Unofficial Royal Enfield Community Forum

Royal Enfield Motorcycles => Bullet with the UCE engine => Topic started by: Professor on March 18, 2014, 02:44:42 am

Title: What are you reading?
Post by: Professor on March 18, 2014, 02:44:42 am
To understand Harley Davidson I am told, you must have some knowledge or appreciate of the American culture. I sure the same could be said for British bikes of the 1960s.

If you have a Kindle, Nook or an android and can download from Amazon books here are three (one more at the end) that will give you an idea of what a Royal Enfield is like in it's own home environment.
A Last Chance Powerdrive Part 1 and Part 2 by Beaumont, Benedict and
One Life to Ride-A Motorcycle Journey to the High Himalays, by Harisingghani, Ajit.

If you think Enfield as fragile, think again. And many of these folks choose a 350cc because it is fuel efficient, lighter and smoother running. Indians fix them every where. Near every village has an Enfield mechanic.
Want to ride a 110cc Honda step through around the world? Try; The Long Way Home, by Millward, Nathan

A very good book with some real adventure into Russia. Venture into Russia: Three Motorcycle Journeys, by; Bransby Lawrence.

Way to Go, Hill, Goff (Trip is on an Enfield from Delhi to Belfast) The other half is Harley trip in the US. He is rather critical of our "own." First half is quite good.

All are dirt cheap downloaded online to your device. All in English. Beats crap TV.

Ride to the Skies (2103) George Payikad. Written by an India who lives in India. His insights on Enfield are interesting. The wait to own one is over seven months. No wonder of the 175,000 made each year, only 5000 are exported. Sad that the US is such a small market for all motorcycles. The Europeans and Asia get the good stuff.
Title: Re: What are you reading?
Post by: Dazzler on March 18, 2014, 10:41:05 am
Thanks for the post Prof.  I will check them out.  I love to read and reading about motorcycling is the next best thing to being on one.

Das
Title: Re: What are you reading?
Post by: caricabasso on March 18, 2014, 06:22:01 pm
I'm reading "Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance" by Robert Pirsig.
The first part of the book is very interesting and I am going to deal with the second part which is a bit more complicated.
I think a lot of fans of the Royal Enfield can be in tune with the reflections of Pirsig.
Title: Re: What are you reading?
Post by: Roy L. on March 18, 2014, 10:57:11 pm
I just received this in the post:
http://www.royalenfieldbooks.com/efi_bullet_service_manual_cd-1.html (http://www.royalenfieldbooks.com/efi_bullet_service_manual_cd-1.html)
Not looked at it all, but it's pretty informative and has given me the confidence to do some work on it by myself.
I also have the full workshop manual:
http://www.royalenfieldbooks.com/efi_bullet_classic__electra_export_workshop_manua.html (http://www.royalenfieldbooks.com/efi_bullet_classic__electra_export_workshop_manua.html)
which certainly leaves no stone unturned!
I bought an EFI as I have absolutely no technical background at all and wanted a reliable bike and I don't have a workshop.
But next winter I'll be bringing her into my apartment and doing a pretty good tear-down. I plan to ride her as far as the road goes in the not too distant future, so it's time to learn this stuff!

Otherwise, I've just re-read Steinbeck's Cannery Row - again, and now I'm on Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy - again. Next up is Richard Condon's Prizzi's Glory - again. It's just that time of year for old favourites!
Title: Re: What are you reading?
Post by: Royalista on March 19, 2014, 12:26:41 am
Interesting. I have the export workshop manual of 2009. Based on the examples shown I'm under the impression that it has been edited. That would be wonderful.
If the pictures confuse you, there is an online version in the original state with color pictures. Lots of information gets lost in monochrome xerox copies of color prints.
All in all reasonable information. They could however take an example from Chinese motorcycles which are delivered with a full package comprised of a highly detailed workshop manual, comprehensive parts list and the common users' manual. Granted, some notion of chunglish required. Can't have it both ways, unless it's a sausage.  ;D
Title: Re: What are you reading?
Post by: Professor on March 19, 2014, 06:29:07 am
Very diverse readings here. All good. I learn by reading. I have repair manuals and I find that reading them is the first step to figuring things out. You Tube has solved a lot of the mystery, but if the bike is absent from that forum, I agree get a good manual. And yes, English is not US English every where, other cultures add their own flavor. A lot of the Enfield travel books are written by Indians and they are certainly descriptive and entertaining. And man do they love their Enfield bikes to the extreme.

I am wading through "That Near Death Thing" about the Isle of Man TT races. The writer is British. He uses phrases and spins that loose me. I have to slow down to get it all in. I found an interview on line with Guy Martin the English TT rider. I never understood a word he said. And Michael Dunlop from Ireland....forget it. And they speak English, what's wrong with me?
Title: Re: What are you reading?
Post by: Roy L. on March 19, 2014, 08:25:28 am
Hi Royalista
Is there an online colour version of the 220-page workshop manual online somewhere?
The printed version, disappointingly, has pretty poor quality, pixelated, b/w photos.
The "owner's manual" that came with my bike was less than worthless - insulting, even. I've seen better documentation for a computer mouse.

Hey Professor
As a Brit myself from Manchester, I have trouble understanding some British accents. Newcastle, Scotland and Northern Ireland can be, umm.., challenging! Then, the whole of the south of Britain seems to be regressing into Dickensian Londonese. Everyone sounds like David Beckham..
On the subject of accents, my son and I loved watching this recently, btw. What a great guy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yp56sT66D1U (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yp56sT66D1U)
Title: Re: What are you reading?
Post by: Royalista on March 19, 2014, 01:28:40 pm
Hi Roy L.

this is the link:
https://onedrive.live.com/?cid=d74671e4419dc6ca&resid=D74671E4419DC6CA!113&id=D74671E4419DC6CA%21113 (https://onedrive.live.com/?cid=d74671e4419dc6ca&resid=D74671E4419DC6CA!113&id=D74671E4419DC6CA%21113)

The one you're looking for is the Export-manual, ie the online version of the workshop manual that we bought, but with color pictures.
Title: Re: What are you reading?
Post by: Professor on March 19, 2014, 05:25:20 pm
Pop Corn Sutton!!!!!! YES!! a true American hero. What a fun video. I'd love to ride those back roads.

I downloaded the RE manuals, that is treasure site! Perfect. Did not know where to find the material. Thank you.
Title: Re: What are you reading?
Post by: Gypsyjon on March 19, 2014, 11:59:11 pm
Just nailed two of them down. Full report to follow.