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For Royal Enfield owners and enthusiasts
- Wed Sep 06, 2017 6:26 am
#70594
Don't Hitchcocks list a long stroke crank for the 350's anyway? Tim, why won't the 612 crank fit 350 cases, this is something I have never had to try to date and always assumed items like this would be interchangeable?
- Wed Sep 06, 2017 2:01 pm
#70602
If you're looking for a donor bike, try this one on ebay. Sad story, but it might help you.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/272835078065
A.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/272835078065
A.
- Wed Sep 06, 2017 2:49 pm
#70603
Cheers Adrian.
Yes, watching that and another one someone took apart then didn't put back together again.
"Classic" Bullets seem to have gone super expensive and hard to come by recently. I reckon I'd get back what I paid for my 350 bullet 9 years ago, even though it's pretty hanging. When I got it, they couldn't give them away.
The rate at which hipsters seem to be hacking them to bits to make "bobbers", you'd have thought there would be more MOT failures and unfinished/ruined projects kicking about.
Yes, watching that and another one someone took apart then didn't put back together again.
"Classic" Bullets seem to have gone super expensive and hard to come by recently. I reckon I'd get back what I paid for my 350 bullet 9 years ago, even though it's pretty hanging. When I got it, they couldn't give them away.
The rate at which hipsters seem to be hacking them to bits to make "bobbers", you'd have thought there would be more MOT failures and unfinished/ruined projects kicking about.
- Wed Sep 06, 2017 4:44 pm
#70605
Taking on someone else's cocked-up project isn't for everyone, it depends on how badly bodged things are. Provided the frame hasn't been hacked around and the whole plot is capable of being fairly economically restored it could be an option. Meanwhile a reasonable-looking 535 Lightning (I say reasonable, it's still pretty ugly in factory trim!) up in Cumbria went for a mere £800-and-something very recently on ebay, if you don't mind getting one from a more remote location a reduced price could still be worth it, even after paying for the bike to be shipped down. Mind you, there's all the more reason for you to turn your ugly duckling back into a swan.
I too am a little perplexed by the unsuitability of the cases, could not the webbing be reinforced (the sort of thing they used to do in vintage racing), and the flywheel housing be skimmed out? AFAIK the metric crank 350s and 500s use the same bearings, and both Tollgate and Henry Price offer a conversion to fit a bigger timing side main bearing to beef things up a bit (my 500 Redditch/AVL hybrid based on a set of modified 350 crankcases has this). I would be interested if Tim NZ could tell us a bit more about why your cases are a No Go.
Your heart may be set on a 612 but don't forget there are some quite impressive 500 and 535 Bullets out there, Bullet Whisperer who recently posted has built some very competent 500 Bullet race bikes as well as his ASBO Bullets tuned for road use, you could also see what Tom Lyons has done in the US with his Fireball 535 Bullet conversions. One of his customers had a Big Head 500 Bullet in 612 trim, but when he put it back to the original 90mm stroke and ran it as a 535 he found it was a nicer bike to ride, and still no slouch. The tuned 500/535 route would let you keep your existing crankcases and, if done right, still give you a fast (by Bullet standards) engine at the end of the day.
A.
I too am a little perplexed by the unsuitability of the cases, could not the webbing be reinforced (the sort of thing they used to do in vintage racing), and the flywheel housing be skimmed out? AFAIK the metric crank 350s and 500s use the same bearings, and both Tollgate and Henry Price offer a conversion to fit a bigger timing side main bearing to beef things up a bit (my 500 Redditch/AVL hybrid based on a set of modified 350 crankcases has this). I would be interested if Tim NZ could tell us a bit more about why your cases are a No Go.
Your heart may be set on a 612 but don't forget there are some quite impressive 500 and 535 Bullets out there, Bullet Whisperer who recently posted has built some very competent 500 Bullet race bikes as well as his ASBO Bullets tuned for road use, you could also see what Tom Lyons has done in the US with his Fireball 535 Bullet conversions. One of his customers had a Big Head 500 Bullet in 612 trim, but when he put it back to the original 90mm stroke and ran it as a 535 he found it was a nicer bike to ride, and still no slouch. The tuned 500/535 route would let you keep your existing crankcases and, if done right, still give you a fast (by Bullet standards) engine at the end of the day.
A.
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