[1forgotit]

I would like to think, very likely
Bikers are already adapting Himilyan parts to the 'J' engine to up the capacity.  RE must see this as a possibe reliability question and a call for a larger 500, now with the release of
BSA 650 single
Adapting the 'J' engine to 500 cc would seem no major problem nor expense
You can probably add 6 mm stroke with the std flywheels, con rod length ?  piston diameter, rework on the cyl head is minor, and extra finnig on the barrel and possibly cyl head, easy and engine management unit is a doddle
HERES HOPING


 

[AzCal Retred]

Hitchcock's already have a Meteor Big Bore kit in the works, likely a piston & barrel. Maybe early 2023. Meteor stroke is already nearly 90mm.

RE has always just expanded the lineup with a bore job, so it's highly possible a 500 Meteor (the "Singularity"?) is already a done deal. Every media report mentions how the Meteor "feels like a much bigger bike". The 650 is apparently slated to go to 850cc's. That's already been done on the aftermarket to good effect.

The question I have is if the new liquid cooled 450 will supplant the existing air cooled 411 Himalayan motor.  Maybe they feel that "Modern is modern" and there's no downside for them in sales to curtail the air cooled motor for an LC version, especially one with way more beans. We'll see; I'm of the opinion that a 370 pound, 40 HP, 6 speed machine in road-worthy "Scram" & dual purpose "Himalayan" variants for a very reasonable price ($5,000 ??) would find a ready market.

[Adrian II]

The story circulating at the time the UCE500s were killed off was that the factory could no longer get the old two-valve 500 engine through increasingly tough emissions regulations. You would hope they could now have worked out a way to get a 500 single back in some form on the new platform, at least for the export markets.

A.

[AzCal Retred]

H's came up with a pushrod 4-valve head that allows for a better combustion chamber shape. The 2-valve OHC Himalayan and Meteor both pass. My money's on the OHC motors cheaper production costs were the actual driver.

[Morgan65]

I find it odd the RE Indian website shows new UCE 350 Bullets for sale along side the new J motor 350s.

https://www.royalenfield.com/in/en/motorcycles/bullet-models/

[AzCal Retred]

Tradition dies hard, look at HD. India's market is all about the "thump" and fuel efficiency. The 350 UCE is a known quantity and is a "comfortable" choice for the older audience. Younger folks may like the OHC's lower weight and slightly better performance. Their market is very different than ours.

[Morgan65]

Don’t forget the lower maintenance costs with the hydraulic values and the optional kick start on the UCE. 

[axman88]

I find it odd the RE Indian website shows new UCE 350 Bullets for sale along side the new J motor 350s.

https://www.royalenfield.com/in/en/motorcycles/bullet-models/

Until the upcoming OHC "J" engined Bullet is released, (and likely for a few months afterwards, until stocks are depleted), I suspect you will continue to see new UCE Bullets for sale.

But, the buzz says the OHC version is not far off:
https://www.carandbike.com/news/upcoming-new-royal-enfield-bullet-350-spotted-on-test-3202353

https://auto.hindustantimes.com/auto/two-wheelers/newgen-royal-enfield-bullet-350-spotted-fully-undisguised-41657684489353.html
 

[richard211]

It would be interesting to see whether RE makes any changes to the engine. The current UCE 350 bullet had been very popular because it had been the cheapest model in the RE lineup and this bullet was not intended for highway use. It had the heavy crankshaft (10.5Kg compared to the 8Kg on the other UCE 350 engines) and also used a 15 T front sprocket. Although the engine seemed stressed at speeds above 70 Kph, the heavier crankshaft did make the engine run much more smoother compared the 8kg crankshaft used on the other 350 UCE models.

[HiddenMortimer]

I saw this a few weeks ago. Worth watching. Very interesting.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LZCSqXEuypU&t=1186s

[AzCal Retred]

A light piston & bit bigger barrel and you're there, the J-bike stroke is almost 90mm anyway. The Chinese/Benelli "Bullet" is actually just 480cc and pumps out about 30 HP, more than the UCE ever did, so bumping the J-motor shouldn't be rocket surgery for RE. Adding cubes to make a "different model" is what RE has done forever. A counterbalanced 500 Bullet would be a thing of beauty. All the Meteor 350 folks agree that the J-bikes ride like a larger machine.

The lovely 650 twin dressed with Olde Skool Bullet-esq tinware deserves it's own moniker. Shooting Star? Comet? Bolide? 
The "rub" becomes the narrow difference in price that'll exist between a new ersatz 30 HP 500cc Bullet and a 45 HP 6 speed Mountebank Bullet (the 2023 Bolide!  ) for maybe only $800 - $1200 more.

[Guaire]

I saw this a few weeks ago. Worth watching. Very interesting.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LZCSqXEuypU&t=1186s

Stuart predicts a 500 J bike later this year. I hope he's right on this.

[whippers]

I would like to think, very likely
Bikers are already adapting Himilyan parts to the 'J' engine to up the capacity.  RE must see this as a possibe reliability question and a call for a larger 500, now with the release of
BSA 650 single
Adapting the 'J' engine to 500 cc would seem no major problem nor expense
You can probably add 6 mm stroke with the std flywheels, con rod length ?  piston diameter, rework on the cyl head is minor, and extra finnig on the barrel and possibly cyl head, easy and engine management unit is a doddle
HERES HOPING

I doubt it, probably couldn't meet euro5 without liquid cooling.  Maybe there will be a version of the new 450 single but it isn't really the right kind of engine for the bike but BSA felt it was ok so you never know.

[GlennF]

Bikes in India are many peoples daily transport, and the only vehicle they can afford to own. That is rare in the west where bikes are more often than not a hobby and lifestyle thing.

That will clearly affect buying decisions and encourage sales of the known reliable old faithful design that can be repaired by the local village mechanic using 2nd hand parts that are abundant everywhere.

[axman88]

That will clearly affect buying decisions and encourage sales of the known reliable old faithful design that can be repaired by the local village mechanic using 2nd hand parts that are abundant everywhere.

This was a considerable factor for the demise of the 500, in my opinion.  It sold VERY poorly in India in its UCE configuration, whereas, when available previously in IC varieties, it sold much better.  Never at parity with the 350s, but at least within an order of magnitude.

RE had made the decision to ONLY offer the 500s with EFI, open loop systems for domestic bikes and with an 02 sensor for exports, whereas the 350s had carburetors.  This not only burdened the 500 models with considerable more cost, those Kiehin ECUs and the hired expertise to implement them, fuel pumps, Bosch injectors, and fancy newfangled sensors, but it also made them considerably unpopular with the home-spun mechanics that had serviced these machines for generations.   There was considerable pushback, the evidence of this still exists in old internet posts.

An unpopular, expensive alternative, with resultant awful sales figures, were the nails in the coffin, much more so than any inability to make the machines compliant with BS-V emissions regulations, in my opinion.   The were too fancy for the domestic market, but didn't have enough performance for a high priced western export market.  Even the 650s, which incidentally, also sell VERY poorly in India, are considered marginal performers in the West.