Unofficial Royal Enfield Community Forum

Royal Enfield Motorcycles => Bullet Electra & AVL => Topic started by: Ledyard on August 30, 2012, 02:43:43 pm

Title: Identify this Royal Enfield
Post by: Ledyard on August 30, 2012, 02:43:43 pm
Hi All,

I posted this under the thread "Newbie needing encouragement," but thought I'd do it separately as well. I bought this bike, advertised as a "2009 Royal Enfield Bullet Electra X" with "the new Lean-Burn AVL engine." My question is whether this is an AVL, a UCE, or what. Thanks for your thoughts.
Title: Re: Identify this Royal Enfield
Post by: boggy on August 30, 2012, 03:23:27 pm
That is an AVL.
Title: Re: Identify this Royal Enfield
Post by: TWinOKC on August 30, 2012, 05:27:04 pm
Defiantly an AVL.  UCE transmission and engine are as one - Unit Construction Engine.  UCE chain is on the right hand side, all others (AVL & iron barrel) are on the left.

Thanks for posting the picture it clears up the confusion.
Title: Re: Identify this Royal Enfield
Post by: 1 Thump on August 30, 2012, 05:31:00 pm
Yup thats an AVL. Its easy to figure this out. Look at the rocker covers; Flat and shiny: UCE, Tall and domed: Iron Barrel, Sloping: AVL. 
Title: Re: Identify this Royal Enfield
Post by: tooseevee on August 30, 2012, 08:42:38 pm
Hi All,

I posted this under the thread "Newbie needing encouragement," but thought I'd do it separately as well. I bought this bike, advertised as a "2009 Royal Enfield Bullet Electra X" with "the new Lean-Burn AVL engine." My question is whether this is an AVL, a UCE, or what. Thanks for your thoughts.

          The ad stated it correctly as an AVL, but it's a Classic not an Electra X (painted tank & fenders in same color, front drum brake). Same bike as the Electra X, but I believe the Electra X would have a front disc brake. The VIN plate under that blue pipe on the frame down tube covers both models.

           The front drum brake is just fine & you don't have to worry about brake fluid, a master cylinder or bleeding. 

            How many miles on it?
Title: Re: Identify this Royal Enfield
Post by: Ledyard on August 31, 2012, 01:54:51 am
1,290 miles on it. The dealer's ad does say it has a front disc brake, but this does look like a drum.

Any thoughts on which service manuals to buy? All the ones that reference AVL engines are designated as applying to "AVL Electra."
Title: Re: Identify this Royal Enfield
Post by: ridgerunner on August 31, 2012, 02:43:34 am
Repozer and I both have the 08 AVL and they look just like it.
Title: Re: Identify this Royal Enfield
Post by: boggy on August 31, 2012, 04:06:07 pm
I'm fairly certain this Snidal manual will have you covered. "Electra + AVL."  All the engine + transmission bits are the same for the AVL's, despite the model difference.  Between that and these forums, you should be good.  Also, when you search here for info, try narrowing the fields down to the AVL + Tech Tips sections and that should filter the results well.

Snidal:
http://nfieldgear.com/enfield-store/snidal-repair-guide-spiral-bound.html

And yah, if that' s disc brake, then bravo to the mechanic who hid it in a drum housing.  ;)
Title: Re: Identify this Royal Enfield
Post by: barenekd on August 31, 2012, 06:04:09 pm
I thought the Electra frame was different, as in G5.
Bare
Title: Re: Identify this Royal Enfield
Post by: boggy on August 31, 2012, 08:30:28 pm
I think it is, but *I think* the one manual still covers it.  Actually, the "AVL" manual, from what I can tell, is the old Iron Barrel manual... just with some additional pages with some AVL information.
Title: Re: Identify this Royal Enfield
Post by: mtrue77 on August 31, 2012, 09:46:56 pm
This is my 2009 Bullet Classic AVL as it looked when I brought it home in October 2008.   Looks a lot like what you have.
Title: Re: Identify this Royal Enfield
Post by: Ice on September 01, 2012, 02:58:13 am
I thought the Electra frame was different, as in G5.
Bare

 In a side by side comparison between my Iron Barrel Bullet and Bill Harris's ElectraX based Scrambler we are in agreement that the base frames are the same.
The only differences we can find are in the various welded on clips, brackets and tabs.
Title: Re: Identify this Royal Enfield
Post by: anadikaal on September 01, 2012, 07:19:57 am
Hi,

This is Not the Electra.  It is AVL with std bullet frame.  Electra was exported with different tool boxes and definitely with disk break.  So this bike was modified.  In India there was similar bike, same classic tool boxes but with disk break, AVL 500 called Machismo.  It was made from 2007 to 2010 when the horrible UCE was introduced.

anadi
Title: Re: Identify this Royal Enfield
Post by: AVL Power! on September 01, 2012, 10:20:36 am
Hi,

This is Not the Electra.  It is AVL with std bullet frame.  Electra was exported with different tool boxes and definitely with disk break.  So this bike was modified.  In India there was similar bike, same classic tool boxes but with disk break, AVL 500 called Machismo.  It was made from 2007 to 2010 when the horrible UCE was introduced.

anadi

I don't think there were only AVL Electra Xs as there were other classic variants too? And the first launch of these in India was back in 2001/2002 - Machismo AVL A350. It was pretty similar to Cast Iron bulls and had a 4speed gearbox(right side). It was also my first bullet and also figured that the bike was way better and more sturdy than the Machismos we have now. On speed gun I hit 132kmph on that bike, don't remember the speedo read tho (got busted by a cop, that's the speed which got recorded). My Machismo 500 can barely do 145 on speedo :P

Oh! The internals were awesome too! I still see a lot of racer friends using A350s crank and con rod on their Mac500s. Also, the A350 came with a Dellorto PHBH 26.

Regards,
Sanket
Title: Re: Identify this Royal Enfield
Post by: Bullet.wagon on September 01, 2012, 01:13:16 pm
So they robbed his disc brake and the UCE is horrible?
Title: Re: Identify this Royal Enfield
Post by: anadikaal on September 01, 2012, 01:52:59 pm
that UCE is horrible is just my opinion.  the feeling of driving it gives cannot in anyway be compared to the std bullet or even AVL.  I got one and sold it immediately.  it is probably good for those who do not wish to maintain or modify in anyway their bike.  If that AVL is 2009 it definitely came with front disk break.

the 350 AVL made at the beg is no different than the one made in the end.  there was an inferior 4 speed gearbox and CDI ignition (one could start without battery).  the power was similar to 350 std bullet.  there was no change in the engine later on.  the smaller crank does not give more power in anyway.  I prefer the heavy crank (i use one even in std bullet 350).  lighter crank is better only for acceleration and racing.  all the other elements of the 500 and 350 AVL cranks are the same.  I personally converted my 350 AVL thunderbird to 500 with great increase of power.

anadi
Title: Re: Identify this Royal Enfield
Post by: Ice on September 01, 2012, 06:00:17 pm
Hi,

This is Not the Electra.  It is AVL with std bullet frame.  Electra was exported with different tool boxes and definitely with disk break.  So this bike was modified.  In India there was similar bike, same classic tool boxes but with disk break, AVL 500 called Machismo.  It was made from 2007 to 2010 when the horrible UCE was introduced.

anadi

 The vast majority of AVL's imported here were indeed ElectraX models but there were some AVL classic, also called AVL Bullet, models imported. I have a few here and an AVL Bullet Military.
 In my estimation these along with the Bullet Sixty-5 were export only models aimed at the U.K. and U.S. markets. If I were a betting man I would heavily wager it unlikely they would seen in any other market.
Title: Re: Identify this Royal Enfield
Post by: tooseevee on September 01, 2012, 08:41:48 pm
The vast majority of AVL's imported here were indeed ElectraX models but there were some AVL classic, also called AVL Bullet, models imported. I have a few here and an AVL Bullet Military.
 In my estimation these along with the Bullet Sixty-5 were export only models aimed at the U.K. and U.S. markets. If I were a betting man I would heavily wager it unlikely they would seen in any other market.

            I want to make a statement here & I want somebody to tell me if it's right or not. This just seems to be what I've figured out over the years from reading here & other places & looking at manuals, etc..

            Here it is: The 2008 & 2009 AVL Classic & Electra X are the same bike except for the front brakes; the Classic has a drum brake, the Electra X has a hydraulic disc brake. Otherwise the engines & just about everything else are exactly the same.

            The sticker on the front tube states that it covers all 3 models: Electra X/Electra/Classic. There is a green factory Electra-X sticker on my '08 engine, but the bike is a front drum brake Classic.

             Please don't confuse this by lumping in stuff about the 350s. We didn't get those here (did we?) & they're not what I'm talking about.

               
Title: Re: Identify this Royal Enfield
Post by: anadikaal on September 14, 2012, 10:40:24 am
the bike has been most likely modified, so it is a hybrid of sorts.  it is what it is.  we have referred to 350 not due to confusion, but the topic drifted a bit from the main theme.  it often happens in forums; after all it is all for fun.
Title: Re: Identify this Royal Enfield
Post by: Michael Marsceill on September 16, 2012, 03:59:59 pm
I don't think the bike has been modified. I have a 2009 AVL deluxe. It has the "classic" frame, AVL engine and drum brakes. Except for the extra Chrome, it looks like the photo. A side by side comparison with an Electra of the same year shoes the following differences. Drum brake in front, fat triangular shapes tool boxes on both sides, no hot dog tool box, and the rear fender hanger on the frame supports the fender form both sides instead of the top. I think the 2009 AVL classic and deluxe models were US and Europe only. To add to the confusion, there were also 2009 unit engine models as well.