Unofficial Royal Enfield Community Forum
Royal Enfield Motorcycles => Bullet with the UCE engine => Topic started by: NickHonda400Four on January 26, 2016, 01:06:41 pm
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Hello all!
I collected my classic chrome Enfield yesterday. I bought it second hand at a very reasonable price. I imagine many people were put off buying the bike by the terrible rattle coming from the silencer. It's obvious a baffle has broken loose in the upswept silencer and it's louder than the engine and the thump combined.
I need to replace this exhaust, but i'm a little strapped for cash having just bought the bike. I need to have some kind of upswept one for ground clearance because I will be riding on dirt roads for a few miles before I get to something smooth. I like the look of the original upswept silencer, but a replacement is highly expensive unless you opt for another badly made Indian one...many of those also don't include baffles.
The cheapest option looks like the cocktail shaker. I know there are cheaper options but I want something that looks a bit more 'period' than a short megaphone silencer. However...
I came across this: http://www.feked.com/universal-upswept-mini-goldstar-silencer-18-id-38-41mm.html (http://www.feked.com/universal-upswept-mini-goldstar-silencer-18-id-38-41mm.html)
It looks pretty good, a mini Goldstar silencer. I was wondering if anyone else had seen it or tried to fit it?
Has anyone got any other recommendations?
Cheers,
Nick
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Well Nick, that must be more common than I realized. I had "upgraded" my huge 2012 C5 muffler with an economy EFI silencer only to have the baffles in it turn loose about 2 months in & start rattling like crazy. Our Host was kind enough to warranty it out with a higher quality silencer with the same outer appearance, 700+ miles so far with no issues in sight. Sounds like you may need to invest in an angle pipe(bout $40 bucks). The "economy" muffler just wasn't very economical.
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Welcome aboard. Please let us know where you are located so that we can help you find what you are looking for that is within your budget. Also, don't forget to look on eBay. You may find what you are looking for at a more reasonable price.
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Hello Nick, To me that upswept looks to over- sharply upswept, & short @ 18". I think it might look a bit peculiar. I'd also want to know a bit more about specifics of baffling. +1 on the Ebay suggestion.
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Have you considered a second hand Harley Dyna muffler without cat? They look nice and can be had really cheaply. They're a pretty common replacement for thumpers. An angled joiner would take care of the sweep you need.
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I'm a big fan of cocktail shakers personally.
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I purchased a used Harley like new sportster muffler for $20 and it is a huge improvement. Less weight, sounds better and bike runs better. Make sure to get non catalytic type and drill holes thru the internal baffle to reduce back pressure.
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Hello all!
.....
The cheapest option looks like the cocktail shaker. I know there are cheaper options but I want something that looks a bit more 'period' than a short megaphone silencer. However...
I came across this: http://www.feked.com/universal-upswept-mini-goldstar-silencer-18-id-38-41mm.html (http://www.feked.com/universal-upswept-mini-goldstar-silencer-18-id-38-41mm.html)
The spec for the above silencer states that the upsweep angle is 20 degrees off the horizontal. On the same website there is another upswept silencer with a more gentle upsweep angle of 15 degrees. This would look less radical, and maybe more feasible to fit:
http://www.feked.com/universal-reverse-cone-silencer-28-id-35-41mm.html (http://www.feked.com/universal-reverse-cone-silencer-28-id-35-41mm.html)
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Thank you all for your replies! I am in Barcelona, Spain - originally from the UK. I've decided to go for the upswept cocktail shaker. I can't wait to get it fitted because i simply hate riding the bike at the moment due to the baffle rattle. The bike is turning heads, but i think it's for the wrong reason.
I've ordered the shaker off eBay which should arrive this week, it looks pretty similar to the one available from CMW. Does anyone know if it can be fitted straight to the end of the header pipe with no issues? It looks like clearance beneath the rear footpeg might be tight. My guess is that the header pipe could do with a few inches of extension. I could cut a section of the existing upswept pipe to do this but i've not got a garage or any real tools here in Barcelona. I'd be doing this on the street with tourists pointing and laughing!
Thank again everyone!
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it should fit ok . I bought one and its 19" in length and sat well. most come with a 3 pack of reducers which pop into the muffler and slide onto the header pipe and just tighten it up.
now for some humor - say if I had purchased my vast array of accessories from that .com bike site.
you could say my bike would have been be well and truly FEKED!...lol
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Well, we didn't see that one coming Wildbill; still writing your own material then. :) I have used Feked.com and they gave a great service FWIW.
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true...I am a bit or have always been a clown ;D now I have nothing against that company.
I probably would have bought from them myself if for 1. I knew they existed ::) and 2. if I did they changed their .com and removed the "E" and replaced it with "UC" ;)
I could then say there were two parties responsible for FEKING my bike :P
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Thank you everyone for your advice! The bike looks and sounds a million times better now.
Nick
(http://i.imgur.com/XxzxzQd.jpg)
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Hi Nick,
That does look to be a very neat job. More details, please, on the exhaust (did you go for the 18", 20 degree version or the 20", 12/15 degree that is just over half the price), the mounting (did you need an extension to the header pipe, how did the rear support match up, does the upswept pipe interfere with adjusting the chain etc., did you reuse the original heatshield), and most importantly, how has it affected the ride? Photos of the mountings would be very much appreciated!
Again a good looking job for a reasonable outlay, I'd say. Well done! Tracendaz.
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More details as requested.
I went for the upswept tulip silencer sold by classicbikeshop.co.uk (http://classicbikeshop.co.uk) they also have an eBay store. It comes with 3 internal bore reducers, I had to use one - it's fitted straight onto the header pipe with no extension. The heat shield is the stock version. I simply reused the front clamp to attach it to the header pipe. As for the rear fixing I used a jubilee clip (not sure what you call them over the pond). The clip was tightened solid around the end of the header pipe, then the tail was bent back over itself. I drilled a small 3mm hole through the overlapped tails and screwed the hex nut into it, ensuring it tapped itself in as I tightened it. I also took care not to over tighten it so it didn't strip the makeshift thread in the tail. The heat shield is slightly springy at the back because of this. As long as it doesn't rattle, I can live with that.
(http://i.imgur.com/UNKNcYN.jpg)
Here you can see the jubilee clip on the end of the header pipe just before the silencer clamp.
The silencer came with a mounting bracket. I cut the bracket to length and drilled an 8mm hole for the bolt. It is attached to where the mudguard stay meets the frame, just behind the rear footrest. I used the same bolt that was holding the original silencer on here, however it's a little too short. I had to do without the spring washer and put a dab of lock tight on the thread instead. The pipe did naturally want to sit a bit high, it would make contact with the frame in this position. I ensured the fixing bracket pushed the silencer down a bit so it didn't touch the frame.
(http://i.imgur.com/mqvessU.jpg)
A view of my bad craftsmanship - but it shows how it all fits together. Note how there is no thread poking out the end of the nut for the mount on the frame. I'll hopefully find a longer bolt and replace it.
(http://i.imgur.com/4hcV8xN.jpg)
The rear footpeg bracket does touch the silencer at the moment. I think I will slacken the bolt off slightly and rotate it about 10 degrees so it doesn't touch. You can see how this should work in the side view picture below.
(http://i.imgur.com/jANwXKQ.jpg)
I did this modification in the street. With no access to a vice, cutting the silencer bracket was a little difficult and you can see that the finish is a tad rough. When I find some time I'll file it flush and smooth. I think I can access the chain adjusters without removal of parts. It certainly looks more hopeful than it did with the old silencer.
In terms of the ride. It's unbelievably better. But you must remember I had a upswept exhaust with a broken baffle that rattled all the way through the rev range. This silencer is a little loud to be honest. It sounds great, and if you ride very gently you can keep it quiet-ish. It's approaching Harley volume. But saying that, there are mopeds on the streets of Barcelona that are louder still. The idle is a comfortable volume but when you apply the 'beans' it certainly gets louder. I'm not sure what it would be like on an open road yet because I'm stuck in the city for a few weeks. The bike starts and idles just as easily as it did. It occasionally ‘pops’ when downshifting, but i’m not complaining. My Honda 400 Four garbles constantly when decelerating - it’s not like that, just the occasional pop. I have noticed that acceleration isn’t quite as smooth in 1st gear. If you’re going for a very gentle start off the line, like when you’re stuck in traffic, you can sometimes feel the bike lurch as you start opening the throttle. This isn’t the clutch or me suddenly giving it tons of throttle so it floods the engine. It feels like the engine floods for a moment then goes back to normal. It lasts less than a second. I’m hoping this gets better as the ECU figures out whats going on.
Nick
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Looks great, Nick!
I, too was thinking of maybe a slight rotation outward for the bottle.
Also, could you tell us about your luggage rack? Where'd you get it? Feked?
Looks to be mounted to the shock bolts and mudguard rail.
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Looks great, Nick!
I, too was thinking of maybe a slight rotation outward for the bottle........
That's exactly what I did on the Blackhawk.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/lethalinj/HooliganIndian2_zps88fc1297.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lethalinj/media/HooliganIndian2_zps88fc1297.jpg.html)
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I think the luggage rack is from hitchcocks. I don't know exactly because it came with the bike - which i've only owned for about 2 weeks. It could've been fitted by the dealer here in Barcelona, but the hitchcocks 'rear carrier' looks remarkably similar. It's then got the Givi pad fitted to that so the top box can easily come off. I also noticed a mini 12v cigarette lighter inside the top box. Thats a bit futuristic!
check out the frame here: http://www.hitchcocksmotorcycles.com/accessory-frame-luggage
Nick
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Nick, many thanks for the comprehensive write-ups and the pictures, very helpful indeed. Regards Tracendaz.
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Noproblemo tracendaz!
I've just noticed a bit of soot behind the exhaust clamp in the top picture. That certainly indicates a leak. I always presumed a leak in this area was good for allowing condensed water to drain out when the bike is first started. However, this is my first EFI bike. Would an air gap confuse the ECU and adjust the fuel/air mix? Would that explain the lurching thing I mentioned?
Nick
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Noproblemo tracendaz!
I've just noticed a bit of soot behind the exhaust clamp in the top picture. That certainly indicates a leak. I always presumed a leak in this area was good for allowing condensed water to drain out when the bike is first started. However, this is my first EFI bike. Would an air gap confuse the ECU and adjust the fuel/air mix? Would that explain the lurching thing I mentioned?
Nick
I never noticed any real exhaust leak there other than the carbon deposit, myself, but it most definitely does allow condensation to escape from there.
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There is no benefit to any exhaust leak. Condensation quickly evaporates as steam as the bike warms up.
Best to fix the exhaust leak.