Forum

[Norm]

Papa, just google around the world and you will find the problems they suffered the hardening on the crank pin was of typical of Indian quality and half the thickness that any crank pin should have. 12/15/18000ks was where a lot of them failed out here and I know a lot of the owners of them were very particular about the maintenance and weren't ridden hard. Electras were built in the old factory with the same attention to quality as the Cast Iron Bullets that out here most failed with either big end or broken pistons many not far out of warranty. Pretty piss poor for a company owned by Eicher

[papasmurf]

Thanks but none of that helps me with how prevalent the problem is. (Leyland has the same problem with valve stems on truck engines but it was not every engine that had the problem.)

[Norm]

Papa, just keep riding it and you will find out how prevalent the problem is or ditch it to somebody who doesn't know about Electras lol

[Norm]

Just a little bit more info, seeing that Hitchcocks had come up with a replacement big end/conrod assembly a couple of years after they were released, if they weren't a problem then there would not have had need to come up with a replacement for years, because there was no point in fitting a replacement Indian crank which was of the same dubious quality, but anyway push on and good luck, I hope you are one of the lucky ones but thousands of people have been burnt with the Eicher rubbish

[Adrian]

Mine has done just shy of 17,000 miles, big end OK still but sprag clutch recently failed and E/S is now totally removed. The Electra-X crankshaft now in my project bike failed in its original bike around 16,000 miles and was replaced by the importers. I purchased the failed crank and had it rebuilt with a UK made big end and sleeved con-rod, which is the answer if yours ever goes. Regards, A.

[Norm]

And Adrian you should get many happy miles from your rebuilt crank

[Graham43]

I must stop reading this forum, it is making me depressed - I have two Electra X engines one bought for a sidecar project and one in complete bike I am about to fit to another sidecar - so I will stick my head in the sand, butt in the air and wait for both engines to self destruct!!!!!!!!!!

[Norm]

But Graham you are aware of the problems and you get on and live with it and keeping your head in the sand is not a bad idea, but when people ask about how long and what if about these engines, no point in fluffing over the facts, at least it gives them a chance to offload it to some other unsuspecting poor mug before it goes bang on them lol

[Jojje]

A couple of years ago me too suffered from the paranoia caused reading too much... After 40,000 km:s - surely my 2005 Electra's big end should have its hours counted and I began hearing things... "Some tapping on the overrun..?"
So, the part 90125C (conrod with bigend) was ordered. I managed to separate the engine from the bike and delivered it to a trusted mechanic. His verdict was there was nothing wrong with the big end and was reluctant to delve any further. But as I knew this experienced mechanic was about to retire and the spare already bought he was persuaded to tackle the job. It wasn't cheap... Now, 8,000 km's later I can report the engine runs smoother at the high revs and idles better.
Maybe the whole operation wasn't necessary but It did restore my faith and I hope the bottom end will last my lifetime.

[Norm]

Jojje, you answered your own doubts just the fact the engine runs smoother means it will last longer