2003 Royal Enfield 500 Deluxe

Raymond
I think you will do well with the RE. You understand what it is and what it isn't.
With proper care and service it will be as dependable as a XS650. It's a lot like a 650 the better you treat it the better it treats you.
 
Raymond, from the photos I get what you mean about the seat colour being too light. Ebay is the place for the isopropyl alcohol, also AKA isopropanol. I am not sure if isopropyl alcohol is strong enough to remove leather sealers?? This process is called deglazing so perhaps check out deglazers on UTube and Ebay. I have heard of Acetone being used for deglazing, but that was third hand information. Might be best to remove the seat before attacking if.

When you restain the seat any imperfections like scratches will go darker. Might be best done as a couple of coats to slowly build the colour up. Also, check if the dye needs a sealer to go over the top, a lot now are self-sealing. The stitching might not take the dye.

Have fun and roll on Spring/Summer.

Edit: Reference to the use of Acetone https://www.hartandhive.com/blogs/news/how-to-restore-an-old-leather-couch
 
Last edited:
Nice bike ( have not read trough all )
A few comments
I think it looks strange with blinkers on that type of bike I know it is a safety feature But I know of one BSA 33 owner back then sticking his arm out when turning..(It was legal then at least I still do it in town since the blinkers don't cancel and come next crossing it is dangerous you give turn signal without intent turning )
He also had some legendary starting difficulties even worse than for a Norton

Isopropyl Alcohol I can buy at a Pharmacy here ( I have used it for cleaning CD records )

Leather can be colored in different ways some are like painted on the surface others have deeper color
Suggestion here is the same red as on the bike or old school black

I would consider have someone ( Why not the Mrs ..if a reasonably old sewing machine it is possible at home ) sew a cover over the saddle or even make my own cover. Removing the brown
By the looks of it there is stitches all around on the outside if one opens these stitches ( Does not look as a first class Job )
the cover can be taken off and used for measurements
Then the new cover can be made and the old kept in storage. I would skip the hatch pattern .and consider a bit more padding.
It depend on the person but I have heard of people having problems with saddle firmness
 
Paul Sutton said:
I am not sure if isopropyl alcohol is strong enough to remove leather sealers?? This process is called deglazing so perhaps check out deglazers
Click to expand...
Years ago, when I was a recruit at Parris Island, SC, we used shaving cream for the job. That's right, we scrubbed our new shoes with shaving cream. As I recall, it stripped them just fine. If you have some on hand, it's easy enough to try.
 
Hello Raymond,
I work in the furniture upholstery sector.
There are many different types of leather; but they fall into three main group types:
1. Fully Sealed = Fully protected
2. Semi-Aniline = Medium to light protection
3. Full-Aniline = Natural skin product; No protection

Groups 1 & 2 have a painted surface of, usually, polyurethane based colour.
Group 1 is Sh*t, usually used on cheap products manufactured in the far east.
The leathers are generally mechanically processed and the top surface is finished with the paint product.
Be careful here as any 'de-glazing' products may well strip the 'paint surface' off the hide.
Always test in a less obvious area. You may take the paint off the surface.
You will not effectively darken a painted leather surface unless you prepare, prime and repaint.
You also have diamond stitching which the stripping products may effect and cause rot, depending what the stitching thread material is.

Group 3 are pure natural skin products, usually through dyed with water based natural vegetable based pigments.
Sometimes they have a natural wax or oiled polished top finish.
They have no sealing surface treatments and develop a natural darker 'patina' with use.
Like and old school satchel or saddle of yore.
These leathers can easily take a staining product and darken the overall colour.
Buy a propitiatory leather stain and build up the colour in stages.

I cannot tell from the images what type of leather you have.
This is a simplistic view of a more complex subject.
I only advise caution before you start.
Or simply get the seat recovered in a leather of your choice.
Ads:devil:
 
Raymond said:
I hope to end up with a gentleman's motorcycle for dignified puttering around the area. Mrs thinks I'll need to don a brown leather jacket and brown boots.
Click to expand...

D53D9860-EB21-40C1-95E2-4E6AF8CE1FB1.jpeg Perhaps a tweed jacket, wool cap and a pipe? :D
 
Thank you All for your kind comments!

Paul and Adam, very helpful guidance on the seat. Today, went to ebay and ordered some isopropanol, some Feibings leather dye in moccasin brown and the same company's Resolene Neutral finish. The idea seems to be, clean off the existing finish, build up the colour with a few coats and seal it in with Resolene or similar product. If the leather proves to be Group 1 or 2 and won't clean up properly, then I guess I'll have to go shopping again. Mrs has volunteered to think about Christmas presents . . .

Have pulled the saddle off the bike:

PICT2753.JPG


And was surprised to find this:

PICT2752.JPG


Boyer Bransden Power box. Apparently it's a self-regulating rectifier (get you!) with internal capacitance. Used it seems to replace the rectifier & regulator but also to run without a battery and to convert old 6v bikes to 12v. The Bullet has a battery and is already 12v so not sure why this has been fitted. Or what other changes have been made to the wiring.

But, the battery won't charge. Connected the BatteryFighter which as expected went straight to Red. It usually does, while it assesses battery condition. But it sat at Red for three hours till I switched it off. Voltmeter was showing the battery at 13.46v so am beginning to think that the presence of the Power box has prevented the charger from assessing the state of the battery. Or sommat like that? Anybody know anything about Power boxes?

That's it for today.
 
Raymond said:
Have I made a terrible mistake? Part-exchanged the Honda NX250 for this:

View attachment 201820

View attachment 201821

View attachment 201822

(ignore the dates on the pictures, obviously)

I don't even know what it is yet. Apart from it's a pre-unit, old-school, single cylinder 500 made in Madras. Which we must remember to call Chennai now. Bullet 500, supposedly Deluxe and said to be a 2003 bike. 4-speed, r/h change, iron barrel.

But such notable authorities as MCN (Ha!) clearly state that electric start didn't come until 2004. And that by then the Bullet had a 5-speed gearbox and l/h change.

Oh well, it's getting to know you time again . . .
Click to expand...

She looks like something you'd see on Downton Abbey....wot?
 
Thank you, Bob. Have had very good support from the chaps at Boyer in the past. So I might send them an email and ask for their explanation of the problem. There was a time when you could just pick up a phone and speak directly to their technical staff.

But today, plan is to remove the battery and charge it free-standing.

Then the question is, put battery back on the bike or leave it out to give it continued TLC until next Spring? Coz it looks like I won't tax the bike or use it this year. Never mind, lots more to look at on the RE, draw up a list of things to check, adjust, replace, upgrade.

MaxPete said:
She looks like something you'd see on Downton Abbey....wot?
Click to expand...

Yes, Pete, I'm not a Downton Abbey viewer but fully agree the Bullet has a distinct olde worlde charm despite being the 21st century bike referred to here:

http://www.xs650.com/threads/modern-bikes-you-have-one.60558/page-3#post-715901

Another of the dealer's pictures:

royal-enfield-bullet-500-c.jpg
 
Quick response from the ever-helpful people at help@boyerbransden.com

Relevant passage:

This problem could occur if the battery charger has an advanced (smart) 'high voltage' battery test/desulphation mode.
If the power Box remains connected to the battery, it may regulate an especially high charging voltage.
To use a chargers battery recovery mode, removal of the battery, or its fuse to isolate it, would be recommended.
 
RE your boyer box: Did a little poking around and found this guy who used a Wassel Reg/Rec. Read here.
You can get one on your side of the pond for about 30 quid... here.
I think I'd be tempted to go back to a more "normal" setup and ditch the Boyer. Justa' thought.
 
5twins said:
Have you figured out yet why it is a 4 speed but has an electric starter?
Click to expand...
MaxPete said:
...indeed - now THAT is an intriguing question for sure.
Click to expand...
It's a very good question. I would certainly like to know more and maybe one day I might but this is what I know just now.

It seems that electric starting was fitted to some bikes (probably for export?) from 2001 and 4-speed r/h change gearboxes remained an option until the new unit-construction engine (UCE) in 2009. Don't know if option means a customer option - 4-speed bikes might have been sold in some markets but not others?

The RE Club responded to my query on the VIN and engine number and think it's a correct, factory built bike but don't state a sub-model. It's a Bullet 500 Deluxe. Deluxe relates to the trim, ie chrome plated tank, chrome mudguards, a certain style of toolboxes. That apart it's a Bullet 500. Period.

Later years, there were recognised sub-models like Bullet 500 Sixty-five (had the 5-speed box) or Bullet E (had CDI ignition). Has a KPH speedo but I have no idea what market it was intended for. Maybe the V5 will tell me if it was first registered in the UK or imported privately later on.

Seems like 2002 was a period of change. Some bikes but not all were going out the door with e-start. CDI ignition had not yet arrived, likewise the Sixty-five. Apparently, the Enfield factory began using more metric fasteners from July 2002. Um, my bike was built in July 2002, so . . .

Bit like the confusion surrounding periods of change that sometimes occurred in the British Bike factories, the main difference being Enfield India kept going.
 
Last edited:
Jim, we crossed. Don't yet know what I'll do - going to take a little bit of time and look at the electrics. I happen to have a rec/reg a lot like the one you linked to, bought for the Yam but didn't get fitted, and I have already been wondering if that might be an option for the RE.

As long as it's reliable, don't intend to do a complete re-wire on the bike. But if I change me mind, got a long Scottish winter coming along soon.
 
Raymond said:
I happen to have a rec/reg a lot like the one you linked to, bought for the Yam but didn't get fitted, and I have already been wondering if that might be an option for the RE.
Click to expand...
Keep in mind Raymond that there's different types of regulators... you'll need to research and find out if the alternator is a PMA setup or the more traditional automotive type that uses the battery to power the rotor. Once you've done that, you can start to narrow it down to what you need.
 
Back
Top