Forum

[612cc]

Does anyone know of you can fit the new sprag clutch to the old ES 500 bullets ?
cheers
kevin

[Norm]

We believe they are the same but new sprag old sprag one big kickback and it is done, and a 612 with higher comp has a chance of a bigger kickback

[Thack]

I wish we knew how often this kickback/knackered sprag thing Norman talks about actually happens.



I've been riding Indian Enfields for 12 years and never had a problem with sprag failure. One of them (I can't remember if it was the 500ES or the Electra X) always went "twiizzzzzzz" from the starter every time I stopped the engine and the piston bounced back off compression.



People take broken Enfields to Norman for repair, so obviously the vast majority of Enfields that he sees are broken. Norman: could this have given you a more negative impression than they really warrant? Just asking.

[Norm]

Thack, you piston did not bounce back of compression because if it did you would have known about it and so would everybody else standing within a 20foot radius, certainly not a twiizzzzz, but this is not always the case many just go out with a wimper, you must obviously be one of the lucky ones not to have joined the thousands who bought these machines with an electric start because they could no longer kick a bike over only to be stuck with a bike they couldn't start because the sprag crapped itself out. My opinion isn't tainted, personally I couldn't care less, I no longer own an Indian Bullet and never will again

[Norm]

And I no longer fix anybody elses Indian Bullets because I got so sick of crap Indian engine/gearbox parts that just don't fit

[Davie Hall]

My electra X had a new sprag just before I got it, so it has done about 3500 miles.I have lost count how many times it has been subjected to the dreaded kick back. As Norm says when it happens its like a gunshot going of and thankfully mine has survived so far

[Norm]

Davie, when they kick back like that you look down expecting to see the crankcases split in half with oil all over the ground

[Norm]

It isn't the sprags fault, nothing could withstand the smashing that it gets with a kickback like that

[Thack]

Interesting to hear that, Norm. Yes, I accept I may well have been lucky.



What do you own these days, Norm, if I might ask? For what it's worth, I've never regarded my Enfield as my primary bike - I always use something Japanese (currently a 650 Versys) for day-to-day commuting and use the Enfield purely for leisure.



I was just wondering what you have graduated to now that you don't ride Indian Enfields any more.

[mustaphapint]

It's not just Enfields which can destroy sprag clutches when kicking back. Harleys and Rotax engines both have reputations for doing the same thing.