Hitchcocks Forum

Hi I have had a Bullet 500 Electra X (2008) with a bit over 2½k miles on the clock for a few months now. In the last couple of months it has started to just clatter when I try the electric start from cold - horrible noise like something is breaking up. Eventually it usually catches and fires, but I think it's getting worse. Trying to kick start from cold is a horrendous job which I have only occasionally succeeded at, so this is making use of the bike very difficult.

I think I have seen mention of unreliable starters on these bikes before so I wonder if there is a recommended solution (spragtastic?)...

Many Thanks

The sprag clutch is on it's way home by the sound of it. You need to open the primary up and have a look.
Have a look here for kickstarting hints

Typically, a rattle from the starter on most vehicles is often due to a low state of charge in the battery. How old is your battery? Have you tested it's voltage? Specifically, I understand (my Enfield is k/s only) that the e/s bikes come fitted as standard with a lousy solenoid which is best changed for a better one (ie. not Indian Enfield!!) When you are happy that the battery and solenoid are A1, then the infamous sprag sounds like it should be next in line for checking.

Also, if the sprag is terminal and you want to do away with the e/s arrangement altogether, you needn't have concerns over kickstarting. My bike has a 625cc engine on about 8.5:1 compression. It starts first kick. It's all down to technique as Pete's helpful link shows.

Thanks folks
I put a new battery on the bike a few months back as the original one had died...
It doesn't sound like there's not enough juice - plenty of wizz - just like somethings falling to bits in there (could be sprag cog teeth?).

I've been trying Pete Fletcher's instructions today and did manage to get it to start once, but so far it's a bit random... need to keep working on it - doesn't help that the decompression lever doesn't seem to do much most of the time...

... and the ammeter never seems to move except it goes up a bit when it's running....

Hi Woosh. Leave the decompressor alone. Forget the am-meter flick method, as this doesn't work with the Electra. Just slowly kick through compression (the bit with the greatest resistance), just as you reach the end, you should feel a slight bounce to the kick start lever. This is your starting position for kick-starting the bike.

Yes, sorry Woosh, I must alter the article to mention that Electra electrics are different.
All these engines are a bit different and you need to find out if yours wants choke to start (some don't seem to) and how much priming it likes.
You shouldn't open the throttle when starting (but mine insists on a tad of throttle)
It would be a good idea to make sure the carb slow running jet is set correctly as well.(tech notes here will help you)

Thanks folks - I'll keep practicing the kick till I get it right...

On the possibility of checking/replacing the sprag clutch:
a) How do I go about checking if the sprag has gone and is there any emergency work I need to do to stop it making things worse? Like do I have to check for bits of teeth, or can I just forget about using the starter? The clackety-clack clatter when I try to start from cold is pretty awful (I think it started after the bike stalled in traffic and I tried to use the starter), but it does usually eventually work - does that just mean that there are just a few teeth left or something?
It would be great to have a step-by-step guide for diagnosing/sorting as I am really not familiar with the bike yet

b) I think I read somewhere that if the sprag is broken it can mean that the starter is permanently engaged with the engine - could this be the case and if so does it account for the difficulty I have kicking-starting the bike? I am thinking that this is not likely as it sounds like the opposite problem - of the starter motor not engaging...

c) On my trawl through the web I have found mention of a black TCI on older models that should be replaced with a green one...? that this reduces kickback and timing issues. Is my bike likely to have the wrong one? I guess I better get the seat off and have a look. Will I have to pay £62 for a new TCI from Hitchcocks?

Sorry if this has all been answered before - my searching is not finding answers I can understand

Many Thanks

The sprag clutch itself if an arrangement of rollers in a cage which jam one way but not the other. There are also associated cogs to drive the crank round and the starter motor itself. If the noise is as bad as you say then it sounds like something is amiss with one or all of these components. I doubt if the starter is permanently engaged as it would burn out fairly soon when the engine was running. I would be having a look inside the primary (the outer at least is easily removed) to look for any debris. If something is breaking up the next step is to remove the primary drive and inner case to get to the starter gears. If you don't have a manual the diagrams in the Parts Book On Line here gives you the general layout. Lots of people have given up on the electric starter altogether and just removed the gears or changed the cases and everything to non E/S.
Whereabouts are you? There might be someone local to give you a hand.