Dave

Bullet – Manifold Leak

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I had to take a trip to a nearby town (Bodmin) to pick up a parcel.  On the previous trip there had been a bit of popping in the exhaust on the overrun which I had read is indicitive of a leak in the exhaust system. So I took off the exhaust and sealed all the joints with bathroom sealant (weird I thought, but this is the recommended way).
On this run the popping was a lot worse.  I found I could reduce it by running with the choke (actually its an enrichener) engaged. So an air leak then! Read more

Bullet – 10 months in

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The BMW is now insured and ready for it’s MOT.  How will riding it affect my feelings of the Bullet? Time will tell.
 I fitted a new silencer and jetted the carb to Hitchcocks guidelines. It does seem to be a little pokier and quite a bit louder.  Ear plugs when riding are definitely needed. I also fitted a heatshield to the part where my leg touches it when I lean the bike over on the prop stand… Read more

Bullet – the electrics

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I was amazed when I tried out the electrics.  I was taken back in time to my first Scooter, a Lambretta LD.
Why? Because there were basically no lights at all at a tick over! (I always seem to see electrical problems – see my motorhome posts. Maybe it’s because I used to be an electronic engineer.)
The electrics are powered by single phase alternator with three coils.  One coil’s output is rectified and used to charge the battery and power a few lights. The other two are connected in parallel and power the main light with AC.
My original plan was to parallel all the coils, rectify them and power everything from DC as on most modern bikes. Read more

Bullet – 7 months in

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Not a lot done on the bullet as I have spent most of the last six months restoring my BMW.
I have done a few electrical changes documented here. The only other changes are fitting a better refector headlamp clamp – after I arrived home with the headlamp resting on the front mudguard and hanging on by the wires.
I am still very happy with the bike, I wonder if I will still be as happy when I get the BMW on the road. Read more

Bullet – Points waterproofing

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I finally got around to washing it. On with the degreaser, hose it down, next day it would not start!
After checking the spark plug was dry I took of the points cover.  About a half a teaspoonful of water ran out.  In with the hair drier for 5 minutes, then she started first kick.
Now I didn’t want this rigmarole every time I use the hose… Read more

Motorcycle ignition timing

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A lot of rubbish is talked on line about setting the timing using degree wheels, timing lights etc.  Timing lights are fine if you have a proper reference mark somewhere on the rotor and ideally a hole in the chain case to see it. The Enfield has neither.  Degree wheels are fine if you can find TDC to within a tenth of a mm and find a place to attach the degree wheel.  That means removal of some bits.

Measuring the distance before TDC to set the timing is often classed as primitive, but it is the most simple, and usually the most accurate way.  Read more

Motorcycle Points Saver

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I decided to fit out my Royal Enfield Bullet with an electronic points saver.  I was happy to keep the points and the mechanical advance/retard mechanism – I really just wanted to take the load off the points and the capacitor.
The advantage is that the points will not wear although the heel of the breaker will wear as before.  ( A smear of lithium grease is probably a good idea). The points gap is not critical, other than making sure it opens at the right point. Read more

Bullet – 2 months in

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Changes so far:-
I fitted a pair of new Heidenhau K34 tyres with new Michelin Tubes
I have changed the handlebars to the standard for the bike.
I have re-routed the speedo cable to behind the bottom yoke instead of in front of it thus taking out an unnecessary S bend.  I can now tell how fast I am going the needle used to oscillate wildly it still oscillates but not near as much.  Actually the speedo is very optimistic.  It is calibrated in Km with a MPH scale too.  Rather than reading the MPH scale it is more accurate to… Read more