Having worked at a motorcycle dealership, I can tell you this: the dealer is part of, and the final stage of, the manufacturing process. The bike arrives in a crate, partially disassembled, and the dealer puts it together and then goes over the entire machine to catch any goofs made by the assemblers at the factory. If you buy your bike from a dealer offering a cut-rate price then don't expect this attention to detail. You can usually sniff 'em out, these dirt bags who are more oriented towards money than to product or customer satisfaction. Besides, what British bike owner isn't already accustomed to going over his machine, even when new, and looking for loose nuts, bolts, parts, connections, etc.? And for the first-time buyer it's a process that needs to be learned. It's part of the immense satisfaction of riding a well-tuned, properly functioning British bike.
alexander kasady . Yes I agree, I thought I was buying a new bike with full quality control. I paid full retail price, I am happy with the bike now. Customer service in Spain is pretty poor to be honest. Still no idea how the overspray got onto the mudguard stays, all good now as pointed out in a later video.
Paul, I have a few questions regarding the Enfield and I hope you don't mind my asking you. You seem to be pretty well informed and level-headed, so I think I can rely on you for some straight answers. (1.) What kind of fuel do they use in India? Does it contain lead? (2.) What kind of gas works best in an Enfield? (3.) Are the Enfield's valve guides stellited? Or are the guides and valve seats still made of untreated cast iron? (On a couple of BSA's I've restored I replaced the stock cast iron guides with those made of aluminum phosphor bronze so they wouldn't need the no-longer-available leaded fuel to lubricate or cushion). Am I going to have to do the same thing to an Enfield? (4.) Just how bad ARE the ports on these things? Will the chamber and ports require extensive smoothing/shaping/polishing? And do the bikes that DO receive this kind of attention benefit noticeably? (5.) What kind of fork oil does one normally find in these things? Is it like the thin fish oil the Japanese put in their bikes in the 70's? Would switching to a higher-viscosity oil help cool the shakes? (6.) How about the rear suspension units? Does the dampening there seem adequate? (7.) "paid full retail price" as in the same ten to twelve grand a Guzzi would run you? Or a Triumph? Or did you get out the door for about 6 grand or less? (chuckling) Yuz gits what yuz pays for, my friend. Just having some fun with you here, Paul You have a good day, Sir. Regards. -Alex
The most - nagging issue in RE bikes especially the 500 models is the "Utterly Shitty Battery". They loose charge easily and have to be replaced every 18 months or so. The shitty battery manufacture is cleaver, it gives just enough warranty so that after it is over you have to buy a new battery. Second - most problematic issue is loose nuts and blots.. especially the steering mechanism. You need to get the wheel bearings freshly greased (the factory grease is too little) and tightened correctly. Third - most problematic issue is "Engine Oil". The default engine oil gets toasted easily if you are into long drives. The mineral oil is simply not meant for long drives.. engine gets very hot (you can feel hot smell every where). This bike was never meant to be a performance bike but a old relic for modern times.. the RE is a old company very slow to change.. but they have been improving every year. My personal recommendation of engine oil is 15W-50 MOTUL 300v 1L x 3 bottles. These are the best you can buy for a RE bike, all synthetic and pure green blood. Use a 3M Engine flush with your current oil, run it on idle for 10 mins. Drain the old oil by removing all 3 exits on the bottom. Important wait for 30 mins, dry kick a bit from time to time, tilt both sides till all the oil drips out completely. (there will be some oil, slug but we'll give our best shot). Replace old oil filter by first soaking the new oil filter for about 10 mins in the new motul green oil. Second best personal recommendation is - replace paper filter with a K&N or similar cloth based performance air filter. These two are worth a change .. you'll see a different performance bike :) more horses, less rocking and faster pickup. Buy a Motul/RE or other brand chain cleaner and lubricant. These come in as a pair and fairly cheap.I liked stock exhaust to be the best, goes with the retro style and never bothered to change anything.. Changed seat covers to a custom genuine deep brown leather, it is now buttery smooth and a pleasure to ride. Thats it.. !! enjoy your bike..
Hi Paul, I've just had delivered the new 2017 Euro 4 model. It's a Classic Chrome, so no problem with over spray and also the front mudguard is cut away, so the fork covers don't touch the mudguard. The clutch cable is now tied to the front down tube and so doesn't rub against the back of the front mudguard. However, the heat shield is still riveted on to the silencer but I'm changing the stock silencer for a shorter one. Enjoy your videos, keep up the good work. I've started doing some vblogging myself but it's early days at the moment.
Hi Paul, Yes, I've seen one of your earlier videos, where you mentioned about leaving her open in 2nd and 3rd for a bit once run in, which helps loosen her up and helps reduce vibration. I shall certainly have a go at that. I've got the green one.
I concur, once the bike has been "run in" you *should* progressively use more revs through the gears to bed the engine in. The engine becomes smoother and more powerful. High revs and missing (a bit techy, I'm a retired physicist-engineer, I do that) - there is a rev limiter at 5500 but the engine is supposed to produce max bhp at 5250. So if it won't rev to say 5400 it may be missing sparks (Smiths tacho added). I recently replaced HT Lead (which is screwed into the the coil like HT cap), HT Cap (NGK resistor) and spark plug (BPR5ES*) with the coil repositioned and the new silicone lead kept away from the frame. (oem has resistor plug with suppressor cap, NGK recommend same, provides correct load on coil to give longer duration spark). Result - immediately produced more regular idle, smoother running through the entire revs and willingness to go to max revs; indicating it was previously missing across the entire range. Previous plug was blackened which usually indicates rich mix but also indicates missing causing unburnt fuel. Bike is less than 2yo, oem HT lead had heat stiffened and beginning to crack insulation; the oem metal HT cap fell apart about a year ago. I need to run it a while longer then do a plug chop to see if the carbon blackening has gone away. Riding the bike - significantly more punch with no hesitation. More fun :-) * usual suspect spark plug is NGK BPR6ES, I went a half step hotter to a 5 to burn carbon off the electrode.
My 2021 bike has all the issues addressed. The mudguard is now cut away where it previously caught both sides of the fork legs and the clutch cable has a rubber strap holding it to the frame down tube. The paintwork is absolutely stunning with no overspray. Shame they are no longer manufacturing them due to the new emission laws.
Thnx, I really appreciate knowing some of the little things on this bike that would drive me nuts. Many things considered I have scrapped my ambitions with respect to RE Thanks again!
Its funny that a manufacturer thats made the same bike for like 80 years hasn't got the kinks worked out by now. You'd think the benefit of making the bike for so long would allow them to have it really fine tuned, but they kind of just left it alone and kept cranking them out. I still want one though...
Re: quality issues, most of the complaints come via the Enfield riders in India. It seems that they 'up' the standards for the export bikes. Should of course be the same across the board
Ok guys just played and watched the TH-cam video below, if my bike came from that plant there is no way it could have had the over spray. So my conclusion is probably that the front mudguard was damaged in crate transit. The dealers removed the front wheel and mudguard and the black mudguard supports where near the spray area during repair. I have looked closely and cannot see any repair work, but could also explain the poor gap alignment of mudguard. th-cam.com/video/Y9A7SoNTtio/w-d-xo.html
is0explore. Yes I agree some messing about with the front end post shipping. I addressed the issues in a later video. Pushed the mudguard in. Cleaned the overspray and sorted cable. Thanks the input 😎👍
The clutch cable should be routed up the frame tube, around the right hand side of the steering head, and through the casquette. Cable ties. An english-made cable (Hitchcocks) is much freer moving than the oem, but also thicker. The outer of the oem can become spongy. The brake hose should not stick out in a big loop to the side, there's something wrong going on there. Btw the oem brake fluid is rubbish, bleed out/replace with DOT.4 I ride the same bike (mine's grey), the mudguard doesn't hit the fork shrouds. I assume the mudguard is practically hand made; it needs "adjusting", I'd be able to squeeze that in my hands. The fork shrouds can also be manoeuvred (top bolt) but must be concentric to the forks or they rub the legs. Loctite was invented for Enfields.
From what I've gathered via various videos and complaints, the problem lies with the factory and what seem to be disgruntled employees. They had recent labour stoppages over the use of cell phones by their employees which management want to put a stop to, quite rightly so in my opinion. I certainly wouldn't allow my employees to be using cell phones during works time. However there might be a good reason for employees to be feeling disgruntled and if thats the case then I wouldn't expect them to be conscientious about the quality of the product. Nevertheless there should be at least two more stages in which these issues can be spotted and corrected. First being factory quality control. Second being the dealership at point of sale. However, when all's said and done, the majority of gripes seem to me to be things that the owner can and should take care of themselves. Its your responsibility to ensure that your bike is safe to ride, big singles do vibrate more than other engine types, its a good idea to check the various fastenings yourself on a regular basis. In my opinion, the ride it and forget it mentality is not suited to motorcycles and I've had over a dozen various bikes, Japanese and English as well as Indian made and not one of them was perfect in every way and some required pretty extensive modifications to correct problems or the potential for problems. Which is not to imply that this gentleman's criticisms are invalid, they are issues that matter to him, they wouldn't to me but I have a different outlook. All in all though, the general volume of complaints about fit and finish do seem to indicate that Royal Enfield need to address them and if employee dissatisfaction is at the root of the problem, they need to pay attention to it or risk losing sales. Given enough complaints seen by as wide an audience as TH-cam commands, theres a real danger of materially affecting the company's profitability. Anyone remember the original 250 Continental? Basically a souped up Crusader, a bike which had a good reputation but was being shown up by the new Japanese machines with their flashy looks and superior performance.They added an extra gear to the cluster within the original gearbox which required them to reduce the width of the gears. The thinner gears couldn't stand up to normal usage and broke in various ways. Everyone wanted that pretty little bike when they first came out but it didn't take long for the gearbox problems to become common knowledge and after that sales dropped off and that was through word of mouth alone, if the Net had been around then the bad news would have spread much faster.
I'm happy with bike but the trim on my exhaust fell off same as you. today I was looking at my bike under the seat and some electric component broke off. bought a zip tie and zip tied it to frame. other than that, I'm enjoying the bike and using your break in method. I'm at 870 miles and hoping at 1000 miles, I notice some improvement but not horribly bad vibrations.
helpful videos as I am thinking about buying a classic...a little concerned about how safe these are for the rider, but then with care and attention...
Hi Paul, got a 2016 Classic same colour as yours and on the whole am really pleased with it. The first part that came of mine was the wire heat shield same as you ! Fortunately I found it while it was still hanging on by one rivet but as soon as i moved it the whole thing came off. I riveted it back on and managed to slide a small washer onto the back of the rivet which stops it from pulling through. The second was the 1of the bolts holding the exhaust to the cylinder head went missing on a long ride and the second was on it's way. Things got very loud and it destroyed the copper gasket so had to source a replacement. 2 new bolts but this time with spring washers seems to have sorted the problem but look out for it. Don't have your paint issues and the spacing between the mudguard and the fork shields is much larger than yours so no rubbing. What year is your bike, maybe they are slowly fixing the faults. My clutch cable is cable tied to the main frame downtube. Was delivered like that and have had no clutch issues after 2000 miles. Good Luck Tony
A bolt would just vibrate loose without intervention or prevention the issue isn't thats it is riveted it is that nothing has been done to stop it being damaged by the vibrations. A stronger rivet preferably not a pop rivet would be the easiest answer
Hi Paul, I like your bike and your videos, but regarding the small amounts of overspray, I understand that it irks you, but it also shows that the bike was built by men and not robots, which I like. Where in Spain are you ? I live on Ibiza, and am wondering if I should get one of these. As a biker since 1964, and having riden a lot, I currently have a Yamaha x-Max 300, which is perfect but no soul. I would never ride on Motorways ( we don't have any ) so I think on an island where you can only ride 50kms max before the coast, it might be good fun.
That bracket on my exhaust pipe is loose. Rattles badly. If it is a bolt I can tighten it, but if it's a rivet, I'm stuck. For now, I'm jamming steel wool between the exhaust and it to stop the rattle... if it falls off, well, good riddance, I say. My bike only has 550 miles on it. Disappointed is the word that comes to mind, but watching your video gave me some assurance that it is not important. I've tried taking off the heat shield but it feels like it has been locktighted in place... I cannot undo the 3 large screws. .. so I guess I'm......screwed.
Steve Miller . I lost mine on the road plus one of the large screws in the heat shield, luckily had a matching screw albeit not chromed, no problems since.
Paul von Bocks Johnson . I actually ordered it from eBay from India, took a couple of weeks to arrive. There was a basic bracket included. But it wasn't compatible with my bike. I ended up drilling
Drilling the back of the saddle bag and using zip ties to rear mudguard bracket. Had plenty of weight in it no problem. (Don’t know why only half the reply posted)
Hi Paul. Nice video. I have an odd riding issue, when tapping off, on slight downhill, rather jerky behaviour, then jerks again when opening up again. Almost like a loose chain taking up slack? Had bike serviced, went away (for 1000km or so), now back again. Any thoughts ?
Brian JC Osborne sounds like the chain needs adjusting again. Think the mapping on the 2017 fuel injection has made the throttle response smoother leading to less chain jerk and stretch. If the chain tension is ok could be the front sprocket that has some play in it or the cush drive on the rear sprocket
thanks Paul....left the bike down in Paphos, was raining when we left to travel back to Nicosia. I will collect it soon and take bike back to my Mechanic, i think is the chain. The bike was running like a bomb down at sea level, was great fun.
Hi Brian is yours a EFI model they usually adjust for altitude via the ECU but interesting. We are at around 500m but i do remember the test bike i rode at sea level being punchy, put it down to being well run in.😎👍
Joby Mathew. Hi Joby to be honest I haven't polished the bike I just wash it and chamous leather dry it. Apart from the over spray I cleaned of in a later video. The paint finish is really good.
Although I'd love to purchase a Royal Enfield they are grossly overpriced considering the poor quality and are made in India. I doubt they cost much in India to buy. However in the UK I reckon a fair price would be about £2500. No more !
sdq sdq . Yes but i suppose after 50 years someone would have thought of a mod if it was possible. people in Europe buy it because it's a new built classic, as opposed to the Indian market where it is seen as mode of transportation.
I've solved the vibration problem, you just need to ride the bike for about 1600 miles to bed it in properly. Btw pretty much all british bikes of the 50s and 60s and a well-known american bike to near present, all vibrate more than these do. Be grateful you're getting the better-built export version. I distinctly remember a Triumph Daytona 500 sheering off some bolts and depositing its number plate and tail lamp in the road. What you get with these bikes is a new-build classic providing you with the ultimate classic owner experience - hands-on maintenance.
Hey Jeff, I have a GT Continental and have almost no issues with my bike 2 1/2 years and 9000 klms later... BUT the Indians are complaining something terrible about the build quality of their GT's. I was wondering if there was an export version and an inferior domestic bike??
sdq sdq seems the export models are way more expensive than those produced for the Indian market. So its generally considered that the export models have a higher test level and possibly even spec. Plus most Indian models seem to be twin spark.
steve kwall. I agree poor quality control. Going to clean an tackle a few issues today myself due to long journey to the dealer. If the over spray T cuts off and I zip tie the clutch cable it will sort out the visual issues.
Beggars the question on how they manage to get over spray on parts that should have been sprayed off the bike. I've got engine grey on the frame, go figure. T-Cut may be a bit coarse, try Meguiars Scratch remover or similar; there are so many car paint correction products. Stainless pop rivets are stronger than aluminium ones but I might be inclined to find some nice chrome sheet metal (deep thread) self-tappers instead. Some of the oem light bulbs are so well made that they fell out of their sockets, doh!
royal enfield bikes are good for nothing.. maybe only for classic bike looks.. but these bikes have lots of quality issues. royal enfield is definitely not royal
Having worked at a motorcycle dealership, I can tell you this: the dealer is part of, and the final stage of, the manufacturing process. The bike arrives in a crate, partially disassembled, and the dealer puts it together and then goes over the entire machine to catch any goofs made by the assemblers at the factory. If you buy your bike from a dealer offering a cut-rate price then don't expect this attention to detail. You can usually sniff 'em out, these dirt bags who are more oriented towards money than to product or customer satisfaction. Besides, what British bike owner isn't already accustomed to going over his machine, even when new, and looking for loose nuts, bolts, parts, connections, etc.? And for the first-time buyer it's a process that needs to be learned. It's part of the immense satisfaction of riding a well-tuned, properly functioning British bike.
alexander kasady . Yes I agree, I thought I was buying a new bike with full quality control. I paid full retail price, I am happy with the bike now. Customer service in Spain is pretty poor to be honest. Still no idea how the overspray got onto the mudguard stays, all good now as pointed out in a later video.
Paul, I have a few questions regarding the Enfield and I hope you don't mind my asking you. You seem to be pretty well informed and level-headed, so I think I can rely on you for some straight answers. (1.) What kind of fuel do they use in India? Does it contain lead? (2.) What kind of gas works best in an Enfield? (3.) Are the Enfield's valve guides stellited? Or are the guides and valve seats still made of untreated cast iron? (On a couple of BSA's I've restored I replaced the stock cast iron guides with those made of aluminum phosphor bronze so they wouldn't need the no-longer-available leaded fuel to lubricate or cushion). Am I going to have to do the same thing to an Enfield? (4.) Just how bad ARE the ports on these things? Will the chamber and ports require extensive smoothing/shaping/polishing? And do the bikes that DO receive this kind of attention benefit noticeably? (5.) What kind of fork oil does one normally find in these things? Is it like the thin fish oil the Japanese put in their bikes in the 70's? Would switching to a higher-viscosity oil help cool the shakes? (6.) How about the rear suspension units? Does the dampening there seem adequate? (7.) "paid full retail price" as in the same ten to twelve grand a Guzzi would run you? Or a Triumph? Or did you get out the door for about 6 grand or less? (chuckling) Yuz gits what yuz pays for, my friend. Just having some fun with you here, Paul You have a good day, Sir. Regards. -Alex
You have hit the nail on the head Alexander.
Well said
The most - nagging issue in RE bikes especially the 500 models is the "Utterly Shitty Battery". They loose charge easily and have to be replaced every 18 months or so. The shitty battery manufacture is cleaver, it gives just enough warranty so that after it is over you have to buy a new battery.
Second - most problematic issue is loose nuts and blots.. especially the steering mechanism. You need to get the wheel bearings freshly greased (the factory grease is too little) and tightened correctly.
Third - most problematic issue is "Engine Oil". The default engine oil gets toasted easily if you are into long drives. The mineral oil is simply not meant for long drives.. engine gets very hot (you can feel hot smell every where). This bike was never meant to be a performance bike but a old relic for modern times.. the RE is a old company very slow to change.. but they have been improving every year.
My personal recommendation of engine oil is 15W-50 MOTUL 300v 1L x 3 bottles. These are the best you can buy for a RE bike, all synthetic and pure green blood. Use a 3M Engine flush with your current oil, run it on idle for 10 mins. Drain the old oil by removing all 3 exits on the bottom. Important wait for 30 mins, dry kick a bit from time to time, tilt both sides till all the oil drips out completely. (there will be some oil, slug but we'll give our best shot). Replace old oil filter by first soaking the new oil filter for about 10 mins in the new motul green oil.
Second best personal recommendation is - replace paper filter with a K&N or similar cloth based performance air filter.
These two are worth a change .. you'll see a different performance bike :) more horses, less rocking and faster pickup.
Buy a Motul/RE or other brand chain cleaner and lubricant. These come in as a pair and fairly cheap.I liked stock exhaust to be the best, goes with the retro style and never bothered to change anything.. Changed seat covers to a custom genuine deep brown leather, it is now buttery smooth and a pleasure to ride.
Thats it.. !! enjoy your bike..
Absolutely right you said about RE..💯%♥
Hi Paul, I've just had delivered the new 2017 Euro 4 model. It's a Classic Chrome, so no problem with over spray and also the front mudguard is cut away, so the fork covers don't touch the mudguard. The clutch cable is now tied to the front down tube and so doesn't rub against the back of the front mudguard. However, the heat shield is still riveted on to the silencer but I'm changing the stock silencer for a shorter one. Enjoy your videos, keep up the good work. I've started doing some vblogging myself but it's early days at the moment.
Hi Paul, Yes, I've seen one of your earlier videos, where you mentioned about leaving her open in 2nd and 3rd for a bit once run in, which helps loosen her up and helps reduce vibration. I shall certainly have a go at that. I've got the green one.
Mark Buckmaster. Nice, enjoy 👍😎
I concur, once the bike has been "run in" you *should* progressively use more revs through the gears to bed the engine in. The engine becomes smoother and more powerful.
High revs and missing (a bit techy, I'm a retired physicist-engineer, I do that) - there is a rev limiter at 5500 but the engine is supposed to produce max bhp at 5250. So if it won't rev to say 5400 it may be missing sparks (Smiths tacho added).
I recently replaced HT Lead (which is screwed into the the coil like HT cap), HT Cap (NGK resistor) and spark plug (BPR5ES*) with the coil repositioned and the new silicone lead kept away from the frame. (oem has resistor plug with suppressor cap, NGK recommend same, provides correct load on coil to give longer duration spark).
Result - immediately produced more regular idle, smoother running through the entire revs and willingness to go to max revs; indicating it was previously missing across the entire range. Previous plug was blackened which usually indicates rich mix but also indicates missing causing unburnt fuel. Bike is less than 2yo, oem HT lead had heat stiffened and beginning to crack insulation; the oem metal HT cap fell apart about a year ago. I need to run it a while longer then do a plug chop to see if the carbon blackening has gone away.
Riding the bike - significantly more punch with no hesitation. More fun :-)
* usual suspect spark plug is NGK BPR6ES, I went a half step hotter to a 5 to burn carbon off the electrode.
My 2021 bike has all the issues addressed. The mudguard is now cut away where it previously caught both sides of the fork legs and the clutch cable has a rubber strap holding it to the frame down tube. The paintwork is absolutely stunning with no overspray. Shame they are no longer manufacturing them due to the new emission laws.
Thnx, I really appreciate knowing some of the little things on this bike that would drive me nuts.
Many things considered I have scrapped my ambitions with respect to RE
Thanks again!
Thanks for sharing your observations, Paul.
JuciÊ Andrade you're welcome.
Its funny that a manufacturer thats made the same bike for like 80 years hasn't got the kinks worked out by now. You'd think the benefit of making the bike for so long would allow them to have it really fine tuned, but they kind of just left it alone and kept cranking them out. I still want one though...
Re: quality issues, most of the complaints come via the Enfield riders in India. It seems that they 'up' the standards for the export bikes. Should of course be the same across the board
Ok guys just played and watched the TH-cam video below, if my bike came from that plant there is no way it could have had the over spray. So my conclusion is probably that the front mudguard was damaged in crate transit. The dealers removed the front wheel and mudguard and the black mudguard supports where near the spray area during repair. I have looked closely and cannot see any repair work, but could also explain the poor gap alignment of mudguard.
th-cam.com/video/Y9A7SoNTtio/w-d-xo.html
is0explore. Yes I agree some messing about with the front end post shipping. I addressed the issues in a later video. Pushed the mudguard in. Cleaned the overspray and sorted cable. Thanks the input 😎👍
The clutch cable should be routed up the frame tube, around the right hand side of the steering head, and through the casquette. Cable ties. An english-made cable (Hitchcocks) is much freer moving than the oem, but also thicker. The outer of the oem can become spongy.
The brake hose should not stick out in a big loop to the side, there's something wrong going on there. Btw the oem brake fluid is rubbish, bleed out/replace with DOT.4
I ride the same bike (mine's grey), the mudguard doesn't hit the fork shrouds. I assume the mudguard is practically hand made; it needs "adjusting", I'd be able to squeeze that in my hands. The fork shrouds can also be manoeuvred (top bolt) but must be concentric to the forks or they rub the legs.
Loctite was invented for Enfields.
From what I've gathered via various videos and complaints, the problem lies with the factory and what seem to be disgruntled employees. They had recent labour stoppages over the use of cell phones by their employees which management want to put a stop to, quite rightly so in my opinion. I certainly wouldn't allow my employees to be using cell phones during works time. However there might be a good reason for employees to be feeling disgruntled and if thats the case then I wouldn't expect them to be conscientious about the quality of the product. Nevertheless there should be at least two more stages in which these issues can be spotted and corrected. First being factory quality control. Second being the dealership at point of sale.
However, when all's said and done, the majority of gripes seem to me to be things that the owner can and should take care of themselves. Its your responsibility to ensure that your bike is safe to ride, big singles do vibrate more than other engine types, its a good idea to check the various fastenings yourself on a regular basis. In my opinion, the ride it and forget it mentality is not suited to motorcycles and I've had over a dozen various bikes, Japanese and English as well as Indian made and not one of them was perfect in every way and some required pretty extensive modifications to correct problems or the potential for problems.
Which is not to imply that this gentleman's criticisms are invalid, they are issues that matter to him, they wouldn't to me but I have a different outlook. All in all though, the general volume of complaints about fit and finish do seem to indicate that Royal Enfield need to address them and if employee dissatisfaction is at the root of the problem, they need to pay attention to it or risk losing sales. Given enough complaints seen by as wide an audience as TH-cam commands, theres a real danger of materially affecting the company's profitability.
Anyone remember the original 250 Continental? Basically a souped up Crusader, a bike which had a good reputation but was being shown up by the new Japanese machines with their flashy looks and superior performance.They added an extra gear to the cluster within the original gearbox which required them to reduce the width of the gears. The thinner gears couldn't stand up to normal usage and broke in various ways. Everyone wanted that pretty little bike when they first came out but it didn't take long for the gearbox problems to become common knowledge and after that sales dropped off and that was through word of mouth alone, if the Net had been around then the bad news would have spread much faster.
I'm happy with bike but the trim on my exhaust fell off same as you. today I was looking at my bike under the seat and some electric component broke off. bought a zip tie and zip tied it to frame. other than that, I'm enjoying the bike and using your break in method. I'm at 870 miles and hoping at 1000 miles, I notice some improvement but not horribly bad vibrations.
Might I suggest a clear tape or film on the area where the frame and hose are rubbing, should protect the frame / paintwork
helpful videos as I am thinking about buying a classic...a little concerned about how safe these are for the rider, but then with care and attention...
David Hvass . They are a very sturdy and safe bike, and great fun.
@@motechRevolution thanks I will arrange a test run
Hi Paul, got a 2016 Classic same colour as yours and on the whole am really pleased with it. The first part that came of mine was the wire heat shield same as you ! Fortunately I found it while it was still hanging on by one rivet but as soon as i moved it the whole thing came off. I riveted it back on and managed to slide a small washer onto the back of the rivet which stops it from pulling through. The second was the 1of the bolts holding the exhaust to the cylinder head went missing on a long ride and the second was on it's way. Things got very loud and it destroyed the copper gasket so had to source a replacement. 2 new bolts but this time with spring washers seems to have sorted the problem but look out for it. Don't have your paint issues and the spacing between the mudguard and the fork shields is much larger than yours so no rubbing. What year is your bike, maybe they are slowly fixing the faults.
My clutch cable is cable tied to the main frame downtube. Was delivered like that and have had no clutch issues after 2000 miles.
Good Luck
Tony
AJH mine is a 2016 model so fairly new. The issues I have I can sort out but they are slightly annoying
You just can't beat Japanese motorcycles for quality !
A bolt would just vibrate loose without intervention or prevention the issue isn't thats it is riveted it is that nothing has been done to stop it being damaged by the vibrations. A stronger rivet preferably not a pop rivet would be the easiest answer
Thank you for your vid. About to get my bullet 500cc. Would give extra care to those parts on the bike
Bao Le why tho? Why would you buy this crap from india?
Got 93 vfr from new, never had one production problem in 46000 miles
Yes RE - sort these things out!
They now have.
Hi Paul, I like your bike and your videos, but regarding the small amounts of overspray, I understand that it irks you, but it also shows that the bike was built by men and not robots, which I like.
Where in Spain are you ? I live on Ibiza, and am wondering if I should get one of these. As a biker since 1964, and having riden a lot, I currently have a Yamaha x-Max 300, which is perfect but no soul. I would never ride on Motorways ( we don't have any ) so I think on an island where you can only ride 50kms max before the coast, it might be good fun.
These are quality control issues on the parts you can see. What about those that are hidden? I like these bikes . . .but.
Absolutely no reason for the over spray-A really good 3M rubbing compound will also take that over spray off mate:)-John in Texas
That bracket on my exhaust pipe is loose. Rattles badly. If it is a bolt I can tighten it, but if it's a rivet, I'm stuck. For now, I'm jamming steel wool between the exhaust and it to stop the rattle... if it falls off, well, good riddance, I say. My bike only has 550 miles on it. Disappointed is the word that comes to mind, but watching your video gave me some assurance that it is not important. I've tried taking off the heat shield but it feels like it has been locktighted in place... I cannot undo the 3 large screws. .. so I guess I'm......screwed.
Steve Miller . I lost mine on the road plus one of the large screws in the heat shield, luckily had a matching screw albeit not chromed, no problems since.
Thank you for your quick reply.
Hi Paul, great informative videos, just wondering where you got the leather pannier from and how easy was it to fit ?
Paul von Bocks Johnson . I actually ordered it from eBay from India, took a couple of weeks to arrive. There was a basic bracket included. But it wasn't compatible with my bike. I ended up drilling
Drilling the back of the saddle bag and using zip ties to rear mudguard bracket. Had plenty of weight in it no problem. (Don’t know why only half the reply posted)
Many thanks Paul
Think it's part of the fun
Hi Paul. Nice video. I have an odd riding issue, when tapping off, on slight downhill, rather jerky behaviour, then jerks again when opening up again. Almost like a loose chain taking up slack? Had bike serviced, went away (for 1000km or so), now back again. Any thoughts ?
Brian JC Osborne sounds like the chain needs adjusting again. Think the mapping on the 2017 fuel injection has made the throttle response smoother leading to less chain jerk and stretch. If the chain tension is ok could be the front sprocket that has some play in it or the cush drive on the rear sprocket
thanks Paul....left the bike down in Paphos, was raining when we left to travel back to Nicosia. I will collect it soon and take bike back to my Mechanic, i think is the chain. The bike was running like a bomb down at sea level, was great fun.
Hi Brian is yours a EFI model they usually adjust for altitude via the ECU but interesting. We are at around 500m but i do remember the test bike i rode at sea level being punchy, put it down to being well run in.😎👍
An EFI that has been run in and bedded in for some 1500 miles is a lot more powerful and smoother than a new one. The ECU is mapped to 18,000-ft
Jeff Slade 👍
The way my bikes heat shield is riveted on no way it would come loose you got a bad one bro.
which polish you are using????
Joby Mathew. Hi Joby to be honest I haven't polished the bike I just wash it and chamous leather dry it. Apart from the over spray I cleaned of in a later video. The paint finish is really good.
Thanks, that was very interesting.
David Baldock . David you are welcome, it's not all doom and gloom. All said and done it is a special bike. Thanks for the feedback 😎
use a crash guard to save your legs ... this bike is so heavy... if it will topple it will crush your leg bones
Prasanna Nayak. Thanks for the advice, but they are rarely used in Europe.
Although I'd love to purchase a Royal Enfield they are grossly overpriced considering the poor quality and are made in India. I doubt they cost much in India to buy. However in the UK I reckon a fair price would be about £2500. No more !
I have no problem at all with battery bro.
Test rode a RE Classic 500. No thanks, bought a Benelli.
Horses for courses it's a old bike from other era. I enjoy my Benelli scrambler.
someone should solve the vibration problem , a mod on the engine mount ?
sdq sdq . Yes but i suppose after 50 years someone would have thought of a mod if it was possible. people in Europe buy it because it's a new built classic, as opposed to the Indian market where it is seen as mode of transportation.
I've solved the vibration problem, you just need to ride the bike for about 1600 miles to bed it in properly.
Btw pretty much all british bikes of the 50s and 60s and a well-known american bike to near present, all vibrate more than these do. Be grateful you're getting the better-built export version. I distinctly remember a Triumph Daytona 500 sheering off some bolts and depositing its number plate and tail lamp in the road.
What you get with these bikes is a new-build classic providing you with the ultimate classic owner experience - hands-on maintenance.
Very true, the vibrations fade with the mileage and performance improves.
Hey Jeff, I have a GT Continental and have almost no issues with my bike 2 1/2 years and 9000 klms later... BUT the Indians are complaining something terrible about the build quality of their GT's.
I was wondering if there was an export version and an inferior domestic bike??
sdq sdq seems the export models are way more expensive than those produced for the Indian market. So its generally considered that the export models have a higher test level and possibly even spec. Plus most Indian models seem to be twin spark.
It was obvious
These things are 100% junk fresh off the assembly line.
Dont bye this garbage!!
That's not good ,very poor quality control ,take it back to dealer let them fix it .
steve kwall. I agree poor quality control. Going to clean an tackle a few issues today myself due to long journey to the dealer. If the over spray T cuts off and I zip tie the clutch cable it will sort out the visual issues.
Beggars the question on how they manage to get over spray on parts that should have been sprayed off the bike. I've got engine grey on the frame, go figure. T-Cut may be a bit coarse, try Meguiars Scratch remover or similar; there are so many car paint correction products.
Stainless pop rivets are stronger than aluminium ones but I might be inclined to find some nice chrome sheet metal (deep thread) self-tappers instead.
Some of the oem light bulbs are so well made that they fell out of their sockets, doh!
royal enfield bikes are good for nothing.. maybe only for classic bike looks.. but these bikes have lots of quality issues. royal enfield is definitely not royal