[nitro.1000bhp]

Originally Posted by ashwinprakas

A chassis with engine as stressed member is comparatively harder to work on than an engine mounted on a cradle type chassis, not the other way around.

Can't speak for ASC's but when DIY'ing you cannot mount and dismount the engine on the former without the help of a car jack, whereas in the case of a cradle frame you simply undo the mount brackets and take the engine off, once done working on it simply put it back into the chassis like putting a baby to sleep.

EDIT: Cradle Frames FTW!!! Those who've bottomed out on both types of chassis would be able to share the sentiment.

Regards,
A.P.

Try an engine-out job on a Himalayan with a cradle frame. You'd need more than 3 hands on the job to lift and slot it in. Heavier the engine, tougher the job. Stressed members are better and being able to use a car jack to lower or raise the engine clean off the frame has to be considered simpler than muscling your way in.

And It is possible to fit sump guards on non cradle type frames too.

[ebonho]

https://youtu.be/l5Bt1xZ6Bdo

https://youtu.be/slpV_zaFAYw

That's how it's done. That's how it's always been done.

Cheers, Doc

[ku69rd]

Originally Posted by ebonho

https://Youtu.be/l5Bt1xZ6Bdo

https://Youtu.be/slpV_zaFAYw

That's how it's done. That's how it's always been done.

Cheers, Doc

Originally Posted by ebonho

It's pretty obvious you know nothing of Bullets and the thousands of small shop mechanics who've been working on them for decades without car jacks then.

Try fabricated steel stools and wooden blocks.

https://Youtu.be/M_WD5m9RKdM

Cheers, Doc

Wow they look like relics from early 19th century with all those wooden stumps, Cheni and Hathodi stuff.

Do you seriously own one?? It must be a proper vintage bike then!!

One thing, do these mechanics have different sized screwdrivers and hammers to remove parts?!

Nobody uses a circlip remover or ring extender to work on these engines??

God bless the owners...

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by ku69rd

Wow they look like relics from early 19th century with all those wooden stumps, Cheni and Hathodi stuff.

Do you seriously own one?? It must be a proper vintage bike then!!

One thing, do these mechanics have different sized screwdrivers and hammers to remove parts?!

Nobody uses a circlip remover or ring extender to work on these engines??

God bless the owners...

Aren't you one of Ron's old crowd who owned an even older (barely breathing) relic?

As you said somewhere earlier, to each his own.

These engines have been around and last for decades with similar tools and mechanics. Which is why our Army swears by the bike.

And of course, faster than the new age RE engines.

Was just pointing out to Ashwin that no one uses car jacks to get Bullet engines off or on.

Cheers, Doc

[ku69rd]

Originally Posted by ebonho

Aren't you one of Ron's old crowd who owned an even older (barely breathing) relic?

Cheers, Doc

Cheers doc, yes I did own a Yamaha RD but never went to Ron Chinoy for his CDI or for other works. Had my own reservations going to him.

With regards to Ashwin, his posts are good only for 100cc commuter bikes and nothing to do with machines above them. EX: please look up his posts on the suspension tuning that he has mentioned on the Interceptor thread plus his posts around running circles in Kerala traffic with his boxer amongst his dominar friends. He is quite knowledgeable on the Bajaj parts which might fit other motorcycles.

On the engine down scenario even my Yamaha FZ1 had a similar design where the engine was suspended to the chassis. Am sure Yamaha would have not designed the chassis to accommodate an engine down scenario. It's more the design philosophy rather than anything else. Finding that right balance is what runs in their mind the most than anything else which will appeal to wider mass.

Even my current stead Suzuki V Strom is suspended from the chassis.

Having said that we can only speculate why the chassis of meteor is designed that ways since you will not find hinges that opens up when the front end is loosened.

It just makes me believe that we ought to move on with current trend adopt what's best for us and use it to the maximum capability. Very similar to how you picked up the Duke 390.

Sorry if it's being philosophical, but that's what I realised after clocking close to 56K kms over the last 7 years with royal Enfields over the harsh terrains across India and 70K kms over 22 years in my beloved Yamaha RD which was more across well paved roads.

In between have experienced close to 25K kms with the Yamaha FZ1 and Suzuki V Strom.

Peace out mate I really appreciate you for your knowledge n content that you share on the 2 strokers and apologies if I hurt you in any manner was not my intention.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by ku69rd

Do you seriously own one?? It must be a proper vintage bike then!!

I do. And yes, I guess in a few years she might qualify as one.

I present to you the legendary Doppie.

The one who set RDDreams alight (and the Bangalore boys frothing ) in the "We raced on Sunday" thread ... a decade and a half ago.

































She's in her prime if I recall correctly (2005-2006 I think, when I took her to the track in Chennai) done 137 or 141 on the radar gun. Inside 800 meters from a standing start.

She was fast. She's still the sweetest bike I've owned.

Cheers, Doc

[ku69rd]

Originally Posted by ebonho

I present to you the legendary Doppie.

The one who set RDDreams alight (and the Bangalore boys frothing ) in the "We raced on Sunday"

Cheers, Doc

This is what I admire you for, touring n traveling across when there was not much of today's luxury stuff like Google maps, Decathlon tents, internet and many more.

Having traveled during those days where buying helmet was a luxury I know what it takes.

Cheers and let the spirit flow.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by ku69rd

This is what I admire you for, touring n traveling across when there was not much of today's luxury stuff like Google maps, Decathlon tents, internet and many more.

Having traveled during those days where buying helmet was a luxury I know what it takes.

Cheers and let the spirit flow.

You can say that again bro.

A TTK map book of India (states and roadways) bought from the railway station, a duffel bag and two spider bungees (still have both), fur lined leather gloves (the ones sold at Kashmiri ships), army dms boots, jeans, MPA helmet (still have it), leather easy rider jacket (cracked but still cosy and with me), and my RayBans Aviators. With a cotton towel folded and under my ass on the saddle to prevent overheating all day, every day, for 3 weeks on the road. A Studds hardcase on the rear. And a yoga mat (which I never used but lugged it around just in case). A a tarp cover for the rain. That was my all India touring rig. Those were simple days. All it takes is a bike and the will. I don't buy into the specialized bike for specialized needs paradigm even a single percent.











Cheers, Doc

[tharian]

I was given a online feedback form to be filled after using the bike for a day. One of the question was 'what all specs made me consider the Meteor' and one of the answers to choose from was 'twin frame chassis for low vibration'.

So like someone assumed few pages back, the twin frame is for low vibes.


I rode some 170 kms on the outskirts and what stood out was the torque and how low down it was delivered. The engine didn't feel and sound like a 350 at all and the exhaust note while on the move reminded me of the old CD100. It sounded good only when moving from standstill. I felt the sweet spot for cruising was around 85kmph although the engine felt happy pushing above that, except that it got buzzy and the fly screen made the wind blast on the helmet worse.

I haven't ridden the UCE350 much to compare, but compared to my Electra 2002, this engine doesn't have a character I felt.

Having said that, RE has come a long way and this bike is a world away from their bikes from ten years ago and more. If I could, I would get the lower version with no back rest and use it for city runs and short rides and an Interceptor for longer rides.

[ku69rd]

Originally Posted by ebonho

You can say that again bro.

Cheers, Doc

Gosh that's what sweet dreams are made up of. Cheers... My friend has a very good example of the Machismo 500. Posting a video link of his latest ride.

https://youtu.be/0dmu63JRHlA

Sorry for going Offtopic.

[ninjatalli]

Originally Posted by tharian

Having said that, RE has come a long way and this bike is a world away from their bikes from ten years ago and more.

+1 on this

I keep telling how RE bikes have changed so much in terms of reliability to folks - bikers and the general public. (Un)fortunately the view of a Royal Enfield is deep set across mindsets on certain aspects - the grandeur of a big (sized) bike, the thuk-thuk sound and the troubles of constant niggles.

Originally Posted by ku69rd

Gosh that's what sweet dreams are made up of. Cheers... My friend has a very good example of the Machismo 500. Posting a video link of his latest ride.
...
Sorry for going Offtopic.

Fantastic video. Isn't there a thread for riding videos/logs - this should go there, get's missed otherwise.

Originally Posted by ebonho

A TTK map book of India (states and roadways) bought from the railway station, a duffel bag and two spider bungees (still have both), fur lined leather gloves (the ones sold at Kashmiri ships), army dms boots, jeans, MPA helmet (still have it), leather easy rider jacket (cracked but still cosy and with me), and my RayBans Aviators. With a cotton towel folded and under my ass on the saddle to prevent overheating all day, every day, for 3 weeks on the road. A Studds hardcase on the rear. And a yoga mat (which I never used but lugged it around just in case). A a tarp cover for the rain. That was my all India touring rig. Those were simple days. All it takes is a bike and the will. I don't buy into the specialized bike for specialized needs paradigm even a single percent.

Doc,
A thread please. Just a simple setup of one post for each of the different trips you have done. Could be just a paragraph and a pic or two, but it will be worth it!

[ashwinprakas]

Originally Posted by ku69rd

With regards to Ashwin, his posts are good only for 100cc commuter bikes and nothing to do with machines above them. EX: please look up his posts on the suspension tuning that he has mentioned on the Interceptor thread plus his posts around running circles in Kerala traffic with his boxer amongst his dominar friends. He is quite knowledgeable on the Bajaj parts which might fit other motorcycles.

I don't have much riding experience compared to most here on the forum but I started riding in 2011 and its been 9 years since, in that period I've clocked exactly 2,26,000 km's, in that time the number of times I've been to the ASC or a Mechanic for actual mechanical assistance is less than what one can count on one hand, maybe taking the number of times I've claimed warranty into account on my earlier bikes one would need to count using both hands but that's about it. P.S. The last few motorcycles I've owned were out of warranty within a few days after purchase as I didn't bother to take them back for the gracious free services.

So trust you me, I know a thing or two about motorcycles.

As for knowledge being limited to 100cc's, please be aware that a Single Cylinder SOHC 4 Stroke is just that when it comes to mechanical application, if you can work on a 100cc then you can sure as heaven and earth work on a 650cc, to put simply, displacement is irrelevant with respect to mechanical knowledge, what makes a difference though is some engine related specifics, say setting preload on balancer gears and what not which is mostly model specific, nothing that can't be dealt with commonsense.

Now when it comes to more complex configurations, say a twin there are certain specifics that needs to be kept in mind, mostly with respect to the valve train but again nothing anyone who've worked on a single cylinder and know how a 4 Stroke works can't handle.

But then again this is the Meteor thread, so simply put it is no big deal IMHO.

The disparity in understanding/knowledge that exists is mostly due to lack of exposure as when one takes apart things he gets a better understanding of how things operate, a cartridge vs damping rod setup is different but the working principle of a damping rod setup is the same irrespective of whether it is on a 100cc motorcycle or a 1000cc motorcycle, there are variables to account for but again someone who knows the basic working principle would obviously account for that.

Now coming to the topic of dismounting engines, what I'd shared was the standard means of getting the job done on setups with the engine as stressed member, backed by practical experience of course, the ZMA's engine is a stressed member. Again, if anyone has the strength to hold it up or has a custom stool or anything of that sort then so be it, when DIY'ing with fellow enthusiasts we'd have a couple of hands around so we'd not even bother with a jack or a stool or anything to be honest, see for yourself;



There are many ways to get a job done, I simply went with mentioning what is ideal in the case of DIY'ing by oneself on such a setup, again what I've said with respect to cradle frames as pointed out by nitro might not stand true in the case of the Himalayan's engine due to its weight factor, that is just that. Simply put this isn't even a topic worth having a heated debate on.

As for sump guards, depending on motorcycles with engine as stressed members, a guard is only as good as its mount points, on older Honda's there is a bracket that contains the kick start stopper, that is the usual mount point for a bash-plate, the problem here is that the bracket in question is mounted to the engine which is made of aluminum, so obviously the guard would save the motor from some abuse but when bottoming out a highly likely outcome is that the mount point on the engine would crack, this sometimes results in oil leaks as well, again nothing concerning but with a cradle frame the chances of the case cracking is reduced to a fair extent, again there are variables(what you bottom out on, position of drain bolt and other protrusions etc) but that was just a general statement.

Hope that clarifies things.
Cheers,
A.P.

[Hawkeye269]

According to this news report, Royal Enfield ("RE") is all set to export the Meteor 350 cruiser to Europe and the United States.


Source: Yahoo! News

The Meteors for export will apparently be manufactured in India. Currently, the only RE assembly plant outside India is situated in Campana, Argentina (which was set up earlier this year in September). This plant is currently geared to assemble the Himalayan, the Interceptor 650 and the Continental GT 650 motorcycles. While RE hasn't announced any plans to assemble the Meteor 350 at this CKD unit as of now, chances are that it may be added to the lineup if it proves to be a popular model.

This comes on the back of RE having registered impressive growth in export sales in the last financial year. While the Covid-19 pandemic has naturally had an adverse impact on total sales, business is booming for RE in Europe, Latin America and south east Asia. Having said that, this growth in overseas markets is more than offset by the Covid-induced poor performance registered in India (which accounts for 99% of total sales).

[GandalfTheGrey]

Has anyone booked a Meteor in Chennai, and taken the delivery?

I've booked one, and was promised delivery this week, if I chose an accessory. I've planned a ride in 2nd week of Dec, so needed to run in and complete the 1st SVC before that. So chose a touring seat, paid the booking amount, and placed an order on Nov 7th.

Went to the showroom yesterday to enquire, and found many Meteors were getting unloaded from a truck. Was eagerly looking at each bike, hoping one of them would be mine. Unfortunately, the showroom guys said it's the first lot that were arriving and it's for those who've booked on Day 1, and have no clue when my bike will arrive.

I've always wanted to stay away from RE only because of its bad reputation, but somehow Meteor managed to pull few strings in my heart, so decided to go ahead with one. Now I'm getting all skeptical about my decision.

Cheers!

[swami.n]

Originally Posted by GandalfTheGrey

I've always wanted to stay away from RE only because of its bad reputation, but somehow Meteor managed to pull few strings in my heart, so decided to go ahead with one. Now I'm getting all skeptical about my decision.

Cheers!

Congratulations for your booking. The meteor is definitely an un-RE compared to most previous REs. In your case, if the number of booking done before you is more than the number of vehicles unloaded in the first batch, unfortunately there is no other option but to wait. Only chance is, if someone canceled the same color you chose and nobody else is ahead of you in the queue.

Remember only the bike has changed and not the sales people in most showrooms. So a certain level of sugar coating is done regardless of the manufacturer or the product. Mainly because many of us feel offended when the sales representative says bluntly. Many yearn for those words that give hope, despite knowing it might not be true.

Just my two cents. Don't let the sales person make you go away from a very good product.