First Ride :)
Posted: Sun Mar 31, 2013 2:49 pm
Today has been a momentous occasion, my first ride on an Enfield; my first ride on an Enfield Bullet 500! I recently posted a message on the tech boards asking for assistance and swiftly go a reply from Norman in Aus (tnx mate you are a star).
Due to loosing my (left lower) leg in the Army, I was pretty much precluded from riding a modern bike without the aid of a Klicktronic Gear Changer. My Kwak VN1500 didn't like it and neither did I so the something else was needed to keep me on the road.
I found a Bullet Electra Woodsman (of WS Fame)and after a bit of a false start have now converted it to right hand gear lever/left hand brake.
The bike came with an Amal carb, and being a modern bike rider previously knew nothing about them - I do now
. I spent over an hour trying to fire the bike, with little success. Eventually, dispirited and very cold I gave up and headed inside for a brew. Out came the 'Joke Book' and a scan through the all to brief electrical section gave me some pointers about spark plug gaps etc.
Fault finding, as we all know is a time consuming, often thankless task that can only be approached in one way - methodically! So in my case I started at the bottom and checked out relevant items, everything seemed okay, even if the spark wasn't that big or bright it certainly was there. I tried again, and again, still nothing. I promised my wife to give it another 10 mins before giving up for the day, so it was back in the garage an up onto the ramp with the bike........
If nothing else I was impressed by the battery, which I'd charged overnight, it still seemed to have plenty of cranking power in it,so my plans to replace it with a Dynovolt brand have been put on hold.
Having plonked the bike back on the lift I sighed half halfheartedly, wonder just what I was doing wrong?? Once again I mentally ran through the check list; side stand up, fuel on, clutch in, ignition on and press the button, again nothing. Hang on I reminded myself, what about this 'tickle the carb' business??? I located the plunger on the side of the carb and gave it a press. Fuel sluiced through the clear fuel pipe and then dripped out the bottom of the carb bowl, oops!
Once more I ran the check list and this time.................. Was rewarded with a pop and a bang, followed by the steady rumble of a big single banging over - que big cheesy grin!!!!
Sally stuck her head in the garage, nodded and shut the door. Having got the bike to idle I grabbed my skid lid and gloves and pulled it back off the lift, down the drive way I went and having steadied myself, put the bike into first and set off down the lane, up into second, third and then around the corner, 'hmm' the back end feels a bit loose better check the tyre pressures??
I spun the bike around at the next corner and headed home - the proof was in the pudding!!!! I got back feeling chuffed to rocks, the evenings I'd spent over the last week had been well worth the effort and I now had a bike I could ride unaided and for somebody with a disability that means a heck of a lot! Once I've figured it out, I'll bung a photo or two up of the modifications I made to the gear box and braking systems.
Regards to All.
Skip - SW Branch REOC
Due to loosing my (left lower) leg in the Army, I was pretty much precluded from riding a modern bike without the aid of a Klicktronic Gear Changer. My Kwak VN1500 didn't like it and neither did I so the something else was needed to keep me on the road.
I found a Bullet Electra Woodsman (of WS Fame)and after a bit of a false start have now converted it to right hand gear lever/left hand brake.
The bike came with an Amal carb, and being a modern bike rider previously knew nothing about them - I do now
. I spent over an hour trying to fire the bike, with little success. Eventually, dispirited and very cold I gave up and headed inside for a brew. Out came the 'Joke Book' and a scan through the all to brief electrical section gave me some pointers about spark plug gaps etc.Fault finding, as we all know is a time consuming, often thankless task that can only be approached in one way - methodically! So in my case I started at the bottom and checked out relevant items, everything seemed okay, even if the spark wasn't that big or bright it certainly was there. I tried again, and again, still nothing. I promised my wife to give it another 10 mins before giving up for the day, so it was back in the garage an up onto the ramp with the bike........
If nothing else I was impressed by the battery, which I'd charged overnight, it still seemed to have plenty of cranking power in it,so my plans to replace it with a Dynovolt brand have been put on hold.
Having plonked the bike back on the lift I sighed half halfheartedly, wonder just what I was doing wrong?? Once again I mentally ran through the check list; side stand up, fuel on, clutch in, ignition on and press the button, again nothing. Hang on I reminded myself, what about this 'tickle the carb' business??? I located the plunger on the side of the carb and gave it a press. Fuel sluiced through the clear fuel pipe and then dripped out the bottom of the carb bowl, oops!
Once more I ran the check list and this time.................. Was rewarded with a pop and a bang, followed by the steady rumble of a big single banging over - que big cheesy grin!!!!
Sally stuck her head in the garage, nodded and shut the door. Having got the bike to idle I grabbed my skid lid and gloves and pulled it back off the lift, down the drive way I went and having steadied myself, put the bike into first and set off down the lane, up into second, third and then around the corner, 'hmm' the back end feels a bit loose better check the tyre pressures??
I spun the bike around at the next corner and headed home - the proof was in the pudding!!!! I got back feeling chuffed to rocks, the evenings I'd spent over the last week had been well worth the effort and I now had a bike I could ride unaided and for somebody with a disability that means a heck of a lot! Once I've figured it out, I'll bung a photo or two up of the modifications I made to the gear box and braking systems.
Regards to All.
Skip - SW Branch REOC