Hitchcocks Forum

Hello, have had a good couple of weeks of trouble free riding since my last thread but that came to an end a couple of nights ago. Last problem was fixed by a new battery and all is still fine on that front.

Latest issue is below:

While riding the other evening the bike suddenly lost all power, luckily not on a busy road, still had full battery power but critically no spark at all, left the bike in some ones drive for the night and got a lift back in the morning armed with some tools and oddly it kicked over and started first time with out doing anything to it (so suddenly a spark), left it idling for a good while with no issues, turned it off and went to the beach with the plan to pick it up on the way back.

Went back to the bike, kicked over again no problem and headed back home, was all seeming good then it cut out again just like the evening before, noticed I had covered roughly the same sort of distance before it cut out. Again had to leave it somewhere, headed back in the morning wouldn't kick over , no spark to be had either, though still full battery power.

Got it trailered back home, has anyone had the same symptoms as this and know of a possible fix or the component needed for this to work again?

Thanks Geoff

Royal Enfield Bullet 500 Electra X - 2008

Hi, sound like a defective coil, Vince

Could be wrong but it sounds like the coil overheating

Well worth checking

Hope this helps Dai

Vince look at the timed of our replies

But treat it to a new plug first because it's amazing how often that fixes odd electrical issues on many bikes, is cheap and easy and then you know it's good.

My home market 350 Bullet Electra has the same TCI ignition system as yours but it’s as basic as it can be. Because it is kickstart only it doesn’t have “luxuries” of a clutch switch or a sidestand switch.

However, your bike is an export model so I presume it has a sidestand switch? If it isn’t properly making contact it will effectively turn off the power, just like the handlebar “kill” switch. You could clean it or bypass it and see if that helps.

Enfield ignition switches are also distinctly iffy and can cut out without warning if they get water in them. I've been left at the side of the road by this particular foible before so a good spray of WD40 down the ignition lock might not go amiss.

Another addition to the possible causes - does your Electra-X still have its original spark plug cap? Worth replacing with the NGK variety if you (or the previous owner) haven't already done so, the originals can fail. Non-suppressor for resister-type plugs, suppressor for plain plugs. It's still worth doing even if the problem DOES lie elsewhere.

A.

Thanks for the input, though another coil that I've tried isn't the quick fix I was hoping. Did disconnect the sides stand cut off the other evening (as suggested here) though that didnt solve the issue.
Will blast the ignition with wd40 and try another spark plug.
Pics are the cap that is in use and the spark plug in use.

Cheers
Geoff

I'd junk the plug cap, I've had numerous problems on older jap bikes with that style of plug cap. Now only use NGKs.