Hitchcocks Forum

Hello all, new to Enfields and the forum. I’ve got a 2000 Bullet 500, Mikarb, 4 speed, kick start. I’ve fitted majority of 50’s kit accessories. The bike hasn’t ran for 18 year, being dropped early in its life and then hung on a wall as a piece of art. I am in Beaufort, South Carolina. She’s now had a full refurb and I thought I was finished yesterday and tried to celebrate with its first ride out. However, two problems, the kick start is very hard, I’ve got to stand on the bike and drop my full weight and a kick behind it for it to even think about starting? Videos I’ve seen online show riders giving a casual kick standing by the bike. Secondly, once running, I can set a good idle, whilst moving, medium revs in second gear, approaching the change to third, around and above 20mph, the engine begins to stutter, misfire and try to cut out? So far I’ve tried giving a richer fuel mix by dropping the clip on the needle a slot (ran worse), cleaning terminals and connections, replacing battery for new. Was hoping to start riding it to work this week! Thank you in advance.

To kick start requires getting past Top Dead Centre on the compression stroke with the ignition switched off. (After freeing of the clutch plates first. (If you don't to quote an Indian gentleman "it may bite you."
I am 15 stone and can stand on the kick starter and precisely nothing happens. That is what the valve lifter is for.

No valve lifter on the classic models papasmurf, it's the decompressor valve in the cylinder head. Some of our American cousins have a habit of removing the cable and handlebar lever and operating it directly, or a previous owner might have removed the whole thing and fitted a blanking pug, thus giving DAKOTAstorm a harder time of it.



Checking electrical connections as well as carburation is a good idea, especially watch for failing earth (ground) connections as this bike is now nearly 20 years old. Other suspects could include a failing coil or condenser, or even the spark plug (Champion N4C recommended) & cap. 7mm copper core HT lead is a better bet than silicone.



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Although our hosts did offer an AVL-type valve lifter conversion as an accessory, come to think of it, I wonder how many they sold.



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Decompressor/valve lifter is effectively he same thing.

I am British, working in the USA. I’ve fitted a new wiring loom, new spark plug, original NGK HT lead but I fitted a new end coil side, new coil. I will clean up the earth. It has the 50’s style decompression lever with original mechanism. However it is not rigged up for use, so the valve is permanently closed. Struggling to understand why it would run good at idle, first gear and smooth into low revs in second, but then stutter beyond that. Would it be the transition from pilot jet to main jet? All parts in carb are new too, standard fitment, could I have set the main jet incorrect if that’s possible?

Could be the coil on the way out, or a dirty petrol filter blocking the flow.

Dakota - You know already why the bike is hard to kick - get the decomp. valve re-connected, working (and not leaking), and that's your first problem solved - not to mention what it's doing to your leg or kickstart ratchet, etc.

Adrian is obviously aware that most "carburettor" faults are electrical...!!

Could you have set the main jet incorrect ? Yes, certainly if you left out the washer above the jet !

British or not, you might also want some local RE friendship. https://forum.classicmotorworks.com/index.php for the now unofficial US RE forum (originally hosted by the former US importer), if you haven't already come across it. I suppose anywhere within 500 miles is considered local over there...



A good (non-leaking) decomp valve makes life so much easier, as I found when I had fitted one to a model of RE that doesn't normally have one.



Let us know how you get on.



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I hope you have an understanding boss because you can expect to be late for work depending on your repair skill level