Author Topic: '06 "65" is now in my garage  (Read 16921 times)

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Chuck D

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Reply #15 on: January 13, 2008, 10:53:19 pm
Bandit,I plan to take a slow and carefull approach to this. In some ways i'm glad that I waited 'till middle age to do this as my judgement as a kid could be pretty suspect at times and as i'm fond of telling new cyclists (the motorless kind) that I meet on our local runs, it' more important (and far more impressive to old timers) to develop skill and finesse with your bike than to merely go fast. that comes later, much later. If you've ever seen pro's race (bikes or motorbikes) you know what I mean. It's that (seemingly) effortless grace as they carve up turns; it's like ballet, no, it IS ballet on two wheels. I know  that I did things a little ass backwards by buying the bike before I even know how to ride, but all of my instincts tell me that this will work out. And that's in no small part due to this forum. On occasion this little leap into the unknown is scary but this site is f#%king amazing; a real steadying influence. Truth be told, I found the whole idea of motorcycling a little intimidating before RE entered my life, but as Indian48 alluded, when love comes knocking, you don't say "go away". Sorry to be long winded about this but it's a little like therapy for me. With two months to go before I can even take that MSF (they don"t start up again "till mid-March) it just helps to express this stuff. Just tell me to shut up anytime and I will. ;D    By the way Fred, I couldn't agree more about Al alloy vs. chrome. Back in the day, ( mid 50's through the early 90's) the best high end bicycle components where cold forged aluminum alloy. They'd be polished to a fare thee well by the manufacturer and maintained that way by their proud owners. I have gone through at least a half dozen tubes of simichrome (the best!) myself. Yeah, polished alloy has an incomparable lustre that makes chrome look cheap. Then in strange parallel to what has happened in the motorcycle world, the companies moved away from this aesthetic and started producing parts and frames in plasticky carbon fiber. Dull and lifeless to the eye, it doesn't invite meticulous upkeep. The components themselves are becoming less and less user serviceable all in the name of presenting a less threatening product to the novice on the salesfloor. The fine art of friction shifting has been replaced by indexing. Rebuildable parts like hubs and bottoom brackets are now sealed and disposable. Ever lighter frames dance on the razors edge of safety... I'm starting to rant again. I will shut up NOW!
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jdrouin

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Reply #16 on: January 14, 2008, 01:43:54 am
Quote
I know  that I did things a little ass backwards by buying the bike before I even know how to ride, but all of my instincts tell me that this will work out. And that's in no small part due to this forum. On occasion this little leap into the unknown is scary but this site is f#%king amazing; a real steadying influence. Truth be told, I found the whole idea of motorcycling a little intimidating before RE entered my life, but as Indian48 alluded, when love comes knocking, you don't say "go away".

I'm in a somewhat similar boat, Chuck D. I don't ride a motorcycle yet, either, but I'm 99% certain that I'll get an RE because it suits my preference for DIY maintenance and simple, elegant transportation. While I'm mechanically inclined and am not afraid to get my hands dirty, I've never done motorcycle maintenance before. Yet I still just sort of know this is my bike. I've been to showrooms and the international motorcycle show, have sat on and kicked the tires of just about every bike in production, and the Enfield is the most natural fit, like when you know you've found the right running shoes.

Anyway, I'm registered to take the MSF course at Trama's auto school in Long Island when they start up again this March, and it can't happen a day too soon.

I also just received my 1950s style pudding bowl helmet (DOT approved, too!) from JPhelmet.com. (Btw, if anyone is interested, the helmet seems well constructed except for the lining, which could be stitched more ruggedly, but the "goggles" that come with it are a toy -- not to be confused with protective equipment.)

My problem, at 31, is that I agreed not to buy a motorcycle until I've finished my dissertation, which won't be until the end of this coming Summer at the earliest. Obviously I made that agreement before I learned how to negotiate with my wife! But now I'm in a quandary because I want a Bullet Classic and it's being discontinued. I'm going to call UK Motorsports on Long Island to see if they'll do a layaway so I can guarantee myself a new, black Classic. I just hope they'll hold it that long. Otherwise, I might have to wait for this "new" G model that Kevin is titillating us with.

But if it's no good, and the country runs out of Classics, I might have to go Sportster.

Jeff
« Last Edit: January 14, 2008, 01:53:58 am by jdrouin »


fredgold52

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Reply #17 on: January 14, 2008, 01:50:42 am
Chuck, You'll do just fine with your Bullet.  Taking the Safety Course is an excellent step toward insuring your success.  In contrast to your attitude about it are the people who have been riding for a couple years who don't think the Safety Course has anything to offer them.  Frequently these are the people who buy the 160 mph machines and become someones hood ornament.

You hit on what I think is one so the most wonderful parts of owning an RE, the obsolete technology that anyone who can read a manual ought to be able to work with.   There are things on the Bullet that I don't know about right now, but that doesn't scare me like trying to work on a new technology bike without a laptop and a bunch of other hjigh tech equipment.  That's just not for me.  

I mean, on these bikes you don't even use a feeler gauge to do the valve adjustment.  That's the best technology improvement I could have asked for! :)

Chuck, I don't know you but I'm pretty sure you're gonna just love this whole Bullet experience.
2006 '65' and a 200cc Stella, Indian all the way


fredgold52

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Reply #18 on: January 14, 2008, 02:00:39 am
Anyway, I'm registered to take the MSF course at Trama's auto school in Long Island when they start up again this March, and it can't happen a day too soon.

My problem, at 31, is that I agreed not to buy a motorcycle until I've finished my dissertation, which won't be until the end of this coming Summer at the earliest. Obviously I made that agreement before I learned how to negotiate with my wife! But now I'm in a quandary because I want a Bullet Classic and it's being discontinued. I'm going to call UK Motorsports on Long Island to see if they'll do a layaway so I can guarantee myself a new, black Classic. I just hope they'll hold it that long. Otherwise, I might have to wait for this "new" G model that Kevin is titillating us with.

But if it's no good, and the country runs out of Classics, I might have to go Sportster.

Jeff

Jdrouin, I hope they didn't accidentally leave a "u" out of the name of that driving school.  (feeble attempt at sick humor)

There's some things you just learn after 42 years of marriage.  Things like don't go into a quid-pro-quo type negotiation, especially where a motorcycle is concerned.  (more unsolicited advice) Try looking real dejected and depressed for a few days.  Eventually she'll ask what's wrong.  Then you can tell her that the bike of your dreams and the key to your future emotional stability has been discontinued.  And there is only one left over at xyz dealership.  And by the time your dissertation is complete, it'll be gone along with your eternal happieness and mental stability.  Yep, that ought to do it.

Always glad to help a fellow rider.
Fred
2006 '65' and a 200cc Stella, Indian all the way


birdmove

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Reply #19 on: January 14, 2008, 02:23:32 am
    Jeff, I like my new Bullet very much and its my 22nd motorcycles I've owned over a span of some 46 years of riding. I am still doing the break in and am at about 160 miles. I will let my dealer do the first service/checkup as I usually do with any new motorcycle.
    Many new motorcycles are pretty high tech and high performance too.Many have valves that are shim adjusted and often have four valves per cylinder. Most of these require removing the camshafts to replace the shims when doing the adjustment.Take some of the sports bikes with fairing and you have a big job ahead of you. Though I haven't done a valve adj on my new Bullet yet-I will whenever I need to after the first service. I've read up on doing it and it sounds super easy on the Bullets.
    The Bullets are in no way a "fast" motorcycle, as in super fast acceleration from stop light to stop light.But even doing the break in on my new Classic-on the back roads I'm riding-I'm not holding up traffic, and after 300 miles, I can open it up a little bit more.
    But I'm here to tell you-after all the years of riding and all the bikes I've owned-I am having loads of fun riding this Bullet. With a "thumper" (single cylinder motorcycle) you only have one cylinder to maintain and that means one carb which means never having to synchronize two or more carbs. Also this may be the only motorcycle left that comes with electric AND kick start!! When I started riding most bikes were kick start only. And later when electric starting began appearing they all came with a kick start as a backup. I still believe a motorcycle should have a kick start as a backup.
    Also my gas mileage is already getting better on my Classic. I just topped it off and figured it to be 82.9 US miles per gallon!! I am really looking forward to getting the break in done so I'll be able to putt around at 50 mph on the back roads.
    I chose the Classic for several reasons. One, I prefer the looks of the Classic-though the 65 is a great looking bike too. Also the Classic (and 65) are discontinued due to world wide emissions laws and I just wanted the same bike thats been continuously made for over 50 years.
    I've heard great things about the new models with the AVL engine. If you want a Classic, I think I would see about maybe a layaway on one. I really wanted a brand new one too over a used.

    Take care, Jon
« Last Edit: January 14, 2008, 02:27:08 am by birdmove »
Jon in Keaau, Hawaii


jdrouin

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Reply #20 on: January 14, 2008, 02:54:59 am
Thanks for the advice, Fred. Problem is my wife always knows when I'm full of sh&*. She even knows it when *I* don't. Since the Bullet Blunder, I've taken a strong line and have gotten good at putting my foot down, which works probably 51% of the time, so I'm winning!

At least she's not against my getting a bike and actually believes that the Classic is the one for me. So at this point I'll accept it and try not to do any harm.

And birdmove, everything you just said, and I mean everything, is exactly the reason I want an Enfield. I hate driving our car on the highway because it's boring. Much rather be outside, going slow on a back road, so you can see more. Besides, great stories come from walking around, taking the subway (actually the bus is way crazier), and getting your motorcycle license from a school named "Trama's", not from driving at 80 mph on the same road everyone else is hogging.

One thing I believe everyone should do once in their lifetime is to ride a bicycle at 20-25 MPH all the way down Broadway in NYC during evening rush hour -- from Lincoln Center through Columbus Circle, Times Square, Harold Square, Union Square, Broadway/Lafayette and SoHo, by City Hall and over the Brooklyn Bridge into the beautiful South Brooklyn area -- all while avoiding potholes (or not), dodging pedestrians who think you're a mirage, and cabbies who think the bike lane is a passing lane. Try that on an aluminum framed bike with no shocks and your butt will never be the same. Makes for great stories though. Never gets old even though it's my daily commute.

Jeff


birdmove

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Reply #21 on: January 14, 2008, 04:04:25 am
    Jeff, never been to New York City, but my son is attending college at Ithaca College. Couple of years ago my wife and I flew to Syracues, renet a car and drove to Ithaca and stayed at a bed & breakfast and visited him and his school. We drove around Lake Cuyuga and over to Watkins Glen and thought upstate NY was gorgeous.And looks like a great place to ride! My son does get to go to NY City sometimes and go to plays, David Letterman Show, and whatnot.

    Take care, Jon in Puyallup, Wa. USA.
Jon in Keaau, Hawaii


BanditRE

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Reply #22 on: January 14, 2008, 01:36:56 pm
   
    Many new motorcycles are pretty high tech and high performance too.Many have valves that are shim adjusted and often have four valves per cylinder. Most of these require removing the camshafts to replace the shims when doing the adjustment.Take some of the sports bikes with fairing and you have a big job ahead of you. Though I haven't done a valve adj on my new Bullet yet-I will whenever I need to after the first service. I've read up on doing it and it sounds super easy on the Bullets.
   

Jon, you're killing me. I have to do the annual 16 valve feeler gauge routine and 4 carb tune up on the Suzuki in a month or so! The act of setting the valves takes around 15-20 minutes, but getting to them and putting it back together adds another 4 hours to the job. I can do the same adjustment on the Enfield in about 2 minutes. It is much easier to maintain the Bullet but its a different mentality you need when adjusting. Its all about feel and balance whereas with most other modern bikes you just set it it a known clearance or add a certain volume of fluid. Its that change of mentality that causes people to screw things up sometimes. For instance if the oil level is low, they add oil without thinking about why it was full two days ago and empty now. This can lead to overfilling and the problems associated with it. Quite a common thing for new Enfield owners. But overall its an easy bike to own.

Jeff, never think of negotiating with your wife in terms of winning and losing! You'll get very depressed with the end results! They have a knack of winning the war even if you feel you've won a few battles here and there! They also have far better memories for remembering who 'won' and 'lost' over a massive time scale. I gave up a long time ago. Fortunately, my wife is great. As long as I'm not stupid about it and we have money in the bank and the number of bikes in the garage doesn't exceed two (maybe three) I don't get too much grief. She knows its important to me and if I didn't have one, I'd be hanging around the house more, getting in the way! I wasn't going to get a bike until after I passed my riding course, but when I saw a great in the paper for a simple used bike at a good price, we agreed it would make more sense to get it now rather than waiting. I hope you get the Bullet of your dreams and the MSF course goes well, for you and Chuck.

Chuck, I didn't learn to ride a motorcycle until I was about 28 or so. You do have a distinct advantage when your older, than if you learned when you were 16 or 17 or so. A much healthier respect for your own life for a start. Even then though, I made a mistake that cost me a close call with the Grim Reaper and a totalled bike. Happens fast when you least 'expect' it. Proficient Motorcycling is a good book to read. I try and read it every winter before the new season starts up again. It helps keep some things fresh and trigger some things you'd forgotten about. The most dangerous time for new riders isn't necessarily within the first few months of riding. I think it was a year or two after passing your test. Its the time people get a little overconfident and let their guard down. In two years or so, you could have covered many miles and seen many things on your bike, but in real terms you still don't know much of anything. I learned this the hard way, and I'm a pretty careful guy. I rode mostly on weekends at that time. It wasn't until my family life started to get busy and weekends became much more hectic, that I wasn't able to ride much on the weekends anymore so I decided to commute on a bike. That was an eyeopener. My skills have improved more in the last 3 years of commuting than they have in the previous 5 years of weekend riding. You have to be in control and focused all the time. Things happen fast in rush hour, even if you are only doing 40-45 mph. I'm sure you know a great deal of this from your bicycling. Anyway, I'll stop preaching, you sound like you have a good on your shoulders.

Have fun all, spring is coming.
Paul
2007 Military 500ES. 2007 Yamaha Royal Star Tour Deluxe


jdrouin

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Reply #23 on: January 14, 2008, 08:17:42 pm
Hey birdmove. Ithaca is gorgeous! (or Gorges, as the tourism slogan goes) It must be a really nice place to study.

I go there most Summers to visit relatives and attend conferences. Part of the reason I want a motorcycle is that the ride up there, out of NYC and dancing along the NJ, PA, and NY state lines, is beautiful. I'd love to make an Enfield ride up there for a week or two an annual ritual.

Nice easy roads and such beautiful country -- why blow through it in a cage if you don't have to?

Jeff


LotusSevenMan

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Reply #24 on: January 14, 2008, 11:52:06 pm
Don't start me off.
My Honda VTR has shimmed bucket cam followers. One follower is slightly tapping (at 10,500 miles) in the rear cylinder I think. Being a 996cc V twin means a great deal of care with taking the cam chain pulley off the cam and not losing the timing position. One tooth adrift spells disaster. You have to figure out which one is creating the problem by feeler gauge, dismantle the cam, check that shim size with a digital vernier/micrometer having noted what amount it was out and order a new one. Once in stock from dealer etc etc etc. You get the picture.  ::)

Strangely enough, the girlfriend won't go near that Honda (she's never been on a motorbike in her life) but said she 'might' go on Harry (the Enfield). I fitted a single saddle conversion the next week ha ha  ;D
If it ain't broke-------------------------- fix it 'till it is!

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BanditRE

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Reply #25 on: January 15, 2008, 12:52:16 am
Lotus, thats the exact reason I searched all over for a bike that I liked with hydraulic lifters or screw and locknut valve adjusters. Shims were not in my destiny! At least you only have 8 valves to my 16. Its a once a year thing for me. It gets quicker every time, but sheesh, what a pain. That's 'progress' I guess.
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Chuck D

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Reply #26 on: January 15, 2008, 11:45:36 pm
Hey Jeff, which weekend are you scheduled for? Trama's just called me this morning and i'm scheduled for the weekend of March 14,15, & 16. If your smart (and I know you are), pick up (and read) a copy of "Motorcycling Excellence" put out by MSF. It's highly readable and really gets you with their program. I also highly recomend "Proficient Motorcycling" by David Hough. I'm reading it right now. It contains several lifetimes worth of wisdom. Both of those books were at the B&N on 7th ave.(Park Slope). Also Motorcycle Consumer News is agreat resource for unbiased (by commercial interests, anyway) info. It's available by subscription only. By the way "UK Motorsports" is actually "FormulaOne Motorsports". Really easy to get to. Just take the Southern State Pkwy to the Montauk turnoff. That puts you on the Sunrise Highway. Stay in the service road for two exits. Look for Pond Road. You're there. It shares a parking lot with the HD dealership. When Iwent there a month ago they had eight Enfields on display. Mike the actual Enfield dealer( I think that he rents the space) wasn't there when I stopped in. But I dealt with a real nice guy named Bob Ingber. Talk with him about a layaway ( I did). He was very happy to work with me. The phone # that the RE dealer locator gives is Mike's cell. The actual store # is 631 244 7447. Above all, DON'T PANIC! When your ready, it'll be there. Don't wait to long though ;) Oh, and as for sailing down B'way at rush hour, I think you're NUTS!  :o Take the west side bike path. You'll live longer.  Hey Bandit, funny that you should have mentioned Proficient Motorcycling as I started reading it in the store the other day and could not put it down. The guy really knows how to make complex concepts clear (the physics of steering etc.) Thanks for recomending it anyhow. I expect to re read it on a regular basis. Yeah also, you're right about sophmore complacency being the great enemy. The Hurt Report bears this out. READ THE HURT REPORT. Then read it again.   Fred, how's ol' 65 coming along? Answer soon and leave nothing out. ;D
Ace "Fireball"#10 (Beefy the Bullet to her friends.)
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2017 Triumph T120


jdrouin

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Reply #27 on: January 16, 2008, 03:10:51 am
Hey Chuck. Thanks for all the info. Trama's left me a voicemail last weekend saying they'll call in February to schedule me. But since you're already scheduled, I'll call first thing tomorrow morning to see if I can set my dates. And I'll definitely check out the books you recommended.

I went to UK/F1 Motorsports a few months ago, I think in September, as a belated surprise birthday present from my wife. Mike wasn't there at the time but I spoke to Bob, who spent a lot of time with me and was very helpful. Boy did it hurt to walk away from the black 2007 Classic they had at the time! That was the most beautiful thing I'd ever laid eyes on.

The west side bike path is great but roller bladers can be unpredictable. I usually take either the east side bike path, depending on how far up I'm going, or I'll carve some route up the middle of the city. I like to change it up a bit so I just go where my mood is.

Anyway, I have to get back to writing so I can get the bike!

Jeff


Chuck D

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Reply #28 on: January 16, 2008, 03:29:34 am
Jeff, your black '07 was there when I was. I sat on it (forgive me). ::) Call Trama tomorrow and give them a nudge. And I'll take my chances with unpredictable rollerbladers; they're much softer than cabbies who'll cut you off every time ;D      Chuck.       
Ace "Fireball"#10 (Beefy the Bullet to her friends.)
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2017 Triumph T120


fredgold52

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Reply #29 on: January 18, 2008, 02:14:52 pm
I guess I'm just a weak man.  Right now the 65 is in the garage with its muffler off, header pipe is off and soon the seat and tank will be off. 

The side stand is on and the luggage rack soon will be.  The converter is almost out - need to get more dremmel grinding wheels, bigger jets are in the carb, the PAV stuff is leaving, , , , , and so it goes.

All this and it's only 20 degrees.  It's an illness. some sort of incurable disease.  I'll post pics when it's done.
2006 '65' and a 200cc Stella, Indian all the way