Ok. I'm working on having a local (New Delhi) builder assemble my very own diesel Royal Enfield. I'm buying the engine/transmission as a unit from www.royalmotorcycle.com, which sells a kit for installation into the Royal Enfield chassis. The guy says it's a 500 cc Greaves engine, but from what I can find online, it's gotta be a 435/440 cc, as the 500 cc Lombardini/Greaves engines look quite a bit different. What do you guys think?
At least it's already adapted to the transmission, and it's advertised as bolting directly into the frame.
I know it's not that exciting here, what with the crazy Punsen v-twins going around here, but it's pretty exciting to me.
Anyway, I'll update this post as the build progresses....
It looks the same Engine as Mine which is a 440 Greaves lambardini.
Is it Elecric start Mine is which is good as it is impossible to Kick start.
Watch out it vibrates a lot and can break the frame if not properly mounted.
Also Lock every nut and bolt in place with Loctite or drill and pin them on.
Good luck they are fun and at 160MPG of Bio diesel cheap to run.
Bob
It is not in the arrival brightly planned. But in the Dreams Men Dream along the way we find the Golden road to Samarkand.
It won't be electric start, because Indian electronics are worse than Lucas, but I have seen them started with some odd arrangement of multiple small kicks to, as they say, build up pressure, then one big kick around. Here's a video of them starting one.
All he did was flip the decompression lever, then start pumping the kick, then with one big swing it started up. Does yours still have the decomp switch on top of the engine?
Also, did you need to reset the rack and injection settings on yours? And, how did you perform the running in? I planned on riding around very slowly, using only the slightest throttle settings...
Oh, don't worry, I will use loctite, the one I test rode had plenty of vibration.
Honestly if at all possible try to find a bike already built and try to start it.
I have tried and tried with others to Kick start my bike it is only possible if it is warm and then only just. I am no lightweight and can Kick my 500 Bullet through compression no bother.
My engine still has the decompressor on top I could not even turn it over without it.The one you see on Utube is a 300 not your 440 so it is harder.
I had to adjust the Injection but it is easy to do .
My freind fitted the 440 but went back to the 300 as he was not able to get on with it at all.
I have had problems with the starter but it is a fairly simple device.
Running in at 30 MPh for first 1000 miles then opening up to 40 and the massive 50 at 1500.
Bob
It is not in the arrival brightly planned. But in the Dreams Men Dream along the way we find the Golden road to Samarkand.
Luckily, the company selling the engine says it is a self-start model. They're tricky to get exact specifications out of, but I've got a previous customer who gives them a golden recommendation. The price I'm being quoted is $1150 for a new engine, and a brand new gearbox/clutch set. At first this seemed a little high, but I've heard the gearbox alone costs $350.
I think the price is mostly reasonable, and I can probably find a cheaper deal, but the quality is even less likely then.
Here in India, self-start means an actual electric starter. I'm planning to go down there today or tomorrow and either seal the deal, with cash, or walk. It gets frustrating trying to work with these guys.
I was promised a quote on the bike itself yesterday -- didn't get it. I've asked several times for model/displacement/specifications for the engine and gearbox -- haven't gotten it. I've gotten 3 different prices from the same company for the engine/gearbox, and they'll obviously only honor the highest. So it goes.
They have an Indian Lucas starter and again be careful as the Solenoid switch is prone to not working either it bends or corrodes but I have had two.
The Bike is fun to ride and is unusual in the UK but it is not for the mechanically challenged as it needs a fair bit of regular work.
Bob
It is not in the arrival brightly planned. But in the Dreams Men Dream along the way we find the Golden road to Samarkand.
I'm not mechanically challenged, but at times I can be mechanically irritable.
When you say they need a fair bit of regular work, what do you mean? I guessed the engine itself should be fairly robust, having been developed over many years for agricultural work, and of Italian design.
Is this a dependable setup? I've heard from quite a few other people they run well; I'm planning this as my only bike. I've also heard some people having problems with rebuilt Greaves engines--this is why I'm going with brand new.
The process of acquiring a bike here in India alone has been difficult, to say the least, and I've given up 4 times already in the 18 months I've been here. Today's the make or break point, and then I just go back to the US and buy an SV650.
They carry very little oil in the sump so you must keep an eye on that .
Mostly it is the cycle parts that need keeping on top off as I said they vibrate a lot.
The decompressor is a fiddle and is really a valve lifter.
The Manual RPM adjuster adjusts itself at will if you are not carefull.
They are not fast and in traffic can be a bit dangerous as people expect you to storm off at lights etc and when you plod away they sometimes only just avoid you.This may be more of a problem in India as you know the traffic is appalling.
Bob
It is not in the arrival brightly planned. But in the Dreams Men Dream along the way we find the Golden road to Samarkand.
Well gentlemen, for me, this is the end of a journey not yet begun. I spoke with the diesel engine dealer today, and they can only get the 325 cc engine from Greaves. It seems they are not building the 436 cc engine new at this time.
Also, the new 325cc diesel engine/gearbox kit is selling for Rs 47,000 (about $1200), up from Rs 46,000 yesterday, up from Rs 40,000 2 months ago, when I originally inquired.
So, I guess I'm not ready for the hassles of diesel bike ownership, if I can't even manage to maneuver around the salesmen here. At the risk of sounding melodramatic, India has given me the dream of a 160 mpg diesel motorcycle, and snatched it away through the endless bureaucracy and skin tax. Fair travels to you all, and keep the shiny side up.
It is interesting to read about the starting difficulties. I know it is a different engine, but the Chinese built Yanmar clone 406cc I have in my Enfield is very easy to kick start. If the temperature is anything over 50F it has never needed more than 1 kick, and I have successfully started it down to 20F with no preheat. One of the easiest starting engines I have ever had.
If they are mucking you about that much, you might want to consider a Yanmar clone. Don't know if they are available in India or if you'll have to order one in.
This Enfield I have will now sit on 100 K's now it has run-in. If you are against a strong wind or hill it will run down to 90 K's.
I'm fairly light - 72 Kg's, so I guess that helps the bike move along, BUT! The tank never gets half empty, so there's a little weight there.
The engine is easy to kick start, when it has been below 0.C here, I just hold the decompression lever down and spin the engine over 3-5 times and away it goes. It can sometimes be started first kick on really cold mornings, but priming helps.
Above 10 C you just start it first kick. The engines done over 7000 K's, doesn't use any oil between 2500 K changes, so far it's been a good engine.
PS: There's a mob on Ebay selling complete Diesel Enfields out of Delhi, also claiming they are 500's = interesting!
