Re: Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500

Hello Dear XBHPians,
I've been following this thread from very long time and it had helped me alot.
Got my bike last month. Will share the experiences soon.



Love the way it looks


Amazing Paint Quality (though worried about protecting the gloss and shine)


Made to create memories

Re: Eighth Service

Amazing choice, I wish I had the time to do that ride - Ride Hard & Stay Safe, have a wonderful trip.

Re: Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500

Got my bikes 1st service done at 500kms on 12th July (purchased on 7th) so it was around 100kms everyday of riding.

Experiences in first 500kms :

1. Bike felt very rigid, gear shifts were very tight, Engine had some tappet noise and the bike hesitated to accelerate for fraction of second the moment you give accelerator no matter how smooth or in any gear.

2. riding position was the best one, confidence on handling was increasing with every passing kilometer.

3. rear brake lacked bite and needed quite alot of force for braking whereas front brake was good.



500 to 1000 kms Experience :

• Post service the bike felt a bit laid back, also because i was now opening the throttle upto half way so gradually with every passing kilometer the bike turned smoother and smoother(not as smooth as 350 engine) but it was considerably smooth.
• throttle response also improved, and i decided to use only premium fuel to avoid injectors/fuel pump issues hoping that premium fuel might be better. I had filled only once the regular fuel at 10kms odo and from there on i was using only premium fuel. Shockingly it had become very difficult to find premium fuel in hyderabad than what it used to be before.
• Rear brake started to improve and i got hold of the technique to shift gears smoothly and particularly into neutral. the best way i found was to shift from 2nd to neutral while the bike is still moving towards deadstop.

I ventured out on a unplanned short ride to Nagarjuna Sagar which was 175 kms from, so 350kms round trip.

I started from home at 12.30 pm and reached this place at 1.15pm


Reached Nagarjuna Sagar dam at 3.45pm (covered 180kms in 3 hours 15mins)

Started riding slowly at around 70kmph and gradually as increased speed every 20kms with 5 kmph eventually riding at 90-100kmph. I was satisfied with how the bike performed.

After returning back to city at around 7pm i started noticing sound from chain, it was a constant sound and kept on increasing with every passing kilometer.

First Experience of Royal Enfield Standards :
I took my next to RE service center next day, and showed them this issue of sound they lubed the chain and checked the chain for slack, it was not loose and was in perfect shape. He then asked me to not to worry and ride, and the sound will subsite once the lube gets into chain properly. But little did he knew that iam Automobile engineer aswell and i knew there is something which is not right, it was sunday and hence there was just 1 mechanic so i thought to not to bother them much and return back tomorrow.

Also i had to go on a 500kms ride next day, so i wanted to get this sorted out next morning ASAP

That evening the sound multiplied and i realized its the sound either of the chain link, so next morning i head to RE service center at 9am and get this checked, the mechanic confirms the sound and even he suspects that its a chain link, and asks me to get it replaced, He changed it for me without opening any job card and asked me to pay for the link later at parts counter and it was a small amount around 30inr i guess.

After changing the link, he asked me to go on a test ride, and the moment i moved my bike i heard the sound again but this time it was different and much louder than before. I ask the RE Tech to take a test ride and he confirms the existence of sound still. The sound could only be heard when the bike is loaded with rider and pillion but when you suspect the bikes bearing and rotate it on middle stand there was no sound and the wheel showed no symptoms of bearing issues.

He then opens the job card and checks the rear wheel bearing for any damage and Voila ! the culprit was rear wheel bearing, both of the bearings were almost seized within such short span of time, the ODO read 900kms and the rear bearing were damaged. I was told that this will be replaced under warranty, i requested the service manager to get it done ASAP becuase i had to go on a ride of 500kms soon after he completes it.

I got my bike in couple of hours(although it was a job of harldy 30 mins) but still i had to wait because i didnt had a appointment and these guys were getting it done ignoring the first come first serve basis so i waited patiently.


The charged me only for the Chain link(only for the part) which was replaced and got the job for free of charge.

Re: Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500

has any of you guys facing the issue of breakage of spokes,,,?? as i am facing this very frequently infact way too frequently as frequently as i get it done one day and just 2 days later i am finding a spoke broken,,,,,,,,, ,,,

Re: Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500

I have changed almost the whole set of the rear spokes... It hurts most when spokes cost only rs10 but labour charges are around 350-400

Re: Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500

i think even i have changed the whole set one by one,,,, and still it just refuses to give me peace of my mind,,,, i am now pondering upon changing to alloy although i personally like the look of spoke wheel but it is just so pestering,,,,,,, ,,,i talked to RE engineer he said it might due to the excess air pressure and suggested me not to go more than 32,,,,

Re: Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500

My mechanic was telling me that most of the post 2012 Thunderbird have this problem

Thunderbird 500 problems

Hi all..
Two days back on 31st of August I took my delivery of the Thunderbird 500. Now this is first time I am riding a 500cc and also I am new to FI. Although my previous one was also Thunderbird but it was a 350cc one(got stolen).
Now after taking the delivery I have clocked around 105km and following are the problems I am having-
1. Since day one my bike doesn't start on first kick if it is cold/not on for sometimes like 5 to 6 hrs. Even if it starts by kick (very few times) or electric start, it die down immediately. I have to rev really hard like 2k rpm to keep it from getting off. But this is not the case if the engine is hot. Why is that?
2. I am finding the throttle to be not uniform. Sometimes I can feel the jerks. Whenever I am increasing the speed the increase is not uniform, sometimes it is erratic. Is there any problem with the fuel flow?

Since my I was learning to ride in my previous Thunderbird I didn't notice this things. Are the problems I am facing is common? I am riding the bike carefully and I am not exceeding 50km mark as advised.

Please help.

Ritabroto
NE

Re: Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500

Please answer anyone guys...I am literally shitting my pants.


Ritabroto

Re: Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500

[QUOTE=Ritabroto;1251803]Please answer anyone guys...I am literally shitting my pants.


My thunderbird is 3 months old but I am no expert here. All I can tell you that first one doesn't seem to be a serious issue. You need to kick harder. Atleast this is what ASC man told me because its a 500cc engine. I too faced same problem where my bike wouldn't start at all with kick but I don't know how it happened but one fine day suddenly it started rumbling on a little push.
Second one seems to me to be a serious issue. I only once faced it and that was when bike had to bear with too much rain. All I can think is it must be an issue with fuel pump, fuel quality or may be clutch wire. If it happens all the time tell ASC about it.

Re: Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500

All I have experienced in these 3 months is that bike has a mind of its own. Sometimes when I take it above ir near 80 I feel like that I am revving harder and the engine is not letting me to. But other times it seems that 80 is just the begging and the bull yearns and yearns for more.

Re: Thunderbird 500 problems

Point no.1 - If its your first RE bike. Then probably you just need to get the knack. As you said, its a Cold Start issue only, it means there's probably nothing wrong with the bike as long as it starts with the first kick/self at other times.

What i usually do is, give it 2 slow kicks with ignition off, just to get the oil moving, Then >turn ignition On>Fuel On>prime the kick starter to find that sweet spot for the kick and kick it all the way down in one stride and this usually works.

Didnt always work when the bike was New To Me, Didnt always work when the bike was new and i wasnt using it regularly. But once the engine is matured enough, it surely does, so dont worry. Unless you feel you are doing everything right and there's still a gap, take it to the ASC and let them have a look at it.

Point no.2 - If you feel jerks When the bike is already rolling, in gear and with engine power, and you let go of the throttle for a quick moment (perhaps to slow down for another vehicle/pedestrian/negotiating a turn/etc) and you pull the throttle again to the desired speed, you feel a Lag before the engine comes up to the expected RPM...Then this is a fairly common Behaviour (I wont say An Issue) with RE's again.

Agreed that it shouldnt happen with the 500cc being EFI and all.

But if you find the dip in RPM being so much that you'd feel the engine is about to stall or the lag is too long than safe (you may be overtaking some vehicle and the lag can cost you), then take it to ASC, let them Sit Pillion with you on the bike, Show them what happens. (Dont let them just take it for TD on their own, they'll usually come back and say, there's nothing wrong, and it will all go away in a 1000 Kms.

Re: Thunderbird 500 problems

No this is not my first RE. Previously I had RE thunderbird 350(B 2014), but it got stolen. Psychologically speaking-the difference between this bike and the one which I had is simple, back then I didnt have any idea how to ride; let alone understand the bike itself. I learnt to ride on that bike. So I forgot/didn't notice this kind of issue. Now I am more alert/understanding than before. So maybe all this things are happening in my mind.
Though I must say after 220 km the bike is more free in 2/3rd gear. But still during start up it is getting stopped immediately after starting. I am not been able to identify it.
Apart from that there is also one vibrating sound emanating from somewhere from the front which is getting loud at the pick rpm on 2nd gear i think.

Regards,

Ritabroto

Re: Thunderbird 500 problems

When you say stopped, means it stops completely, like and ignition kill, then its better to get it checked, the clutch system may need some adjustment. Does this happen only on cold start or at all times. Assuming the bike warmed up atleast a minute or till it sustains idling without throttling (at about 1K RPM).

The vibrations, the rider only can tell what it can be, check shocks, rattling loose cables, speedo console, the usual suspects.

Re: Thunderbird 500 problems

No the immediate starting problem doesn't arise when the engine is hot. It's only in the morning. After the kick the bike immediately tends to get off. I have to rev it on 2k rpm to keep it on. after some revving the idling settles at 1100rpm & its stable.