[Graham Scarth]

After reading a post querying what ES stood in a supposed 2008 500 Bullet model name and some of the comments re the parts books online at Hitchcocks Motorcycles, I thought it best to clear the muddy waters.
The iron engine 500 was produced up to February 2008 and the iron 350 for another 2 years up to February 2010.
Hitchcocks have only posted the parts books applicable to bikes officially imported into the UK and presumably the supposed years we got them.
North American market machines have a 17-digit VIN from 1995 and Europe plus most other export markets from 1999. SAARC market machines (India + few others) finally have a 7-digit VIN from 2008 onwards, although this does not appear to include the iron 500. The 10th character of the VIN gives year regardless of the model/market.
The bike that started this was actually manufactured in late 2007 but, as it was destined for N America, it was date coded for 2008.

[tooseevee]

After reading a post querying what ES stood in a supposed 2008 500 Bullet model name and some of the comments re the parts books online at Hitchcocks Motorcycles, I thought it best to clear the muddy waters.
The iron engine 500 was produced up to February 2008 and the iron 350 for another 2 years up to February 2010.
Hitchcocks have only posted the parts books applicable to bikes officially imported into the UK and presumably the supposed years we got them.
North American market machines have a 17-digit VIN from 1995 and Europe plus most other export markets from 1999. SAARC market machines (India + few others) finally have a 7-digit VIN from 2008 onwards, although this does not appear to include the iron 500. The 10th character of the VIN gives year regardless of the model/market.
The bike that started this was actually manufactured in late 2007 but, as it was destined for N America, it was date coded for 2008.

      I bought a never sold leftover March 2008 AVL Classic (AVL, front drum brake)  with a CMW Title & 17 digits VIN from an out-of-business dealer's lawyer in Missouri in 2010. It took quite a while for me to figure out all the ins & outs of the Parts Books And Owner's Manual etc., etc., etc., but it all worked out with the help of many guys here on the forums, Hitchcocks, Pete Snidal, YooToob & Googly.

    I was really confused & aggravated in the beginning because everything I could find showed the Electra not my Classic, although I knew the engines were the same, but it all finally cleared up no problem.

      I got tons of help from these forums from Iron guys & AVL guys as I spent years correcting factory shoddiness & doing my own mods. Since those days of see-through castings, RE has made orders of magnitude improvements in the production of their bikes.

       I'm really personally very impressed with the Indians & always have been. They are a tremendously resourceful people.

[Adrian II]

Graham,

SOMEWHERE on this forum these is a post by Kevin Mahoney, the former RE importer to the USA about the very last 500 iron engine Bullet off the production line ever, I believe he was actually at the factory to see it happen and took a picture of the event, as it was for the American market.

I was at the Watsonian-Squire open day in 2008 with the last of the old Bullets and Electra-Xs, but I understand they were all 2007-built as there was some derogation for the UK under the Euro 3 regs to allow what were effectively NOS models to be sold by dealers until the end of 2008.

A.

[allanfox]

my Watsoinian trails 350 is a 2008 reg (58), wonder if they converted them to aid getting them sold?

First letter of the engine number is a 7 and according to the handbook that makes it a 2004 manufacture, wonder where it was for those 4 years!

[StefArmstg]

I bought my Bullet in April 2004.  The dealer had no bikes in stock, so I spoke directly with Classic Motor Works about what was available.  I was told I got the last kick only, 4 speed in stock, and no more would be imported into the US, except for special orders for vintage racing.