[theNEALINATOR]

https://imgur.com/a/2dVCFiT

Got this 2009 Royal Enfield for a good price recently with less than 100 miles on it. I'm very new to motorcycles and have a few questions I can't seem to find answers to:

What is the exact model? Placard says 2009 Royal Enfield Motorcycle Bullet 500cc (Bullet Electra - X / Bullet Electra - Classic) (manufactured in India). When I look that up, it is super confusing locking down a model for parts etc. Motor type?... (all very new to me) I am told it is a one year production model...maybe that explains what seems to be a mix of parts from different generations of the bullet model? Is there a way to determine exact model from the VIN?

What type of engine oil does it take? The few manuals I have looked at for bullets say everything from 15W40, 15W50, to 20W50. I also ordered multiple different engine oil filters online because I'm not sure which one it takes until I actually do the oil change.

Any help is appreciated! Thanks! It is so much fun to ride!

[richard211]

 The Engine and gearbox is from the Electra X. The engine is called an AVL engine made between 2002 - 2009. The engine grade is 15W40 for the crankcase (2.25 litres) and also for the clutch primary case (420 ml) and the gearbox takes 450 ml of EP90 gear oil. These are the factory recommend oil grades and quantities.

 I belive that your motorcycle was meant to be an Electra (indian market) with the iron barrel engine but probably during 2009 when the AVL engines were being phased out to make way for the newer UCE engines, Royal Enfield may had used surplus AVL engines with the 5 speed gearbox and installed it into the Electra model and called it the Electra Classic.
 
 I am speculating at this point in time, but that will explain you may not be able to an exact model that matches what you have. The main difference between the bullet model and the Electra (apart from the engine and gearbox) was the rear mudguard. The bullet 500 used a box shaped mudguard, where as the one you have is the Electra mudguard.
 

[richard211]

The Engine and gearbox is from the Electra X. The engine is called an AVL engine made between 2002 - 2009. The engine grade is 15W40 for the crankcase (2.25 litres) and also for the clutch primary case (420 ml) and the gearbox takes 450 ml of EP90 gear oil. These are the factory recommend oil grades and quantities.

 I belive that your motorcycle was meant to be an Electra (indian market) with the iron barrel engine but probably during 2009 when the AVL engines were being phased out to make way for the newer UCE engines, Royal Enfield may had used surplus AVL engines with the 5 speed gearbox and installed it into the Electra model and called it the Electra Classic.
 
 I am speculating at this point in time, but that will explain why, you may not be able to an exact model that matches what you have. The main difference between the bullet model and the Electra (apart from the engine and gearbox) was the rear mudguard. The bullet 500 used a box shaped mudguard, where as the one you have is the Electra mudguard.

[richard211]

The Engine and gearbox is from the Electra X. The engine is called an AVL engine made between 2002 - 2009. The engine grade is 15W40 for the crankcase (2.25 litres) and also for the clutch primary case (420 ml) and the gearbox takes 450 ml of EP90 gear oil. These are the factory recommend oil grades and quantities.

 I belive that your motorcycle was meant to be an Electra (indian market) with the iron barrel engine but probably during 2009 when the AVL engines were being phased out to make way for the newer UCE engines, Royal Enfield may had used surplus AVL engines with the 5 speed gearbox and installed it into the Electra model and called it the Electra Classic.
 
 I am speculating at this point in time, but that will explain you may not be able to find an exact model that matches what you have. The main difference between the bullet model and the Electra (apart from the engine and gearbox) was the rear mudguard. The bullet 500 used a box shaped mudguard, where as the one you have is the Electra mudguard.

[AzCal Retred]

Ahoy - theNEALINATOR: you do know about Hitchcock's excellent website, right?

Here's a link to their Online Parts Book for your machine. Everything is only about 3-5 days out.

https://www.hitchcocksmotorcycles.com/partsbook/340/2008-electra-x

They have a whole downloadable manual section too. Hie thee hence! 

[theNEALINATOR]

The Engine and gearbox is from the Electra X. The engine is called an AVL engine made between 2002 - 2009. The engine grade is 15W40 for the crankcase (2.25 litres) and also for the clutch primary case (420 ml) and the gearbox takes 450 ml of EP90 gear oil. These are the factory recommend oil grades and quantities.

 I belive that your motorcycle was meant to be an Electra (indian market) with the iron barrel engine but probably during 2009 when the AVL engines were being phased out to make way for the newer UCE engines, Royal Enfield may had used surplus AVL engines with the 5 speed gearbox and installed it into the Electra model and called it the Electra Classic.
 
 I am speculating at this point in time, but that will explain you may not be able to an exact model that matches what you have. The main difference between the bullet model and the Electra (apart from the engine and gearbox) was the rear mudguard. The bullet 500 used a box shaped mudguard, where as the one you have is the Electra mudguard.
 

@richard211 Thanks for the reply! I really appreciate it!

Ahoy - theNEALINATOR: you do know about Hitchcock's excellent website, right?

Here's a link to their Online Parts Book for your machine. Everything is only about 3-5 days out.

https://www.hitchcocksmotorcycles.com/partsbook/340/2008-electra-x

They have a whole downloadable manual section too. Hie thee hence! 

@AzCal Retred Yes! It is definitely a great website and tool for parts! The link you sent is helpful but some of the parts on my bike are a little different so I'll have to match certain parts from different years! But it seems like 2008 Electra is closest to my model! Thanks!

[tooseevee]

https://imgur.com/a/2dVCFiT

Got this 2009 Royal Enfield for a good price recently with less than 100 miles on it. I'm very new to motorcycles and have a few questions I can't seem to find answers to:

What is the exact model? Placard says 2009 Royal Enfield Motorcycle Bullet 500cc (Bullet Electra - X / Bullet Electra - Classic) (manufactured in India). When I look that up, it is super confusing locking down a model for parts etc. Motor type?... (all very new to me) I am told it is a one year production model...maybe that explains what seems to be a mix of parts from different generations of the bullet model? Is there a way to determine exact model from the VIN?

What type of engine oil does it take? The few manuals I have looked at for bullets say everything from 15W40, 15W50, to 20W50. I also ordered multiple different engine oil filters online because I'm not sure which one it takes until I actually do the oil change.

Any help is appreciated! Thanks! It is so much fun to ride!

            Your bike is an '09 AVL Classic because it has a front DRUM brake. And, no, it is not a one year only model.

            If it had a front DISC brake it would be designated an Electra-X.

             Both what is designated as the Classic & what is designated as the Electra-X have the same engine/transmission.

              It's not an "accident" that it's an AVL (Electra-X engine) & not an ironhead. It was meant to be that way & is an Official export model to the U.S..

              Both the Electra-X & the AVL Classic have the same frame.

              Some of the tin is different on the two &, of course, the front brakes as mentioned before.

              Your bike is exactly the same as my '08 Classic (when it was brand new).

            Just FYI, your carb is a Mikarb (or Micarb) BS 29 CV. You can find exploded views of this carb on line & also tuning info. It takes some digging, but it's there. It uses Mikuni jets.

           There are also hundreds of YooToob videos. Over time you will come to recognize whether they are covering YOUR exact model or not.   

             My best advice is learn to kick start it. Avoid the electric start as much as possible. If you insist on using the ES, ALWAYS have a fully charged battery on a tender EVery time you return home & shut it down.

             Also make it a HAbit to shut the engine down with the "decompressor" lever on the left switchgear, THEN turn the key off.

 

[tooseevee]

Dear Moderator,

        Can we move this whole thing en masse to the AVL Section? It's kinduva desert there lately.

[Adrian II]

Bilgemaster is just getting the thread-moving kit ready, once he has got it to 180PSI it'll be good to go.



A.

[tooseevee]

Bilgemaster is just getting the thread-moving kit ready, once he has got it to 180PSI it'll be good to go.

A.

           It's a beautiful thing 

           I grew up with the Big Boy steamers in the '40s & '50s in Wyo, Nebr & Colo. There's one in Halliday Park in Cheyenne right off Lincolnway (16th St., Lincoln Highway, Old Rt. 30 Two-Lane Blacktop).

             Sorry. Right back to AVLs, Group   

[Adrian II]

Union Pacific has recently restored one of the surviving Big Boys to running condition, plenty of videos on You Tube...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Pacific_4014

A.

[AzCal Retred]

I'm growing to really like the electric start feature on my ES350. It's handy in awkward situations, pull in the clutch, push the button & just go about your 'bidness'. My 4-speed is pretty agricultural, last minute gear changes aren't real popular with it. Neutral always has to be negotiated in advance, preferably when moving. H's has the upgrade kit, I think if mine fragged I'd spring for it. Cheaper than a new bike, and I've done a lot of "fettling" on this olde girl I'd be loath to lose.

Nealinator - the general consensus is against ES, but it is handy. It costs about 1/2 as much to pull it off as repair if it frags. By 1/2 as much I mean to convert to the "pretty" KS primary case and lose the "hump". You can always just pull the guts and install H's blanking plug. Anyway, the primary oil volume recommended for the ES is double what the KS runs, 800ish cc vs. 400ish cc. Some say it helps extend the ES guts life, others say it doesn't matter. I run the higher volume. One member just dumps in a quart to no apparent ill effect. My recent drain looked to be at least a quart. There was no obvious extra leakage. As 2CV says, keep a good battery in it and the cables in good order. Mine had some Corporate lawyer inspired start permissive relay & interlocks that quickly got disposed of, resulting in much better and more reliable operation.

[Bilgemaster]

...And presto we're over here in the AVL Alps!

Here's just another friemdly advisory that your "electric leg" is poorly-designed, ultra-flakey, prone to failure, and best avoided. For further details, please search this "Bullet AVL & Electra Models" and the "Bullet Iron Barrel" section for the dreaded keyword "sprag" and witness the desolation!

[Paul W]

It’s a nice bike, especially because it has the five speed gearbox, which allows you to ride it like a more modern bike.

[Paul E.]

i have the same model. USA model Bullet 500es.  Electra AVL engine and Sixty-five for most of the chassis parts.per.Hitchcocks.