Forum

[Eagle56]

Hi

Yes as expected no disappointments returning to a bullet 500
I’m tempting to put a Hitchcocks exhaust was tempted with the price of feked but prefer the option of a removable baffle.
Mines got 15500 on the clock and comes with age related scabs that to me is good old bike patina .

How many miles can these knock up before rebuilds
Also is there any difference in performance between a 2009 and a 2018 not that these are racing machines.

Mine sits happy at 60 with more if required
65 on a fast road is about as far as I feel I should push it.

[Rattlebattle]

How long is a piece of string? I’ve just rebuilt my 2015 engine at 6500 miles ( sleeve gear bearing, t/s main and gear shaft bearings). I’m unlucky I guess. The highest mileage one I know of did 40000 + then went bang and needed new crankcases. It all depends whether you’ve a good ‘in or a bad ‘in IMHO.

[Rattlebattle]

Please disregard previous reply if by “classic” you mean iron barrel, not UCE.....

[Adrian]

Though a snapped primary chain can wreck a drive-side UCE crankcase.

A.

[Rattlebattle]

...and a lot of other makes and models too...I replaced my primary chain early on with a Renolds for peace of mind. Apparently (according to Haynes) the tensioner is sometimes fitted the wrong way round at the factory. It can over-tension the chain too if it sets at a slack point in an unevenly worn chain.

[Eagle56]

It’s UCE
40,000 seams a low mill edge for a low stress low compression engine.

The centre stand is nice to have but it’s a real pig to get it off the stand.
I can not do it without sitting on it and rocking my body weight back and forth violently even then it takes several attempts

[Rattlebattle]

It might get well be possible to do more than 40k miles without trouble; that’s just the highest mileage one I’ve come across on the forums. It was failure of the oil pump delivery oil seal that caused its demise. Build quality, both in terms of materials used and how well they were put together, also have a direct impact on how long they last. Generally the later they are the better built they are. Our host sells superior quality bearings which to me gives some indication that there is an issue with the quality of Indian bearings, at least in the earlier years. (I had to replace some of mine). IMHO you either get a good one, an average one or a lemon. The vibratory ones like mine are more likely to destroy bearings than a smooth one. Piston rings can wear quickly too; I had to replace mine. The engine might be low-powered (and it is with dyno tests at the rear wheel of 17-19 bhp) but being a long-stroke engine piston speed is relatively high. Again British pistons and rings are available in the same state of tune.
As for the centre stand maybe yours is bent or something; my C5 is one of the easiest bikes I’ve owned (well over 30) to put on and off its centre stand and I’m no Charles Atlas.

[Eagle56]

Mines also a C5
I’ve never had a bike that’s so hard to get off the stand.
Took me a good 15 mins last night and strained myself doing so.

It doesn’t look bent but the stand looks like it goes forward quite a bit and the bike is sure footed with both wheels planted well on the ground.
If I start it up on the stand it will slower shuffle along on its own.

[PeteF]

Strange, my C5 comes of the stand a little too easily for safety if anything.
Is the rubber stop thing missing letting it go too far over centre?

[Rattlebattle]

In that case there’s something wrong with your stand. Your 2009 is essentially the same as my 2015 (drum rear brake). From new my me has always sat with the rear wheel over 1inch above the ground, making chain oiling and adjustment easy and it doesn’t need a massive effort to raise the front wheel. It’s a good stand. As PeteF said your rubber stop might be missing. I have always been wary of starting a bike on the mainstand- years of having old bikes with collapsed stands taught me that. Maybe the (a?) previous owner abused it? The frames on these bikes are weak and can fracture behind the engine at the bottom. It’s an easy fix by welding, apparently, but is not uncommon in the USA - large riders??