Questions on Buying a 500cc Royal Enfield

vikrut · 25th October 2010, 15:11

Im curious as to what different types of RE 500cc Right Shift models are there & when was the production stopped. What would one look for when buying a used 500cc & are the spare parts hard to get than the 350cc.

gsferrari · 25th October 2010, 15:17

Engine spares are difficult to get (pistons/rings/bore) but most people who get to that point are running sleeves and new rings.

Nilesh5417 · 25th October 2010, 16:36

What you would look for is a pretty standard answer for any used bike. I don't own a 500 so cant comment but i do own a 350.
But specifically for a bullet, one point i think that can be a pain is electricals. You can find lots of mechanics who can fix mechanical issues but very rarely do you run into someone who can understand and fix electrical/wiring issues. Check the front & rear shocks for travel.
Also, try to buy a stock bike. It is true that sourcing spares for the STD 500 is hard but in a city like bombay, there are definitely answers to such issues.

vikrut · 26th October 2010, 21:45

I was curious as to when was the production stopped , I am looking to get a good bike in decent condition, I came across one in my neighbourhood 500cc which the owner claims to be 1998 , 3rd owner & 75K , I thought it was quite on the steeper side , but I am on the lookout.

gsferrari · 26th October 2010, 22:07

Not sure which year was the last year of production for the Cast-Iron 500 but it might have been 1998.

75k is a bit steep but it all depends on how the bike is maintained. Nah...no way I'd pay that much for a standard 500 in this day and age. I think the UCE classic 500 has had enough time for the niggles to get sorted out and with a nice exhaust it sounds great as well!

shan2129 · 26th October 2010, 23:28

The Production of the CI 500 was stopped somewhere in 2005-2006 ( my friends own two CI 500 2005 model)

vikrut · 28th October 2010, 18:27

Came across a 500CI owner today , 2003 bike with disc brakes & self start, beautiful machine. Wouldn't mind getting hands on one of these beauties.

iron · 28th October 2010, 22:42

Production of the Cast Iron 500 (right Shift)was stopped in 2006 to make way for the AVL Machismo 500(Left Shift) which was launched in 2007
The production of the Machismo 500 was stopped in late 2009 to make way for the UCE classic 500(Left Shift).
Spares are a Problem for all the 500's the ones in production and the ones out of production, just ask their owners.
There is usually a waiting period when spares are ordered. If you get it off the shelf then consider yourself very lucky. If you get it within a month consider yourself lucky. Stocking or Hoarding of Spares by 500 owners is not unusual.

The CI500 is a very good bike. Its a sellers market for this bike '05-'06 models are sold for a lac and above. A '98 model being sold for an 75k is not unusual.
Check if the engine has been opened up till date.
Check whether the previous owners replaced parts of the 500 with that of a 350.
The '05 - '06 models are equipped with ES. The ES does not work so dont let the seller fool you. He may have repaired it just for the sake of selling but it conks of after a few days (mfg defect)
Take a Bullet mechanic along when you go to inspect the bike.

vikrut · 31st October 2010, 02:18

Very informative Iron

I checked with the local mechanics , spares are not a issue here in Andheri.
ES & Disc brakes do not interest me , Id probably be looking at a late 90s model.

iron · 1st November 2010, 21:57

Where do u live in andheri?
You might consider plonking in discs after seeing the effectiveness of drum brakes.
One thing I forgot to mention is check for tyre wear as well, if there is any uneven wear on them then the wheel is most likely out of balance.
Check for cracks on the tyre. the older the tyres the harder they become and do not grip the road as they should.

ranjitnair77 · 3rd November 2010, 19:26

I have owned a CI 500 for over seven years now and it hasn't been too difficult to procure spare parts. Most of the common parts are shared with the Standard CI 350 so a regular service is completely hassle free.

It is a different story when it comes to an engine job. I got my engine rebuilt a few months back and my mechanic did complain about the lack of availability of pistons/rings etc. I'm contemplating hoarding these hard to get parts before they completely run out.

Electricals are not a problem in the bike. I'll be more concerned about the engine parts.

I would highly recommend fitting disks on the 500 if you happen to buy one. I had retrofitted disks on my bike six years ago. This is a complete no-brainer, if you have had a first-hand experience of the feeble Enfield drum brakes.

I completely agree with Iron's comments on the electric starters on the 05 - 06 Enfields. They break down all the time and are expensive to repair. I have a couple of friends who have stopped bothering to fix the ES.

Most 500's that you will find with a high mileage would have gone through atleast one major engine repair job. It could be a fix for an engine bearing or a piston replacement/sleeve job. This should not dissuade you in any way. If the motorcycle rides well and your mechanic thinks that most things are in place, you should go ahead and buy it.

CI 500's will command a premium in the market. I was offered 90000+ for mine which has had two engine repair jobs and 75000 kms on the odo. I wouldn't part with it for any money though.

Happy hunting Vikrut !

Edsel Rulez! · 6th November 2010, 05:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by ranjitnair77

I got my engine rebuilt a few months back and my mechanic did complain about the lack of availability of pistons/rings etc. I'm contemplating hoarding these hard to get parts before they completely run out.

Assuming that a CI500 owner has around Rs 15-20K to spare, what are the must-have parts that he should stock up on? Piston and rings are obviously important -- is it possible to buy a complete cylinder/head assembly?

Rennjit · 5th December 2013, 06:00

I'm looking for some info about the rare cast iron std 500 ES model. Owners or Gurus pls help

Questions on Buying a 500cc Royal Enfield-500es.jpg

1. Battery capacity- 14 Ah ?
2. Electrics- Ac-Dc or full Dc ?
3. Alternator- 3 phase or single phase?
- Does all coils in stator ring powers the battery alone?
4. Clutch cases- same size as of non Es ? (apart from the Es bulge).

The alternator assembly looks like it may fit regular 350. If the 500's alternator is of better capacity, it could be a reliable option to bump up 350's electrics hopefully.

25th October 2010, 15:11	#1
vikrut BHPian Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Mumbai Posts: 117 Thanked: 3 Times	Questions on Buying a 500cc Royal Enfield Im curious as to what different types of RE 500cc Right Shift models are there & when was the production stopped. What would one look for when buying a used 500cc & are the spare parts hard to get than the 350cc.
	() Thanks

25th October 2010, 15:17	#2
gsferrari Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Chennai Posts: 1,014 Thanked: 1,806 Times	Engine spares are difficult to get (pistons/rings/bore) but most people who get to that point are running sleeves and new rings.
	() Thanks

25th October 2010, 16:36	#3
Nilesh5417 Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2006 Location: Pune Posts: 1,807 Thanked: 2,596 Times	What you would look for is a pretty standard answer for any used bike. I don't own a 500 so cant comment but i do own a 350. But specifically for a bullet, one point i think that can be a pain is electricals. You can find lots of mechanics who can fix mechanical issues but very rarely do you run into someone who can understand and fix electrical/wiring issues. Check the front & rear shocks for travel. Also, try to buy a stock bike. It is true that sourcing spares for the STD 500 is hard but in a city like bombay, there are definitely answers to such issues.
	() Thanks

26th October 2010, 21:45	#4
vikrut BHPian Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Mumbai Posts: 117 Thanked: 3 Times	I was curious as to when was the production stopped , I am looking to get a good bike in decent condition, I came across one in my neighbourhood 500cc which the owner claims to be 1998 , 3rd owner & 75K , I thought it was quite on the steeper side , but I am on the lookout.
	() Thanks

26th October 2010, 22:07	#5
gsferrari Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Chennai Posts: 1,014 Thanked: 1,806 Times	Not sure which year was the last year of production for the Cast-Iron 500 but it might have been 1998. 75k is a bit steep but it all depends on how the bike is maintained. Nah...no way I'd pay that much for a standard 500 in this day and age. I think the UCE classic 500 has had enough time for the niggles to get sorted out and with a nice exhaust it sounds great as well!
	() Thanks

26th October 2010, 23:28	#6
shan2129 BHPian Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Dehradun Posts: 303 Thanked: 82 Times	The Production of the CI 500 was stopped somewhere in 2005-2006 ( my friends own two CI 500 2005 model)
	() Thanks

28th October 2010, 18:27	#7
vikrut BHPian Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Mumbai Posts: 117 Thanked: 3 Times	Came across a 500CI owner today , 2003 bike with disc brakes & self start, beautiful machine. Wouldn't mind getting hands on one of these beauties.
	() Thanks

28th October 2010, 22:42	#8
iron BHPian Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Bombay Posts: 260 Thanked: 55 Times View My Garage	Production of the Cast Iron 500 (right Shift)was stopped in 2006 to make way for the AVL Machismo 500(Left Shift) which was launched in 2007 The production of the Machismo 500 was stopped in late 2009 to make way for the UCE classic 500(Left Shift). Spares are a Problem for all the 500's the ones in production and the ones out of production, just ask their owners. There is usually a waiting period when spares are ordered. If you get it off the shelf then consider yourself very lucky. If you get it within a month consider yourself lucky. Stocking or Hoarding of Spares by 500 owners is not unusual. The CI500 is a very good bike. Its a sellers market for this bike '05-'06 models are sold for a lac and above. A '98 model being sold for an 75k is not unusual. Check if the engine has been opened up till date. Check whether the previous owners replaced parts of the 500 with that of a 350. The '05 - '06 models are equipped with ES. The ES does not work so dont let the seller fool you. He may have repaired it just for the sake of selling but it conks of after a few days (mfg defect) Take a Bullet mechanic along when you go to inspect the bike. Last edited by iron : 28th October 2010 at 22:43.
	() Thanks

31st October 2010, 02:18	#9
vikrut BHPian Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Mumbai Posts: 117 Thanked: 3 Times	Very informative Iron I checked with the local mechanics , spares are not a issue here in Andheri. ES & Disc brakes do not interest me , Id probably be looking at a late 90s model.
	() Thanks

1st November 2010, 21:57	#10
iron BHPian Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Bombay Posts: 260 Thanked: 55 Times View My Garage	Where do u live in andheri? You might consider plonking in discs after seeing the effectiveness of drum brakes. One thing I forgot to mention is check for tyre wear as well, if there is any uneven wear on them then the wheel is most likely out of balance. Check for cracks on the tyre. the older the tyres the harder they become and do not grip the road as they should.
	() Thanks

3rd November 2010, 19:26	#11
ranjitnair77 BHPian Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Pune Posts: 288 Thanked: 1,632 Times	I have owned a CI 500 for over seven years now and it hasn't been too difficult to procure spare parts. Most of the common parts are shared with the Standard CI 350 so a regular service is completely hassle free. It is a different story when it comes to an engine job. I got my engine rebuilt a few months back and my mechanic did complain about the lack of availability of pistons/rings etc. I'm contemplating hoarding these hard to get parts before they completely run out. Electricals are not a problem in the bike. I'll be more concerned about the engine parts. I would highly recommend fitting disks on the 500 if you happen to buy one. I had retrofitted disks on my bike six years ago. This is a complete no-brainer, if you have had a first-hand experience of the feeble Enfield drum brakes. I completely agree with Iron's comments on the electric starters on the 05 - 06 Enfields. They break down all the time and are expensive to repair. I have a couple of friends who have stopped bothering to fix the ES. Most 500's that you will find with a high mileage would have gone through atleast one major engine repair job. It could be a fix for an engine bearing or a piston replacement/sleeve job. This should not dissuade you in any way. If the motorcycle rides well and your mechanic thinks that most things are in place, you should go ahead and buy it. CI 500's will command a premium in the market. I was offered 90000+ for mine which has had two engine repair jobs and 75000 kms on the odo. I wouldn't part with it for any money though. Happy hunting Vikrut !
	() Thanks

5th December 2013, 06:00	#13
Rennjit BHPian Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Namma Bangalore Posts: 668 Thanked: 165 Times	Ci 500 Es- Electrics ? I'm looking for some info about the rare cast iron std 500 ES model. Owners or Gurus pls help 1. Battery capacity- 14 Ah ? 2. Electrics- Ac-Dc or full Dc ? 3. Alternator- 3 phase or single phase? - Does all coils in stator ring powers the battery alone? 4. Clutch cases- same size as of non Es ? (apart from the Es bulge). The alternator assembly looks like it may fit regular 350. If the 500's alternator is of better capacity, it could be a reliable option to bump up 350's electrics hopefully. Last edited by Rennjit : 5th December 2013 at 06:04.
	() Thanks