Starting in a new year

[KB8ANY]

Pun intended.

On New Year's eve I was looking back over my shop notes for the Bullet.  It is an Electra X, new in May, 2006.

I ride year round, and I find that starting and running problems fall into only two categories.

1.)  When I finally got wise to the sprag clutch falling apart, I took it out.  A lot of my starting and running problems went away.  Of course, the only way to start it now is with the kickstarter, but that is not a problem because once it warms up it just doesn't stall unless I am to blame.
2.)  Far and away, most of the problems were due to electrics.  All of them loose connections, either in the headlight nacelle, or under the side panel.  One that was particularly hard to find was the flimsy fuse holder.  Another was the ground connection under the seat.

For years I had been going to the steam pioneer show in Rushville, Indiana, where there are also guys exhibiting their old gas and gasoline engines.  All of the old timers kept telling me that the Royal Enfield should run just about as well as any other single, that its crankieness is just a myth.  Except for these two problems, I guess they were right.

Anyway, with the new year I thought these observations might be helpful to somebody.

Good luck.

Paul

[Lwt Big Cheese]

Interesting thought on the old timers comments.

I'm sick of hearing about the unreliability issues. But then I have only the essential electrics, no indicators, side stand switch, front brake light switch clutch cut-out etc and no electric foot. So I guess with only the bare essentials there is so little to go wrong!

[boggy]

The only truly unreliable thing about my Enfield has been it's rider/mechanic.