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[mooloo]

I've recently brought a RE 125, I believe its a 1948. Are there any RE 125 owners out there that can help me with advice as I restore it? To start with I've been given all sorts of conflicting advice on what oil to use for the 2stroke mix. Id also like to confirm what year my bike is, it has the original stamped front forks so I presume its pre '49

[Norm]

Getting it to start and run would be my first priority just remember they fitted these with Miller electrics to make Lucas look good

[Scalyback]

OUCH!!!?



Good old Norm, 'let's not bother getting the mincer out to process the words' !



From the few item I have seen of Miller electrics, they seem to have been designed by somebody who was not aware that electricity like to go places it shouldn't if you give it the chance! Pretty looking tail lights though.



It is a 'don't work', or a runner needing a 'touch up'? We love restoration projects here, and if you have a photo or two or it's progress, that would be neat.

[Mark M]

moooloooo (sorry about that!) your first step should be to get it running. Use the original recommended oil and mix until you are happy with it's running then experiment, modern 2 stroke oils can be run much leaner with the benefit of less smoke and plug fouling but make sure the bike is sound first. Don't worry about Norm, he is a good guy and will be able to help but his basic comment is right, the Miller electrics is *carp* and you WILL NOT find any spares for the points, they all got used eons ago and nobody wants to replicate a rubbish design. It is not hard to graft on a set of Lucas or even lightweight Japanese points. As to age of the bike, join the Royal Enfield Owners Club and get it dated using the Club service, they hold the original records. Nobody else can do this with authority. Hitchcocks have a fair amount of spares for these bikes so that's a start! Post some pics as you go as we like a good tale... REgards, Mark

[mooloo]

Thanks everyone for the advice on the electrics. The bike is 100% original and complete. Apparently it was running well but was parked up 15 years ago. Not running at the moment but it has compression and spark and seems to kick over well. At the moment a friend is helping me strip it down to get a good look at what condition it is in and give it a good clean before we start it up. Most of the electrical wire needs replacing along worth the rubber for the front suspension but other than that it only has a bit of surface rust. I'll post a pick soon

[Norm]

Mooloo I just set one up with 12 volt coil ignition, hid a battery inside the seat, it starts easily every time first kick. It originally had what seemed like a good spark but could never get it started, hooked up a battery and what a cracking little machine, nobody can believe how easily it starts

[Martin]

Mooloo, the original petrol/oil mix was 24;1,
which is one pint to three imp. gallons, Mark
is right, any modern 2 stroke synthetic oil can
be a leaner mix. On a irrelevant note, have
often wondered whether the Fleas had petrol mix
when air dropped in WWII, and were they ridden
over open terrain with the awkward hand gear
and before the Miller electrics expired. Hopefully
someone tested them the night before. Does any
military historian know far they intended them
to be ridden by commanders before dumped in ditch
somewhere, anyway

[Scalyback]

it is rumoured that this one made 74 yards.

http://royalenfieldflyingflea.weebly.co ... 395077.jpg

[Norm]

Gordon, the hand gear change is hard enough to use without a rifle and a heap of gear stacked all over you, front brake is only for slight speed reduction and I would have imagined most were just thrown in a ditch because just the fact they may have been test started the night before was no guarantee they would ever start again. The sad this is it isn't the fact it is a 2 stroke and 2 strokes are hard to start as we all know, but with good spark they will start every time but the magneto spark is just not good enough, particularly when they get hot, coil under the tank solves this.

[Norm]

Another snippet of info, I ended up using an early Toyota Celica headlight that took an H4 Led, pity the Celica one doesn't quite fit my 51 CZ that is next on my put back together list,too big by about 3mm