo saddle.

I'm going to have to investigate dealers more in the area.  There seem to be only two around and one is a scooter shop that also sells RE and the other is a Harley dealer and I doubt that they would have much in the way of parts for or knowledge about an RE.

[PhilJ]

Some people have switched to LEDs for all except the head light, freeing up some needed wattage for goodies. Geoff Baker has done that. If you search his posts he has some info on wattage that may apply to your needs. His was not an AVL which has a higher output alternator.

[REpozer]

I have 1500 miles ,I did the run-in as per the book. First 300 miles pretend you ride a moped, that is stay on the side of the rode and never exceed 32 mph.
I had a few loose screws here and there but I set mine up out of the box.Your dealer should catch the little stuff.
 No engine problems, the AVL engine quality is good. My spag clutch is still working ,I kick start half the time.
 I'm happy with my perchase ,gotta change your thinking if your used to Japanese philosophy.

[Tiny Tim]

It is my humble opinion that you will never match Japanese relaibility with any current Enfield. That is not to say that future improvements in design and manufacture will not improve things.

I think that by the time this happens, the Chinese will be a major force in the motorcycle industry. Where they are now is where the Japanese were in the early '60s.

Back then "Made in Japan" was not considered a positive marketing ploy.

Look how things have changed.

[staib]

Hi Brian

Sounds to me like you know what you are getting into - your expectations are very reasonable and I don't think you will be disappointed.  I still consider myself an Electra newbie, though I bought mine second-hand as the previous owner had fitted all the extras I wanted.  I was pretty sure that someone with such good taste would have run the bike in sensitively so took the risk and saved some bucks (or pounds in my case).

Having said that I have been 'stranded' twice.  Once the clutch just 'went' - I managed to adjust at both ends of the cable to get a token bit of clutch back and rode home OK, and the next day to a dealer who fixed it in 5 mins and charged nothing, so it was clearly not a major problem.  Another time the bike ground to a halt just 100 yeards from home and would not start again - I managed to trace it to an electrical coupling that had worked loose.

Not what you would expect with a mainstream Jap bike, but again not a big deal and quick to fix (with the help of advice from this community).

In my view riding the bike at the sort of speeds you are talking to will subject you to 'nice vibrations', it's only as you creep up past 65mph that they become intrusive and annoying.  The visceral feel of the bike, the crack and pop of the exhaust, the rythmic thumping of engine are all part of the appeal  .

Good luck!

[faltnerc]

Hello Brian!

I guess that electric grips are no problem for the Electra alternator which is as strong as any modern bike (200 Watt).
The reliability of this bike is also very good. The engine has been re-engineered by the famous Austrian power train company AVL.
The only weakness is the sprag clutch of the electric start.
How long will the motor last before rebuilding?
Nobody knows! It´s too new.
Decarbonizing: The manual says: After 15000 km.
I think that it definitely too soon.
I have gone already 16000 kms, sometimes driving over 400 km a day, you can hear nothing pinking and no loss of performance.
I change motor oil every 6000 kms and never had to refill between.
The electra has new modern oil scraper rings and valve stem seals!
Cold starting: I don´t know. I don´t drive when it´s cold .

Best regards and much fun with your bike!
Chris (from Austria)