[edthetermite]

I am a little slow I will admit it. Basically I ride my Enfield and don't frequent the RE sites much. But TODAY  I saw for the 1st time a picture of a 2009 RE classic,  for sale on Fleabay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Royal-Enfield-Bullet-500-Classic-2009-Royal-Enfield-Bullet-500-Brand-New-Motorcycle_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp3286Q2ec0Q2em14QQhashZitem3ca44b57e0QQitemZ260454438880QQptZUSQ5fmotorcycles

The new jug and head design I hope works better than it looks. Is it me or is that split down the middle top end a real brain fart from the design team? I am so thankful I decided to get the 2008 with the cast iron cylinder.  Old school for an old fart I guess.

Maybe the new look will grow on me but I kinda doubt it.

Cheers,

Ed

PS  I love my RE. The military model comes to life with a little mud and dirt . It gets washed when i get caught in a rain shower. But honestly the bike garners more attention than any Hardly Davidson wherever I go. People just love it. Women wave at me on the road. It's crazy.

 

[ace.cafe]

What you're talking about is the AVL engine.
Yes, the head is very different in almost every way.
I think the idea was to give it some styling effects that were reminiscent of the old "Big Head" Bullet Fury from the old days.  It's bigger, has more fins, the rockers are on shafts that ride in the head, and the rocker covers are angled, all reminiscent of the old Fury, to some degree. Not a close copy, but vaguely taking some styling cues and features in an attempt to keep family resemblance to an older model.
It also has a different combustion chamber and ports,
So yes, the head is quite different on the AVL.

The lower end is different too, but much closer in styling to the old engine lower end.

There are indeed some benefits to the newer design of the AVL. It cools better, for one thing. And it oils better.
But in the end, the performance envelope is about the same as the old Iron Bullet, so it's a matter of choice, and people ride and enjoy what they've got.

[REpozer]

Ace is right .
I purchased my AVL thinking it to be more dependable than Iron head.
I live no where near a RE dealer so all parts come though the mail.

After reading allot of classic forum, I wish I had a copy of each (throw in a UCE too).

Any way from what I gather the AVL is close to Iron head performance.Same run-in procedure, and my AVL  also cruises at 45-58mph range with a burst capable of reaching 78mph.( much of that is determined by the amount of lead in the saddle)

[UncleErnie]

I'm getting the feeling that the AVL is the red-headed step child of the RE famliy.
I predict that in 5 or 10 years, when you tell another family member you have an AVL. women will get teary-eyed, and men will turn away in an attempt to hide their giggles and snickers.

[bobg]

I love my '08 Classic AVL, 2,000 miles on it and haven't had any problems

[The Garbone]

I'm getting the feeling that the AVL is the red-headed step child of the RE famliy.
I predict that in 5 or 10 years, when you tell another family member you have an AVL. women will get teary-eyed, and men will turn away in an attempt to hide their giggles and snickers.

The Mustang II of the Enfield world?

[1Blackwolf1]

  Actually they do okay for themselves if you re-tune them.  True they won't ever sound like an iron head but they aren't that bad.  I do admit it's a little harder doing a head gasket on one but not impossible.  Will.

[UncleErnie]

Mustang II;  that's rich!

Hopefully, the Spring Tune-up Special will include a new sprag clutch.   Or 3....

[REpozer]

The Mustang II of the Enfield world?

Alright that does it !
I'm going yo put her in gear ,and let my AVL fly off a cliff.

You Iron heads are beginning to give me a complex.

[ace.cafe]

The AVL actually has alot going for it.
It is a more advanced design all around.
It has standard features that people with Iron Bullets have to buy racing parts to get, such as the steel rod and the roller big-end bearing, and the high volume oil  pumps.
It has the electronic ignition as standard.
The combustion chamber is a more efficient type.

There are some very good things about it.

The main problems are that the iron Bullet was a tough act to follow, and the AVL was an "interim design", which fell between the iron Bullet and the UCE.
So, that kind of put it as the "odd man out", but it had about a 10 year production run in India, and about 5 years here. So, there's plenty of them around.

But I just don't think there will ever be as much aftermarket parts made for them as the iron Bullet, because the iron Bullet was around for 50 years.

There's no doubt that the AVL is capable of a little more than the iron Bullet can do in stock form.  It was made to do that, and it does that. But, it doesn't  do as much as the UCE.
It's the "middle man".

[UncleErnie]

"There's no doubt that the AVL is capable of a little more than the iron Bullet can do in stock form. "

You forgot to say, "As long as you don't use the electric start option."


Mr Pozer, why wait?  Start your complex now.
My sprag turned to toast yesterday, so I'm allowed to make make jokes about these things.  I'll attempt a journal of my adventures when my FREE sprag comes in under warranty.  .

[REpozer]

Mr Pozer, why wait?  Start your complex now.

Right -on Uncle Ernie,
Starting complex........now!

I will think, act and look like an Iron head. I even have the fake( black paint) iron jug to prove it.

How am I doing so far?

[ace.cafe]

"There's no doubt that the AVL is capable of a little more than the iron Bullet can do in stock form. "

You forgot to say, "As long as you don't use the electric start option."


Mr Pozer, why wait?  Start your complex now.
My sprag turned to toast yesterday, so I'm allowed to make make jokes about these things.  I'll attempt a journal of my adventures when my FREE sprag comes in under warranty.  .

But Ernie, most of the iron Bullets after 2002 also have the same electric start system.
So, in the cases of E-start iron Bullets, and the AVL, the sprag concerns are basically the same.

[1Blackwolf1]

  Have to agree with Tom on this, my iron lung threw it's sprag because of a design problem with it's standard point ignition system.  It's just a weak design problem.  Really no fault of the basic engine.  The starter itself should have been designed with an anti-reverse clutch, not some cobbled together idea that was settled on.  Or a break away shear key on the starter drive.  Would have saved loads of headaches.  Will.

[UncleErnie]

That's new to me. I thought -for some reason- that all the iron jugs were kick only and E-start was just on the AVL's.

So according to Mr Cafe, I must have a future collectible sure to gain value in the years to come.. Sort of the limited production "S" models, preceding the UCE era.  This is exciting news!

[1Blackwolf1]

  Quite possibly, but who can say.  Once all the irons are bought up they would probably be next in line.  After all the 55-57 Chevys were gone from the landscape the early 60's were next, and so on.  Guess time can only tell.  Will.

[ace.cafe]

That's new to me. I thought -for some reason- that all the iron jugs were kick only and E-start was just on the AVL's.

So according to Mr Cafe, I must have a future collectible sure to gain value in the years to come.. Sort of the limited production "S" models, preceding the UCE era.  This is exciting news!

Well Ernie, I suppose that's possible.
It is probably going to end up as the model(s) with the smallest production numbers.
And eventually that usually means something in collectors markets.
But, I suspect that it will be a while before it enters collector's status.

I actually dread the day when the India-made Iron Bullet gets into the collector status.
All  that does is drive up the prices of the bikes and the parts, and basically ruins the market for normal people.
I used to ride a Ducati 750SS round-case bevel-drive as my daily rider.
Now, I'd have to sell my house to get another one.

[bob bezin]

my question is. why would a new bike from a dealer not have a warrante?

[edthetermite]

The AVL actually has alot going for it.
It is a more advanced design all around.
It has standard features that people with Iron Bullets have to buy racing parts to get, such as the steel rod and the roller big-end bearing, and the high volume oil  pumps.
It has the electronic ignition as standard.
The combustion chamber is a more efficient type.

Ace,

I guess some people do want to squeeze every iota of torque out of their bike. But to me aftermarket racing parts and such is not needed.  I like the stock configuration as it gives me the best gas mileage for one thing. This little bike is a perfect match for old farts like myself. I keep it in it's comfort zone and grind the centerstand on our twisty Ozark backroads.  : ^)

Both my bikes are slowmobiles but that suits me well. Their old world appeal and ease of maintenance and repair (so far anyway) are what I 'm after. When I saw the points and condenser on this RE and realized they were the same as on my inline six 65 Chevy pickup i was sold.

Different Likes for Different Types,

Ed

[ace.cafe]

Ace,

I guess some people do want to squeeze every iota of torque out of their bike. But to me aftermarket racing parts and such is not needed.  I like the stock configuration as it gives me the best gas mileage for one thing. This little bike is a perfect match for old farts like myself. I keep it in it's comfort zone and grind the centerstand on our twisty Ozark backroads.  : ^)

Both my bikes are slowmobiles but that suits me well. Their old world appeal and ease of maintenance and repair (so far anyway) are what I 'm after. When I saw the points and condenser on this RE and realized they were the same as on my inline six 65 Chevy pickup i was sold.

Different Likes for Different Types,

Ed

Ed,
Yes, I understand.
But the AVL was designed to meet Euro2 emissions standards, and that was the main reason for it coming into existence.
During the re-design, they made some other updates to help it along, while still retaining much of the look and charm of the older engine.

I have an Iron Bullet myself, and mine's a 2000 kickstart-only version.
So, I definitely get where you're coming from with "it does what I need" sentiments.

However, from a sales perspective, the 2 main things that were holding the Bullet back were no electric starter and no interstate highway capability.
They got the electric starter in the Bullet and AVL in around 2001, but fell a bit short of the interstate highway capability with the AVL.
Both of these issues got completely resolved in the new UCE models, along with Euro3 emissions compliance, with a different engine altogether.