[dinomartino1]

Hello all, new member from Perth, West Australia.
Picked up my new classic 500 today, which was one of the last two left in Australia, it's the Redditch edition with the saddle and pillion pad [would like to dump the the pillion pad but need it for the missus] with white piping and red tank but I changed it for a black and chrome tank.
I'm 58 and got my first triumph twin when I was 17 and have mainly rode pre unit Trumpy 650's, I also had a 1970 shovel. I was a motorcycle courier in London on and off for twenty years mainly on 80s Jap bikes and a BMW R65, so I have never had a rear disc brake, EFI or ABS.

Went for my my first one hour ride today and I am just under 5' 7" and average weight, roads where pretty good and dry.
Seat height - Slightly too high I can just get both my heels on the ground at stop but I really have to stretch my legs  it would be nicer lower.
Handlebars - A bit too far forward.
Vibration- I did not go over 50kph and there is vibration, but in my opinion not bad at all but over 50 I'm sure that will increase. Vibration is part of the riding experience for me if it did not vibrate I wouldn't want one.
Handling and suspension are fine for what the bike is though I was on pretty good roads and at low speed.
Front brake - Good
Rear brake - Seemed like a lot of travel in the pedal, felt like a drum brake that was way out of adjustment.
Instrument lighting day riding - Dismal.
Silencer sound - Too pleasant, not after anything ear splitting just a bit louder.
Clutch - Fairly light.
Gearbox - Smooth changes and neutral easy to find.
Indicator switch - Had problems turning them off that should get easier with time, I had to look at the indicators to make sure they where off because of the poor instrument lighting.
Acceleration and power adequate for modern driving within reason.

Overall I am very happy, I bought this knowing it's limitations and in many ways it exceeded what it I was expecting, I had a big smile on my face when I got home and for the more sedate riding style I'm after now the classic should be just right and the missus loves the bike so that's one big hurdle crossed. There are changes I plan to make and all cosmetic.
Remove the reflectors on the forks.
Not a big fan of the rear taillight assembly so will get something smaller maybe the one from BAAK but its pricey.
Mini indicators.
Halcyon round bar end mirrors
I was planning on getting the Hictchock's rounded header pipe and bottle type silencer but they have now stopped selling the silencer in chrome due to the UK environmental laws, increasing price, and finding a good plater, stainless only from now on.
https://accessories.hitchcocksmotorcycles.com/36021?cont_page=information-and-services/Royal-Enfield-Classic-EFI-Accessories&cata=493246&catb=539025&catc=c&catd=d
Option two would be Hitchcock's EXHAUST SYSTEM, EARLY 1950s STYLE UP SWEPT END, 500cc EFI MODELS, though I have not checked with them if it is still chrome.
https://accessories.hitchcocksmotorcycles.com/21072?cont_page=information-and-services/Royal-Enfield-Classic-EFI-Accessories&cata=493246&catb=539025&catc=c&catd=d

BAAK also does this in chrome.
https://www.baakmotocyclettes.com/en/bullet-classic/2506-exhaust-royal-enfield-efi-euro-4
 
For handlebars with more more pullback but not western bars I was looking at these 40s bars, though longer throttle cables will be needed and holes drilled for the controls, these have the most sweep of any non western bars they sell.
https://accessories.hitchcocksmotorcycles.com/74?cont_page=information-and-services/Royal-Enfield-Classic-EFI-Accessories&page=1&cata=493246&catb=493706&catc=c&catd=d

Does anyone have photos of any of those upswept exhausts or the bars on their bikes and one final question do the LYCETT type saddles add more height than the stock seat.

[Carl Fenn]

That’s the issue with these the seat is a little bit to high l had to change mine for one from Hitchcocks and l still find that one just a tad to tall bear in mind I am over 5/11.

[Relic]

Great choice of bike, congratulations on securing one of the last new Classic 500's!

My Classic 500 has a Lycette saddle. I sit slightly higher on this than I did on the OEM seat. Being 6ft / 183cm it's OK for me and I have a long torso / shorter legs for my height.

The upside is that I find the Lycette saddle far more comfortable than the original item, especially on long rides.

Your planned mods sound great.

[gizzo]

Congrats on the new bike and welcome aboard.

The difficult indicator switch: Shouldn't the switch self centre? ie: you push it to one side to indicate you're going that way, then to cancel you push the switch IN, not ACROSS back to centre. Pushing it in makes it cancel and return to centre. Very modern.

[dinomartino1]

Congrats on the new bike and welcome aboard.

The difficult indicator switch: Shouldn't the switch self centre? ie: you push it to one side to indicate you're going that way, then to cancel you push the switch IN, not ACROSS back to centre. Pushing it in makes it cancel and return to centre. Very modern.

I was going back to center and not pushing
in

[axman88]

That’s the issue with these the seat is a little bit to high l had to change mine for one from Hitchcocks and l still find that one just a tad to tall bear in mind I am over 5/11.

When I bought my C5, the seat had a non-standard bracket at the front instead of the rubber torsion block that effectively lowered the front of the seat almost 1".

The bracket was just a ~.250" offset bend in a piece of ~.150" thick bar stock with the back end bolted to the seat pan and the front end acting as a tab through the frame stirrup.

The stock springs were fitted in back, but they were forced into a slightly "arced" shape by the lowering of the front of the seat.  Slightly shorter springs or solid brackets would have been easier to assemble and would have lowered the rear of the seat.

I figured this was cobbled together by a dealer or more likely a garage mechanic in order to lower the seat for the original owner.  I replaced it with a stock rubber torsion bracket.

Another way to lower the saddle height is:
   - shorter rear shocks
   - smaller diameter tire(s)

[Bilgemaster]

Welcome aboard! You were fortunate to even find a new 500. I'd have thought ALL those unsold dealership wallflowers might have shrugged off their cobwebs and found homes by now.

[NickHonda400Four]

As for the tail tidy...The Lucas reproduction tail light and licence plate holder fits nicely and looks more period (widely available online). I also used a flat stainless bar, bent and rounded the ends in order to fix some much smaller LED indicators.

[dinomartino1]

As for the tail tidy...The Lucas reproduction tail light and licence plate holder fits nicely and looks more period (widely available online). I also used a flat stainless bar, bent and rounded the ends in order to fix some much smaller LED indicators.

The lucas style reflector, did you use the hole from the old tail light assembly.

[dickim]

Welcome from a fellow Perth resident (Well Chittering Valley 8km from Bullsbrook / RAAF Pearce) In 2014 I bought a new C5 in Cream & Tan, fitted leather "flat" (old school) seat, mini indicators and the then available muffler, air, & per commander combo.
Use it for Chittering Valley pottering, and a 2020 Chrome  Conti GT for further afield 👍 You will LOVE it!

[dinomartino1]

Welcome from a fellow Perth resident (Well Chittering Valley 8km from Bullsbrook / RAAF Pearce) In 2014 I bought a new C5 in Cream & Tan, fitted leather "flat" (old school) seat, mini indicators and the then available muffler, air, & per commander combo.
Use it for Chittering Valley pottering, and a 2020 Chrome  Conti GT for further afield 👍 You will LOVE it!

I'm north, Balga.

[Crispyduck]

I fit some bar end Halcyon bar end mirrors to my bullet.

Im very happy with them now but i had to remove the little springs inside them and lock them in one position. Before that the mounting was too flexible and the view was blurred due to vibration.

I tried the round ones but switched to the square ones for better vision.

I think the round ones would be fine for the open road but i use mine in the city and the view angle on the round ones wasnt enough.

Cheers

Crispy

[johno]

I'm running one of these silencers, its been on for about 5 years now, louder but not too loud with the baffle in place. its a heck of a lot lighter than the original torpedo as well, giving the bike better balance. https://www.feked.com/exhausts/royal-enfield/