Is it allowed?

[Dogbad]

I know I'm looking at the XBR as I can't afford roger 7's Yam' but, I have to admit this in Public, I already have a sort of thumper. More a Bombay Banger than most, it's an Enfield 500 Bullet that was brought in as a personal import by a lady about 4 years ago and has been sat doing nothing for a long time. I have a receipt from a, no longer in business, bike shop saying it is converted to U.K. spec' including unleaded valves. It worries me a little that it's the valve seats that need sorting for use with unleaded so I am a bit wary there. Anyway, what's the attitude of the Club people to the Indian Enfields? are they looked down on or what?  Took it out for a little pootle today and it was hard getting back to the gear right, brake left arrangement after so long away! It's also got more false neutrals that actual gears   but I have to admit I like the thing. Am I a Leper?

[Jez F]

Nowt wrong with Enfields, even the Indian ones. there are a few of the beasties lurking on the forum. Try making the gearchange slower and more positive and it should improve, it is a '50's gearbox after all.
Jez

[Dogbad]

Cheers Jez,
I think it's just getting used to things. Last brit' with right hand gear was in 1989 on a '53 A7. Since then it's always been left changers. Normally 1 down and the rest up so right hand change with 1 up and the rest down is taking more of my brain cell to figure.

[002]

And WHAT is wrong with Indian Enfields ?

Jethro

[Jez F]

Nothing wrong with Indian Enfields at all as far as I know. But there is the myth that the Indian ones arn't as good as the original 'Royal Enfield' as they were based on the '53 model iirc.  What I should have done is omit the "even". I had a 1960 350 Bullet years back and would have another one anytime, at the right money though. If an Indian Enfield came up at the right money I would consider that too.
 Jez

[Andy M]

Am I a Leper?

The exact opposite if you actually have a single cylinder four stroke bike that actually runs IMHO.

I had a Bullet and on many levels wish I still did. I swapped it because I needed something with motorway performance. The Indian Bullets to me are real world bikes not cosseted classics and they do a good job. I really aren't into old bikes and owning both the Bonneville and Bullet at the same time was ready to punch some of the anoraks they attract at times (enthusiasts I get, people who want to tell me my non-leaking primary case is the wrong shape I don't get), but there are plenty of people out there using Bullets the way they were meant to be used. If you can live with something that won't cruise at 70 go for it, you'll love that motor.

Andy

[Dogbad]

Regarding said Enfield and unleaded set up. 
It's going to be a whikle before I can afford the luxury of saying "Bugger 'em" and get hold of a DEFINITELY unleaded head and seats set up to fit. Is there any way of telling by looking?
If I were to use the additive in the  petrol and it IS converted would I be asking for trouble?

[Mark]

Regarding said Enfield and unleaded set up. 
It's going to be a whikle before I can afford the luxury of saying "Bugger 'em" and get hold of a DEFINITELY unleaded head and seats set up to fit. Is there any way of telling by looking?
If I were to use the additive in the  petrol and it IS converted would I be asking for trouble?

You wouldn't cause any damage using an additive it could only be good.

As for doing the head seats there are a lot of boys running old bikes around here that 'need' the conversion that haven't had any trouble. Ride it for thousands of miles and if it does wear then look at doing it.

Can anyone say differently, have you any experiences of valve seat problems in such cases?

[Dogbad]

I think I am just a bit Spooked. I spoke to the Enfield dealer in Preston a week ro so back, he was very dismissive about Indian personal imports, and he showed me a really nasty piston that he claimed was from somebody using the additive.
If it does go ape, are there any advance warnings that I should look out for or is it a Sudden Catastrophic Job?

[Andy M]

Go to the Yamaha dealer and ask about Enfields (or Honda's or BMW's or.....) from the dealer 

There is a vast difference in quality between pre-2000 bikes and post 2000, but I find it difficult to believe once the factory started making near-european quality major items they really bothered sorting them into export and local quality. If you want an Enfield you've really got to be ready to get your hands dirty and Watsonian Squire do seem to do a decent job of picking out the worst of what the factory might have put out, but if the bikes a runner and the price is right, why not.

Andy

[Bruce]

My Norton Big4 has never had any additives added to the petrol and I have had no problems with the valves, as some of you will know this bike gets used a lot.

[andy230]

Topical:

http://www.realclassic.co.uk/techfiles/nortonoil0908.html

I have had with no problems with (exhaust) valve seat recession on either the Dommi or the ES2...

Some people are making a lot of money out of people unnecessarily having hardened exhaust valve seats put into their vehicles.  I reckon: If it breaks- fix it.

If it does go ape, are there any advance warnings that I should look out for or is it a Sudden Catastrophic Job?

All that happens is that the exhaust valve clearance will decrease and decrease as the seat receeds into the head.  No more than this.  And it will take a few hundred to a few thousand miles. 

If you do no maintainance, and just keep running it, performance will drop off, quite soon followed by a burnt valve.  Eventually it wont run, and wont have decent compression.  Then, the seat (and the valve) will need changed.


If this is cobblers, then someone will surely tell me off!

cheers

a

ps. welcome to the club!

[bullet350]

 my bullet was an indian home-market 350 built 1992 (some of the worst years appartently).

 i ran it for 3 years on unleaded and did the tappets once (when i had the head off for a rebore).

 i nailed it from ever set of lights but never revved it particularly high, and it ran perfectly.
 i needed a tow once when it kept oiling the plug before the rebore, my fault as i should have done the work instead of just riding it- not bad in three years.

 they are absolutely brilliant and far better than most british bikes (cheap, oil tight, cush drive, semi-unit, oil filter as standard- to name just a few advantages).

 don't expect it to be quick or low maintenance. they need minor fiddling every couple of weeks, but you will be rewarded with a bike that makes you smile- a lot.

 i did have a 650ss Norton as well, but given the choice i'd rather have my bullet back. sadly i sold it then realised how much i liked it and now can't afford another.

 one of the best bits is leaving it ticking over like a narrow boat, it sounded glorious and gently rocked the front wheel. brilliant.

 bullet350

[Dogbad]

Thanks for the input so far. It is a "Personal Import" by a lady that spent some time in India. Speedo' n km etc. It sounds okay to me but, as  said, I'm a long time away from doing my own mechanics. I'll keep having a go at the simple maintenance jobs and hope that I can handle it when anything more major comes along.