Forum

[Adrian]

There are some around that have covered well over 40,000 miles on the original bottom end.

[Norm]

Just goes to prove what we have said all along, it was complete pot luck depending the complete lack of quality control in every aspect of manufacture and assembly. You think you got a good one but don't count your chickens just yet

[Wheaters]

Royal Enfield - built like a gun. Might go bang at any time.

Thankfully, not always

[Cov Lad]

So how about non Electra Enfields, do they go bang very often? Is the 500 more likely to go bang than a 350? My only experience of engine failure bangs has been in a VW van and a Honda motorbike.

[Norm]

Cov Lad, the Cast Irons weren't much better but there is far more parts available for them and they can be built into a really good reliable motor. What is so annoying was the fact that the Electra should have been a good motor but a couple of design faults and poor assembly and manufacturing procedures turned them into a real dud for anybody who bought a new one. Many spent more time off the road than on it.

[Adrian]

With the original or cast iron Bullets as our American cousins refer to them, er... it depends!



You do at least have the benefit of what is still mostly the Redditch design, but again there are "issues" for anyone who wants to ride them enthusiastically.



1. Remember that the 500 is an over-sized 350. The weak spot with this capacity hike turned out to be the alloy con-rod, **usually** OK on the 350, but more stressed on the 500. We have had examples here where people have successfully tuned their engines with our hosts' go-faster bits, but have found to their horror that the alloy con-rod snaps after a while. This often wrecks the crankcases, and replacement 500 crankcases are getting harder to obtain. To be fair this was a known problem even in Redditch days, particularly when the Americans started using the competition models for serious flat track racing, so the blame for Indian Bullet rod failures cannot be laid solely at the feet of Indian metallurgy. The answer is of course a con-rod forged from some decent high-tensile steel, and to be fair to the Indians their use of a steel con-rod in the Electra-X was a big improvement. A failed big-end at least won't wreck the crankcases.



2. The other main issue surrounds the Indian 500 bikes' pistons, a design weakness means that the piston crowns can come adrift from the rest of the piston, more mayhem. Our hosts sell decent forged pistons, standard 6.5:1 as well as high compression, which are a lot less likely to fall apart.



A well sorted old-style 500 Bullet does, as Norm says, make an excellent bike, and if you want one which has had a proper rebuild with all the mechanically good bits as well as a tuning job, I would draw your attention to the bike known as ASBO26, currently a cafe racer 500 Bullet. It has had a recent engine rebuild by our our friend Bullet Whisperer using a steel con-rod and roller big end, as well as a decent piston, the thing goes really well, and it's owner has listed it for sale (on here as well as ebay) for a ludicrously cheap £2750, if you appreciate the work that has gone into it you will know what a bargain that is.



https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/173887305673?ul_noapp=true



A.

[Cov Lad]

Thanks Norm and Adrian, I have been looking at the 350 Bullet for sale on this forum's for sale page:

https://www.hitchcocksmotorcycles.com/v ... orumorder=
A 1955 rebuilt Redditch bike with original paint. Can I ask your thoughts on this machine? I will also check out the whisper bike mentioned.

[Norm]

Cov Lad, you have bought yourself an Electra, put you efforts into that, don't muddy the waters till you get your head around that one

[MattP]

nosignoflife - you're not the only one! 2008 Electra, 32K miles. Only problems have been dodgy coil and I'm on the 4th ignition barrel. Cov Lad bear in mind many of the people on this site will be ones who've had issues - the majority who haven't will just be out riding...

[Norm]

That is good Matt, but just consider the number of these Electras built and think about the failure rate, not a good ratio I can assure you