This is what happens to people who mistreat their Enfields.
Be warned.
So, maybe you're interested in owning one of these wonderful motorcycles ?
Don't let me put you off.
Despite the 'problems' I still have mine.
I ordered my 500cc Bullet back in 1991, when they were first released in Britain. I specified the option of a front disc brake, knowing that the standard twin leading shoe item was not all that spectacular when it came to stopping. After waiting 51 weeks, the bike finally arrived. I picked it up and only got as far as the shop car park before the complete twist grip and front brake lever assembly fell off ! So much for pre delivery inspection. This was not the fault of Enfield, but due to the incompetence of the dealer. Having got the bike home I proceeded to check it from front to back, just to see what else the dealer had managed to miss. The only other 'little' fault was the side stand spring which managed to snap within the first 25 miles.
I noticed, during the 'running in' period, what I took to be a tappet rattle. So without further ado, I checked the valve clearances. No problem there, but the rattle continued. I then removed the 'top end' from the engine and found the cylinder bore to be 'conical'. There was about 0.015" difference between the bore diameter at the top and the bore diameter at the bottom. The rattle was serious piston slap ! Seeing as the bike was still under warranty, I took it back to the dealer and explained what I had found. "No problem. Leave it with us and we will obtain another barrel and fit it" It took them over three months to carry out the warranty work, and when I did eventually go to pick up the bike I discovered that it had been left outside for those three months and was now a rusty heap. Also, for good measure, the throttle cable had been routed on the outside of the petrol tank, the tappet gaps were set at almost a sixteenth of an inch and the oil tank was full right to the top. Shall we say that by now I had lost what little confidence I had with this particular dealer and was glad the six months warranty period was over. At least I could now work on the bike myself, even if I did have to buy the necessary parts.
The next thing was to change some of the original parts for 'better' ones. The main things being the carburettor, exhaust system, rocker arm assemblies and the gearbox sprocket. The gearbox sprocket in particular made a vast difference. The bike is way under geared for use on British roads. The existing carburettor was replaced with an Amal Concentric, which certainly improves the breathing of the motor.
I had to make a 'new'
inlet manifold in order to get the Amal to fit correctly, but it
didn't present that much of a problem.
Click on the images for a full size view.
The original silencer was swapped for a 'Gold
Star' pattern, which although was a vast improvement, was far too
noisy. A 'cigar' pattern item soon followed, and that is still in
use now. A set of forged rocker arms and alloy pillow blocks soon
followed, along with the removal of the voltage regulator-cum-rectifier.
The latter item being replaced by a zener diode and a silicon
block rectifier, which not only gives more efficient charging,
but is a far sight cheaper to replace should anything go wrong. A
set of 'hard luggage' was soon added, and the Enfield seemed
happy.
The Enfield in the snow.
Note the original exhaust, carburettor and front disc brake.
Not being a great fan of chrome, the next step was to get all the 'shiny' bits powder coated. A local firm did an excellent job of powder coating the wheels, handlebars, luggage rails, and all the other little odds and ends that needed doing.
The Enfield with powder coated wheels and "Goldie" silencer.
The Enfield enjoyed a few thousand miles of trouble free running before the gremlins struck again. I noticed that some of the powder coating had come off the wheels. I took them back to the coaters, and they said "Leave them with us for a few days and we'll re-do them. No charge" Well, you can't say fairer than that. When I returned to pick up the wheels, there was a *slight* problem. It seems the wheels had been sent to a 'stripping specialists' in order to have the existing powder coating removed. These 'specialists' didn't realize the hubs were made of aluminium and left them in the stripping vat far too long. The result was a pair of hubs that resembled Swiss cheese. Both front and rear hubs were scrap ! Then the fun started. I tried everywhere to obtain a disc brake front wheel for an Enfield. No one, including the factory seemed to have them. This meant that the only option left was to fit a drum braked front wheel. To cut a long story short, the bike was off the road for twelve months and the stripping firm ended up with a bill for new fork legs, new mudguard, new wheel, new twist grip / brake assembly, new rear hub and all the other little bits and pieces that make up a 'front end'.
March 2001, and the front disc makes a dramatic come back. Click below.
The bike's next little trick was to strip the
teeth from its oil pump drive spindle. This resulted in the big
end bearing failing - 120 miles from home - but the bike managed
to 'limp' back, sounding more like a diesel engine. A 'bottom end'
rebuild, and we were back on the road again. The little end,
feeling somewhat jealous of all the attention that the big end
was receiving, decided to seize solid. Whilst repairing the
little end, I treated the bike to a new aluminium cylinder barrel,
which weighs a whole nine pounds less than the original cast iron
item. A new seat was also fitted, the original was just a bit too
low for my long legs.
The Enfield as it is now. December 1999. 
So perhaps my little 'horror story' has put you
off owning an Enfield? It's not as bad as it seems. Although some
of the above problems would be both expensive and serious if they
happened to a Japanese bike, with the Enfield it's far less of a
problem. The engine is delightfully easy to work on and the cost
of the bits are cheap. Despite what I've said, my Enfield has
only had to be bought back home by trailer once ! For sheer
enjoyment, it's worth every penny I've spent on it. The only *snag*
I haven't sorted out yet is the footrest position, they're a
little too far forward for me, but there again, I've always been
an awkward sod.
If you are thinking of getting an Enfield, all I can say is
" Go for it"
If nothing else, it will teach you about the more 'relaxed' approach to biking.
Click the tank badge to return from whence you came..
^..^