Royal Enfield Interceptor 2019

[Raymond]

It's the header pipes - they are long and they 'snake' to avoid frame, footrests, etc. They are big, fat and shiny so must be double-skin.

Hitchcocks sell replacement stainless headers but need to check if they are shorter and more tucked. There will be many others making headers too and it's only a minor point, not urgent.

Don't have a picture that tells the story but here's one PO took:

 

[Raymond]

Postie has delivered the relay I ordered from Hitchcocks yesterday!

So went to take a look. First pic is the single Allen screw to release the l/h side cover. Second is the original toolkit, present and correct. Third is the bank of relays - there's four of 'em. Fourth picture I was hoping to show the liberal white goo on the pins and inside the connector block but photo is burned out by low sun and this is not an adjustable camera.





Just took a look, stashed the new relay under the seat and closed 'er up. Advice welcome on sommat to dissolve/remove the white goo - don't know what it is or how to remove without a lot of mess or damage to plastic components.

 

[jetmechmarty]

Advice welcome on sommat to dissolve/remove the white goo - don't know what it is or how to remove without a lot of mess or damage to plastic components.

I’d love to know what it is. I could have use for it. I’d love to know how to remove dielectric grease as well. Contact cleaner doesn’t seem to bother it. That grease in the RE relay has to be non conductive, so my assumption is it is some kind of dielectric grease. I really hate that stuff.

 

[JOHNDADDY]

WD 40 should work, good degreaser and ok for wires.

 

[Melnic]

When I was researching the interceptor, I swear I saw a video or write up on how to remove the white grease so keep researching.

You may have to remove some stuff to pull everything away from the bike or put something to trap the spray, goo from getting over other parts.

On a similar note, my 2007 Sportster had the the known issue that it had NO Dialectric grease on the fuses and relays and people told others to put it on cause rain would flow right onto the fuse block on the left side and get the contacts wet. I never did that cause I was garage kept and the bike is gone now. Never wanted to go on an overnight trip on that bike where I would leave it outside anyway.

 

[Jim]

Most likely that stuff is what we called (in the airplane world) "instrument grease." It's main properties, other than being a persistent lubricant, is it's dielectric properties and being extremely thin so as to not interfere with moving parts like like electro/mechanical switches and relays.

Anyone ever tear apart an ignition switch and attendant plastic parts on a Ford or GM steering column? If you did you noticed all the slippery white shit all over everything..... instrument grease... or more correctly, Ford and GM's low cost version of it.

To be honest, I'm skeptical of it actually being a problem. Moving relay mechanisms is kinda what it was invented for.... unless of course the Indian's used a sub par version of it.

And Raymond, google "Bosch type automotive relay." It's a widely used relay... you can't throw a 9/16" wrench inside a modern car without hitting at least a dozen of 'em. Most auto parts store will have a shelf full of 'em.

 

[motormike]

So far.... cross yer pinkies.. I have not had any relay issues on my 20' Interceptor.... I did order a few spares and a OBD unit to diagnose if it throws a code and a relay tester.

 

[Jan_P]

Sounds interesting with the self adapting fueling and ignition
? Legal issues in California ..
? Is it an Indian company solution.
Any more info available

 

[Its been a long time]

Sounds interesting with the self adapting fueling and ignition
? Legal issues in California ..
? Is it an Indian company solution.
Any more info available

It is common for modern systems to run part of the time in closed loop mode. That's where the sensors on the engine learn how the engine is running and adjust the ECU to suit.

 

[Jan_P]

It is common for modern systems to run part of the time in closed loop mode. That's where the sensors on the engine learn how the engine is running and adjust the ECU to suit.

Yes Sir but I understand this as also doing it after " hardware " modification pipes and intake . Larger system change that I believe can be illegal in California sometimes. I vaguely remember having read it for car tuners getting fines

 

[Its been a long time]

Yes Sir but I understand this as also doing it after " hardware " modification pipes and intake . Larger system change that I believe can be illegal in California sometimes. I vaguely remember having read it for car tuners getting fines

Pipes and intake, that's perfectly within the normal learning capability of a modern fuel injection system in closed loop mode.

 

[Raymond]

Sounds interesting with the self adapting fueling and ignition
? Legal issues in California ..
? Is it an Indian company solution.
Any more info available

Sorry, @Jan_P I don't know any more - the fuel injection system is a load of Bosch to me.

California probably has special rules and in the past manufacturers have often made special Cali models. For India, RE's use of EFI instead of carbs is surely a sign of changing times - city sales outlets win over village shade tree mechanics?

 

[Raymond]

Scott's View on a cold late-March morning.

 

[Raymond]

Today, after a 35 mile run to warm the oil of course, bit of polishing engine cases.





All I've done is ride the bike a coupla hundred miles, on mostly dry roads. And left it in the garage for a week away. But the alloy cases have gone slightly spotty. So quick rub with Solvol - other metal polishes are available - and they soon come back to shiny. Have I made a mistake buying such a blingy bike? It perhaps goes without saying that I'm not going to spend as much time cleaning and polishing as the PO.

What's best for preserving the polished look? Should I go over it with wax polish?

I supposes a bling bike has certain compensations - gratuitous shot of the rather lovely office:



I will offer in my defence that as well as polishing, I did also adjust the gear lever. Moved it down a fraction so that I don't have my foot splayed outwards to avoid the lever.

 

[jetmechmarty]

On this side of the pond, we have Sharkhide Metal Protectant and clear urethane paint from POR-15. I had 20+ good years with the POR-15 product. It’s as hard as woodpecker lips. Brake parts cleaner ultimately damaged it. It seems everything has its kryptonite.

 

[Jim]

I use Turtle Wax on engine cases. Any good quality paste wax should do the trick.

 

[Raymond]

Thank you for the suggestions. Wax polish was the answer I was hoping for. Looked up Sharkhide and interestingly Google suggested Lanocare. So I'm wondering if it might be worth wiping over with the lanolin stuff I bought last year?

Bit of a novice when it comes to looking after such a shiny sickle in the way it is accustomed to . . .

 

[Mailman]

Have I made a mistake buying such a blingy bike? It perhaps goes without saying that I'm not going to spend as much time cleaning and polishing as the PO.
Bit of a novice when it comes to looking after such a shiny sickle in the way it is accustomed to . . .

Maybe I’m weird, but I really enjoy detailing vehicles. Get a little music playing, get in the zone and just spend some quality time hanging out in the garage.

 

[Raymond]

. . . Get a little music playing, get in the zone and just spend some quality time hanging out in the garage.

Your garage is probably warm. Mine is cold and uncomfortable for a large part of the year, and when it's not cold, I'm genrally out on two wheels.

 

[willis]

I just saw the RE 120yr editions. Pretty sharp. I think they went a bit far with the blacking out though. That tank is a black chrome which looks really nice

https://www.royalenfield.com/in/en/120thedition/