TRUTH ABOUT BIG MUFFLERS/SILENCERS/EXHAUSTS

Royal Enfield guru Pete Snidal recently spotted something about the motorcycles.

"I notice one thing all the Bullets for sale seem to have in common - can you guess what it is?" he wrote.

Pete is the author of the acclaimed Royal Enfield Bullet owner's and workshop manual. He frequently chimes in on the Royal Enfield Yahoo message board to help troubleshoot problems owners experience.

But what could he possibly be seeing in the for-sale ads?

I guessed that maybe the Bullets listed for sale here tend to have low mileage. Obviously, some owners buy them and then sell them without riding very far. I was on the right track, but Snidal had something else in mind. He wrote:

"Look at all their exhaust systems. Something I discovered very early in life with Brit singles is that they became completely different machines with free-flowing (i.e., loud, requiring using your head about where and when to apply large gobs of throttle) exhaust systems. And that they were much less satisfactory when stock.

"An exception was the Velocettes with that monster Brooklands silencer, and the Goldstars, which already came with noisy mufflers. Some AJS/Matchless, too.

"My theory is that the owners who never 'bothered' with the first-stage mods, i.e., inlet and exhaust mods, just fell into the doldrums with their Bullets, and ended up putting them on the market. If you wonder, try putting your stock exhaust back on, and see for yourself.

"Instant Bow-Wow!"

Snidal was seeing the big, bazooka shaped factory muffler, which restricts performance, in the pictures of the bikes. Replacing it with a shorter and nosier silencer (and tuning appropriately) is an easy way to increase performance.

As Snidal observes, that makes for more owner satisfaction.

Big factory silencer affects performance.

credit : david blasco

Enfield Guzzi

In 1934 Royal Enfield experimented with a transverse V-twin 500cc OHV engine with shaft drive!



It was abandoned as too expensive. This led to the consideration of a standard V-twin engine with chain timing gear in 1937. This model didn't make it into production either but proved useful in that it silenced widespread criticism of the chain timing gear with its flawless performance.







Parts of that timing mechanism, in simplified fashion, were eventually incorporated into the post war parallel-twins.

Apparently Ted Pardoe covered quite a few miles in this bike, but it had several problems. The crankshaft was wide to make it sturdy, but that meant it did not flex and they had several fail. There were problems with the gearbox and the magneto. In the end it developed a bad reputation in the factory and the project was shelved.

(Source: "Enfield Engineer" by Tony Wilson-Jones)

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"TAURAS" Turbocharged

                                

Thiruvananthapuram: A group of students of the Lourde Matha College of Science and Technology at Kuttichal, near here, has developed a turbo-charged engine for the Royal Enfield Taurus, the only diesel motorcycle in the Indian market.

V. Ganesh Nair, B.S. Harikrishnan, K.R. Rajeev and K. Shinju, all final-year students of Mechanical Engineering, developed the bike as part of their project work. They were assisted by R.J. Deepu, lecturer in the department.

The students used an imported Japanese turbocharger for the project.

Explaining the principle behind the turbocharger, Ganesh Nair says, “It is basically an air compressor driven by a turbine powered by the hot exhaust gas from the engine. As more air is inducted into the engine, better combustion of fuel takes place.”

“What we had in mind was to provide the bike with a more refined engine, albeit one with enhanced power and performance,” said Shinju.

The team opted for an imported unit after inquiries revealed that turbochargers for two-wheelers were not made in India. “The Japanese turbocharger was the smallest unit available and it suited the engine air flow requirement of the Taurus,” Harikrishnan said.

The students used parts from the Maruti car, Piaggio Ape three-wheeler and the Daewoo Cielo car to marry the turbocharger to the bike.

Tests carried out on the prototype in the college laboratory showed that the bike generated 15 per cent more power while fuel efficiency went up by five per cent. Road tests also proved that the vehicle was smoother than the factory model, with substantially lower vibration and noise.

“Above all, the modified engine had shed the diesel ‘thud’, the most jarring element of the bike,” says Ganesh Nair.

The students are now working on incorporating an intercooler and a technique to reduce the additional heat generated by the tweaked engine. The prototype cost Rs.17,000 and took seven months to complete.

“If Royal Enfield could incorporate our modifications, the Taurus can be relaunched in the market with little additional cost,” says Rajeev.

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Royal Enfield Bullet CLUB

Source(s): http://www.hindu.com/2009/05/24/stories/2009052451180200.htm

Royal Enfield - New Wine Into Old Wineskins!

Royal Enfield has introduced a range of bikes for the modern day biker with a quieter engine, a first of its kind! However, demand for the ‘king of the roads’ new baby has already exceeded supply, as the makers of the bike struggle to make them at a rapid pace.

The Royal Enfield old-fashioned iron engine has made way for a new engine, which makes acceleration, mileage, performance and dependability a whole new experience.

The company is renowned for the mighty Bullet model, however the modern Classic series is spurring growth in a booming and growing Indian market. According to reports, 10 million bikes were sold in 2011!
 
Motorcycles’ prices of the company start at around Rs 1, 08,000 to Rs 1, 75,000 in a metro like Mumbai. Although not in the same class, the company faces competition from bikes like Bajaj Avenger (220 cc) that is sold in the market for Rs 72,000.

Even with the launch of the new engine, love for the old engine hasn’t completely died. Bike enthusiasts still look for the old engine, however their gateway to fulfill their desire is the second-hand market, as production of the old engine stopped in 2010.

According to reports, the Royal Enfield plans to launch a new 50- acre plant in Tamil Nadu in 2013, increasing the capacity to 1,50,000 vehicles.

Motorcycle companies like HeroMotoCorp and Bajaj Auto sell low-end bikes in comparison to the Royal Enfield, mainly targetting general transportation usage. With other players that cater to the masses, Royal Enfield has carved a niche for itself in the Indian market.

The company now plans to increase its export sales. According to reports, it has inked dealerships in Malaysia and Philippines, and also aims at revamping its distribution network in Germany and France.

Turning back the pages of time:

The company had launched its maiden motorised bike in 1901 and penetrated the Indian market in 1949. The Bullet, which is in its 80th year of production, became the most popular bike on the country’s roads.

Royal Enfield Bullet CLUB

Source(s): http://www.yourmoneysite.com/news/2012/apr/royal-enfield-new-wine-into-old-wineskins.html

ROYAL ENFIELD BULLET / STANDARD 350 UCE - REVIEW / ROAD TEST / SPECIFICATIONS

ROYAL ENFIELD STANDARD 350 UCE

The 2010 Bullet 350 uce retains its original styling and comes with options of a front disc brake and electric start. The exhaust though is a a bit too long. With the long exhaust and the original cast iron engine replaced, the original "Bullet Thump" would certainly be now muffled in these 2010 models. But with new BS III (Bharat Stage III) pollution norms coming into force across India from April 2010, the "heart transplant" was probably inevitable.

Based on the popular and well proven standard 350, now with the all new unit construction engine, this is classic motorcycling with a modern twist. The Bullet uce looks and sounds like a classic British single, but with a significant performance boost, excellent fuel economy and significantly reduced exhaust emissions.

The Bullet standard is a classic motorcycle, simplistic in design with a new, robust and reliable unit construction engine. Comfort takes a front seat with gas filled shock absorbers and a sub frame.

How does the new Royal Enfield bullet Twinspark look?

The new Royal Enfield bullet 350 Twinspark kept the looks of the vehicle unchanged; it is simple and maintains the conventional style. Despite the looks being standard it still looks gorgeous and bold, which is a characteristic feature of any Royal Enfield motorcycles and the stand-out feature of the new bullet Twinspark is its finishing quality. 

The huge metal logo of Royal Enfield on the fuel tank looks stylish and the front mudguard is cool. The neutral finder makes it easy and convenient to shift to neutral. The seats are kept wider and flatter, so there are not many modifications in the looks department of the new Royal Enfield Electra Twinspark as compared to its predecessor. As regards digitalization Royal Enfield still lags behind the Bajajs and the Hero Hondas. The new Bullet Twinspark doesn’t sport digital speedometer and doesn’t sport a tachometer too.

Engine and performance of the Bullet 350 uce

The new Royal Enfield bullet 350 uce Twinspark is powered with a 346cc engine that generates a maximum power of 19.8 bhp at 5250 rpm and a torque of 28 Nm at 4000 rpm. The motorcycle company claims that the bullet 350 Twinspark that the bike will also be able to hit maximum of 120kmph speed. As regards the Unit Construction Engine (UCE) it gives fewer maintenance issues, the company remarks. However, it is early to jump the gun and can be proved only after a driving it for sometime.  This according to the company brings about greater optimization of air-fuel combustion as well as improved power delivery with reduced emissions.

The UCE facilitates smoother operation, power delivery and cleaner emissions too according to the company. The bike has gas-filled shock absorbers that enable smooth riding over potholes and speed breakers. The bike can touch a top-speed of 120kmph and will give you a mileage of around 30-40 kmpl. But the mileage might vary depending on the condition of the bike and how you actually ride it. Well, RE bikers are very well aware of the fact that the Bullets aren’t for mileage.

Handling and comfort of the bullet 350 uce Twinspark

There are certain claims such as low maintenance made by Royal Enfield as regards to the new bullet 350 but until you own one it is hard to decide the handling of the bike and probably a test ride will help you come to one opinion. Low maintenance as claimed by the company can be one discussed after a year from now and it is too early to talk about it now. The company failed when it came to this with many of its models.

Price and color choices of the new bullet 350 Twinspark

Bullet 350 is available only in Black color. Price Update (23,rd March): Prices starting at Rs.  96,846 for the kick start. On-road Rs. 1,02,000. (Price vary in different cities)

Last word about the new bullet 350 Twinspark

The new Royal Enfield bullet 350 Twinspark kisses the road with loads of promises from the company; of performance and fuel efficiency but the physical features are hardly touched upon, which could keep the bike away from buyers. The new UCE engine is the only feature of the bike that is something worth looking at this point in time. And, only time will tell if the new Twinspark will survive in the market based on this new UCE engine technology; there is so much competition ahead with the influx of super bikes and the camp at the Royal Enfield will be hoping so it will still be able to cling on to the loyal Bullet fans.

Features and Benefits:

•Aluminum alloy Lean-Burn engine

•Five-speed transmission with modified gearing

•Higher speeds, better handling

•Gas-filled shocks

•Capacity for higher speeds, better handling

•Environmentally friendly with lower emissions and increased fuel economy

Technical Specifications:

Engine	Single Cylinder, Four Stroke, OHV, SI Engine, Air Cooled, Twinspark
Displacement	346 cc
Bore x Stroke	70mm x 90mm
Maximum Power	19.8 bhp @ 5250 rpm
Maximum Torque	28 Nm @ 4000 rpm
Transmission	Constant Mesh 5 speed
Ignition	Digital TCI
Carburetor	Micarb VM 24
Dimensions
Ground Clearance	140 mm
Width	810 mm
Wheel Base	1370 mm
Length	2140 mm
Height	1120 mm
Seat Height/ Saddle Height	800 mm
Tyres
Front	3.25 x 19"
Rear	3.25 x 19"
Electricals
Electrical System	12 V - AC/DC
Head lamp	12 V AC - 35/ 35W, Halogen
Battery	12 V - 5AH
Tail Lamp	12 V, 21/5W
Brakes
Front	Twin lead internal expanding drum breake
Rear	Foot operated, 153 mm drum
Weight(Kerb)	180 kg (90% fuel + oil)

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Source: http://goo.gl/vjHnu