[tharian]

Originally Posted by Guru_Shikhar

2. Check out the Carberry vibration reduction plate. The online price is 3299/-. This will help reduce the vibrations in the band of 60-90 km speeds.
(Pl confirm if this is suitable for CI engine).

Cheers.

I don't think it is. Moreover fitting such a plate is effectively killing the character of a heavy crank 350. The heavy crank cast iron engine is actually smooth too once it has properly set in.

[masterChief007]

Tomorrow I will start the restoration journey. Will go and clean my bike today a bit, for some before pictures maybe. It's totally dirty as of now

Originally Posted by tharian

Contrary to popular belief, it has never broken down or given me major issues.

Hi Tharian, you were one of the fortunate one's. Mine had an engine seizure on the highway on my way to Chikkamagaluru :( after that sadly I didn't take it out of the city, and babysat it till a few years back, when it became city-bike.

With all the stress it has given me, I just can't let it go. Hopefully after this restoration, I will be able take it out once more !

Originally Posted by nettooran

Your budget is in fact unlimited. but a paintjob, buffing/crome plating, and the mechanical work is going to put you back by 50k minimum.

Hi nettooran, For now I am not going to do much of painting/aesthetic work etc, even buffing I might skip, will do those once I feel the bike is "back". But yes mechanical/electrical work I will do to the hilt so that there is no possibility of missed oppurtunity. Also will get the tank de-rusted too.

Financially if I go for a new motorcycle it will cost me ~2+ lakhs, so this will be far cheaper for now.

Originally Posted by Guru_Shikhar

Hi Masterchief007,

Great to know you have an iconic bike with you and you are willing to restore it.

Keep updating the thread.
Cheers.

Thanks Guru_Shikhar, yes I had given up on it for a long time, then recently started researching for new bikes and then my old love for this bike made me nostalgic, and I wanted to give it one more fair chance. Lets see if it's a happy story after the restoration. Will keep updating this thread, and hopefully one day a report on the long ride I have plans for

[Guru_Shikhar]

Originally Posted by tharian

I don't think it is. Moreover fitting such a plate is effectively killing the character of a heavy crank 350. The heavy crank cast iron engine is actually smooth too once it has properly set in.

With due respect to your opinion, I was very uncomfortable with the vibrations of my CI bike on long rides. The vibs at 60-70 kmph used to hurt hands till shoulders and then entering back slowly. Hence the suggestion.

As you rightly said; no other bike has such a supreme character like the CI bullet and its engine harmony.

Cheers

[jeeva]

Like many other have pointed out, all those things that you have listed out are infact, not that complex work to carry out.
Get in touch with a good mechanic. The only problem these days is the spares for the CI bullet. Hard to come by, even the basic of the things. Do not open up the engine block unnecessarily- its NOT part of any periodic maintanence. At least in Bangalore, the eccentric cam (spindle) used to be very popular amongst the mechanics to sort out the engine noise caused by the cam backlash. Never fall into that trap.

Charging issues most probably might be linked to the RR unit/wiring. And my personal opinion is not to get it all shiny and sparkling, if you intend to keep her for a long time. And I see that your's is one from the last batches of the CI standard, which again was the best produced.

[Drak]

I have wanted a CI bullet for ages, finally managed to find a used one in 2019 for 60000, it was 1994 ELECTRA.

It had many issues like oil leak, front brakes were drum, issues with gear shift lever, headlights, carburettor leaks, rust in the tank, engine noise. The relay caught fire while driving a day or two after getting the bike, luckily some people chased me down on the road and warned me about the fire under the seat. It also stopped frequently.

So after lot of research and wanting to restore it myself, a complete DIY job, I decided against fixing it myself. Mainly because my lack of technical expertise and also I had no idea how a completely normal bullet would ride and sound. So finally got it restored during the pandemic, it almost took a year or more. The entire repair restoration re Modelling cost me 1,50,000.

You can try for spare parts at Pudupet, Chennai. Also your local mechanic may be able to procure parts for you. At the end of it all the bike still has some niggles, that can be fixed. But owning and maintaining or riding a CI bullet is more of a decision of the heart.

All the best with your restoration.

[MaDMaX_MaXMaD]

Hi masterChief007,

You are having one of the last builds of the famed & prominent "Cast Iron Royal Enfield engine with you. It is on its way to be a vintage masterPiece in the coming years.

I too own a daily ride, Cast Iron Bullet of your same vintage & it is still running strong (touching all the wood possible). Only difference being that mine is an Electra 5s. So, Cast Iron engine with the modern left side 5 speed gearbox. This was Royal Enfield's first move to the modern right side gearbox setup and it by no means is any less of that pure RAW mechanical feel. Though, by factory default my bike will not make the original CI thump, due to a slightly larger bend pipe + a silencer which is not a short bottle neither a long bottle (maybe its a medium bottle.. I havent seen it on any other RE bikes though).

We who ride & maintain the old Bulls are different from the people who ride the new gen smooth and much tamed Bulls (No pun intended).

2008 was the last year when the CI engines were built (Do correct me if am wrong). This has gone through many iterations over the years & I am sure would be the easiest to work on as it is of the modern 20th century make.

When I say work on - Yes, certain major parts might need some time to source. But none that will be of any issue. Down South - Chennai & Up North - Delhi is the two places that will take care of all your parts needs.

A DIY on your bike would be great for you to understand its heart, mind & soul. But from my experience of Bulls that stood simply for a long time with no usage; there is a lot to be done to get it running tip top. The old Bulls love to be well OILED all around. Else, later on something or the other will surely start giving up & as I have first-hand experience - One thing will lead to the other over time if not taken care of in a timely manner. Also, since your engine is already bored & it gave up on you again - I would suggest you get in touch with a workshop / mechanic to get the things sorted.

Coming to Bullet mechanics - You will find 3 types.
1- The authorized service center which will tell you that everything is wrong with your bike & quote you an eye watering estimate without explaining many details or they might also tell that - sorry; we don't have a mechanic who can repair your bike here. (I was told by 2 RE authorized workshops that post the 10 years mark of any RE bike from the sale year; they are not very keen to work on it.)
2 - The private mechanic who will do the same as the RE service center (job card & estimate wise). A difference being he won't tell you that he can't do it though. In both these cases they will mostly just do things so that it runs for a few 1000's of kilometers. Oh & yeah, you can also loose good to use parts too.
3 - The private mechanic you & your bike really requires. Someone who listens to you > Understand your need / requirement > Asks you about its history > Has a thorough look at it before giving you a commitment > Maybe also allow & assist you in doing some DIY in the shop as well to make your ride even better. This atleast reassures that the mechanic knows what he is going to put his hands into & you can also be a part of it. Thus feeling much sorted.
By no means I will say that any mechanic is perfect to all nuts & bolts of our vehicle. But still.. So, I hope you find a Bullet mechanic who is of type 3. Else, it is never going to be made the right way. (This is all from my experience of Bullet mechanics from KL, TN & KA).

PS: I see that you are from BLR. Not sure which area you are from. I can introduce you to my Bull workshop / mechanic, if you are interested. Let me know.

Wishing you success & May the deep THUMP of your Bull come back to life!

[masterChief007]

Explained the work to the garage, lets see what happens next. Also didn't ask them to open engine, as suggested by some here, will anyways do another servicing after 2 months (changing engine oil filter etc), if any problem I observe due to engine will visit then ASAP. My main objective for this visit is to get it running at least (even if not in a top notch form), rest of the fixing and tweaking will be DIY tasks (although I misplaced my toolbox over the years but I am sure it's lying around somewhere)

Used a flatbed for towing, everyone near the apartment was looking as if a wild animal is being prepared for transport ! what a celebrity moment

Originally Posted by jeeva

The only problem these days is the spares for the CI bullet. Hard to come by, even the basic of the things. Do not open up the engine block unnecessarily- its NOT part of any periodic maintanence.

Charging issues most probably might be linked to the RR unit/wiring.

5-6 years back I didnt have any issue with spares, but yeah lets see how it holds up now. Informed them to take stock of the RR unit as suggested by you and many BHPians here.

Originally Posted by Drak

... wanting to restore it myself, a complete DIY job, I decided against fixing it myself.

You can try for spare parts at Pudupet, Chennai.

The problem with DIY is real estate for me, since I won't be able to do much in a single day, In apartments it is difficult to splay out the bike and keep the parts unattended. Anyways for spare parts it's just a weekend's drive away to chennai

Originally Posted by MaDMaX_MaXMaD

We who ride & maintain the old Bulls are different from the people who ride the new gen smooth and much tamed Bulls (No pun intended).

2008 was the last year when the CI engines were built

PS: I see that you are from BLR. Not sure which area you are from. I can introduce you to my Bull workshop / mechanic, if you are interested. Let me know.

Wishing you success & May the deep THUMP of your Bull come back to life!

Yes 2008 was the last CI model, and glad that I got the CI then.

I am a person who would like to have a reliable bike, sort of fill it and shut it, but if problem comes I am ready to learn to DIY too (I didn't know riding bikes when I bought the bullet ! and learnt it after buying only !!). Bullet is not a bike, its a philosophy (you will have to put time, money and effort and most of all patience).

Sure do let me know the details of your mechanic, in case I get in trouble I will start mechanic shopping

[ron_9191]

I have a 2005 CI Electra and that thing has done over 81000 km on its ticker. I was very particular about maintaining the mileage on the odometer so in its almost flawless service all these years, it must have run without a speedometer cable for lets say less than 100km.

When I bought the Electra, it had a major issue with the key switch. Basically whenever the motorcycle got wet, it shorted out and just stopped wherever it felt like. I was super annoyed and thankfully back then the mechanics at Teknik Motors in Ulsoor, Bangalore fixed the issue by replacing the unit to an older model and there by replacing the entire set of locks and keys and didn't charge me a penny for it.

In your case, I strongly feel the reboring job is to blame for all the troubles you had probably. I don't mean to say you took a wrong choice doing it but, if the motorcycle was under warranty when you had a ceased engine, a replacement of the piston, bore, rings, connecting rods, big end bearings and so on would have fixed the issue. And since you're thinking on opening up the engine as the motorcycle was left unused, why don't you think about replacing the above parts?

Let me tell you my motorcycle is also barely used these days as a gearless scooter makes a lot of sense in Bangalore's traffic and for short runs. But mine had never been a headache. And the reasons are pretty much straight forward

1. Engine oil and oil filter change strictly between every 3000 and 4000km
2. Valves adjusted, carburetor tuned along with the oil change
3. Air filter inspected at every service (cleaned or replaced depending on its condition) (I changed the air filter to the ones found in older Bullets)
4. Drive chain and clutch adjustment every 2000km
5. Clutch and gear oil replaced every 15000km
6. Rims trued at every 10000km

These are my maintenance rituals and I believe if you change what I mentioned for the one last time along with the many valuable suggestions others have provided, you should have a happy puppy to ride on. I m pretty sure about that.

If you are around Hennur/Kothanur in Bangalore l I can introduce you to my mechanic who can help you with all what you need. Cosmetic jobs should be the last thing on your to-dos.

[HTC]

My friend got his 80's bullet restored recently. Costed him close to 80k. Took quite some time. More than a year. If you are in south Bengaluru, let me know if you need mechanic's details. Good luck with restoration.

Between, I own a 2008 CI bullet electra 5S. From the last batch of cast iron engines. When I bought it, Eicher share price was 260 rs. For 1 lac, if I had bought shares instead of bike, I would made a crore from shares . Still, I dont regret. The feel you get riding a CI bullet is something else.

[masterChief007]

Originally Posted by ron_9191

I have a 2005 CI Electra and that thing has done over 81000 km on its ticker.

In your case, I strongly feel the reboring job is to blame for all the troubles you had probably.

81k thats a great run for your bike !! I really feel mine was a lemon, just trying to make lemonade now ! Haha ! Problem was that the bike by then was already 5-6 years old and it was not being ridden much for first few years, and so out of warranty. The engine siezed up on a ride just after it got serviced, so definitely some fault from the service center in adjusting carb/timing and thus causing overheating and the seizure.

After such a major incident I couldn't ever take it out of city. Lost all confidence to ride it tension free.

Originally Posted by HTC

Eicher share price was 260 rs. For 1 lac, if I had bought shares instead of bike, I would made a crore from shares . Still, I dont regret. The feel you get riding a CI bullet is something else.

I am sure that riding a CI has its own charm, maybe because of that only I miss it and giving it one last try (I have pushed the bike 1.5 kms once, but still). Also it was the first vehicle I bought with my own dime, and also going against my family (nothing short of a love marriage of sorts ). If it were any other bike or car, I would have traded in or outright scrapped it out of spite/anger !!

request to all:
Also, please keep on sharing your trusted mechs details here, would be helpful for me or anyone else who goes through this thread. I am open to taking my vehicle to any mech in Bangalore, as long as they do a good work on the bike. I have gotten my services done in past from Samangi Rama Nagar, Mehboob garage and teknik motors. I would rate Mehboob > Teknik >>> SR Nagar (purely based on my experience).

[ron_9191]

From what I have observed over the years, the older Royal Enfield engines were simple and modular in design. There one section for the engine that houses the valvetrain, combustion chamber, piston, connecting rod, crankshaft and the big end bearings along with the oil reservoir, oil pump and the timing mechanism the pushrods. Quite a mouthful I know but this is as simple as it can get compared to modern motorcycle engines which are far more superior in terms of efficiency. However, the mechanics who work on these old engines sometimes (particularly the older mechanics) that this came straight from NASA.

I love the fact that you don't have to tear down the entire engine to get some work done on the clutch or the gearbox of the older cast iron engines.

The over all mechanism is downright simple when you relate it to a modern motorcycle of a similar displacement like the KTM Duke 390 for instance.

Long story short, the issue that you have can be fixed and I am sure you will get all the confidence back to ride it like nothing else. Hope to see your motorcycle fully restored. These machines are truly a piece of motorcycling history and you should consider yourself lucky to own one of it even when we all know there are better motorcycles out there.

[masterChief007]

Originally Posted by ron_9191

If you are around Hennur/Kothanur in Bangalore l I can introduce you to my mechanic who can help you with all what you need.

Originally Posted by MaDMaX_MaXMaD

I see that you are from BLR. Not sure which area you are from. I can introduce you to my Bull workshop / mechanic, if you are interested.

Hi Ron/MadMax, can you give the details of your mechanics? I had delivered my bike to the garage last week, but I am yet to get their final review of the work needed and the work order generated. Will mostly be visiting the garage for getting the work order next week.

It will be good to have alternatives in case there is some problem, Have to renew my registration soon so want to test ride it till then to make up my mind.

[ron_9191]

Originally Posted by masterChief007

Hi Ron/MadMax, can you give the details of your mechanics? I had delivered my bike to the garage last week, but I am yet to get their final review of the work needed and the work order generated. Will mostly be visiting the garage for getting the work order next week.

It will be good to have alternatives in case there is some problem, Have to renew my registration soon so want to test ride it till then to make up my mind.

@masterChief007 His name is Santhosh and his number is +91 99648 17776

This is his location 3J4W+7W4, Geddalahalli, Rammana Layout, Kothanur, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560077

You can say that Ronnie referred you to him. The shop is really small but he is a really good mechanic. Hope it works.

[tharian]

Originally Posted by ron_9191

@masterChief007 His name is Santhosh and his number is +91 99648 17776

This is his location 3J4W+7W4, Geddalahalli, Rammana Layout, Kothanur, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560077

You can say that Ronnie referred you to him. The shop is really small but he is a really good mechanic. Hope it works.

We got a 96' CI 500 full serviced from him last month. It was lying unattended for close to almost 6 years and last fired up 3 years ago. We got it started up with a charged battery and gave it to him for a full service. I used to visit him many years ago but stopped due to the distance. Will probably start giving my Bullet to him again from the next service.

[ron_9191]

Originally Posted by tharian

We got a 96' CI 500 full serviced from him last month. It was lying unattended for close to almost 6 years and last fired up 3 years ago. We got it started up with a charged battery and gave it to him for a full service. I used to visit him many years ago but stopped due to the distance. Will probably start giving my Bullet to him again from the next service.

The thing with Santhosh is that he is a pretty straight forward mechanic. I have never seen him working on any sort of performance mods or anything of that sort. He's just there to fix what is broken. You're right about the distance but definitely worth the trip at least for me as because both him and myself are from KL and although I can converse in Kannada, things have a more personal approach when done in Malayalam