2003 Royal Enfield 500 Deluxe

Today, took the Bullet when I went to visit Elliot - just got himself a 1973 R75/5 and he wondered about replacing the flat bar with a low-rise superbike bend so I took one over for him to try.

110-mile round trip. Various sorts of road from narrow single-track lanes to the busy A1 trunk road. Tailwind on the way down but of course headwind coming home. The bike was being asked to work harder and for longer but coped fine. Oh, and I really enjoyed the ride.

Has done 780 miles since fitting the new piston - gonna call that run in.
 
Raymond said:
Today, took the Bullet when I went to visit Elliot - just got himself a 1973 R75/5 and he wondered about replacing the flat bar with a low-rise superbike bend so I took one over for him to try.

110-mile round trip. Various sorts of road from narrow single-track lanes to the busy A1 trunk road. Tailwind on the way down but of course headwind coming home. The bike was being asked to work harder and for longer but coped fine. Oh, and I really enjoyed the ride.

Has done 780 miles since fitting the new piston - gonna call that run in.
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Great trip Raymond, I’m glad the RE is behaving well.
Any piccies of the R75? I like old BMW’s
 
Adamc said:
Great trip Raymond, I’m glad the RE is behaving well.
Any piccies of the R75? I like old BMW’s
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Sorry, Ads, never thought to take pictures.

Elliot has snapped up a beaut - it's the classic old BMW but tastefully pimped. Chrome toaster side panels, cream tank, chromed headlamp, cream mudguards with black speed stripe. He's still finding things that have been changed. For example, there's no kick-start but he didn't realise until he got the bike home it's not just that the lever has been removed - the gearbox and clutch have been swapped out for later Series 6 or 7 bits.

I sat on the bike and it feels right - low and solid, nuffin like the present day GSs.
 
Raymond said:
Sorry, Ads, never thought to take pictures.

Elliot has snapped up a beaut - it's the classic old BMW but tastefully pimped. Chrome toaster side panels, cream tank, chromed headlamp, cream mudguards with black speed stripe. He's still finding things that have been changed. For example, there's no kick-start but he didn't realise until he got the bike home it's not just that the lever has been removed - the gearbox and clutch have been swapped out for later Series 6 or 7 bits.

I sat on the bike and it feels right - low and solid, nuffin like the present day GSs.
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A bike built to last for a lifetime one of those.
 
Another go at the exhaust mountings.

PICT1108.JPG



There's one bolt holding the bracket at the rear, the clamp twixt header and silencer, a nut holding the header bracket to the frame and, uhm, that's all folks. The header is just pushed into the head - all in all, not a very well supported exhaust system.

The clamp doesn't do much - header is a very slack fit into silencer. Oh, there is a little open-ended bracket on the back of the silencer but not doin' much as there's nowhere to fit it to. Until today. Used a short length, maybe 2" of mild steel, drilled a hole one end to go on the footrest mount and one at 'tother end to meet the unused open-ended bracket. Pushed a bolt through and tightened up. Fitted the clamp with a length of gasket paper wrapped around the header pipe to take up the slack. I don't expect that to be a permanent solution, but the exhaust feels much better supported now. Oh, I loosened the header bracket, gave the header a clout with a rubber mallet to push it better into the head, tightened the bracket again.

Been out for a couple errands since and it sounds better.

Minor fettling . . .
 
The Bullet has a few oil leaks but not bad. Of late, the primary drive weeps and there's an odd drip from under the engine, it might be from the gearbox or the back of the clutch. If I leave the bike for twenty-four hours with a clean drip tray under, then I expect to see one or possibly two drips so not very major. But sometimes the bloody bike chooses to mark its territory with a drip from the primary cover just after a run so I have to place a precautionary drip tray as soon as I get off.

Over the last few days, there's oil appearing on the fins, seems to be the cylinder head joint. I remember somebody saying the head bolts need to be tightened after a few heat cycles, just the same as on our Yamahas. Well, 900 miles since the rebuild is more than a few heat cycles so I took the oil as a reminder that I've been remiss.

Tank off, rocker boxes off, now the six bolts are available. Was thinking at first I would have to put the engine to tdc on compression but then realised that is completely not necessary for just snugging 'em down.


PICT1116.JPG


Picture shows three of the studs, there's more two under the exhaust rocker cover and one just below the plug. Also visible is the length of clear plastic tube bodge which has for now cured the sticky throttle cable. Putting the tank on would move the cable forward and yank the cable just a bit . . .

Anyhoo, set the torque wrench to 20 lb-ft and gently applied to all six studs - to my surprise all of them took about a quarter turn before the click. At least that's consistent. I think the head gasket has settled down, but a 90° turn sounds to me like I'm snugging down about 10 thou?

The gaskets look oily but don't appear to be leaking. So I've put the rocker box covers back, if they leak new gaskets will be cut. Bushed the fins with Muc Off - other cleaners are available - and rinsed. Started the engine to make sure I haven't drowned the electrics, ran it for a few minutes, but mental note to check the tappets after torquing the head down so far.

We'll see if that has stopped the leak. Seems like this dirty girl like to be fiddled with every now and again.
 
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Raymond said:
The Bullet has a few oil leaks but not bad. Of late, the primary drive weeps and there's an odd drip from under the engine, it might be from the gearbox or the back of the clutch. If I leave the bike for twenty-four hours with a clean drip tray under, then I expect to see one or possibly two drips so not very major. But sometimes the bloody bike chooses to mark its territory with a drip from the primary cover just after a run so I have to place a precautionary drip tray as soon as I get off.

Over the last few days, there's oil appearing on the fins, seems to be the cylinder head joint. I remember somebody saying the head bolts need to be tightened after a few heat cycles, just the same as on our Yamahas. Well, 900 miles since the rebuild is more than a few heat cycles so I took the oil as a reminder that I've been remiss.

Tank off, rocker boxes off, now the six bolts are available. Was thinking at first I would have to put the engine to tdc on compression but then realised that is completely not necessary for just snugging 'em down.


View attachment 334261

Picture shows three of the studs, there's two under the exhaust rocker cover and one just below the plug. Also visible is the length of clear plastic tube bodge which has for now cured the sticky throttle cable. Putting the tank on would move the cable forward and yank the cable just a bit . . .

Anyhoo, set the torque wrench to 20 lb-ft and gently applied to all six studs - to my surprise all of them took about a quarter turn before the click. At least that's consistent. I think the head gasket has settled down, but a 90° turn sounds to me like I'm snugging down about 10 thou?

The gaskets look oily but don't appear to be leaking. So I've put the rocker box covers back, if they leak new gaskets will be cut. Bushed the fins with Muc Off - other cleaners are available - and rinsed. Started the engine to make sure I haven't drowned the electrics, ran it for a few minutes, but mental note to check the tappets after torquing the head down so far.

We'll see if that has stopped the leak. Seems like this dirty girl like to be fiddled with every now and again.
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Hi Raymond, what is that silver metal cylinder thingy coming out of the head? At first i though it was the spark plug, but then I noticed the spark plug was on the other side.
 
Yup, decompressor, it's a laff. Push kicker gently down till it stops solid, pull the decomp, push the engine over tdc and listen as the engine breathes - an audible wheeze! Bring kicker back up, switch ignition ON, a long slow stroke and the engine starts, chuff, chuff, chuff.

A delightful rigmarôle, half the reason I ride the Bullet.
 
Raymond said:
If I leave the bike for twenty-four hours with a clean drip tray under, then I expect to see one or possibly two drips
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When I had my old Triumph Bonneville, even though I considered the engine to be fairly oil tight, I always had the same ritual after returning from a long ride with the motor good and hot. I’d grab my rag and give a swipe along the case and cover seams just to get any vapor film off, then I’d slide a piece of newspaper under it after I parked it. The next morning I’d always be rewarded with a fresh drip. 😄 Just the nature of the beast.
 
Took the 500 to the filling station. And on the way home, took a detour over Lilliard's Edge, where we attended a music festival on Sunday. Today, the big marquees have all gone, just a lorry packing stuff up. So, nothing to see even if I had remembered to stop for a photo.

By way of recompense, here's one I took when we got home again.


PICT1117.JPG


Just a small patch of sunlight - the back yard will see less and less Sun as the year goes on.

Early days, but no sign of oil on the fins . . .
 
jaybar6 said:
Hi Raymond, what is the best cruising speed for the bullet - 45mph?
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Good question, @jaybar6.

When I bought the bike, @motormike told me here https://www.xs650.com/threads/2003-royal-enfield-500-deluxe.60842/post-718089 that a dealer told him they are only good for 45, which was a big disappointment. However, on the RE Community Forum, word is a 500 Bullet will do 60 all day, 70 when required and 80 - once!

A limiting factor is the cast pistons the Chennai factory fits, which have huge cooling slots. Push the revs, top can fly off the piston and put a rapid halt to proceedings. A common mod in the UK is fitting a British made forged piston which is a lot stronger and removes that particular risk. So I took a look inside to see what piston was in there - the Indian original. Bought a forged one from Hitchcocks and swapped - see a few pages back for the whole story.

Right now all seems to be good with the new piston. T'other day the weather was trying to rain so I were pressing on - these things are relative - to get home before it got too bad. Fifteen miles at mostly 60-70 ish? And the bike seems happy at that sort of speed.

A chap in Wales, Paul Henshaw aka Bullet Whisperer, builds high-performance engines for them - again these things are relative - and they are said to hold together well at highish speeds. But would you want to do 80 or 90 on a bike with 1940s style brakes and suspension? Not sure if I would.

Hope that answers?
 
Raymond said:
Good question, @jaybar6.

When I bought the bike, @motormike told me here https://www.xs650.com/threads/2003-royal-enfield-500-deluxe.60842/post-718089 that a dealer told him they are only good for 45, which was a big disappointment. However, on the RE Community Forum, word is a 500 Bullet will do 60 all day, 70 when required and 80 - once!

A limiting factor is the cast pistons the Chennai factory fits, which have huge cooling slots. Push the revs, top can fly off the piston and put a rapid halt to proceedings. A common mod in the UK is fitting a British made forged piston which is a lot stronger and removes that particular risk. So I took a look inside to see what piston was in there - the Indian original. Bought a forged one from Hitchcocks and swapped - see a few pages back for the whole story.

Right now all seems to be good with the new piston. T'other day the weather was trying to rain so I were pressing on - these things are relative - to get home before it got too bad. Fifteen miles at mostly 60-70 ish? And the bike seems happy at that sort of speed.

A chap in Wales, Paul Henshaw aka Bullet Whisperer, builds high-performance engines for them - again these things are relative - and they are said to hold together well at highish speeds. But would you want to do 80 or 90 on a bike with 1940s style brakes and suspension? Not sure if I would.

Hope that answers?
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interesting Raymond! Once i was living and working in Cambridge and the dealership there for royal enfield MOT- ed my xs. I asked him if i could ride a bullet at 60mph all day down to the coast of France med and he said no. so you have answered that question with a new piston.
 
Raymond said:
Thank you for your comments, Gentlemen!

Managed a very brief run on local lanes this morning but then the Cooncil lorries came out to spread the salt. So I will SORN, not likely to be out again till Spring and will have to be content with a bit of tinkering.

The first impressions from a brief ride - it's tiny, but heavy for its size, so perhaps solid is the word. Sounds like motorbikes used to sound in the black & white days. Nice torque. Abundance of false neutrals, though that improved markedly after I adjusted the clutch pushrod. Leans a helluva long way on the side-stand - look for longer one. The bike looks pure 1950s except for the switchgear - look for more antique looking handlebar switches. Very easy to kick start. Have not troubled to use the e-start.

Seems to have been well looked after - doted on?

I would like the seat to evolve to a darker shade of chestnut in place of the pale tan.

Sent email to the RE Club with the VIN and engine number - they confirm manufacture July 2002, 4-speed, 500cc, export model, Deluxe. Which I think refers to the trim, chrome tank mainly.

Useful side boxes. Electrics in the l/h one, the r/h one for a gentleman to store his gherkin sarnie?
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Looks like a cool and fun bike, enjoy
 
Raymond said:
Good question, @jaybar6.

When I bought the bike, @motormike told me here https://www.xs650.com/threads/2003-royal-enfield-500-deluxe.60842/post-718089 that a dealer told him they are only good for 45, which was a big disappointment. However, on the RE Community Forum, word is a 500 Bullet will do 60 all day, 70 when required and 80 - once!

A limiting factor is the cast pistons the Chennai factory fits, which have huge cooling slots. Push the revs, top can fly off the piston and put a rapid halt to proceedings. A common mod in the UK is fitting a British made forged piston which is a lot stronger and removes that particular risk. So I took a look inside to see what piston was in there - the Indian original. Bought a forged one from Hitchcocks and swapped - see a few pages back for the whole story.

Right now all seems to be good with the new piston. T'other day the weather was trying to rain so I were pressing on - these things are relative - to get home before it got too bad. Fifteen miles at mostly 60-70 ish? And the bike seems happy at that sort of speed.

A chap in Wales, Paul Henshaw aka Bullet Whisperer, builds high-performance engines for them - again these things are relative - and they are said to hold together well at highish speeds. But would you want to do 80 or 90 on a bike with 1940s style brakes and suspension? Not sure if I would.

Hope that answers?
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"would you want to do 80 or 90 on a bike with 1940s style brakes and suspension?"

Be great if you could video that for the members Raymond;); mind you your photo image gallery is quite lacking so maybe not :shrug:
 
Sometimes, you get the easy fix, and sometimes your don't.

Became aware that the rear brake light was not working. Quick check, works fine off the front brake so it's not a blown bulb. Opened the l/h tool box where the switch lives and found this:

PICT1118.JPG

Oh good, the easy fix! Those two white 2-pin connectors have come undone. Push them together, test and . . . still don't work. Hurrumph. Usually when you find something that accounts for the problem you are home and dry. It's hard to believe there's another fault as well? That was enough for yesterday.

Further investigation needed. You will see the switch with its spring, pull-rod and quaint domestic-looking connections are under a dirty bracket? When I said I totally rewired the bike, I lied - I never removed that bracket to look at the rear brake switch. Today I did, to finally get eyes on the switch and here gentlemen are the only remaining wires on the bike I haven't replaced:

PICT1122.JPG


The red power feed has just given up and who can blame it? Find a pair of wires, re-use the two-pin connector, stuff the bare ends in the brass connectors, bit of ubiquitous clear plastic tube to armour the cable and reassemble.

PICT1123.JPG

Rear brake light function restored.

The hours of pleasure our bikes give us FOC.
 
Just to prove we go out and about, naughty girl spotted in a farm yard a few miles from here.

PICT1124.JPG



She gets referred to as the naughty girl due to habit of leaving an occasional drip of oil in the yard. Which I attempt to clear up with stain remover. To the apparent amusement of others living in this house . . .

Coming home from the photo shoot, was running well but to me a wee bit tappety. Had the pleasure of encountering a rider on an proper old British single - 1950s or earlier. Couldn't identify either. But the bike had a lozenge shape silencer often associated with Velocettes.

Casting an eye over the barrel (sorry) after the run - giving the bike a once over almost a necessity but deffo a good habit - was disappointed to see fresh oil. Might be coming from those rocker covers . . .
 
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