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[Adrian]

For what it's worth I noticed a '58 reg blue Electra-X parked up outside the Bristol Classic Bike show at Shepton Mallet this afternoon, it had over 44,000 miles on the clock. Any one here own it?



A.

[JonHill]

I still have mine; nobody has responded to my ad. However I can wait, as it is a delightful machine to ride and that engine looks well impressive. I always ease over compression before using the electric start and stop the engine on the valve lifter. I have just fitted new Heidenau tyres, which work well and are cheaper than the Avons which had developed cracks in the side walls. Interestingly the front inner tube was too big with evidence of overlapping and chafing of the rubber and I wonder if that was the cause of punctures mentioned in other posts. I assume it was the original fitment as it was a Michelin item and the machine had only covered 4k miles. It now sports a new chain and I have replaced the original plug cap with a NGK cap. Oil and filter changed plus magnetic drain plug as a precaution. If it doesn't sell I will be taking it to Founders Day Bullet celebration.

[Adrian]

Which Heidenau tyres did you fit, Jon? Might be of interest to other Bullet owners.



A.

[JonHill]

Heidenau K65 front and rear. 90/90 19 front and 100/90 19 rear. Tough to fit but good quality with a nice ride and feel.

[Aethelric]

I fitted K34s on my sixty-5. I thought they were really hard to put on, but they ride very well.

Then I bought another pair for my 1984 BMW. Fitting them on the BM's alloy wheels made the Enfield seem easy by comparison.

Pigs to fit, nice to ride.

[Adrian]

Thank you, gentlemen!



A.

[Adrian]

Meanwhile my wife has said she'd like to restore an old bike, which the pile of big Electra-X engine lumps, wheels and forks and the '94 Bullet frame lurking in the garage will eventually constitute. However she has never ridden a motorbike and will need one to learn on once she has done her CBT.



With the major changes which have happened to learner rider-dom in the UK in recent years she will have a much more liberal choice of bikes than I had, and to get an A2 licence she needs a bike of 400cc or over and a max output of 47BHP. Hang on a minute... (Sounds of penny dropping may be heard.)




















So I bought THIS for her learner bike. ;o)





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[Adrian]

Sorry, THIS!







A.

[Norm]

Adrian, buying up this cheap Electra stuff, may not be a bad idea, one time when it is really rare some of the hard to get parts might be worth something, at least better than scrap value

[Wheaters]

An Electra with a broken engine can be had for not much money.

Does an old "iron barrel" engine fit straight onto an Electra 5 speed gearbox and then into the frame?

The 4 speed box on my 2004, 350 "Indian home market" Bullet Electra (right side gearchange) seems to be the only weak point on it... weak in that if I push the bike hard then try to change down going into a corner it often seems to find an annoying neutral between fourth and third. Going around a corner in an unexpected neutral has led to an "interesting" moment or two.

I've often thought I'd like a 5 speed bike with a left side gear change. My other bike (1991 Honda CB750) has that already. I don't have a problem with my right gearchange, I learned on BSAs, but it would be nice to have both with the more common left side setup so I don't to try changing gear with the rear brake pedal on one or the other.