Unofficial Royal Enfield Community Forum

Royal Enfield Motorcycles => Bullet Iron Barrel => Topic started by: greekxj on January 21, 2008, 11:04:58 pm

Title: Not much at dealer
Post by: greekxj on January 21, 2008, 11:04:58 pm
Hey guys, had my first post a few days ago about how i was thinking of getting a deluxe model. Well, got to the dealer on saturday to find only one deluxe in black. I actually love that combo, but i didn't like how the bike had 46 miles on it and had some boot burns on the pipe. Kinda dirty too.  Just seemed neglected and not "new" ya know. I know the miles and "condition" could probably get the price dropped its just that i would be nervous about those break in miles, especially knowing hoe sensitive these bikes can be for break in etc. Plus the owner wasn't there and just a regular worker(this place is an auto shop too, not just a dealer) so he really couldn't help with anything. Hopefully the owner will get more in from the new model year so i can have a  fresh pick. Maybe i'll stop in next week and the owner will be in for some info.  Ah well, thought id update you guys on my findings.
Title: Re: Not much at dealer
Post by: Leonard on January 22, 2008, 12:27:02 am
  If you could get a good price on it I don't think I'd be too concerned unless the header pipe is dark blue or there is some other obvious defect.  You will still have a new warranty on it should something be wrong.
Title: Re: Not much at dealer
Post by: deejay on January 22, 2008, 12:39:29 am
Hey guys, had my first post a few days ago about how i was thinking of getting a deluxe model. Well, got to the dealer on saturday to find only one deluxe in black. I actually love that combo, but i didn't like how the bike had 46 miles on it and had some boot burns on the pipe. Kinda dirty too.  Just seemed neglected and not "new" ya know. I know the miles and "condition" could probably get the price dropped its just that i would be nervous about those break in miles, especially knowing hoe sensitive these bikes can be for break in etc. Plus the owner wasn't there and just a regular worker(this place is an auto shop too, not just a dealer) so he really couldn't help with anything. Hopefully the owner will get more in from the new model year so i can have a  fresh pick. Maybe i'll stop in next week and the owner will be in for some info.  Ah well, thought id update you guys on my findings.

I wouldn't worry too much, they come with about 15 miles on all of them from India. The rest of those miles could be from the dealer getting the set up dialed in, maybe a test ride. Dirt/dust cleans up fast, boot marks can appear on a first ride and clean up with rubbing alcohol. If its over a year old it's almost good to see some miles on it, better to ride them than to let them sit, parts go to sh*t faster when they are stuck in one place too long. Any of the shops can order a fresh one for you direct from CMW, the shop closest to me (2 hours) said it would take about 2 weeks back when I was shopping for mine. Good luck, and don't get discouraged (I did) but I'm glad I didn't give up. Keep us posted.
Title: Re: Not much at dealer
Post by: BanditRE on January 22, 2008, 03:45:41 am
Don't fret too much. If the dealer seems like a decent guy, the mileage should be ok. Mine came from the dealer with 60 miles on it. I felt like I was getting a "used" bike at the time, but he'd just been making sure everything was all set.

Go with your gut instinct, its usually right.
Title: Re: Not much at dealer
Post by: scoTTy on January 22, 2008, 03:51:49 am
mine had 19 miles .... and i became concerned...  so far all is well  the dealer is gone ...
Title: Re: Not much at dealer
Post by: mrunderhill1975a on January 22, 2008, 03:53:14 am
My bike had 58 miles on it when new, I suspect that was from the dealer during his preparation of the bike.  I actually appreciated the extra miles, it allowed any loose nuts to show themselves before I took ownership.  If I remember correctly, I did the first oil & filter change at 350 miles and found a fair amount of swarf in the filter.  It scared me at the time, but now after 11,000 miles I have no problems and it runs great.  I know some owners will complain about flaws in the paint or a less than mirror finish on the engine case.  However, I consider these part of the character of a 1955 hand-made bike,  if I had wanted a cookie-cutter Japanese bike, I would have lots from which to choose.
Title: Re: Not much at dealer
Post by: Leonard on January 22, 2008, 01:55:37 pm
  It seems that I read some where that CMW encourges it's dealers to put 100 miles on a bike for just this reason.  Maybe Vince or some other dealer could give us some insight on this.  BTW mine had 12 miles on it.

My bike had 58 miles on it when new, I suspect that was from the dealer during his preparation of the bike.  
Title: Re: Not much at dealer
Post by: greekxj on January 22, 2008, 02:33:03 pm
  If you could get a good price on it I don't think I'd be too concerned unless the header pipe is dark blue or there is some other obvious defect.  You will still have a new warranty on it should something be wrong.

Hey, i guess the price drop could b e a positive. I am an awesome detailer(had my own shop) so getting the appearance mint is no biggie. Its just seeing a "new" bike neglected is what kinda turns me off. Could be a good bargaining chip though to get a nice discount. I talked to a friend last night and we might go back there saturday. Hopefully the owner is around this time!  No bluing btw, just some gold right by the head. BTW, there was a sensor type bung looking thing attached to the pipe right by the head, almost like an 02 sensor. Any idea what that is?
Title: Re: Not much at dealer
Post by: greekxj on January 22, 2008, 02:34:53 pm
Hey guys, had my first post a few days ago about how i was thinking of getting a deluxe model. Well, got to the dealer on saturday to find only one deluxe in black. I actually love that combo, but i didn't like how the bike had 46 miles on it and had some boot burns on the pipe. Kinda dirty too.  Just seemed neglected and not "new" ya know. I know the miles and "condition" could probably get the price dropped its just that i would be nervous about those break in miles, especially knowing hoe sensitive these bikes can be for break in etc. Plus the owner wasn't there and just a regular worker(this place is an auto shop too, not just a dealer) so he really couldn't help with anything. Hopefully the owner will get more in from the new model year so i can have a  fresh pick. Maybe i'll stop in next week and the owner will be in for some info.  Ah well, thought id update you guys on my findings.

I wouldn't worry too much, they come with about 15 miles on all of them from India. The rest of those miles could be from the dealer getting the set up dialed in, maybe a test ride. Dirt/dust cleans up fast, boot marks can appear on a first ride and clean up with rubbing alcohol. If its over a year old it's almost good to see some miles on it, better to ride them than to let them sit, parts go to sh*t faster when they are stuck in one place too long. Any of the shops can order a fresh one for you direct from CMW, the shop closest to me (2 hours) said it would take about 2 weeks back when I was shopping for mine. Good luck, and don't get discouraged (I did) but I'm glad I didn't give up. Keep us posted.

Hey thanks for the response. I think i might use it as a bargaining chip thats all. I used to be a pro detailer so no worry about the boot mark  ;D   Gonna do a visit on saturday so lets see what happens.
Title: Re: Not much at dealer
Post by: greekxj on January 22, 2008, 02:37:00 pm
Don't fret too much. If the dealer seems like a decent guy, the mileage should be ok. Mine came from the dealer with 60 miles on it. I felt like I was getting a "used" bike at the time, but he'd just been making sure everything was all set.

Go with your gut instinct, its usually right.

Hey, thats kinda how i felt too. Ive seen bikes as a demo and how they were treated on rides so thats what gets me nervous. From what everyone says here though it could be the dealer just getting it tweaked. That would make me feel a little better ya know.
Title: Re: Not much at dealer
Post by: greekxj on January 22, 2008, 02:54:41 pm
My bike had 58 miles on it when new, I suspect that was from the dealer during his preparation of the bike.  I actually appreciated the extra miles, it allowed any loose nuts to show themselves before I took ownership.  If I remember correctly, I did the first oil & filter change at 350 miles and found a fair amount of swarf in the filter.  It scared me at the time, but now after 11,000 miles I have no problems and it runs great.  I know some owners will complain about flaws in the paint or a less than mirror finish on the engine case.  However, I consider these part of the character of a 1955 hand-made bike,  if I had wanted a cookie-cutter Japanese bike, I would have lots from which to choose.

Hey thanks, yep i would be cool with the miles it was for setup. I know the owner is really cool, just wish i had a chance to talk to him last time. But i think im going again saturday.  So within your 11K miles what kind of problems have ya had and what have you done maintenance wise? Thanks
Title: Re: Not much at dealer
Post by: greekxj on January 22, 2008, 02:55:29 pm
  It seems that I read some where that CMW encourges it's dealers to put 100 miles on a bike for just this reason.  Maybe Vince or some other dealer could give us some insight on this.  BTW mine had 12 miles on it.

My bike had 58 miles on it when new, I suspect that was from the dealer during his preparation of the bike. 

Interesting. Seems like 12 is good enough lol !
Title: Re: Not much at dealer
Post by: Vince on January 22, 2008, 05:56:31 pm
CMW does encourage the dealer to put some miles on each unit. If I had the time I would break in every one. That is not practical both from in time or  money. And, unfortunately, The same riders that would not listen to me about break in also won't listen to me about usage ( Stay OFF the freeway!). So I simply try to educate my customers. In terms of 60 or 70 miles on a bike on the floor, It can be a crap shoot. I keep a designated demonstrator, but some times people insist on a specific bike to test. I accommodate them AFTER I hammer into them the break in speeds. So far it has worked out well. I haven"t had any problems I could directly trace to a test ride. If you think your dealer has a similar program,  the bike should be just fine. Also, it has been pointed out that you do have a warranty. CMW is great about that. They all come with 12 to 25 miles from the factory. Just make sure that you keep up with proper break in, riding, and maintenance. Good luck and have fun.
Title: Re: Not much at dealer
Post by: Foggy_Auggie on January 22, 2008, 07:41:02 pm
  If you could get a good price on it I don't think I'd be too concerned unless the header pipe is dark blue or there is some other obvious defect.  You will still have a new warranty on it should something be wrong.

 BTW, there was a sensor type bung looking thing attached to the pipe right by the head, almost like an 02 sensor. Any idea what that is?

That's part of the emissions system.  It pulses air into the exhaust stream past the exhaust valve.  A PAV system.  There is also a catalytic in the muffler.  I would put about 2000 miles on the bike before messing with any performance upgrades (such as monkeying with this).  The bike will settle in by then.

Cheers, Foggy
Title: Re: Not much at dealer
Post by: greekxj on January 22, 2008, 08:30:30 pm
CMW does encourage the dealer to put some miles on each unit. If I had the time I would break in every one. That is not practical both from in time or  money. And, unfortunately, The same riders that would not listen to me about break in also won't listen to me about usage ( Stay OFF the freeway!). So I simply try to educate my customers. In terms of 60 or 70 miles on a bike on the floor, It can be a crap shoot. I keep a designated demonstrator, but some times people insist on a specific bike to test. I accommodate them AFTER I hammer into them the break in speeds. So far it has worked out well. I haven"t had any problems I could directly trace to a test ride. If you think your dealer has a similar program,  the bike should be just fine. Also, it has been pointed out that you do have a warranty. CMW is great about that. They all come with 12 to 25 miles from the factory. Just make sure that you keep up with proper break in, riding, and maintenance. Good luck and have fun.


Thanks Vince. The shop that has the enfield is very unique. Its main business is a mechanic shop for import vehicles only. Its your typical "small shop" which has a small office/waiting room and 3 bays for the cars. In the winter they keep the bikes in the back all lined up. His main sales of bikes are scooters and Urals! My buddy is totally tempted to get one of those with the 2wd. Ya know, for the Chicago snow lol. Plus he just started carrying the enfield i think a couple years ago, maybe longer.

He seems like a really cool guy that is knowledgeable of his machines so that makes me feel better. It also is a good possibility that he put the miles on. If i don't see him at the shop in the upcoming weeks i will definitely see him at the international cycle show in a couple weeks. He works the Ural display every year.

So we'll see, i appreciate the heads up!
Title: Re: Not much at dealer
Post by: greekxj on January 22, 2008, 08:34:00 pm
  If you could get a good price on it I don't think I'd be too concerned unless the header pipe is dark blue or there is some other obvious defect.  You will still have a new warranty on it should something be wrong.

 BTW, there was a sensor type bung looking thing attached to the pipe right by the head, almost like an 02 sensor. Any idea what that is?

That's part of the emissions system.  It pulses air into the exhaust stream past the exhaust valve.  A PAV system.  There is also a catalytic in the muffler.  I would put about 2000 miles on the bike before messing with any performance upgrades (such as monkeying with this).  The bike will settle in by then.

Cheers, Foggy

Thanks Foggy. I kinda figured it was emissions related. It looks like an o2 sensor but i knew that couldn't be possible with the carb. My goal was to maybe ride it a season and just do maintenance/tweaking for the miles put on, then take the emissions crap off and do a rejet with intake/pipes(once broken in etc). Seems like a good idea, but i know its gonna seem like forever lol. It does seem from what people say on here though that i will have plenty to do to keep me busy heheheh.
Title: Re: Not much at dealer
Post by: fredgold52 on January 22, 2008, 11:16:33 pm
I've spent a good amount of time fooling around with things on mine as it's been too cold to ride.  There's not many miles on mine but honestly, I haven't seen all that much to fix, tweak, tighten or adjust.  Most of what I've done on mine has been just because I wanted to, not so much because it needed it.  So far, I don't see these bikes being huge consumers of maintenance time.  That could change, but I don't think so.

 :)

Fred
Title: Re: Not much at dealer
Post by: mrunderhill1975a on January 24, 2008, 03:10:31 am
Problems.......hmmmmmm.......I don't think I had any problems in 11,000 that were'nt fun to repair, but here goes the list:  I change the oil & filter at 1500 mile intervals, check the valve clearance every 500 or so (however, I have only had to readjust the valves at 2000 mile intervals).  Somewhere at about 4000 miles the clutch cable snapped and I replaced it with the premium version our host sells.  Every 800 miles or so a nut comes loose on the fender or tail-light etc so I carry some blue thread locker which seems to take care of that problem.  I adjust the points for wear on the fiber block every 2000 miles and replace the points every 4000 miles.  At about 8000 miles the pos (+) battery cable rubbed on the battery cover and shorted which gave me quite a fright to look down and see smoke between my legs (my wife says I'm hot, but smoke is a bit much). It melted the insulation off the positive cable but, did not stop me from riding home where I then added a layer of electrical tape to the cable.  At about 10000 miles the middle front fender stay cracked and I replaced it with a much thicker premium version from our host.  Just recently, I had an intermittant head light flashing which I tracked down to the bundle of wires that come from the head light and rub on speedometer cable and head set.  I solved this problem by using a "Zip-tie" to hold the wires away from the headset.  All in all, I have had nothing but enjoyment from this bike, any "problems" I have encountered have been easily fixed by me (which gives me a profound sense of accomplishment).  As a side note, I live 300 miles from the nearest dealer, and I have never had a "problem" I could not fix myself.  My bike has never been back to the dealer for any reason.  I might add that I very rarely exceed 65mph and do most of my crusing between 45 and 55.

If I remember correctly, I did the first oil & filter change at 350 miles and found a fair amount of swarf in the filter.  It scared me at the time, but now after 11,000 miles I have no problems and it runs great. 

Hey thanks, yep i would be cool with the miles it was for setup. I know the owner is really cool, just wish i had a chance to talk to him last time. But i think im going again saturday.  So within your 11K miles what kind of problems have ya had and what have you done maintenance wise? Thanks
Title: Re: Not much at dealer
Post by: greekxj on January 25, 2008, 06:50:01 pm
Hey thanks for the response. That is pretty damn good maintenance wise. That pretty much seems like normal stuff ya know. It seems like from what ive read is that  alot  of people have had a cable snap on them pretty early  I know i would definitely make my "own tool kit" to have with me which would include probably a spare cable for each one on the bike lol. But it looks like the bike has been good to ya and hopefully stays that way for many miles to come! I guess when i think about it, if i put 2K a year on it it should be good to me. The v star i have is definitely the high mileage bike and can take miles all day with very little maintenance. Being a v twin i know what you mean about loose bolts lol. Ive had my share of them and even lost my side mount license plate coming home one night on the highway. The vibrations sheared the bracket and it all fell off!  When i got home all that was left was the part of the plate bracket that bolts to the bike and a hanging wire from the light i ran to it. Never heard it so i was at a loss. It makes for good stories though :) Ah well, hopefully tomorrow i'll get a chance to run by the dealer again and see whats up. Thanks!

Problems.......hmmmmmm.......I don't think I had any problems in 11,000 that were'nt fun to repair, but here goes the list:  I change the oil & filter at 1500 mile intervals, check the valve clearance every 500 or so (however, I have only had to readjust the valves at 2000 mile intervals).  Somewhere at about 4000 miles the clutch cable snapped and I replaced it with the premium version our host sells.  Every 800 miles or so a nut comes loose on the fender or tail-light etc so I carry some blue thread locker which seems to take care of that problem.  I adjust the points for wear on the fiber block every 2000 miles and replace the points every 4000 miles.  At about 8000 miles the pos (+) battery cable rubbed on the battery cover and shorted which gave me quite a fright to look down and see smoke between my legs (my wife says I'm hot, but smoke is a bit much). It melted the insulation off the positive cable but, did not stop me from riding home where I then added a layer of electrical tape to the cable.  At about 10000 miles the middle front fender stay cracked and I replaced it with a much thicker premium version from our host.  Just recently, I had an intermittant head light flashing which I tracked down to the bundle of wires that come from the head light and rub on speedometer cable and head set.  I solved this problem by using a "Zip-tie" to hold the wires away from the headset.  All in all, I have had nothing but enjoyment from this bike, any "problems" I have encountered have been easily fixed by me (which gives me a profound sense of accomplishment).  As a side note, I live 300 miles from the nearest dealer, and I have never had a "problem" I could not fix myself.  My bike has never been back to the dealer for any reason.  I might add that I very rarely exceed 65mph and do most of my crusing between 45 and 55.

If I remember correctly, I did the first oil & filter change at 350 miles and found a fair amount of swarf in the filter.  It scared me at the time, but now after 11,000 miles I have no problems and it runs great. 

Hey thanks, yep i would be cool with the miles it was for setup. I know the owner is really cool, just wish i had a chance to talk to him last time. But i think im going again saturday.  So within your 11K miles what kind of problems have ya had and what have you done maintenance wise? Thanks
Title: Re: Not much at dealer
Post by: fredgold52 on January 25, 2008, 08:20:02 pm
You do know that if you buy a new Classic, Delux or Military you get an extra clutch cable and inner tube with it in the tool box, right.

Maybe with the Electra too, I'm not sure about that though.
Title: Re: Not much at dealer
Post by: greekxj on January 25, 2008, 09:33:50 pm
You do know that if you buy a new Classic, Delux or Military you get an extra clutch cable and inner tube with it in the tool box, right.

Maybe with the Electra too, I'm not sure about that though.

Thanks Fred, i wasn't aware of that. I would probably order all the other ones and keep them with me too. Hell if i got the military one i could designate one of the storage boxes as the "tool box" lol. Speaking of storage, do the non military models have like a storage area under one of the side covers or seat to put small stuff?
Title: Re: Not much at dealer
Post by: BanditRE on January 25, 2008, 09:40:26 pm
They sure do. There are two storage boxes, one on each side. One is full of PAV stuff but the other is empty. Ready for your tools, smokes, pop, 38-special.....

If you buy an older model without the PAV you get the added bonus of 2 useable storage boxes.
Title: Re: Not much at dealer
Post by: greekxj on January 26, 2008, 12:14:28 am
They sure do. There are two storage boxes, one on each side. One is full of PAV stuff but the other is empty. Ready for your tools, smokes, pop, 38-special.....

If you buy an older model without the PAV you get the added bonus of 2 useable storage boxes.

Thanks Bandit, i like that 38 comment lol. So if you remove the PAV setup is there any room to make it a storage box or is that just an access cover covering the PAV setup? BTW, i appreciate all the responses to my questions guys. Ive had my v star for almost 6 years now and know it like the back of my hand so looking at new bikes has me pretty curious!
Title: Re: Not much at dealer
Post by: deejay on January 26, 2008, 12:40:34 am
Thanks Bandit, i like that 38 comment lol. So if you remove the PAV setup is there any room to make it a storage box or is that just an access cover covering the PAV setup? BTW, i appreciate all the responses to my questions guys. Ive had my v star for almost 6 years now and know it like the back of my hand so looking at new bikes has me pretty curious!

For it to be empty you'll need to remove/move the PAV stuff, the electric starter relay, a fuse, and the rear brake switch. I'm in the process of permanently removing both of my toolboxes right now. I removed the PAV stuff the 1st week I had the bike, I also have removed the electric starter relay because I am removing the electric start altogether. The rear brake switch can be swapped out to the the older lucas style which attaches directly to the frame.

Of course if you remove all of this stuff, you are left with a bunch of holes in the box that all of the wires ran in and out of, so those need to be plugged.