[ringoism]

Was mentioning in my last (Autumn) post about the fuse blowing...

If you'll remember this machine spent most of its life bashing over the Himalayan passes and high deserts in the hands of over-enthusiastic videshi tourists... there was bound to be a wiring glitch or two, among other things.

So an American friend had borrowed it for a few days last year, and one evening it died crossing the Manali bridge. He pushed it across and tried to call me, but phone service was out or something, and getting dark, he just parked it.

I went down next day and found, unsurprisingly, the fuse blown. Put the spare in, which was either blown or blew immediately. So I direct-wired it... "temporarily" of course (!)... and it ran fine the remainder of his time.

Another friend from Mumbai had his CL500 in the workshop in the midst of some management/labor problem at the local RE showroom, so he ended up riding our Machismo for a couple months. When he gave it back he noted that it had begun stalling out whenever the lights were turned on. I was supposed to go to Chandigarh and onwards to Delhi for a wedding the next day, so re-positioned the wiring up behind the headlamp a bit, inspected everything, and it seemed to be fine... for about two minutes. Intermittent problems / misfiring kept cropping up, and trip got cancelled. Few nights later, having ridden out to a buddy's place, on the way home it totally died, everything went completely dark, with or without headlamp switched on... nothing... so rolled to a stop roadside.

From there, to the left side of the bike, saw this strange, yellow glow on the pavement... "Which light could still be on?" I thought - before realizing to my horror that it was coming from the brake-switch hole under the sidebox... and that there was an actual fire raging in there!!!

Aaarrrre!!! In a frenzy unlocked the sidebox door, flung it open, and with my Leatherman pliers (always at hand) yanked hard at whatever wires I could find... Having violently extracted one of the longer ones, the flames went out, and I closed the door / pushed it the 50 meters to my shop and left it for the winter, kind of dreading the uncertain work I'd have to do later... all because of my "temporary" jugaad!

But all this perhaps a blessing in disguise as I'd been thinking of re-claiming my side-boxes anyway...



It seems it may have been a short in the brake-light switch that started the fire, so took the opportunity to remove the whole thing (will mount a conventional unit below later), along with the starter solenoid and its heavy wires, which were re-located under the seat, to leave only the single system fuse in the box. Re-wired the burned/melted bits in the box and ahead of the tank (where a young assistant with better eyes found a couple wires chafed through the insulation and sliding on the chassis there when turning), replaced the fuse with a modern blade-type, and electrically all appears to be well.

While I was going to this much trouble, I thought I'd reclaim the right side box too, so tossed the air filter, "resonator" box and all the contorted connections and plumbing:



...and went ahead and bolted up the 32mm UCAL (a'la P220, a kabbad unit with a new slide fitted). I'd been hesitating re: this mod on account of the added complexity of the electric choke, and what I felt would surely require some painstaking hours of re-jetting and tuning to make it work in place of the original 28mm Keihin (which of course was running just fine!).



Happily, now that the self-starter works (the sprag was thankfully fine, it only needed the handlebar switch and new solenoid), it actually starts without much drama - even on these cool mornings - without the choke. Being that you get less cylinder wash-down and oil dilution that way, I might just forget the choke going forward.

I did some port-matching on a salvaged Karizma manifold, whose slight outward angle is helpful in gaining a little clearance for the larger carb, though most likely the UCE500 manifold would've worked fine too (UCE's use a 33mm carb). The stock accelerator cable mated fine with the the stock Pulsar bracket, albeit on the opposite side of the carb. All-in-all could hardly have been easier!

Secondly was pleased to find (to my complete surprise) that the standard P220 tuning actually is pretty close - requiring minimal air-screw adjustment to make it idle smooth and fine, and there's no surging at WOT / high rpm. I think I need to raise the slide needle a notch or two, as I heard a light "pinking" and it seemed a little hot/lean on the long uphill run from town last evening. Otherwise seems it'll work nicely as-is.

The air filter here has a big opening (bigger than the carb's) and probably at least as much filter surface area as the original, but it's from a small-displacement bike (LML?) and unsure of its flow potential, so may later try and adapt the Himalayan's rather large cylindrical unit or whichever foam aftermarket piece. For now fabbed the stainless-steel shield to protect from rain mainly.



Would've been nice in the interest of low-end torque to have utilized the UCE500's long, straight intake runner... but those too have the air filter encroaching on the "tool box" so figured I'd make that sacrifice.

Performance-wise, barring truly dramatic effects these kinds of things are always difficult to compare, but it seems the bike does have healthier, freer-revving midrange/upper-rpm power now, compared with what seemed almost entirely low-end biased "oomph" in its original form. So it strikes me as a more balanced bike now. And it might've lost a kilo in the process, too (still a beast)!!!


Last business here is to get some nice tool/spares/first-aid/emergency food/drink kits worked out, maybe will post on that later.

Most bikes have basically no storage space, and now that I've got some here I'll take full advantage of stocking them with stuff that makes it easier to head out on impromptu mid/long-range trips: I figure that if I've got my basic tools; A tire-patch kit (maybe even extra tube); Sparkplug-adapter-type tyre pump; A few electrical spares and wheel bearings / cables; Basic meds/bandages; And for food/snacks, some granola bars/meat jerky/re-hydration powder - then I really don't have much to do before heading out just about anyplace than filling a water-bottle, getting dressed up and jumping in the saddle. Which means I'll get a lot more sleep the night before leaving, and enjoy the next day's ride more thoroughly.

Ah, yes, I'm regaining that kilo (or more)... But on the "plus" side, I've got a much smarter and ever-ready, all-round package. The bike's just increasingly fun to ride, nice to look at, and increasingly practical, I suppose. Almost tempted to buy another from the same seller, but at this point having got this one pretty well sorted, probably ought to hold off and wait for a nice second-hand Himalayan or Interceptor (couple years down the road).

Other than that, only thing is to plug up any mouse-size or larger holes in the boxes so the rodents don't get my lunch. And to keep everything less dusty.

I have friends coming from Delhi and abroad this year who want to ride... Am hearing that the new Darcha (Lahaul) to Padum (Zanskar) route is finally open (for bikes only), and am thinking it's about time I get this thing out on a proper tour. Having done Sach Pass back in 2007 when it was newly opened to the public, I'm generally of the opinion that the new, quite untraveled roads can be the most exciting.

Yeah, the Bullet's pretty low-slung vs. the Impulse and I'm going to have to take it easier on the rough bits (which could be all the bits)... ah, well.

-Eric

[ringoism]

Originally Posted by Williams_f1

I have a fairly good & dependable Bullet mechanic, on the very suggestion of AVL500, he outright shot down the idea...

My question to you is, as you own one, is my mechanic right? Are spares a real problem, parts specific to the 500, like the block piston kit etc?

I am based in Pune, don't work on my vehicles much but would like to do more in the future...

Sorry, going through the thread realized I only partly answered your question(s):

Part of the problem with the 500AVL's is that they hardly sold any in India, and they sold quite a lot of them abroad. And suppliers - incl. RE themselves - get a lot more money for spares in the U.S./U.K. than people have been willing to pay in India.

All these years (i.e., since 2007) everything's been available, but I think the domestic supply is starting to dry up as many/most of the OE spares are getting diverted abroad.

As of last year the OE AVL cylinder block kits were still available new, I paid rs7,500 for an extra kit I'm just keeping on hand for now, a dealer here in Himachal had only one in stock but can order them up readily from Delhi/Chandigarh.

If those eventually became unavailable UCE pistons will interchange, incl. the 535 (Continental GT's), for which the stock cylinder block can be successfully bored (bike should run a lot quicker!). Conventional oversize UCE500 pistons fine too, but would give a bit lower compression ratio than the stock AVL's, being dished. Mine actually has an oversize UCE piston modded (with cylinder block) to correct "squish" clearance and bump up compression ratio higher than stock. Obviously you need a knowledgeable engine builder to perform these more advanced / sensitive mods, even the revered Ustaad/Guru-ji's of the typical motor-market know nothing of these things.

UCE connecting rods are the same, crankpin / piston pins are the same, clutch plates interchange with CI Bullets. Brake shoes also same, disc pads would be same as other period Bullets. Some electricals, like the starter solenoid, very similar and can be adapted from UCE's. Not sure about handle-switchgear but on most bikes it's pretty similar and at worst any decent electrician could do a little re-wire to adapt things if originals became unavailable. Though both of these I managed to get new last year without trouble.

Apparently an entire UCE cylinder block/head can be mounted to the AVL cases (check out the AVL thread at the Classic Motorworks forum), though a custom oil-feed line has to be piped in to the UCE oil-pressure-sending unit port to provide oiling for the valvegear (UCE has internal channels that the AVL cases lack), and there may be some mods needed in terms of pushrods, etc.

As for me, I plan to buy an extra CDI (ignition) module and stator to keep on hand, and an extra set of valves, since these things are unique to the AVL 500's I believe. Otherwise I'm not really concerned.

Most of the other chassis / body components will probably be interchangeable or adaptable from other Bullets.

One great thing about these bikes having been sold successfully abroad is that there's a pretty broad base of understanding / knowledge out there amongst international owners, who tend to be a bit better oriented towards hands-on servicing / building than what we often find in domestic forums here. Some of these guys have been a great help to me, in fact the truth is that I never could have successfully built up / modded this particular bike with out their very helpful posts / responses / inputs. Some VERY sharp guys out there to whom I'm very grateful.

-Eric

[Williams_f1]

Hi Eric, I tried to send you a PM, but your inbox is full, I check out one bike, single owner,2008 model, done 40km, all original, couldn't pick it up because the owner wasn't willing to budge on the price, meanwhile I sold my RX, almost picked up an RTR 200, Shogun and CBR250r used, came very close to the CBR but in the end I thought it was an overkill for my requirements though it was cheaper than the LB500. Now I have come a full circle as I have found out that the LB remains unsold and the owner has lowered the price to my expectations. Before I make my final decision could you please PM me your phone number, I know you have already explained everything which needs to be explained but I think a telephonic conversation will help clear somethings up.


Thanks.

[ashwinprakas]

Originally Posted by ringoism

From there, to the left side of the bike, saw this strange, yellow glow on the pavement... "Which light could still be on?" I thought - before realizing to my horror that it was coming from the brake-switch hole under the sidebox... and that there was an actual fire raging in there!!!

Had a similar experience after a local mechanic wired windtones on my ZMA, luckily the smoke was the give away and I was able to yank everything off before things went crazy, considering that the motorcycle was stock and had a lot of plastic at the front.

A fellow enthusiast who rides a stripped Machismo 500 carries a piece of wire in his keychain, every time something blows he strips one thread of wire and gets back on the road.

The dude is running on the BS26 from the P150 if I'm right, kicks up a lot of mud when rolling off idle.

As for the throttle cable he has the Bajaj RE(Rickshaw) inner clutch cable with the stock RE(Royal Enfield) outer. Which is good news as you only need to carry one clutch cable inner as spare as the same can be use as both clutch and throttle cable.

Secondly was pleased to find (to my complete surprise) that the standard P220 tuning actually is pretty close - requiring minimal air-screw adjustment to make it idle smooth and fine, and there's no surging at WOT / high rpm. I think I need to raise the slide needle a notch or two, as I heard a light "pinking" and it seemed a little hot/lean on the long uphill run from town last evening. Otherwise seems it'll work nicely as-is.

The air filter here has a big opening (bigger than the carb's) and probably at least as much filter surface area as the original, but it's from a small-displacement bike (LML?) and unsure of its flow potential, so may later try and adapt the Himalayan's rather large cylindrical unit or whichever foam aftermarket piece. For now fabbed the stainless-steel shield to protect from rain mainly.

You ALWAYS run the risk of the slide seizing when running a CV without its air box.

Which I believe is something you're already aware of.

Here's a snap of my seized slide on the ZMA;



Happened once in a while, especially when cracking open the throttle, if near home I just limp back and lift the slide with a screw driver to set it free;



Else if I'm far then I'd have to whack the carburetor with a stray coconut(we have plenty in Kerala) with the throttle open for the slide to break free.

The other issue is that the slide coating wears down pretty fast and on the ZMA a new slide costs about 1.6k, hence had to shift to a VM28 which costs only 1.3k

[ringoism]

Originally Posted by ashwinprakas

As for the throttle cable he has the Bajaj RE(Rickshaw) inner clutch cable with the stock RE(Royal Enfield) outer. Which is good news as you only need to carry one clutch cable inner as spare as the same can be use as both clutch and throttle cable.

...You ALWAYS run the risk of the slide seizing when running a CV without its air box.

Happened once in a while, especially when cracking open the throttle, if near home I just limp back and lift the slide with a screw driver to set it free;

Else if I'm far then I'd have to whack the carburetor with a stray coconut(we have plenty in Kerala) with the throttle open for the slide to break free.

The other issue is that the slide coating wears down pretty fast and on the ZMA a new slide costs about 1.6k, hence had to shift to a VM28 which costs only 1.3k

Thanks for the cable tip, Ashwin, 'specially as I'll be trying to keep my kit minimalist.

Re: the slide I had continual issues with the Impulse's if you've seen that thread. Airbox was there but non-original filter element (foam vs. paper) and long inlet rubber omitted. Always got stuck in the rain (or in the clouds), and after decelerating. But in that case I truly believe it was a design flaw with the Keihin 28mm carb, the trouble was there practically from day one. I never had any coconuts laying about (wish I did, I tell the truth), so was limited to the heel of my riding boots or else rocks sometimes did it, along with an unfortunate measure of cursing.

Gosh, I am SO glad those days are over. When I went to the Unicorn's 25/6mm Keihin, all problems were solved instantly. I think the slide (identical size / interchange to the 28mm's) is just better supported with more material contacting the slide and keeping it straight when the engine starts sucking on it.

It happened on stock Machismo's sometimes too (with airboxes intact), which interestingly also used 28mm Keihin's. I just think it's a flawed design, particularly prone to this. I could be wrong of course.

I know water / moisture can be an issue though, even my KB's non-CV slide used to get stuck after water crossings, in that case though, it'd unstick by itself in minutes, after dried out from running.

I got desi slides in Karol Bagh (Delhi) from an exporter who sells them at under rs200, I think. Didn't help matters much in the case of the 28mm Keihin, let's see how it behaves in the 32mm UCAL.

Thanks as always for your helpful / knowledgeable inputs. I was trained in my job by an ex-IAF mechanic in the U.S., and credit the Malayalees with getting me to India in the first place; Later my my bride and I honeymooned on the north Kerala coast... keep wanting to get back with the kids... One of the very best places in India, IMO!

-Eric

[ringoism]

Originally Posted by Williams_f1

Hi Eric, I tried to send you a PM, but your inbox is full, I check out one bike, single owner,2008 model, done 40km, all original, couldn't pick it up because the owner wasn't willing to budge on the price, meanwhile I sold my RX, almost picked up an RTR 200, Shogun and CBR250r used, came very close to the CBR but in the end I thought it was an overkill for my requirements though it was cheaper than the LB500. Now I have come a full circle as I have found out that the LB remains unsold and the owner has lowered the price to my expectations. Before I make my final decision could you please PM me your phone number, I know you have already explained everything which needs to be explained but I think a telephonic conversation will help clear somethings up.

Hehehe, I feel your pain... have thought of a CBR myself at points, though very few of them here locally, so never had opportunity even to ride one.

Okay, cleared out my inbox and PM'd you my number. Hope to be in touch.

I hear that the prices on LB's came down somewhat last year. Main reason being that UCE500's can be had for 50-60k in various places nowadays, and most prospective buyers wouldn't appreciate any "advantages" the LB/AVL might offer.

For the benefit of others reading, will say I've sometimes considered a UCE myself, they're just so plentiful and "standard", several thousand UCE500's being built a month, vs. several hundred per year for the LB in its time - Not a worry if you've got a good mechanic or DIY, but not all do, and little doubt the UCE will be around and be serviceable by the average mechanic for a long time to come, so some benefit in terms of simplification / stress-reduction for many.

That said, I think the AVL has far more "character", it's more classic and "honest" in terms of mechanical design, the engine seems a bit smoother and is arguably more flexible with its extended rpm range, I much prefer the feel of the gearbox, and the bike's rarity and exclusivity will very likely make it a desirable future classic / collectible. I also think the tank and other chrome has a much deeper look and is of better quality than the CL500 chrome edition (which is a pretty bike nonetheless). Much/most of this is subjective of course.

I'm heading down to my shop to fool with the carb tuning a tad...

-Eric

[ashwinprakas]

Originally Posted by ringoism

I'd been hesitating re: this mod on account of the added complexity of the electric choke,

Just hook the choke to your starter circuit and it'll be fine.

Got the workshop manual and thought the colour coding would be of help.

Cheers,
A.P.

[ringoism]

Originally Posted by ashwinprakas

Just hook the choke to your starter circuit and it'll be fine.

Well, why didn't I think of that???

Anyway, as it turns out, with a discarded carb and a bit of jugaad (of the most judicious sort), managed to get an OE-style plunger-type choke fitted:



Considering the basic nature of the bike, it seemed best. And it works just as the original.

While with the self-start it started okay "chokeless" in normal/cool weather, when it got truly cold it was tough.

Tying in the choke with the self-start circuit was a brilliant idea, and I might've tried it had I seen your reply sooner... However, in retrospect, the early RE self-starters were notoriously problematic, mainly due to engine kickback ruining the sprags. I get very little kickback on my bike (it has the later "green" CDI, which was developed to correct that), EXCEPT when it stalls just off-idle, as in when I open the throttle too fast when cold... or perhaps when I turn off the choke too early... So I think this was best ultimately.

btw, where did you manage to find an OE manual??? I'd love to have one. I found the UK-model AVL "Electra X" manual online, but there would be some subtle differences, including, perhaps, in the wiring.


In other news:

I had the entire engine apart again. It had done about 2,000km's in the past year since rebuilding. From pretty early on, there had been a light tap/knock under load that would disappear once fully warmed up... but the time to disappear had been getting more and more. One fine day soon after fitting my newer, bigger, higher-revving carb, I rather enthusiastically overtook some friends (including the bike's original owner) on a long uphill run...

The noise had been really getting to me, and I figured some abuse would help either expose its source in some kind of failure, or assure me that it was nothing to worry about (great strategy, eh?).

Well, that question was answered - It started knocking in a very pronounced manner following that run.

Upon disassembly, discovered a failed main bearing race on the timing side. It's a pretty undersized bearing compared to those on the other side, and a bigger problem really came down to RE's poor machining on the cases: The "flat" in the case that the cam spindle flange's "flat" was supposed to mate with in order to prevent its rotating in the case, was machined too far out, and didn't prevent its turning... with the AVL's eccentric cam sleeves, this is a major problem. Having slipped/rotated, the cam gear was driven up tight against the pinion gear, putting extremely high radial loads on that end of the crankshaft. Beyond the high-speed load limits of that NRB roller bearing presumably.

And that was that.

I spent a lot of time and thought and did a lot of consulting with experts in the UK/US in getting it all back together. I cut new flats on the spindles that would better mate with those in the case (my idea there). Also upgraded, as recommended, to the larger-diameter tappets as used in the old CI Bullets (have seen a few of the OE AVL tappets have the foot snap off the stem). And just for curiosity's sake put in a set of CI cams, which do have the theoretically power-enhancing advantage of higher valve-lift. Had to lengthen the pushrods with little spacers just a bit to correct for these cams' smaller base-circle. Re-straightened the crank to within .02mm (.0008") runout which is on the lower end of the (new) spec, and also corrected the big-end axial play, which the previous crank-assembler had left outside of RE's tolerance range for new cranks (it was barely within used service limits). Re-assembled the engine with high-quality imported NTN (Japan) bearings of C3 (bit looser) clearance spec, as recommended by a North American Bullet specialist. Set the cam backlash intentionally just a bit loose, slightly modded oiling ports in the crankcase, re-located the breather to the old CI's position, and a number of such little details, and hoping it'll all hold together for at least a few years now!

I've got ideas for some additional upgrades for the rod/crank but that will have to wait, assuming all's well as-is for normal use.

The bike's feeling quite strong, particularly in comparison to the stock Machismo 500 and Himalayan I rode alongside. It has, moreover, provided quite an education for me!

...The chromed Electra rear mudguard and chromed stays sourced from a friend was also an experiment; it changes the bike's look considerably - not better or worse I think, but just fine and a tad lighter of course. I'm going to get some special carriers made that can handle standard fruit-baskets (we make a lot of fruit-jams up here, and can't feasibly get the Marshal through tourist-season traffic), and suppose daily duties will be split between this and the Impulse for now, and the KB will be mostly parked, being 22 years old now and a bit challenged in terms of spare parts.

Will post a few related pics later this evening if possible... need to run out quick for some foodstuffs...
-Eric

[ringoism]

Hi folks, just a pictorial outline of some of the recent work/mods done on the Machismo:


1) Oiling of the main bearings (the smaller of which failed) in AVL's is strictly via splash-feed, i.e., oil just flying around inside the crankcase and (presumably) finding its way into these little oil ports and down into the bearings:

*

I figured it might help to create some grooves / pockets around these to better catch / direct flow into them. Never saw this or had it specifically recommended, but it seemed rational. If “the devil's in the details” these are the kinds of subtle details the factory can ill-afford to spend the time/effort on, but which can result in significant improvements.

*




2) The old Cast-Iron Bullet cams produce more valve-lift which theoretically can better transfer gases into/out of the combustion chamber and produce more power. They also have a smaller base circle as can be seen here side-by-side with the AVL cam:

*[/ATTACH]

...this requires effectively longer pushrods. The difference can be made up with the adjusters, but they are prone to bending when extended that far, so I made up some hardened steel bushings to sit between adjuster and pushrod and more robustly extend them:

*


3) A common complaint in the AVL's is their tendency to accumulate a thick emulsified (white) oil paste in the crankcase breather lines / catch can – which is often eventually pushed out into the air-filter area really mucking things up. I've got an open-element filter now but still don't want lines clogging with the stuff – it happens up here a lot with the cool/humid weather and attendant condensation.

If you were to google “ACE Fireball Cafe” you'd come across the work of a couple real experts in North America who specialize in RE mods. They recommend changing this later breather setup, which vents from the crankcase into and out of the oil tank, to the older system which was routed directly out the side of the crankcase. Supposed benefits, apart from a reduction in the clogging issues, are better gas routing / internal breathing, and a maintenance of negative crankcase pressure that reduces pumping losses and better seals the rings, supposedly good for a 1-1.5hp gain in power output. It seems to work fine with no issues – let's see how it performs with some more enthusiastic / longer runs further on. I was a bit hesitant here, but finally decided to give it a go. This mod involves drilling/tapping a new hole in the lefthand case:

*

Fitting an external elbow

*

Plugging the original internal 8mm hole between crankcase and oil tank and drilling a smaller 3mm one (not shown).

*
*


Unlike in the older cases, there was plenty of space for gas flow around the cylinder liner:

*



4) Another recommended mod, both by them and persons in the know both in the UK and India, was to convert to the older style tappets, which have much thicker, stronger shafts less likely to snap a foot off, as the thin AVL bits are sometimes wont to do, even here locally I've seen it happen:



For this the CI tappet guides have to be machined to a smaller outer diameter to match the AVL cases. The late-model CI adjuster screws right in to the AVL pushrods, and there are no other issues... except that we lose the (rather ineffective) decompressor. I don't need it with the self-start, kicking is still possible, and if I need to later, I can make it work again or add the CI-style decompressor valve in the head, which at any rate worked much better that the AVL's.



5) The failed timing-side main bearing inner race. This was an Indian-made NRB piece:

*

...material could have been part of the cause, but the bigger reason was the poor machining of the flat in the case which is supposed to lock the cam spindles rotationally – but didn't:

*
*

A new flat (not shown here) was cut in the spindle that better mates and more securely locks it, to prevent rotation of the eccentrics. It was likely the severe loading on the cam pinion / crankshaft caused by this rotation that loaded the bearing beyond its limits and caused the failure (RE machining tolerances were often such crap, and for many there has been a price to pay).


6) If I ever again have issues with the bottom end (I suppose it is inevitable on the 500's), I plan to fit this Japanese bearing (on right): It has an integrated outer race that is almost certainly much harder than the forged, hardened connecting rod itself could be. Hitchcocks, the UK-based RE specialist, sells a rod kit so-equipped for at least a couple hundred pounds - out of my budget for sure! Only complication here in doing it myself is that the bearing is 3mm larger in OD, so am going to have to find someone qualified to very precisely machine the rod's big-end for it:

*

If I can additionally source a specially hardened crankpin, all the better, though I hear the later UCE's had pretty good ones compared to the early 2011-12 ones, which were a disaster...


(the re-assembly in progress):




7) Lastly, the Electra mudguard:

*

I think I actually liked the look of the OE, full mudguard better. What I did NOT like is that its supports didn't run parallel to the opening along the sides, which altogether looked shoddy (I'm not quite obsessive-compulsive, this is pretty basic)... This one has the better-matching arched supports, it saved me a few hundred grams, and being chrome, avoided some paintwork, too.

*

I suppose the bike looks a bit lighter and more agile with it, and as such more in tune with its new nature. The higher-compression engine really makes this thing very responsive compared with stock bikes, and the smaller front tyre and slimmer front mudguard helps make the steering pleasantly light, too. A friend coming off a 125cc Honda, who'd never ridden a Bullet before (and was afraid to on account of its heaviness), was impressed with how nimble and easy-to-ride it felt!


Anyway, that's all for now (I hope - though I'd like to find a set of nicely matching, discreet indicators, and perhaps some bar-end mirrors!). Bike's feeling really strong, much better than stock, and am hoping it holds up awhile this time.

As I said, it has been quite an education, and I expect it moreover to serve well in daily duties. But I'm itching to take it on a longer run and see how it does... just waiting for a good excuse and some good company!

-Eric

[ashwinprakas]

Originally Posted by ringoism

Well, why didn't I think of that???

Tying in the choke with the self-start circuit was a brilliant idea, and I might've tried it had I seen your reply sooner...

btw, where did you manage to find an OE manual??? I'd love to have one. I found the UK-model AVL "Electra X" manual online, but there would be some subtle differences, including, perhaps, in the wiring.

I wasn't sure how the choke worked to be honest as there are two types of auto-chokes, the ones that are connected to a 12v line continuously and the ones like this that need to be powered only when needed.

It is only when Vijay Anand shared the service manual was I able to confirm, as I'm clueless about the stock wiring on my P220 due to the presence of the BCU a.k.a idiot box.

Would keep an eye out for the AVL's workshop manual, I recall spotting the same for the CI but I do not specifically remember spotting one for the AVL's.

Anyway, as it turns out, with a discarded carb and a bit of jugaad (of the most judicious sort), managed to get an OE-style plunger-type choke fitted:

I do hope that is screwed into place like the OE plungers that come with such carburetors, else it would be super inconvenient where a leak to form there or worse the plunger falling off.

Originally Posted by ringoism

The old Cast-Iron Bullet cams produce more valve-lift which theoretically can better transfer gases into/out of the combustion chamber and produce more power. They also have a smaller base circle as can be seen here side-by-side with the AVL cam:

My understanding is that on these machines the rev-ceiling is determined by the cam's lift profile, so won't going for a high lift cam simply reduce its rev-ability?

3) A common complaint in the AVL's... This mod involves drilling/tapping a new hole in the lefthand case:

Rather than the plastic PCV why not opt for the metal ones that usually come on Bajaj motorcycles?

Costs under 50/- add a RE Duckbill breather for 20/- route it to the drive chain and you're good to go, with OE level fit and finish.

Edit: Regarding the decompressor, since you'd be scrapping the self-starter why not ride without a decompressor? Without the starter clutch and starter in place there would be less resistance to roll the motorcycle in reverse, so why not simply roll it back to release compression? Not sure of the effort required on the AVL500 but on my puny motorcycle a tiny nudge in the other direction when at BTDC on compression stroke is enough to release compression.

[ringoism]

Originally Posted by ashwinprakas

I do hope that is screwed into place like the OE plungers that come with such carburetors, else it would be super inconvenient where a leak to form there or worse the plunger falling off.

My understanding is that on these machines the rev-ceiling is determined by the cam's lift profile, so won't going for a high lift cam simply reduce its rev-ability?

Rather than the plastic PCV why not opt for the metal ones that usually come on Bajaj motorcycles?

Costs under 50/- add a RE Duckbill breather for 20/- route it to the drive chain and you're good to go, with OE level fit and finish.

1. modified "guide" for the choke plunger shaft was actually press-fit into the remnant flange from the electric unit. It should stay put (I hope!), it was a rather tight fit. IIUC, leakage shouldn't be an issue because once choke is closed, there's nothing to leak, the orifice in the carb's plunger bore is blocked by the rubber seal in the plunger end (not the one around the shaft).

2. Rev-happiness or lack thereof has more to do with cam duration... more duration/overlap, more high-rpm power and vice-versa. Duration helps gases flow longer, lift helps them flow more. A bit higher lift with relatively modest duration is generally what people are after for healthy street performance. Thing is that higher lift only helps to a certain point - beyond that it simply doesn't help it flow anything extra. And I'm not sure how close to that point the original AVL cams are. I may or may not really be improving anything here, I'll try and better evaluate it once I've got some miles on it, am trying to go easy on the new bearings.

3. I've got a plastic elbow because I live in Manali where almost nothing's available and it's all I could find in the scrap-bin... Will change to a brass one when I can. I've got the duckbill in its original location in the catch-can under the seat, which I wanted to retain. We've got so much dust up here that the bit of oil-mist coming off an externally-vented duckbill is just going to make a mess of things. Some people also don't like having it pointed at the chain because they say some mist will inevitably get on your rear tyre, too, which could be, eh, unhelpful. If you've got a pic of whatever comes on the Bajaj's, I'd like to see it. I somehow think a proper PCV can work a bit better than a duckbill. One mechanic up here also has used a couple inches of pipe with a slit cut in it in lieu of a duckbill, apparently it seals better and probably can flow a little less restricted depending on the length of the slit.

Re: the decompressor I can kick it all right without it, just takes a little time, especially with the higher compression and well-sealed, fresh rings. As for rocking the bike back... dang... this thing's heavy...

-Eric

[ashwinprakas]

Originally Posted by ringoism

If you've got a pic of whatever comes on the Bajaj's, I'd like to see it.

This is the PCV valve on my P220.



It is routed to the AF box so that the fumes can be recirculated into the intake.



Always used to mix-up with the head gasket and head-cover gasket when describing my leak, guess my dear felt bad and blew her head gasket as well to avoid the possibility of confusion.

P.S. What looks a huge shadow is actually a huge oil stain, in case that wasn't obvious in the picture.

[ashwinprakas]

Originally Posted by ashwinprakas

This is the PCV valve on my P220.

It's not a PCV, its an empty sleeve without a valve.

Got the update from a fellow enthusiast, he did confirm that its pressed(not screwed) and won't fit back once removed.

The upside being it won't clog like a PCV.

[ringoism]

All's well...

Bike's just running so strong, and after a little more tweaking last week, the valvetrain is finally rather quiet now, too.

Two things there: First, probably due to loose manufacturing tolerances, found that the cam gears were not concentric to the center holes. So it was impossible to set the cam backlash properly all 360-degrees around. If they were right at TDC they might be very loose 180-degrees from there, etc.

So finally sprung for a new set of OE cast-iron cams (approx rs1950). These are (predicatably) not perfectly concentric either (oh the pains of RE!), but they seem better, and I could get the backlash set up reasonably well.

I'd bought a new set of OE pushrods as well, but having been almost fully extended wasn't feeling good about how little thread of the adjuster was actually being held in the rod.

Found out that the early CI pushrods used a stronger, larger diameter 1/4-28 thread (vs the metrics used on the AVL's / late CI), and that it threaded into a longer hex on the lower end of the rod (effectively increasing their overall length, which is what I needed). Not to complicate an explanation, ended up modding the stock AVL rods such that they could accept these old CI's imperial adjusters.

... And viola! Normal little ticking but no clatter, even when hot. Loving this.

Also added rubber bushes to the front shocker pumps (trick is to cut a kicker rubber in two and shave it down just a little) so as to eliminate the startlingly harsh knocking I was experiencing on rough roads, speedbreakers, etc, on full-extension. Am using ATF (automatic transmission fluid) in there which seems to give just the right amount of damping.


So suspension's sorted, the bike pulls strong and relentlessly from right off idle to somewhere in the higher ranges. Just a lovely bike to ride now. I do have to be careful on it, as it continually begs me to ride faster.





...And it's just such a pretty powerplant...


-Eric

[ringoism]

A few additional notes here pertaining to the Machismo (finally got it out over Rohtang for [my] first time), incl. some comparison to the 500 Standard (UCE): https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motor...ml#post4645014 (Replacing the KB-RTZ offroad specials - My Hero Impulse)

Lovely bike this is. The exhaust note is truly sweet noise but a little harsh, so when I have the time may try for a long-bottle glasspack, which should still be plenty free-flowing, whilst presumably quieter most of the time. Added weight? Well... how 'bout an aluminum long-bottle glasspack? Hmmm...

Else carry on for now with good earplugs (just got EarPeace hi-fi Motorsports model, quite effective).

Tappets are another thing... Ah, well... it just has to be forgiven I suppose.

Otherwise as near to a perfect bike as I've ever owned.

And downright pretty, too:




One slightly funny thing here is the blackened header pipe, just visible in the pic. I'm trying to decide if I like it, if so might do the rest of the pipe with some leftover of the same material my buddy managed to do this with - namely, his brand-new pullover "Frogg Toggs" rain pants!!! :-)


So "perfect" excepting the slightly excessive noisiness... which is normal for these of course.

On the ride, as you'd see in the linked thread, I really was quite impressed with the Std 500 UCE's... Yeah, they vibe a LOT, they are not quite as quick as this, they don't really stir my soul in the looks department...

But in the morning I hope to be picking up a DL-registered 2013 Standard 500... An Israeli (of course) has been riding it all over India the past months and needs to sell it this week, so am hoping for a good deal. Engine is absolutely fresh/tight (has been redone 5,000km ago) and extremely quiet internally. Rest of the bike is a bit of a beater, which for my purposes should be about right.

I figure ride it awhile, see how the overall experience compares... I don't think it will ever quite measure up or have half as much character, but let's see. Mainly keeping it here for a friend (/friends) who comes a couple times a year and likes to ride.

...for sure, that will be another story, if not another thread...

-Eric