Newbie needing encouragement to stick with RE

[Ledyard]

Thanks, boggy. It's nice to know what I'm dealing with, although I have no idea how it was broken in, whether it was abused (probably), or how it was maintained. It has 1,300 miles on the clock. I'm picking it up Saturday and will drive it (I hope) 143 miles home. I'll take it real slow, on back roads. Followed by a rescue vehicle a friend is driving. I'll take plenty of rags in case the dealer filled it with too much oil and I have to mop out the air filter case.

Other than my AAA card, anything else I should have along?

I'm also ordering the proper Snidal manuals to help me get the most out of this bike.

[1 Thump]

Take breaks along the way.

[barenekd]

Other than my AAA card, anything else I should have along?

Make sure your AAA covers motorcycles. You have to have the RV/Motorcycle version
Bare

[Ledyard]

  I do have the RV add on to my AAA. But the tow limit is 100 miles, so I have to make it at least 44!

[boggy]

Also bear in mind that the AVL (and seemingly all RE's) have optimistic, Pinocchio speedometers.  Meaning, if it says you are going 65, it's probably lying.  At around 65 indicated, mine doing around 55 mph.

Check with your friend though as you drive. I did this by having someone hold up three fingers when they were doing 30, four for forty, etc(for 60, use a fist).  It was good to see how far off the speedo was from a car.

[barenekd]

The  old navy way of indicating numbers is to hold the fingers for the first five digits vertical, the last 5 digits horizontal. 65 would be indicated "6" one finger horizontal, "5" five fingers vertical.
Over two digits is tougher. Ya gotta take your boots off!
Bare

[mbevo1]

I know how to do the Navy one-hand numbers pretty well... but cheated and borrowed the wife's TomTom...   BTW - 62 indicated is 55 for my Classic.  Haven't check my C5 yet.

Mike and Sherman and Stumpy in Michigan

[Arizoni]

From what I've read, the AVL probably shouldn't be ridden much above 60 with a cruise speed more like 50.

Course I could be wrong.

[tooseevee]

     If you have an AVL it is not a 2009. It is an '08 or earlier. '09 and up are UCE- unit construction engine model G/C/B 5's. This is important when getting a manual or diagnosing an issue. The engines are very different.

              Of course there are 2009 AVLs. The 10th digit of the 17 digit VIN is the year. If it's a 9 it's a 2009. Mine is a 2008.

[dampking]

From what I've read, the AVL probably shouldn't be ridden much above 60 with a cruise speed more like 50.

Course I could be wrong.

I read this everywhere but I have done high speeds for over more than an hr.. not once but a zillion times. Didn't even change any internals till now. Last time I remember doing a 521 km trip and did 120kph to 145kph on speedo pretty frequently. I was maintaining 110kph all the time and faced no issues. A bunch of my friends even did a "city to city" travel and covered 1000+ kms in less than 11hrs. Speeds above 110 - without any issues. I have clocked 35,000kms and still no internals required any change. I know bikes which did 75000 kms with some minor upgrades.

Regards,
Sanket

[mtrue77]

this is my 2009 AVL.  bought new in October 2008 from L&L Classic Cycle in Hubbard, Ohio.  this is what it looked like when I got it home (trailered) to Pittsburgh.

[mtrue77]

and this is after some minor modifications

[mtrue77]

just one more

[Ice]

 AVL machines are pretty tough.

 The AVL has an all alloy engine, full roller bottom end, forged steel con rod, squish chamber head, shaft mounted rockers, gear type oil pumps ( with about four times the volume of the old Iron Barrels piston pumps), electronic ignition, and a CV carb that laughs at changes in the weather. The overwhelming majority of AVL's in the US came with gas shocks in the rear and a disc brake up front.

[Ledyard]

That is one very nice looking bike, Mtrue77.

I rode my Enfield, which I now know is a 2009 AVL Bullet Classic, 150 miles home from the dealership yesterday, almost without incident. I got as wet as a human can be, riding through the remnants of Isaac as it worked its way through the midwest. In one small town water was flowing over the street up to my knees, and I had to push the bike over peoples' yard where the ground was higher. A cold, windy and rainy first ride, and it was a blast.

Couple of little issues with the bike -- I was low on gas and switched to the reserve tank. After I filled up I flipped the petcock back to on and the engine died. Flipped back to reserve and no problem, so there must be something in the "on" line gummed up. The "neutral" indicator light works sometimes, not others, and the turn signal reminder light doesn't work.

Other than those little things, she performed beautifully, and seemed to like to cruise right at about 50 mph. When I got home I got it in a nice dry garage, let the bike cool down, then dried it thoroughly and cleaned it up with WD40. Can't wait to tool it around some county roads, in the warm sunshine.

Thanks to all for your encouragement.