Unofficial Royal Enfield Community Forum

Royal Enfield Motorcycles => Bullet with the UCE engine => Topic started by: mijk55 on May 29, 2010, 01:29:49 am

Title: Prospective Enfield Owner - Post-Test Drive Question
Post by: mijk55 on May 29, 2010, 01:29:49 am
Hello, all -

As a long time lover of the Enfield style, but someone in need of reasonably reliable and nimble city transportation, I was very excited to read about the EFI bullets.

I just came back from my nearby RE dealer where I took a C5 for a test drive, and I have two questions I was hoping you experienced folks could chime in on.

1) The brand new bike kept dying at idle, while cold and even after about 3-5 minutes of warmup. The dealer says this is 'normal' and that it is best to give the Bullet a little throttle when stopped to prevent it. As someone who will be driving around Chicago, the idea of a brand new fuel injected bike just dying at idle is not appealing. Basically turned me off a bike that I really loved before and during my test drive.

2) Not surprised by the level of vibration from a 500 single, but does it start to go down as the engine breaks in? I know I've read on here that people feel their bikes are "improving with age".

Thanks for your thoughts!

- Michael
Title: Re: Prospective Enfield Owner - Post-Test Drive Question
Post by: Chris-G5 on May 29, 2010, 01:47:10 am
I hope you are still considering a RE EFI. They are perfect for what you are wanting. My G5 did die sometimes when I first got it but not as much as you are describing. It will still occasionally idle low and has died every once in awhile, but nothing too bothersome. I think the idle is set a little too low from the factory. There is an adjustment screw, but I haven't tried to mess with it as yet. They do vibrate a descent amount and it will reduce somewhat as the engine breaks in from my experience. The engine does get better with time. At around 1700-1800 miles mine really seamed to loosen up. The vibration doesn't really bother me. I regularly cruise at 70 MPH on the highway for reasonably long distances.

I hope this helps. Some of these guys on here that are more of a mechanic than I will be able to be more detailed and specific with their replies. I'm sure Dannie (r80rt) will chime in and tell you he hasn't had a single problem with his C5. I bet his has never died.  ;D He must be Irish  :D
Title: Re: Prospective Enfield Owner - Post-Test Drive Question
Post by: Ice on May 29, 2010, 03:26:15 am
 My neighbor of sorts has a C5 and reports no stalling.
I briefly rode his and can report  while it does vibrate more than a Japanese inline four, it puts out much less vibes than my '06 Iron Barrel.

 Some of our UCE riding brothers will doubtlessly reply as well but don't expect an instant response.

 Seems those blokes haven't much better to do with their spare time than ride about the countryside, missing out on all the fun of tappet adjustments and such.. ;)

Title: Re: Prospective Enfield Owner - Post-Test Drive Question
Post by: r80rt on May 29, 2010, 03:48:35 am
I've never had any stalling problem with my C5, they do vibrate a bit, but it's a 500 single and that's part of it. They get a lot smoother with a couple of thousand miles on them. I love mine, it's the most fun bike I've ever had, 4700 miles and no problems.
Title: Re: Prospective Enfield Owner - Post-Test Drive Question
Post by: kiamarider on May 29, 2010, 07:43:53 am
My C5 has now done 2600km. It has only stalled a couple of times when cold when i  did not give it its recommended 2 mins warm up. Note temp was still 18 Deg C etc. The stall is 200 metres from home where i go downhill to a stop sign. I now give it its 2 mins and no problems.  Only very minor vibration at idle nothing when riding.  It loves around 90km/h and just purrs,  The only problem i have is that my 45 min jaunts for a quick hack seem to take about 2 1/2 hours, just can't seem to steer the thing back home :-*
Living 130km south from sydney bike has all year riding
go for it
Peter
Title: Re: Prospective Enfield Owner - Post-Test Drive Question
Post by: 2bikebill on May 29, 2010, 08:27:40 am
My G5, now 9 weeks old and with 2400 miles on the clock very occasionally starts to fade at idle but a very slight twist brings it back up. I have noticed lately when I get back after a couple of hours riding it's idling a little on the fast side.
The engine felt a lot less lumpy and a lot more eager after a few hundred miles, and more so after around fifteen hundred. It purrs along nicely at around fifty-five to sixty, and doesn't mind seventy at all. The bike vibrates a bit of course, but only begins to get shaky at seventy and up.
This is a G5 not a C5. I rode a C5 for a week or so, and it wasn't nearly as smooth as mine. It was the demo bike so probably hadn't been babied much, but still it had less than a hundred miles on the clock. Don't know if there is generally a difference between the two models.
A bit more poke going uphill would be nice, instead of having to occupy the slow truck lane.....   :-\
Title: Re: Prospective Enfield Owner - Post-Test Drive Question
Post by: UncleErnie on May 29, 2010, 12:51:14 pm
Sorry, but just because you don't have to adjust tappets doesn't mean you are allowed to be totally ignorant about your bike.  I really think you should know where things like an idle screw are- and turn it up a hair after it warms up.  Start the bike and THEN put your jacket on.  Look for spots to clean up, blow your nose, check your tire pressures, call someone who doesn't talk too much- let the bike warm up a bit. 

Also, I really believe in break-in time.  Your bike will continue to loosen up and smooth out if you don't push it for the first 1500 miles.  Sounds like a lot maybe, but it will pay off in the long run.
Title: Re: Prospective Enfield Owner - Post-Test Drive Question
Post by: r80rt on May 29, 2010, 03:20:20 pm
"I hope this helps. Some of these guys on here that are more of a mechanic than I will be able to be more detailed and specific with their replies. I'm sure Dannie (r80rt) will chime in and tell you he hasn't had a single problem with his C5. I bet his has never died.  ;D He must be Irish"  :D

Well, I can trace my family back to county Cork! ;D
Title: Re: Prospective Enfield Owner - Post-Test Drive Question
Post by: Drifter on May 29, 2010, 07:24:55 pm
I test rode a uce last week that had 40 miles on it, took several cranks,...minutes to start and then it would not idle even after warm up, i really liked the sound , look and handling of the bike but a new 6 grand bike that wont start or idle.....thats a bit much for this day and age. I think i will wait on a 2010 maybe the problem will be solved. :(
Title: Re: Prospective Enfield Owner - Post-Test Drive Question
Post by: clubman on May 29, 2010, 07:57:35 pm
Something sounds amiss with this demonstrator. My bike (G5) has never died at idle and I don't have to keep blipping the throttle. Whatever your dealer says it is not normal. I've ridden in sub zero temperatures btw.
Title: Re: Prospective Enfield Owner - Post-Test Drive Question
Post by: 2bikebill on May 29, 2010, 08:00:09 pm
You test rode a bike with forty miles on it. Have a look at the plug. If it's anything like the demo bike at my dealership, it gets ridden twenty five yards from front to back of premises in the morning, then back again in the evening. I borrowed it while mine was in for service and it stopped after half a mile and wouldn't start. Plug completely sooted up. Of course, bound to be. Simple remedy - change the plug and ride the thing.
OR-- you could simply assume there's a problem with the whole species and go off and sulk about it before asking actual owners - this forum for example - and discover that these bikes start on the button, every time, hot or cold, with very few and rare exceptions.
Title: Re: Prospective Enfield Owner - Post-Test Drive Question
Post by: r80rt on May 29, 2010, 09:57:41 pm
I know people are tired of hearing it, but my C5 has 4,700 miles on the clock and I've NEVER had a problem with it, I trust it completely and would ride it anywhere.
Title: Re: Prospective Enfield Owner - Post-Test Drive Question
Post by: UncleErnie on May 29, 2010, 10:21:24 pm
(not again... )
Title: Re: Prospective Enfield Owner - Post-Test Drive Question
Post by: r80rt on May 29, 2010, 10:28:05 pm
 ;D
Title: Re: Prospective Enfield Owner - Post-Test Drive Question
Post by: Chris-G5 on May 29, 2010, 10:50:37 pm



Well, I can trace my family back to county Cork! ;D

I knew there was something to your great luck!  ;D

I have actually had no real problems with my G5 except for the loose wire to spade connection to the fuel pump and recently my low fuel light was staying on all the time, just got a warranty issued replacement sensor last week. Mine was idling a little low and rarely died. Today I backed out the idle air screw a little and now it idles great. These are good reliable  bikes and I trust mine completely!
Title: Re: Prospective Enfield Owner - Post-Test Drive Question
Post by: The Garbone on May 29, 2010, 11:09:17 pm
Hmmm,  now that you mention it, I do believe that r80rt has never had an issue with his C5.. At least as far as I can recollect.. 

 ;)
Title: Re: Prospective Enfield Owner - Post-Test Drive Question
Post by: r80rt on May 29, 2010, 11:45:41 pm
I don't think luck has a lot to do with it, these are just good bikes.
Title: Re: Prospective Enfield Owner - Post-Test Drive Question
Post by: REAZ on May 30, 2010, 08:11:12 pm
We've experienced fading idle and occasional stalls on brand NEW bikes, but after the break-in - with properly set idle - the problem was not present anymore.
These bikes run significantly better after 1,500 miles. The Enfield is a thumper, so you can feel some engine vibration (thankfully!) but it's really tolerable up to 65 mph, viby between 65-70 and feels a bit unconfortable over 70.
Title: Re: Prospective Enfield Owner - Post-Test Drive Question
Post by: Ice on May 30, 2010, 10:03:30 pm
I know people are tired of hearing it, but my C5 has 4,700 miles on the clock and I've NEVER had a problem with it, I trust it completely and would ride it anywhere.

 I welcome your mileage updates. I follow the UCE threads closely. There is a G5 in my future.These threads are educational.
Title: Re: Prospective Enfield Owner - Post-Test Drive Question
Post by: r80rt on May 30, 2010, 10:30:55 pm
Ice I think you'll love a G5, I hope you can get on one quickly so I can enjoy reading your reports!
Title: Re: Prospective Enfield Owner - Post-Test Drive Question
Post by: singhg5 on May 31, 2010, 05:55:05 am
Ice I think you'll love a G5, I hope you can get on one quickly so I can enjoy reading your reports!

ICE:

I second that ! 

Moreover, the FUTURE is already HERE !

Title: Re: Prospective Enfield Owner - Post-Test Drive Question
Post by: 1 Thump on June 04, 2010, 05:17:29 pm
I welcome your mileage updates. I follow the UCE threads closely. There is a G5 in my future.These threads are educational.


Not the ACE Fireball ?