Hitchcocks Forum

I was talking to our chairman at our local branch meeting tonight. He bought one of the first EFI models in 2009 and has just knocked up 20,000 mls.
He reports the only problems he has had with the bike were the recall for the gearbox problem and a wiring connector that pulled apart. That's it! Nothing else!
He certainly isn't soft on the machine and pulls a loaded trailer quite often including several European trips.
Says a lot for the EFI models.

his sounds better than mine... I got mine in 2008 just before Christmas I think. Quite a few problems, but nothing not serviceable with time. However the electrics issues have become mammoth to the extent that the bike is now SORN

That's good news as I have a 58 plate EFI now on 7000 miles. I bought mine in Feb 2013 with just over 2k on it but not in great cosmetic nick as had been stored outside under a bike cover for the previous 3 years so spots of rust everywhere. Didn't bother me as I wanted it for Winter use in muddy lanes, etc so a quick clean up and ACF50 sorted condition to my satisfaction.
Only problem I've had that wasn't of my own making (blew up CDI, snapped front brake bracket) was the original putty swing arm bushes were knackered when I got the bike, fitted a set of Hitchcocks 'isolastic' ones which improved handling a lot (as you would expect!) and they've been fine since. I've also replaced the shocks with a pair of triumph Bonneville aftermarket ones from tecbikeparts.com (which are a huge improvement in comfort and handling on the originals for only £90), a shorty non-cat silencer, K&N air filter, 18 tooth sprocket (well worth doing IMO) and oil & filter every year or 2k miles with top quality oil.
Not monster miles as I have other bikes but the RE EFI gets ridden more often than all of my other bikes (apart from NC700X) as so easy to use and I don't need to find a reason to get out on it, it's just great fun every time.
PS wife loves going on it even though single seat with pillion pad for occasional use

I swapped my Electra X for a 2009 Bullet de-luxe EFI in 2012 which had done about 6 or 7000 miles and has now done over 10,000 miles. I don't cover a huge mileage as i have several other bikes and mine does lead a pretty easy life.I had changed the gearing and exhaust from our hosts and have a K and N air filter in the standard air box.Fingers crossed mine will continue to be relatively trouble free- much better than the Electra.The electrics do look a bit third world and i have needed a new battery but at this age wouldn't most vehicles...?The only other issue i can think of was a poor connection with the ht lead and spark plug cap which led to a misfire.

Glad to see that they are capable of knocking up respectable mileages. I wonder if anyone on here can beat 20k miles on a UCE? Highest mileage one I know of is an Australian one with about 40k miles, which then needed a new crankcase half because it cracked round the main bearing when the oil seal gave up.

Do we seriously consider the mileages spoken of here as respectable? At these mileages these bikes are nearly new for heavens sake. Cover the sort of utterly trouble free distances I have on beaten up old iron barrels (including India to England on a late 70's 350 without so much as a puncture) and I'll be impressed. Sorry, but 10 or 20 thousand is not respectable or good, it is to be expected.

I do agree Eddie, 20k not much for a 'modern bike'. With the exception of my 12 plate NC700X (on 15k) all my other bikes have done 25k+ (89 GSXR nearly 40) and I haven't had, or expected, any major problems.
Still good to hear of other EFI's up around the 20k mark though as, with the mileage I'm likely to put on mine, that's another 4 or 5 years before I reach that mark. I will be disappointed if I suffer major mechanical problems even then given regular servicing and good oil although I do use most of the power most of the time ; )

I just mentioned it to counter the lots of people have reported problems. People who never have a problem don't tend to mention it on forums like this.

ALE, fair enough; respectable wasn't the best choice of word to use. I was just surprised to find a UCE bike with 5 figure mileage on it. Most seem to have done hardly any. In my book respectable mileage would be over 100k for one of these. Some seem to use more oil in over-frequent oil changes than petrol.......

For info... I have done about 25000 miles on my EFI. It's the electrics that are shot, not the engine (I hope!!). I just don't have time to strip and rebuild the loom myself, nor the funds to commission it. Also, I am fairly certain some of the sensors are goosed too... perhaps throttle position, possibly lambda, possible crank position and temp sensors. It maybe isn't the sensors, but the loom providing added resistance resulting in false readings and poor adjustments from the ECU. Cosmetically the bike looks awful these days, but all those 25000 miles have been regardless of season or weather... and wet, salty roads are the norm in Scotland. Sadly I haven't ridden it in months