Unofficial Royal Enfield Community Forum
Royal Enfield Motorcycles => Bullet Iron Barrel => Topic started by: fredgold52 on January 16, 2008, 06:35:48 pm
-
Most information you see on the internet about our bikes talk about vibration. One write up said something about the rider feeling 'beaten up' after a few hour ride because being a single it has to show you who's boss.
I dunno, maybe mine's just strange, but I'm not seeing a whole lot of vibration. Plonking around town in 4th or 5th gear it seems pretty smooth and running along the country roads at 55 or 60 for short bursts seems to me pretty smooth for a 500cc single. The mirrors are much more useable than the ones on my 200cc Vespa Powered scooter.
Now mine is the only one I've ridden, so I can't make any sweeping statements about the Bullet's smoothness. But I think it gives a very nice ride and I can't imagine feeling "beaten uip" after a few hours in the saddle. Stiff, maybe that, yes. But not beaten up.
What do you guys think about the smoothness (or not) of your iron lunged Bulets?
-
Mine doesn't vibrate too much at all. I had a triumph bonneville that used to buzz more than vibrate and my hands would practically go numb. The Enfield doesn't do this at all.
-
Mine doesn't vibrate too much at all. I had a triumph bonneville that used to buzz more than vibrate and my hands would practically go numb. The Enfield doesn't do this at all.
I'll second that.
My Trump beats me up bad. No trips over 100 miles in one day.
I adjust the idle to get max bounce of the front wheel at idle just cuz it looks good but once your moving there is almost no vibration at all.
On the one long trip I took on my Bullet after 12 hours of riding the only thing that hurt was my butt.
My CTS infested hands felt great as did my back.
Not at all what I expected but I was pleased with the outcome.
CJ
-
Mine doesn't vibrate too much at all. I had a triumph bonneville that used to buzz more than vibrate and my hands would practically go numb. The Enfield doesn't do this at all.
I'll second that.
My Trump beats me up bad. No trips over 100 miles in one day.
I adjust the idle to get max bounce of the front wheel at idle just cuz it looks good but once your moving there is almost no vibration at all.
On the one long trip I took on my Bullet after 12 hours of riding the only thing that hurt was my butt.
My CTS infested hands felt great as did my back.
Not at all what I expected but I was pleased with the outcome.
CJ
I think that had more to do with the pills you'd taken!
-
My Sixty-5 is smoother than my Honda twin cylinder 250 Nighthawk. And obviously smoother than a Harley. My four cylinder bikes were the smoothest. But the Bullet is smoother than the twins I've owned.
-
I think that had more to do with the pills you'd taken!
They were for the tendonitis in my elbow. Wouldn't be able to use the clutch without em.
I don't think they have a pill for CTS yet and I'm putting off getting that fixed because if you keep doing what caused it it'll come right back.
I didn't bring the stuff I got for my back because with them I'd still be riding around in circles out in the cornfields somewhere.
Sidesaway they don't mix with beer!
This getting old stuff sucks.
CJ
-
have you seen this? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F48Kuc8VId4
-
That's impressive, but it's just a 350. I don't think my 500 would be much rougher than that though. I'll try that when it warms up just to see how it goes.
-
See Cyrus, that video shows it to be smooth as you like. I have no problems with the vibration at all. At 45-50mph the mirrors are vibe free and all is right with the world.
In contrast to Foggy I found (find) that the four cylinders are the worst. I think it has more to do with the frequency of the vibes. Four cylinders make my hands go numb from tingling. The Bandit I own is pretty bad vibe-wise, but it don't 'alf go some. No such problems with the RE.
CJ. I'm just giving you a hard time! Every bike I've ever owned was uncomfortable in one way or another after spending all day on it. The inline fours would numb my hands and bum. I got butt ache on all of them except the Honda VFR I used to have, even the Goldwing. What a wimp. The VFR was butt friendly, but after 400 miles with clip-ons my wrists were protesting.
If motorcycling was the most comfortable way to travel, then cars would have been made redundant years ago. It is still, without a doubt, the greatest way to travel though.
-
Haven't you heard of "good vibrations"? ;)
-
In contrast to Foggy I found (find) that the four cylinders are the worst. I think it has more to do with the frequency of the vibes. Four cylinders make my hands go numb from tingling. The Bandit I own is pretty bad vibe-wise, but it don't 'alf go some. No such problems with the RE.
My Honda CB400-F ran like a turbine. And the four into one exhaust header at 10,000 RPM would raise the hackles on the back of the neck. I sold it as a classic and made some money on it. Bright yellow and in factory mint condition - should have kept it...
Love the Bullet more!
My Kaw KZ750 had some resonance issues but nothing like a twin cylinder bike.
Regards, Foggy
-
Yeah, four cylinder bikes did kind of tingle a bit. I had a 1976 Honda CB750K and about a 1978 Kawasaki KZ650 and a 1980 Kawasaki GPZ550. The smoothest bike I ever rode was a 1976 Gold Wing that a buddy left with me for a year or so with instructions to "ride it"-so I did.It was a full dresser.
I've had a fair number of thumpers to include a Homda Trail 90, Honda CL(Scrambler)90,1976 Honda XL350,1982 Suzuki SP500,2005 Kawasaki KLR650,2007 Yamaha XT225,2001 Kawasaki KLR250., and my 2007 RE Bullet 500 Classic.I can't really say the Bullet vibrates any more than the others. My KLR650 is a relatively smooth one. I tset rode a KLR that was a real vibrator.Had a bunch of two stroke singles too, and one twin and a few four stroke twins.
jon
-
My 67 Bonne buzzed in harmonics. Front to back, up and down. Just like my Grandad's old vibrating recliner!! It had a great sound, (straight heaaders), and of course my girlfriend at the time, just loved the heck out of it. When I sold it, it was over between us.
The Enfield gets a little shaky around 30-35 mph, (buzzy mirrors), and after that, nothing, nice and smooth.
But, no chicks, either. Go figure.
I'm told I have to get an older ironhead for that now.
Steve
-
I"ve never had a twin so I can't say how they are in comparison to singles or fours. I've seen the way Harleys shake when they're at stoplights but my Enfield does that to and at anything above idle its pretty darn smooth.
My V-four Honda was pretty smooth and made fabulous noises, like a Ducati on steroids. Ummmmmm.
-
I'd say my Honda V twin FireStorm 996 (SuperHawk in the States) has only a slight tingle and so has the Bullet. Not a lot in it really!!!
-
My '86 Sportster was great until 58 MPH. Then the 'buzz' was awful. I rode the Sporty for 10 years until my arms couldn't take any more. I did without a bike for 10 years until I bought a 2006 Bullet Classic. During my 10 year hiatus, I had surgery on both arms for carpal tunnel syndrome and cubital tunnel syndrome. The last thing I had done was my right shoulder. The Bullet is a joy to ride and has been kind to my scrawny arms. The mirrors may vibrate a bit, but I don't mind!
-
"BUZZING" vibration really s**ks, but the vibrational frequency of the Enfield is not objectionable at all. YMMV
-
I agree. I think it's not objectionable to most riders because of the lower frequency. There's just fewer power strokes on a single than on a twin. In fact, it's about ummmmmmm, , , , , half. Yeah that's it. :)
-
Sent the 'You Tube' clip to a 2004 BMW Boxer Cup owning friend and asked if he thought BMW would check it that way. He said the plastic cup of water would fall off immediately on his bike due to the horizontal firing pulses. Ah, there's a lot to be said for old fashioned technology................................................................ and most of it is good!!!!!!