Post Recall Findings

[ace.cafe]

I hope that all of you get the best possible results.

[Kevin Mahoney]

I realize that the two of you with problems are from the UK and your issues are with UK dealers, but I would ask a couple of questions of your dealer about any marring of your bike.  Every story has at least three sides so asking the question would be the way to proceed.
  For what it is worth I think we are over thinking this procedure. Perhaps R80rt could comment because he as done a couple, This isn't rocket science. When you reassemble this engine and transmission there really isn't anything to adjust. The only internal adjustment is the cam lash and you don't need to disturb it to do this job. This is one of the upsides of modern design. Beyond that it is straight forward disassembly and reassembly. There is very little you can install incorrectly and if you do it kicks you in the shins right away. If you install a gear backwards or forget a spacer (tough to do, but anything can happen) you are reminded right away as it will not shift correctly. Not a small "I missed a gear" issue, it truly won't shift. There isn't really anything you can do to make it shift poorly, it either works or it doesn't no middle ground. I know the engine can be a mysterious thing, but this is a very simple engine. More simple than the older iron barrels which probably set a record for simplicity.
  I would bet a T-shirt that Jame's issue is solved with a clutch adjustment. As for a leaking head gasket, it is theoretically possible but highly unlikely. In this engine you are mating two flat surfaces with a very high quality head gasket. We are aware of one that ran for over 300 miles with no head gasket at all and the combustion and oil were  totally sealed. It did finally start to weep oil. The gasket has crushable beads around the combustion chamber and oil passages which really helps it seal even if the surfaced are not perfectly flat. Of course anything is possible.
 I guess we'll see.

[JamesC5]

I guess I will have to call WS, if I could buff out the marring myself I would just to cut back on hassle. Not really acceptable but at the same time I'm a bit tired of it all and just want to enjoy riding my bike.

As for the whirring sound, I took it to Torre and the mech took a look with it stationary. Def something going on there but he said its possible its just a small bit of grit or metal on the plates and may clear with some more riding? I'll see how she rides next week, off for the weekend so wont get a chance to play.

I must say though... BOY. Is the bike fun, the more through the break in the more fun it gets, even with the doubt and concern I've got with all the recall stuff and what not theres no denying the bike is something else!

James

[r80rt]

James, I can tell you from personal experience that it's virtually impossible to remove a engine from a bike, disassemble it and put it all back together without leaving a few scuff marks. I've tried to cover everything with rags, old carpet on the floor to set the motor on, gloves. Nothing works, you're gonna get a scratch or two, it's just a fact of life. Perhaps they owe you a T shirt and a free oil change later to make up for it? I think you are on the right track to just get on with enjoying your ride, these bikes are a ton of fun as you are finding out. 

[t120rbullet]

If I can add a bit to what has been said already when the factory mates the engine to the frame they only have the 2 components to deal with. They have the motor on a stand and the loop of the frame hanging from the conveyor. They can jockey the motor and the frame around and mate the 2 without any trouble. When the dealers are removing the engines from the frame they have the front and rear ends of the bike attached so they are basically jockeying the engine sitting on a stand or a floor jack out of a stationary frame.
Not rocket science like Kevin pointed out but hard to do with bumping into something creating a nick here and there.

All that said I brought my G5 home today. Took the long way home from the shop and thrashed it for 55 miles. Runs just as good as it did before. Shifts flawlessly.
Sealant is grey, the same color as the engine.
Guess I can't ask for much more than that.
CJ





 

 

[PhilJ]

CJ, you going to quit buying bikes when the forum program won't let you add new ones? 

[r80rt]

Glad to hear that G5 is back running the roads, great bike eh?

[t120rbullet]

CJ, you going to quit buying bikes when the forum program won't let you add new ones? 

Got no more room in the garage.
I have been thinking about selling the Harley but here in Detroit there is a million of them for sale. Most of which haven't been ridden farther than the local Starbucks without being waxed again.
Good time to buy toys around here, bad time to sell em.
But if I did I'd have room for another Bullet or 2!
CJ

[ren]

I'm in the UK and am considering a new Enfield but I am appalled at James' and others experiences. The recall was bad enough, okay that happens, but worse is the damage done to the bike during the repair work with apparently no comment from the dealer or importer. Then there's the continuing mechanical problems.

After all the inconvenience forced on customers by the lengthy recall, you'd think that they would have gone out of their way to make sure it ran perfectly upon return and fitted new engine cases where the old ones were damaged by them, plus corrected any other damage due to their work. Outrageous behaviour and contempt for a customer spending £4,500 on a new bike.

This whole thing has made me reconsider whether I should go ahead or not and I really feel for for those owners who have been put through this ordeal yet even after all that, still ended up with a substandard damaged bike due to the poor service from WS or whoever did the work.

What happened to James has confirmed a fear expressed by some recall owners that their bikes just wouldn't be the same as the later VIN bikes which do not require recall. And even assuming the damage can be rectified, which seems difficult from what James says, there may well be a stigma on recall models, a feeling that they are not as good as those manufactured with later VINs where the gearbox fix was done from new.

I know that buying a new model now avoids that problem, but the fear is that if something else major happens, the quailty of service leaves a lot to be desired.

[mark]

Hi guys,

I am just wondering is anybody at watsonian aware of any of these issues?
Do they read the posts on this site?
How about a spokesperson from watsonian posting updates on here,as this site is their greatest asset for advertising their machines.

My machine has not come back yet so can't comment on any issues.
I had done over 3000 miles on my bullet in six months before the recall,and I can say it's a fantastic machine.To use a pun it was bullet proof  .

[clubman]

Hi guys,

I am just wondering is anybody at watsonian aware of any of these issues?
Do they read the posts on this site?
How about a spokesperson from watsonian posting updates on here,as this site is their greatest asset for advertising their machines.

Watsonian should definitely brush up on their PR. My dealer speaks well of them and I trust him but the casual observer on this site would not get a good impression. In general, RE need to get this recall over with and have a few hassle free months. It's clear enough that the actual riding experience will serve them well as long as the bikes are perceived to be reliable,

[Rusty]

I know that buying a new model now avoids that problem

Not so ren, my dealer's entire stock of unsold UCE bikes will be going back to have the recall work done, he can't sell any yet and is not pleased. The engine number range of affected bikes is on here somewhere, if you do decide to go for it best to check the engine number of your potential purchase.

On that subject I wonder whether dealers unsold bikes will just have a new engine slotted in rather than the existing one stripped? Wouldn't be good to have gasket sealant oozing out and chipped crankcase paint on a showroom bike.

As regards the bike well there's no doubt it's a brilliant ride and I guess the early buyers are always going to bear the brunt of any early recall work. We've had different experiences, some are happy with the outcome and some aren't. My bike is running well and I'll live with the case scuffs but I find it hard to understand why the bloke who fitted a new front mudguard didn't check that it wouldn't foul the fork shroud on compression. One big scratch later and I need a new fork shroud

Watsonian and my local dealer keep saying all the right things, I just wish the end result would be as they said.

Would I buy another Enfield? At the moment I'm not sure, I need to put some trouble free miles and time into the bike so that in the future I can look back at these experiences as minor issues. Right now I feel pretty fed up.

[JamesC5]

My scuff is really quite deep, I could probably grind then sand it smooth but definitely too deep for Autosol or anything to fix. I have clear sealant in one place and I think red stuff on the main plate.

You'd think we'd have gotten something for all the hassle in the UK, a reassurance of an extended warranty, heck even a mug...  right now I wouldn't buy a new RE again, but maybe that will change if I get a few thousand trouble free miles under my belt.

I just hope the sounds coming from my plates when the clutch lever is pulled in go away without the bike having to go in again.

[doomed1]

My scuff is really quite deep, I could probably grind then sand it smooth but definitely too deep for Autosol or anything to fix. I have clear sealant in one place and I think red stuff on the main plate.

You'd think we'd have gotten something for all the hassle in the UK, a reassurance of an extended warranty, heck even a mug...  right now I wouldn't buy a new RE again, but maybe that will change if I get a few thousand trouble free miles under my belt.

I just hope the sounds coming from my plates when the clutch lever is pulled in go away without the bike having to go in again.

um... i would NOT leave that and hope it goes away. i know it's frustrating, but you should really take it in. from the sounds of it, it looks like the clutch cable is too long or the clutch itself is misaligned. i would take it in for a look asap, otherwise, you may end up having to double clutch everywhere.

[BRGreen]

My G5 came back from the shop a week ago. No scratches, dings or marks of any kind. Orange goop they use came off with a rag. Transmission still clunks as usual and there seems to be the same number of surprise neutrals between gears.  This is the best handling bike I have ever owned or ridden.