What went Wrong with my Royal Enfield Bullet 500

A run down of all the issues that came up on Daisy Bell after it got a servicing from a mechanic this week. A follow up from the recent video where Daisy had exhaust problems, and hat likely caused em!
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Come along with me on the motorcycle that's travelled through time, proving the humble Royal Enfield Bullet 500's capabilities as we journey around Ireland, the UK, and beyond! We'll see lots of beautiful cities, rich history, vintage motorcycles, cars, planes, trains, and much more! If that takes your fancy, gwan, subscribe and join me, Brendan, and Daisy Bell, my faithful friend, the Bullet 500.
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[@Kamarov2090]

I doubt the low oil is related to the exhaust popping out more likely the broken engine mount resulted in excess vibration which loosened the nuts holding the exhaust collar in place

[@zrecz7957]

Mine used to burn a ton of oil until my dad blew some air through the breather hose. He says that the clogged breather hose must've been causing pressure build up in the engine and caused it to burn oil

[@BulletWanderer]

Might have a look into that, cheers!

[@marlecmarine5393]

Love the videos, do not listen to all the silly people saying this and that, most of it is rubbish, the exhaust coming lose was not your fault. The exhaust came lose because the top engine bracket fractured, the top of the engine would be shaking around, as this bracket is an engine steady and this would definitely shake the exhaust pipe loose. The top bracket breaking is a well known fault, it is simply not strong enough. Hitchcock's do a stainless steel upgrade that is much stronger, or just fit two of the original brackets as l have done one either side of the frame. Because the bracket is under the tank it is very difficult to see when it breaks. The bike running weak is also a well known problem that you do need to address as your spark plug looked very overheated. The engine will be running far too hot due to weak mixture which will make it burn more oil than it should and could even break the spark plug insulation eventually damaging the engine, so these two problems are linked. They are set up weak from the factory because of emissions regulations and fitting your new exhaust would have made the mixture even weaker. Having said that I would definitely stick with your new exhaust the original one really strangles the engine. Fit a 'FUEL X LITE' from Hitchcock's, it a simple plug and play fuel injection optimiser, that will correct in real time your weak mixture issue giving you more power and cooler running engine, it self corrects the mixture to any air filter or exhaust upgrades you fit. Also fit Hitchcock's very cheap 'AIR INJECTION DELETE KIT'' it will stop air being injected into the exhaust reducing the exhaust temperature even further and get rid of a lot of clutter from under the tank. Do these two simple things which you can fit yourself and Daisy will be feeling much happier, apologies for the long explanation but it needed to be said.

[@BulletWanderer]

Have the stainless steel upgrade bracket in my basket now, I'll have a look into the other two things you mentioned too, they don't seem to be too expensive while i'm at it 👍Cheers, appreciate the in depth explanation! Edit: Seems they're both only for 2017 onwards models, wonder would the FuelX still work on a 2015 Euro 3 model? 🤔

[@marlecmarine5393]

@@BulletWanderer Brendan unfortunately you cannot use the Fuel X LITE on 'EURO 3' ECU which your model has. 'PowerTRONIC' is the Indian company that make 'FUEL X'. They also do a range of other ECU/fuel optimisers called 'PowerTRONIC V4' for most Royal Enfield's. Their 'PowerTRONIC V4 Royal Enfield Single Spark Classic 500 (2009-2020)' may fit your bike go to their website and ask. Or Hitchcock's might be able to supply you with a 'Power Commander' ECU/ Fuel optimiser with the correct 'map' from their performance kit for your bike, ask they are usually helpful Hitchcock's do a Mikuni carburettor conversion kit for your bike, because of the fuelling problems on these models.. It is a brilliant solution and will transform your bike, It will give a noticeable improvement in all round performance, the bike will run so much better. It comes with a K&N style performance air filter. As an added benefit it means you can get rid of all the electronic injection junk and part of the inner airbox off your bike. the bike will look so much better, these bikes were of course originally designed for carburettors and they look the part. If you can' bite the bullet' excuse the pun and get a Hitchcock's exhaust down pipe as well, it will give a further improvement to performance and running. The original Indian made pipe has a narrow internal diameter restricting the bikes 'breathing' and performance. The down pipe probably restricts the the bike at least as much. as the silencer, which is usually overlooked. If you go for both of these improvements, because of the extra power and weight saving, later on you could fit a one tooth larger gearbox sprocket from Hitchcock's. It will give you a little more top speed and more relaxed cruising. Apologies again for writing another 'bullet book' hope this is helpful, David

[@marlecmarine5393]

@@BulletWanderer Brendan unfortunately the FUEL X LITE will not go on your bike as it has a EURO 3 ECU. 'PowerTRONIC' is the Indian company that make FUEL X, it also makes 'PowerTRONIC V4 Classic 500 Single Spark (2009-2021)' ecu/fuel optimiser, for Royal Enfield's , go to their website and ask if this will fit your model, they are usually helpful. Also ask Hitchcock's if they can supply a 'Power commander' with the correct 'map' from their performance kit, which they do for your model, it is a high end FUEL X and would do the same thing only better Hitchcock's do a Mikuni carburettor conversion kit for your bike, because of the fuelling problems with the pre 2017 models. It is expensive but would transform Daisy into a roaring beast ....lol giving more performance and a much better running bike all round. Also you could get rid of all the electronic injection junk and clutter making the bike look much better. If you could 'bite the bullet' excuse the pun, and buy the Hitchcock exhaust down pipe as well, this will further improve performance as the original exhaust pipe is very restrictive with a narrow internal diameter that strangles the bike, just as much as the original silencer. The extra power and weight saving would enable you up the gearing one tooth on the gearbox sprocket, at a later date, giving a small but useful increase in top speed with more relaxed cruising. Apologies for writing another 'bullet book' hopefully it is useful to you, David.

[@Paradox0182]

It's not easy to keep on top of maintenance with a bike like this over winter when you're miserable about not riding or if you are riding are generally in the mood for warm and dry instead of cold and soggy I don't have a garage, both my bikes live outside and I ride year round. It's a struggle especially with the other commitments we have in our lives. You know more now than you did before which is worth a few non-life-threatening bike issues

[@BulletWanderer]

Don't mind the cold so much, but soggy is something I can do without, kinda takes the fun out of it 😂 Likewise Daisy lives outside most of the time, except the odd time when she can sleep in the shed at my parents'.

[@rokhnroll]

She is a well ridden stead, she will get dirty, parts will fail as all mechanical things do when used. The main thing is she gets used as intended. Thanks for posting, ride safe.

[@felixVanDiemen]

Also keeping your bike clean or not has nothing to do with the exhaust braking. I agree with the previous comment that it was the broken engine bracket that caused the problem.

[@thebimblewizard1242]

Mine only burns oil when I take it on the motorway a few times . About 500ml it uses over a month if I don't behave myself. . Your spark plug was running lean due to the ecu changing the mixture when your exhaust fell off. The sensor on your downpipe therefore was giving a wrong reading for the fuel.air mixture.

[@BulletWanderer]

At the same time, I'd say that crusting over on the spark plug happened some time before as she wasn't 'popping' quite right for a little while 😅 Certainly the exhaust coming off didn't help!

[@maskedavenger2578]

@@BulletWandererA properly tuned engine & properly fitted exhaust system shouldn’t be popping ,banging or spitting at all . A bike that’s consuming a lot of oil , has leaking valve seals , worn bores & piston rings, poorly engineered ,or being ridden at high revs for long periods without resting the engine now & then . It shouldn’t even be consuming 500 mls of oil in a year .it’s not a two stroke .

[@patrickmathews1646]

You have a Haynes manual. Excellent. Some afternoon put the tea kettle on and read through the pre-ride checks and the first chapter. The more you get into a routine of doing a pre-ride check, not necessarily every time you get on the bike, you will take care of the little things which will prevent larger issues from happening. A dirty bike is a well used bike.

[@BulletWanderer]

Cheers Patrick,while she was with the mechanic I was doing just that 😂 Took a picture of the maintenance schedule as well to help keep on top of it.

[@whitecompany18]

My 2016 500cc with 12k gets through plenty of oil, broke the top engine mounts, broken reg/rec, faulty magnito or what ever it is, weak front forks, bent swingarm some how? Rotten fuel lines, case bolts popping their heads off, every bulb replaced multiple times, ....There's probably more I can't remember.. It just lives in the back of the garage now, been a few years since I've even seen it, less anxiety riding my electric bike. Next bike for me will be a Honda C90 , I've managed the last four years with a top speed of thirty and a 30 mile range, so a c90 will be an upgrade at 40 mph and easy fuel stops😂

[@BulletWanderer]

I do have a soft spot for the C90! But my heart will always be with the Bullet 500 😁

[@vince6219]

I love your relaxed approach to riding, tootling around is (to me) what it's all about. your honesty and easy care for your motorcycle is the same as mine... you care about her but she is there to be ridden. I just love RE motorcycles. thanks for your video, it is helpful and informative ☺

[@ronaldallen8604]

With a bike like Daisybelle it would make your life easier if you became a litle more mechanically savvy and ran a practiced eye and/or spanner over it every week or so. Part of the charm of the Enfields is their close relationship to the Redditch models of the 1950's but the downside is: a little more preventative maintenance is needed than more modern designs. The Enfields do vibrate a liittle which probably caused the exhaust episode but all can be avoided by a regular inspection. I ran a 350 model G as primary transport for years and everyone though it so reliable and trouble free but they never saw the considerable time spent in my shed fettling the thing. Take no notice of the "expert" detractors; your adventures on the classic are great and here's to many more. I now have a J series Classic 350 and it requires much less maintenance with the loss of a little character.

[@BulletWanderer]

Fair play to you, think I'll have to schedule in a day on my calendar once a month that's just for spannering 🤔 Cheers Ronald, glad you're enjoying them!

[@leswilliams9767]

Great video, I'll definitely have to keep on top of my maintenance on my 350, I seem to just go on ride outs and think I'll do it when I've got a bit of time..Thankyou for an inspiring video..

[@BulletWanderer]

I'm the same 😅 Has to be done though!

[@chilledout5881]

love the attitude to repair, genuinely.Unless its a safety thing, it'll keep for another day. As for keeping one of these clean? they attract dirt like a hurricane aftermath.

[@HelbertLeite]

My experience with my Classic 500, when she was my only bike, is that she only burns oil when I rev her too hard. She’s my commuter bike now. So I usually ride 80 km/h and 90 km/h to overtake. Since then the issues with burning oil seem to have stopped. To illustrate, when I used to take her on group rides, riding 100 to 120 km/h, I always noticed oil reduction.

[@JosipRadnik1]

Had the same experience: My Classic 500 runs fine with the same oil level for weeks, but - when I rev it up to 3000 rpm and beyond for a time the oil suddently vanishes and I come home from relatively short trips with only half the oil in the engine, but no leak or tracers of oil anywhere to observe.

[@BulletWanderer]

I best keep her down to 80 km/hr so! Sometimes I get a bit excited and see how fast she'll go on 100km roads 😅

[@JosipRadnik1]

@@BulletWanderer to me, it seems to rather be an issue of rpm rather than kph. Certainly mine doesnt like being reved much above 3000 rpm. I am even more enclined to say that maybe running 3500 rpm in second gear is worse than in fifth. At least, there's a little airflow going 3500 rpm in 5th gear....

[@HelbertLeite]

​@@BulletWanderer I'm of the opinion that the Classic 500, and consequently the Bullet 500, is a motorbike of an old world. A world where 80 km/h was high speed. That is not necessarily a bad thing. One of the reasons why I still have mine is precisely that. Going to and from work on my Classic is therapeutic and it has helped me a great deal. Now, having said that, where I live, the speed limit in the interstate is 110 Km/h, with bikes and cars going way above that, which in turn made me purchase a more powerful bike, for travelling on the Classic 500 here meant putting myself in danger. It's my understanding you've got another, more modern, bike. May I suggest you keep the speeding up for that one and Daisybell to more relaxing and therapeutical rides? Please keep us informed in regards to the state of your Bullet 500 'cause she famous in the likes of Freddie Dobbs's Bonneville.

[@ricksroyalrides123]

Great vid mate. I just arrived in Goa yesterday and have started the hunt for a bike for my holiday. I owned a bullet for 5 years but just traded in for a scram. Good to see a bullet goung strong after 30 000 miles and a fair amount of neglect! 💪

[@BulletWanderer]

Cheers Rick! Wishing you many happy miles on the Scram, I've always considered it a Bullet with a modern facelift all around. Less neglect going forward for Daisy 😅

[@ricksroyalrides123]

@@BulletWanderer Yeah, I've had a himmie and a bullet and I went with the scam because I think it sits in between the 2. It's not quite got the character of the bullet, but is still an old school air cooled royal Enfield. I just love em. Happy riding mate. I'm on an old classic 350 in India now and just love it. Check out my latest vid if you get chance. More to follow. Just getting started out you tubing. Any advice welcome!

[@jannerfox9292]

Good honest video Brendan, hopefully will see you at Adare in May. Good old Daisy Bell I do love loading Nelly up with camping gear and she loves it also. Now that I am old and not good looking any more don't carry many pillion passengers. 😉😉🤣🤣

[@BulletWanderer]

All going well I should make it down. 😁 Nonsense, Janner, i'm sure Nelly will carry many more pillions 😂

[@michaelcowcill4936]

Just stick with it Brendon Hitchcocks have a word with them before you change anything and take some of the comments you see with a pinch of salt some people are fair weather bikers and don’t know what rain and a dirty road can do to a bike 👍

[@BulletWanderer]

Cheers Michael!

[@robtramp1165]

Met die kilometer staat zit je dicht tegen een reviezie aan

[@simonchilli2088]

Good point well made!

[@mikewilliams6089]

Ride on brother. Thanks for your great attitude. When I'm riding and obstacle occur, I ask myself what would bulletwanderer do.😊

[@BulletWanderer]

Thanks Mike, that's very kind! "What *should* Bulletwanderer have done" might be more accurate 😂

[@georgewylie9674]

Check out this video From 5 years back. Search: "Royal Enfield Classic 500 How to Reduce Vibration from Engine mounts." It goes way beyond the engine mounts. It covers all areas of the motorbike that has potential bolts & nuts that come loose during General riding. Well executed an good explanations with the author actually pointing to the parts he is describing.

[@BulletWanderer]

Cheers George! Will be putting on the new engine mount this weekend, so I'll take a look!

[@oldoddjobs]

Fair play Brendan

[@geraldfitzgibbon7428]

Low oil level means oil works harder. Less oil also means engine gets hotter .which all add to problems . Modern engine tend to b set to burn lean which is hotter than older engines .so even when every thing is corect a modern engine is working harder. any thing we can do to help .is best for the bike.

[@leonardomicheli1777]

My ( 2012) bullet drinks a LOT of oil. I'll probably check the piston's ring. I will do it wen i'll get a torque wrench. Also mine runs very rich, but i hope to fix it with new air filter and exhaust (I'll try to update this comment tomorrow as they will be hopefully arrive) Update: well it's not "tomorrow": I had to do an engine rebuild. Long story short: I had to open the thermic group because a valve destroyed the guide. I had to clean everything, replace the valves and seals. For those who were interested it cost me about 240£ (350€ because of taxes)

[@gullyfoyle-uf6fr]

My 2020 burns just a little bit. Recently replaced the sprockets and chains and all 4 of the oil seals and the o-rings as I was loosing some oil through the drive. Almost a self-oiler for the chain! Daisy just needed some TLC....she'll treat you well!

[@gullyfoyle-uf6fr]

Oh - ignore the haters! ;-)

[@BulletWanderer]

@@gullyfoyle-uf6fr Cheers 😁 The chain oil does create a bit of slop around the front sprocket!

[@direktorpresident]

These engines run very lean, and hot, from the factory, in the attempt to meet Euro 4. If you changed to a free-flow exhaust they will run even leaner and hotter, which would explain all of your engine problems from the crystalline plug to the oil burning. The best thing to do with these engines, especially if you alter the exhaust, is to fit a piggyback ECU like the Powertronic (and, run it on Map 2). It will transform the bike. It might be too late now to get much benefit as you may have cooked the engine, but if you wish to atone to poor Daisy Bell, throw in a KN filter and some ester synthetic oil.

[@BulletWanderer]

After a few repairs and a few rides since this video and the one where the exhaust fell out, she's thankfully not been kicking up too much of a fuss since! Got lucky I reckon 😅 Had a look into the Powertronic but unfortunately it seems its for the next generation of Bullet after mine (The 2017-2020 version, mine's the previous 2012-2016 I believe)

[@Deetroiter]

I had a 2014 Continental GT 535…that thing vibrated the nuts loose on the exhaust more times than I can count. One time the mid area literally fell off and it was almost dragging on the ground. Only noticed it because someone told my my exhaust was about to fall off. The vibrations from the big single are more than enough to keep shaking it loose. Needs some blue loctite added to the exhaust bolts and it will definitely help keep it in place.

[@frankysworld]

Badger hardly burns oil, and I check my levels faithfully before and after long trips. If I'm on the motorway I usually keep her at 100 km/h - but I like to run her sporty through the gears on the back roads. perhaps the extra tooth on the front sprocket makes a difference on doing the motorway stretches with dropping the rpm a bit. I use Motul 15W50 - maybe once a year I need top her up slightly (careful not to overfill) Then again, I also have quite a few stops when out for my cuppa tea and the leg stretch on account of stacked up injuries over the years, usually after an hour or so, or 2 hours when I am in sort of a hurry to wherever I'm going (rarely) 😆 I'm also running a FuelX mod so she runs a bit richer - that would probably help out a bit as well. This year it looks like I'm actually make it without doing any oil top ups - about a 1000 miles to go to her next oil change and the level still looks good. I have to say though, the bullet 350 I had 40 years ago, drank oil (and spat it out through various orifices)- taking a few cans with me to fill up the oil periodically and maybe top up fuel once in a while 😁 I don't know if my removal of the notorious emissions capture box and air injection plays a role, but that fixed a problem with idling and I wanted Greta Thunberg to have something to cry about. 😛

[@BulletWanderer]

I do wonder sometimes about next sprocket change going for the Classic 500's 18 tooth setup instead 🤔 That's what Badger has right? How was the FuelX mod to install? Does it give a noticable difference? It would be an amazing year for Daisy if she didn't need a top up 😂

[@frankysworld]

@@BulletWanderer Yeah, Badger runs with and 18 - purrs away nicely on the motorway cruising 100km/h. Doesn't lose the torquiness at all at lower speeds - with the 17 I always felt there had to be a gear after 5th lol. I would recommend the FuelX lite for the 500 - the pro has some adjustment gehah's but I find the Lite does its automapping very well and a breeze to install (cheaper also) gives some noticeable grunt in the lower rpm's, but its not like you suddenly can do wheelies😆 I find the engine just runs cooler and calmer with a bit less vibration and allows for cold morning kick starts 😄

[@diarmuidmoriarty3449]

Firstly the exhaust came loose simply due to vibration. Between the broken engine mount and you probably have only one exhaust mount has helped. Secondly the spark plug, I've found the twin spark plug to be better. In fact that's what they fit at the factory. Thirdly DO NOT use tank sealant. It doesn't last and will cause even more problems. Find the pinhole and use a metal putty (I forget the name of it) which can be found in most motor factors. This lasts forever if applied properly. Back to the exhaust, add a second bracket tied to the pillion footpeg.

[@BulletWanderer]

Cheers Diarmuid, have the stainless steel engine mounts from hitchcocks in my basket. Twin plug is what's in now so fingers crossed that goes better 🤞I'm considering saving up for a new tank altogether 🤔

[@ryanharvey9769]

Great video Brendan. Well, I’m still enjoying my relatively new bullet here in Italy. Checked the oil today after watching your video and Bella hasn’t consumed a drop in 2500km’s. I swapped the standard submarine sized exhaust for a Hitcock’s version. So far so good… much nicer sound and looks. I’d swap yours to a single seat, just my opinion.

[@BulletWanderer]

Glad to hear Bella is still going well! Hopefully you'll get some nice rides now as we're coming into warmer weather. 🤞 Think I'll be swapping back to the single seat soon enough. Plus the nice chrome rear rack in place of the bench seat 😁

[@felixVanDiemen]

My bullet doesn’t use oil. It’s usually a sign of a worn engine. It’ll be fine as long as you keep it topped up. If you end up putting on the original exhaust just expect a slight loss of performance and increased engine heat as the stock exhaust is very restrictive. It’ll be fine either way Brendon, just keep riding and enjoying Daisy Bell and your wandering 😊

[@BulletWanderer]

Cheers Felix, appreciate it! 😁 Hope Daisy Apple is keeping well too!

[@felixVanDiemen]

@@BulletWanderer she is going well thanks 😊 I’ve just bought a really nice seat from Hitchcocks for her and am in the process of adapting a set of chrome and black mudguards from a 2020 model for her. I think it’ll look great as the stock mudguards are very skinny on the 2005 Bullet 500. For some reason they put small and skinny ones on the 500 but had the nicer and wider ones on the 350. Very odd.

[@jasonmarkcairns1600]

Great video Brendon keep un coming Vera drinks oil like there there's no tomorrow 😅 many more miles for Daisy Bell

[@MrMomo182]

I put the Hitchcocks stainless steel head steady on to replace that flimsy stock head steady bracket. I put two on, one either side, with the extra long bolts. I think it does reduce vibrations a bit. Wonderful that it's still going strong at 55k km. Mine's just gone 15k kms.

[@BulletWanderer]

Good shout, thank you! I'll order a pair with my next Hitchcocks order 😁

[@MrMomo182]

​@@BulletWandererif you put the double head stead on, don't forget the extra long bolts. I think our bikes are both B5s, so mine took a M8 x 75 and M10 x 75 ( parts numbers: 594545 + 591462) That was Hitchcocks own advice for mine, but better double check. Bolts are expensive! Also, flanged nuts that match thread pitch. I reused the stock nuts, unless they're nylocs, then RAF standards are to not reuse them. Cheers!

[@Frenkentime]

Nice follow up. Many don't do it in the public domain leaving us all wondering... 😊 I may be wrong on this, but from watching your videos I feel we're very similar on finding out more about our bullets when something goes wrong and then going full research mode😀. Luckily for me, Hans has been pretty rebuilt on most areas so I feel I know a bit more on what to keep and eye out for...well as you know, the exhaust bolts are on my list now 😂. One thing I was recently told along with tyre pressures of course is checking the spokes once in a regular while by giving them a tap with a screw driver or sorts and listen out for any dull ones 👍

[@Frenkentime]

Oh and forgot to say! That yellow bag is 🤩

[@BulletWanderer]

Haven't checked the spokes... ever 😅 Will go over them with a screwdriver soon, thanks for the heads up! Tyre pressure has thankfully held strong for a long time.

[@ronaldevans7944]

Hiya Brendan. Bullets can go forever. In India there is a whole industry in repairing motorbikes . Your exhaust is a collection of things. Single cylinder bikes vibrate like a jackhammer 😂 plus the broken engine bracket and Irish roads 😢 . One huge plus about washing the bike is getting up close to your bike and you will see any small problems before they grow into bigger ones. Ride and be safe. Ron .

[@BulletWanderer]

Cheers Ron! Hopefully new stainless steel engine brackets make a difference 🤞

[@robtramp1165]

Licht de cilinder er af en controle je klep rubber en je olie schaapveeren is wat werk en wat je kan doen is de zuiger op meeten of je nog aan je tolerant zit anders een reviezsie

[@borderlands6606]

Don't worry about a dirty bike. I commuted on bikes that only ever saw an oily rag a couple of times a year. The only disadvantage is it makes spannering a mucky business, and the dirt could theoretically hide a failing bracket or something. Because RE made the Bullet forever there are enough spares that it should never die, even if it ends up like Trigger's broom.

[@BulletWanderer]

I reckon that's the way she's headed.. eventually 😂

[@pijushgupta1988]

i have same uce engine, no issue regarding oil burn. i use motul 7100 20w 50 and change oil in every 6000km. edit : i never push the bike over 90km/h

[@michaelpatterson9185]

Keep her going! I only have 9100 miles on my C5 classic and it doesn’t use oil between changes. I change oil 2500-3000 miles along with filter. I’ve changed air filter once, time to do it again. Just routine stuff to keep her going! You have a lot of miles keep it up!

[@BulletWanderer]

Cheers Michael! Good on you keeping on top of the maintenance 👍

[@Stefan_trekkie]

Daisy Bell needs little but constant attention, as many others old style bikes.

[@user-cj1uz3mn2l]

My 2015 B5 (Forest Green) has very low mileage and doesn't use any oil, previously owned Classic 500, Himalayan and Interceptor had oil changes every 3000 miles and they didn't use any oil, but I had a new Classic 350 J series which drank it, Royal Enfield said their spec was 150 ml every 1000 km, but it exceeded that, never found out what it was as I swopped it for a Bonneville. I use Silkolene 15W50 fully synthetic from Hitchcocks and change at 3000 or annually which ever comes first. If you are using oil recommend topping up every week, low oil will cause a hot engine, high vibration and shorter engine life. If you are using the bike in all weathers you might try giving Daisy a treat of ACF50, she will love it, Tim.

[@BulletWanderer]

I guess it varies from bike to bike 🤷‍♂ Surprised to hear one of the newer models was drinking oil. Think my housemate Marty has some ACF50 in the shed, may have to 'borrow' some 👀

[@pamelablake7647]

Its MrT If motorcycle burning oil the spark plug would b covered in oil check for oil leaks and burning smell out of the rear pipe

[@martytoal6547]

As mentioned,the broken head steady causes the vibrations that shake the exhaust clamp and fixings loose,I’d be concerned about the lean mixture,keep an eye on that,clean air filter and new plug and check the plug,if it’s still the same I’d be looking at the injection system,can it be adjusted with a different map or a new injector ( or cleaned and tested) I’ve seen people fitting a carburettor to fix the issue,don’t leave it as it will burn the piston or valves due to excessive heat( it’s also possible that the plug gave this reading due to riding with the exhaust off) keep an eye on it or things could get expensive 👍🏻

[@BulletWanderer]

New plug and new air filter/oil filter gone in, thankfully haven't experienced any oil on the air filter before as I hear can sometimes happen.

[@craigyllyn]

I do believe you have eloquently described what is known as both “character” and “patina”. I note you have one of the legendary high performance engines with larger clearances to give a little quicker response at the expense of a little oil usage. 😉😉

[@BulletWanderer]

That's one way of putting it Graham 😁

[@craigyllyn]

@@BulletWanderer 😊😊😊

[@geraldscott4302]

The exhaust coming loose is caused by vibration. And even red Loctite won't help. Where the exhaust connects to the head is the hottest place on the engine, and Loctite just melts. It happened to me several times. I finally replaced the studs and nuts with bolts, then drilled the bolt heads and safety wired them. Mine never came completely apart. I could hear the change in sound when it started leaking, before the pipe fell completely off. Before I switched to bolts, I carried extra studs and nuts, and a wrench. I have just over 22,000 miles on my 2013 model since buying it new. but they have been easy miles. No real long distance rides, I usually ride around 55 mph, and never carry a passenger. I change the oil and filter every 2000 miles, or close to it. So far I have not had to add any oil between changes, but I keep an eye on it. I use Motul 20w50 full synthetic. This is basically a vintage engine. The clutch cable is an easy replacement. Mine still has the original cable. But when I bought the bike new, it came with a complete set of cables, and 2 new tubes. That top engine bracket is called a head stay. The oem one is made out of tin. Hitchcocks has upgraded ones, or you can fabricate one that is even stronger, which is what I did. Not sure what to do about the tank. Hitchcocks has both new and used ones for the B5 Bullet 500, but they are all black. They don't list any dark green ones. I have thought about repainting my dark green bike a lighter color, maybe silver. With the stock EFI, the air/fuel mixture is DANGEROUSLY lean. Lean enough to cause engine damage. And mine ran absolutely awful. I didn't leave it that way very long before ripping the whole EFI system off and replacing it with an Amal Concentric MK1 carburetor. You can do that with any UCE Bullet or Classic 500 that has a rear drum brake. Hitchcocks sells all the parts to do the conversion, and it's not hard to do. Mine ran 100 times better with the carburetor. I also put an aftermarket exhaust on it, and the carburetor from Hitchcocks came jetted perfectly for it. The exhaust that came on these bikes new was about 3 feet long and weighed about 30 pounds. WAY to big and heavy for the flimsy bracket that came on it new. I've had an aftermarket exhaust on mine for well over 20,000 miles, and had no problems at all. The stock one went straight into the trash. Keeping the bike clean would not have made any difference with any of the problems you had. The chain and sprockets are the main things you need to keep clean. Be aware that with the stock EFI, the air filter DOES NOT SEAL. I discovered that when I removed it. There has been a lot of talk about that on the Classic Motorworks forum. The UCE engines can be rebuilt. But I just turned 65, any my guess is that mine will outlast me. I definitely wouldn't put the original exhaust back on. That thing is just way too big and heavy, and the main reason for that is because it has a catalytic converter in it, which makes it run hot. I would look into the carburetor conversion. Best of luck with Daisy Bell.

[@BulletWanderer]

Probably won't be taking passengers again in the near future 😅 Have the replacement clutch now ready to swap once the old one gives up the ghost, seemed to be not too difficult a swap job the last time. Bought two of the upgraded engine brackets, maybe one for each side? As for the tank I got one from eBay coming from India. Will swap the old one's bits out onto the new one, and maybe try get the old one fixed so its there as a backup. Carburetor might do in the future when I have the funds. Funnily enough never had any trouble with the weight of the stock exhaust, the light peashooter just liked to break brackets, though hasn't happened for a long while. Chain and sprockets are kept nice and clean and lubricated, after what happened down in Lake Como i'm not looking to repeat breaking a chain in the middle of nowhere again 😂

[@Jodyrides]

i’ve been riding for decades, I have more than 700,000 miles behind bars. I’m on motorcycle 107 and 108 right now, no Harleys, no British bikes, 4 moto guzzis (so far).. except for one BMW,, the K 1200 LT, that was my only German motorcycle, and I am not interested in buying another one of those. I can’t go into everything that was different, poorly designed, weird, extremely over, priced, required special tools to do basic things like just changing the brake fluid, clutch fluid change, ABS brakes that do not work on gravel when they sense that slippage, they don’t apply any brake pressure. I just I’m not gonna get started on that and there’s just too much I did not like on that Machine.. and I’ve had three trials bikes, gas, gas, Beta, FANTIC. I don’t know where they were made if it was Italy, or Spain. But all the rest of the motorcycles and quads I have, and have been Japanese. .. I just recently sold my Kawasaki Z 400 .. perfect little sport bike, perfect, I never even had to adjust the chain in the 5000 miles that I owned the machine.. I am an ex roadracer, i’ve won six championships, two time national champion here in the USA, I was a motorcycle mechanic at three different dealerships when I was in my 20s, I sold motorcycles part time for 17 years in the month February through May… i’ve had mostly standard/sport bikes, not road racing machines with lights on them. I’d like to ride my bikes all day, not for just 20 minutes at a time. I had RZ 350, a few RDs, several Kawasaki, 400 cc triples, three CB 400 F, a Bridgestone 350 GTR two-stroke twin with a dry clutch, it would start in any gear, it would start without a battery, it had a 6 gallon gas tank, the cylinder bores were chromed.. I believe it would’ve been Honda, then, Bridgestone, then, Yamaha, Kawasaki, suzuki if the longshoreman strike of the late 1960s did not strand the entire year supply of Bridgestone motorcycles on the ships coming to the United States, they went on strike for months bankrupting Bridgestone motorcycles. That was a tragedy… at 3:50 Bridgestone was so far ahead of Yamaha, Kawasaki, Suzuki, in two stroke development with their a rotary valve twin. but I never had a British bike. I worshiped at the altar of performance. I remember seeing people, road racing Nortons and Ducati, singles and BSA and Triumph motorcycles at club races. He didn’t stand a chance against the onslaught of Japanese motorcycles on the racetrack… that’s where I learned to rule out ever owning a British motorcycle.. I had friends that owned them. They were tough to start, and they seem to occasionally have to replace electrical components. but today, I’m seeing these machines, being produced by triumphs, royal Enfield. I saw how well a triumph what is running at this year‘s 2024 Daytona 200. I believe they have caught up a lot with the japanese.. there is another way to look at machines like royal Enfield, BSA, triumphs.. Buddy of mine has an old original 60s BSA 441 Victor and, a tramp, 500 Daytona from the 1960s. They are in beautiful original condition. He rides them occasionally on the street.. he was a motorcycle mechanic at a dealership where I was a salesman part time he would be leaving work at the shop, and he would have one hell of a time getting that BSA to start. One time he called his wife and had her come and pick him up, he left the bike at the shop he could not get it to start. The next morning, it started on the first kick. so I asked him, why would you ride one of these relics with marginal? If not below average dependability when you know better? If you were to ride a Japanese bike, you know it’s going to start, and you know it’s going to get you there and back. his reply made me think he said anybody can own a Japanese motorcycle and it’s gonna be like a Toyota Corolla, it’s going to always always start and it’s always always gonna get you home. where is the challenge in that? writing something like my BSA 441, you are happy if that thing starts, you’re even happier if you make a 50 mile round-trip somewhere without breaking down. That means, you are a good mechanic and you know what you’re doing if you can keep one of those things running. It’s exciting just getting to your destination even if it’s just going to the store and back. You don’t get that kind of excitement riding a perfect Japanese bike that is always going to get you there. It’s not a sense of accomplishment making it to your destination and back on a Japanese bike. so I thought about that, and he’s right, you don’t have that sense of anxiety anticipation with a Japanese motorcycle, and that does take some of the sizzle out of the ownership.. so, for the first time ever, I have been considering buying something like a Norton commando, or a Triumph Bonnieville from the 70s.. that would be like taking a step back in time, living in the past.. and to tell you the truth I find the past far brighter than the future..

[@BulletWanderer]

Cheers Jody, quite the career on and with motorcycles you've had! That BSA sounds like it had quite some character, of course it started first thing the next morning 😂 A lovely 70s Bonneville would be fantastic 👌 I'm not quite there mechanically minded yet, but I've definitely felt something like your buddy felt being happy getting the bike home; had a chain snap in Lake Como and had to depend on the kindness of a hotel manager there to get me to a mechanic he knew, and get home 850 miles to Ireland with bad sprockets. The relief I felt finally boarding the Ferry in Cherbourg was unbeatable!

[@Jodyrides]

@@BulletWanderer i’ll bet that was a different kind of exciting. You were at Lake Como, right at the moto guzzi factory, which is at the base of the Matterhorn. worn chain and sprockets can cost you 6 hp, ask any dynamometer operator he can tell you.. A coworker offered me a650 Bonneville back in the 90s for free..He joined the Navy, and he took his motorcycle apart because he didn’t have a garage, but taking it apart, made it able to store it in his mothers basement. years later, he had never put it back together. He knew I was a motorcycle junkie, and he asked me if I wanted it for free. I said no. So he gave it to a teenager in his neighborhood, the teenager and his dad put it together, he told me when I saw him last summer 2023, that kid , Now probably in his 50s is still riding that motorcycle here 30 some years later.. did you say Ireland? My grandparents came to the United States in the early 1900s from Ireland, Killarney and Galway I think. They had nine kids after they got here. My mother had 8 Brothers they were scattered all over the East Coast from Boston to Cleveland. Mostly Pittsburgh Virginia. All successful, they all had either three or five kids. every time they would get together for things like funerals, all they did was laugh.. they grew up as kids during the depression in Pittsburgh, and they went to the same schools, and were friends with the Rooney’s that own the Steelers.. Dan Rooney was my grade school football coach, he went onto own the team, and then he Was appointed ambassador to Ireland when President Obama appointed him that years ago.. I think it was a deal Obama made with Dan Rooney, for his endorsement when he was running for president, you endorse me and I’ll appoint you ambassador to Ireland.. I watch videos of you, & other cyclists in Great Britain and Ireland and Scotland and Wales. Those skinny roads with the hedges make me nervous just watching..

[@silverback3926]

The engine bracket or head steady being broken most likely caused undue vibrations. Which is probably what caused the exhaust pipe nut lossening. Do yourself a favor and get the heavy duty one offered by hitchcocks. I think there is only one anyway.

[@BulletWanderer]

Have it in my basket 😄

[@phil031066]

I wax mine up after cleaning it as it will look dirty in 2 mins here in Ireland but at least the wax gives a barrier

[@BulletWanderer]

Use Muc-Off wax and sealant on Daisy, does work quite well up around the tank, down on the engine, less so 😅

[@kandrews1960]

I have a 2018 Royal Enfield Classic Chrome with about 11,300 miles on the clock. I have had zero issues with "Pokey," and it doesnt use any oil. Prior to that, I had a 2017 Bullet that drank oil; I had to constantly check the oil level with it..not so with Poke. Royal Enfields have a TON of oersonality and are a hoy to ride, but they do require regular maintenance checks😊

[@BulletWanderer]

Funny that isn't it? And they'd both be the same "species" of Euro 4 engine, so who knows why one drank oil and the other didn't 🤷‍♂ As you say, it's personality 😁

[@johnlacaze4811]

Time for some TLC! I can't stress enough how important it is to get an accurate read on the oil level. Find yourself a level spot in a parking lot somewhere and let daisy run on the center stand for a minute then shut her off n let her sit for a minute before checking. If you shut her off n put her on the side stand or even lean her a bit it can throw off the oil level. As far as the engine bracket? Same one broke on mine pardner lol! Hitchcocks has a much stronger replacement bracket. Think it's called a steady bracket? Well anyway you got this Brendan! Happy trails 🤠 🍻💪

[@BulletWanderer]

Since changing the oil she's given me good readings consistently 😁 Bought the replacement bracket, hopefully I'll feel a difference in the feel when I have it on, haven't been riding too much recently as I don't want to test fate with basically no bracket atm 😂 Cheers John!

[@johnlacaze4811]

@@BulletWanderer did you get the improved stainless steel steady bracket?

[@BulletWanderer]

@@johnlacaze4811 The very one! 😁

[@johnlacaze4811]

@BulletWanderer good deal pardner 😁. Shouldn't have a problem with it breaking ever again. I've had mine on for a while now and I'll tell ya what. Oklahoma roads are terrible!

[@sirgalah561]

Its interesting reading comments from people all around the world.. Its giving me insight into what may go wrong with mine in the future.. Ive got one of the last Classic 500 Desert Storm bikes.."Emily" only used oil when she was running in.. Now doesn't hardly use any at all.. Every second tank of juice I check the oil level.. I carry a wee bottle of oil in one of my pannier bags with a small assortment of tools.. I'll be contacting Hitchcocks during the week and ordering those upper engine mounts (for just in case) I dont want to be out in the boonies with a broken engine mount, especially if peeps are saying theres an issue with them breaking.. I ride rather sedately. I almost never go over 80kph, and never take any highways or freeways - I take back roads pretty much everywhere.. I had a problem with mine just after I bought it.. It'd stall while riding. I found out the original OEM relays were rubbish so I replaced them. Then I replaced the fuses, spark plug, plug lead and a handful of other things.. I also binned the exhaust pipe (muffler and header), and I find it runs a lot nicer.. Less rattles as its less restricted... I think it runs cooler too.. The OEM header pipe internal diameter is so small you'd be hard pressed to get your pinky finger in it... Ive heard that fitting that delete kit thing also makes the bike run a bit better too.. Emily pops and farts now and again especially when slowing down to change gear.. Anyhoo..

[@BulletWanderer]

Nice name for a nice bike! Yeah seems like the upper engine mount seems to be a severe weak spot for these bikes. Probably best off replacing sooner rather than later! No idea how long mine had been broken for 😅 What did you replace the OEM relays with? Wonder if it'd be worth replacing on Daisy as occasionally she stalls within the first few minutes of a ride 🤔 Was having a look into that delete kit thing, but appears its only for 2017 onwards unfortunately!

[@sirgalah561]

@@BulletWanderer I went to an auto electrical shop with the relays and the bloke at the counter matched up a set of Bosch relays.. Bike hasn't stalled since replacing them.. Apparently one relay is for the side stand switch and the other is for everything else.. While I was there I bought a bunch of fuses that glow when they burn out.. I thought it a handy idea especially in the dark.. You know exactly which fuse has bliwn without fumbling around pulling each one out. (I'm not particularly mechanically minded so I'd go yanking each one out till I found the dead one..) Now my other two bikes have those fuses in as well.. Just wondering.. Do you kick start your bike or use the button? In 19,500 km I've only pressed that button twice.. It starts with 3 or 4 kicks when ice cold and usually one or two when warm.. Kick starting feels more "real" .. Its an old looking bike and it freaks out the teenagers when you boot start the thing... Its like they've never seen anyone start a motocross bike before...

[@glenbawndog]

Hi Brendan, Remember the POWDER check from IBT. Takes a few minutes to complete. You will have a certain amount of vibration from a single cylinder engine anyway so no harm to run a spanner over most fasteners on a weekly basis. Takes minutes to be honest. A very clean bike worries me! We live and ride in ireland, the weather is shite most of the time here anyway. Enjoy your bike, keep a good eye on the consumables, stay safe and keep making good videos. Ride safe. Regards Dermot

[@martinrea8548]

Petrol, Oil, Water, Electrics, Rubber.......4/5......what's the D again?

[@BulletWanderer]

Cheers Dermot! Gonna add it into my schedule now to dedicate some time to spannering things. 😁 and @martinrea8548 the "D" in POWDER is for damage, I believe! Used to always mix it up with "drive" thinking it meant chain and sprockets... no harm checking them too I suppose!

[@martinrea8548]

@@BulletWanderer Ah, thanks, damage.....I really liked your video when you were down in West Cork, that's where I do a lot of riding too. Weather is still very poor. I was joking with a friend today would the insurance company give me a no riding bad weather bonus this year! Hope you get the bike running well again.

[@georgewylie9674]

Brendan live & learn bud! Was thinking of you yesterday, was removing the exhaust on my bike, and an exhaust mount stud came out frozen to the nut. Stuff happens I am replacing the stud and washer. . So a broken head steady. The stock ones are apt to do that I hear. Unless you are seriously short on funds, replace both. Putting one on and having the OEM one breaking later on would just plain suck. Curiosity question: What plug are you running now? Cheers! George

[@BulletWanderer]

I've just added a pair of the Hitchcocks stainless steel head steady to my cart; Little expensive, but surely cheaper in the long run! Currently she's running the spark plug that comes with the service kit: accessories.hitchcocksmotorcycles.com/21555?cont_page=Royal-Enfield-BFive-Accessories&keyword=service Not quite sure what one it is exactly (threw out the box already 😂), but its a twin electrode. Seems to be going fine!

[@georgewylie9674]

Great. Can't wait to hear the end results of that install!. I hope it is as effective for you as touted at RandomRides!

[@Saddlebags73]

No issues with Ernie burning oil. He’s been a bit of a bugger in other ways but he holds on to his oil 👍🏼

[@ianbooth4255]

I would rebuild the top end to deal with the oil burning issue. I've not worked on a Bullet but on all the old British bike engines I've rebuilt they have never burnt a drop of oil. My routine is to assemble the rings and bore dry (no oil) which means for the first few seconds on first fire up the rings and bore are running with no oil (it is only a few seconds as the crank splash feeds the bore). This helps to bed the rings in. Secondly I use mineral oil and change it out after 100 miles to mineral oil again. Thirdly I ride it fairly hard, allowing the engine rev freely and putting occasional load on the engine, again to bed in the rings. The only thing to avoid is excessive prolonged high revs or high load. I've rebuilt many engines that burned oil badly that didn't need a new piston and rebore, only new rings. I believe this is the result of not running in hard enough to bed the rings into the bore.

[@BulletWanderer]

Cheers for the advice Ian, think when she gets up to 40,000 miles later this year I'll bring her in for a top end rebuild. Fingers crossed she'll be the same and it'll only be rings that need replaced 🤞

[@ianbooth4255]

@@BulletWanderer Good call. At 40k miles I think she's due a rebuild particularly as she's burning oil.

[@grahamdraper665]

Just arrived back from my trip to France cruising at about 100k oil level went down a little it comes out the breather and ends up in air box .

[@BulletWanderer]

Haven't had that happen to mine yet, but I've heard it can happen if there's too much oil 🤔 Who knows!? Hope overall it was a great trip, Graham! 😄

[@JosipRadnik1]

Mine currently has the issue that the engine suddently stalls during rides. Usually I can prevent the engine from switching off completely by holding the clutch and revving up inbetween to bring life back into the engine. I've already made an appointment with my mechanic and originally planned to get my bike to his garage today but I had to break off the attempt as my engine already stalled several times within just 3 km and I did not want to risk being stranded on the faster section of the road there. Maybe i should check my spark plugs too

[@BulletWanderer]

I do get that myself, like she suddenly gives up occasionally. Usually it only happens within the first 10 minutes of riding (Such as in this video at 2 minutes inkzbin.info/www/bejne/e6q8eXV5osp3qrc ), and then she picks up again. Let me know what your mechanic says, it's almost as if the idle RPM goes too low or something?

[@JosipRadnik1]

@@BulletWanderer A friend gave me the hint that it might be the flow of the fuel from the tank to the engine. He recomended to check the filter and the pipeline from tank to engine. I will certainly inform you when I got my bike there and my mechanic found some time to check it. Unfortunately that might take a little while.

[@kevbaldwin9552]

Simple stuff first Brendan .Oil is considerably cheaper than engine rebuilds so keep it topped up and change oil and filters regularly .fit head steady preferably the uprated one from hitchcocks .Read your manual on how to check items for ware and adjustment ect it helps stop some surprises from things like cables breaking ect or things failing due to un noticed ware or damage ,Bullets are tough old things and can generally be repaired rather than replaced , I am sure Daisy Bell would repay time and money spent on maintenance with several more years of service 👍

[@BulletWanderer]

Cheers Kev, have a pair of stainless steel head steadies from Hitchcocks in my basket atm. I'll have her a long time, but as Borderlands said somewhere below, it'll probably be like a Trigger's Broom situation eventually 😂

[@adventureswithfarmertroy]

🏍️😎👍

[@motormikeb1047]

My 2011 Bullet hasn't used oil.... about 11500 miles on the clock... I do have a sidecar... mostly camping trips.. up to 1200 miles round trip. Had the fuel tank crack..leaking.... friend welded it... and my RE dealer supplied a bracket that solves the problem. Bracket bolts from frame to rear tank bolt. My RE guy tells me you can't blow these engine up...like the older 500's.... older ones can't handle 55-60 all day long. I've seen several older 500's in his shop with the heads of the piston that broke away from the piston skirt... The RE guy tells me they improved the piston on the FI's units. But yours is starting to show signs of .... a rebore.... the compression on your engine is... a little low.... 120 is about ride for a standard engine.... Most of the FI unit need a top end job around 40000 miles.... low compression..worn rings.... oil scrapper rings... contribute to oil consumption ... so save your nickels and dimes... find a good shop... price a top end.. and lay plans for a winter rebuild . :)

[@BulletWanderer]

Fair play to your Bullet, especially considering it has the extra weight of the sidecar! Cheers Mike, think when I get up to that 40,000 mile mark, probably just after this summer, I'll get a top end rebuild going.

[@Tired_wirey_brandy_look.]

Can't keep a bike clean if you use it........ the truth! 😀

[@phil031066]

Get a heavy duty bracket made up.

[@phil031066]

I just did a weekend welding course in west Clare which I think is great for fabricating basic brackets etc especiallyfor my bike. A good introduction to welding

[@briand4000]

High oil consumption: either you're leaking it or burning it. If it's not dripping, it's not leaking. So, that boils down to burning and you said oil was very black? That's piston ring blowby and/or excessive temperatures. Your plug doesn't show signs of piston ring blowby, no soot or sludge. Might be planning ahead towards pulling the cylinder to install new rings. If inside of exhaust pipe is oily and/or exhaust is extra smoky, that could indicate excessive oil burn. I have so little total time on Oddball to build a trend of oil consumption, but I will be noting the level regularly. Oil viscosity/brand can have something to do with consumption. If engine is running hot (lean, as evidenced by your plug), it can further break down the oil viscosity and lead to higher consumption. All the variables have to be looked at to diagnose a problem.

[@quentingazziola7038]

Clearly the broken top engine mount could be the cause of the exhaust pipe coming loose. This top engine mount broke two years ago (more or less) on my Classic 500. The mechanic at the RE dealer shop told me to avoid riding as much as possible until the replacement of the broken mount, and avoid reving the engine too high to limit vibrations when going back home. The mechanic explained to me that the vibrations of the engine, the weight of the bike especially when riding with a pillion (which I did very often at that time, now my pillion has her own motorcycle) and the fact that the bike deforms a little (which is absolutely normal) as it is used and riden, often cause this engine mount to break. The most important, according to the mechanic, is to replace it as soon as possible; which I did. I've owned my Classic 500 for almost 3 years, and I've had different mechanical and electrical issues: -hydraulic lifters for the pushrods (both were replaced); when they broke the engine was make a horrible tappet noise -broken top engine mount -temperature sensor broke and caused the engine to work weirdly (with difficult cold and hot starts) -alternator and regulator (quite costly repair...), which prevented the battery from charging properly, and electrical components malfunctioning (the honk, the indicators, head lamp, ABS were no longer working properly). In case of a low battery, a friend of mine has given me a piece of advice: when riding in daylight, unplug the headlamp to help the engine to start more easily and the battery to charge (it's not really legal, but riding like this for a few kilometres will help the battery) When the alternator-regulator broke, I asked myself if it was time to move on and get another motorcyle, but I loved it (and I still do). The mechanic convinced me to keep it and do the repair, which I did; and I've never regretted it since then When riding with a pillion, you have to rev the engine a little higher than when riding solo, but just a little, you don't need much. Reving too high is bad for the engine, but reving too low is bad too! For example, my gear changes scheme looks like this: - 0-20 km/h: 1st to 2nd gear - 20-40 km/h: 2nd to 3rd gear - 40-55 km/h: 3rd to 4th gear - 55-75 km/h: 4th to 5th gear - max speed that I ride in 5th gear: 80-90 km/h for cruising, 100 km/h for overtaking When going under or over these limits I feel the engine is reving too low or too high Oil and filter changes are quite important and have to be done regularly: at least once a year, and every 3,000 or 4,000 kilometres. It is also important to check oil level frequently, especially when the bike has more than 30,000 kilometres (18,650 miles) on the clock. These engines tend to consume a little bit of oil (but it should not be too much oil being consumed) I try to keep my bike as clean as possible because I love the shiny aspect of chrome, and I love spending hours washing it when I can. It has some quirks and scratches, but it's a wonderful bike and I will ride it up until the moment when I am no longer able to!

[@BulletWanderer]

I wonder how long ago the engine mount broke on mine, no idea if it was recent or long ago! Have heavy duty brackets from Hitchcocks waiting to go on the bike this weekend so hopefully will sort her out 🤞 Haven't had issues with the alternator or regulator yet, thankfully. Daisy has an on/off switch for the lights too, so usually switch em off whenever I'm starting/finished the bike to give the battery its best chance 😅 . Daisy's on 30,000 miles so 50,000 something kilometers, so will be keeping a watchful eye on the oil levels. Cheers Quentin!

[@quentingazziola7038]

@BulletWanderer As a replacement for the engine mount I used the one from Royal Enfield but the one made by Hitchcock is said to be better (more durable in time, and adjustable); if the mount that is on my bike breaks again, I will definitely mount the one from Hitchcock. Alternator and regulator issues are quite rare and I think I know what caused this problem My Classic 500 does not have the on/off switch for the lights (it was removed for the Euro 4 application I think); the switch is a much better solution for sure! I check the oil each time when I'm back from a ride; I've been lucky, my Classic does not 'drink' oil (just a little bit, but it's almost invisible in the oil level check window). When cold, I check that the engine does not smoke as if it was burning oil (it smokes a little in cold weather because of condensation, but nothing like burning oil). Cheers!

[@mikeflanagan825]

my 2014 cgt 535 burns/vaporizes a little each time,no prob.

[@MentatOfDune]

Not that I hope to see it, honestly, but your animated intro with the engine falling out would be fun to see :)

[@BulletWanderer]

Might do that for a later version of the intro 😆

[@deltabluesdavidraye]

News for ya .There are no motorcycles that do not require regular maintainence,either you do it yourself or pay through the nose to have it done.

[@unOrdinaryWorld]

08:33 Can confirm

[@BulletWanderer]

Hoping you'll have more luck in Greece! 😁

[@prajwal9905]

If you takecare of them it will run for another generation

[@markdoolan7282]

Hope your not going to try and sell that bike and want get a good price for it? I admire your honesty almost pride if not indifference to lack of maintenance and attention to fudged bandaid solutions to the degree you put out a KZbin vid on why your should never buy a motorcycle like this off a person like yourself. That compression seems low to me also in concert with high levels of oil consumption without a known obvious oil leak could say the rings on the piston need to be replaced. Does it blow much white smoke out the exhaust. If yes and it’s done a lot of kms then that could be your problem right there. Fix the petrol tank properly or replace it. Happy trails.

[@BulletWanderer]

As I said in the video, I'm never going to move on from this bike, she's my forever bike! 😄 Sharing these experiences on KZbin is part of my journey in learning and improving, both as a rider and a maintainer. Most people with Classic or Bullet 500s wouldn't ride as far or as regularly as I do with mine, it's my only bike, but I know there's a wealth of knowledge here on KZbin to draw from. It doesn't blow too much white smoke out the exhaust really to be fair, but she's probably coming up close to a top end rebuild.

[@londo0]

You could always get a new Classic 350 reborn.

[@BulletWanderer]

I'd be tempted sometimes, maybe someday 😁

[@Robert-uy1gd]

Would Tinker Bell not be a better name for the Bullet?

[@BulletWanderer]

Very good, maybe 😂

[@joetocchio9666]

A motorcycle ridden in all conditions and on long trips is no excuse for poor maintenance practice.

[@BulletWanderer]

No excuses on my part , I take full responsibility and endeavour to do better lol

[@joetocchio9666]

@@BulletWanderer aye😁

[@ytr8989]

Maybe exchange for the Honda.

[@BulletWanderer]

I could never ! 😁

[@dannyvan5792]

back noise is terrible

[@mrmr9767]

Daisy ?????? are you ok ?

[@BulletWanderer]

She's better now, just need to swap on a new engine bracket!