 Ralph, 1962 |
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6515 Sleepy Hollow Rd.,
Grand Forks, BC
Canada V0H 1H5
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As I have explained in detail in the earlier book, one of the first things I learned on my entry into the world of Things Mechanical is the that the second thing you have to have, after you acquire just about any piece of machinery is a good manual. This brought about the writing of the first manual - almost 50 years after my first Royal Enfield (they were produced in England to begin with, and "adopted" under licence in India by 1955.) This second manual is really just an offshoot of the first.
Just as there are major differences in the two models, there are also major differences in this second manual. The Cast Iron Bullet was really a DIY motorcycle, built as was in the days when they all were. Do It Yourself was the only way that a motorcyclist could expect to operate in the mid-years of motorcycling, but by the time of the Japanese Revolution of the early '60s, things began to change.
He had a hopped-up 'sickle
that took off like a gun.
That fool was the terror
of Highway 101.
Oh, he never washed his face
and he never combed his hair,
He had axle grease embedded
underneath his fingernails.
On the muscle of his arm was a red tatoo
A picture of a heart saying, "Mother, I love you."
- from "The Terror Of Highway 101," A jukebox classic of ~'1955
The success of Enfield India's export phase, beginning about 1990, in fact hearkened to nostalgia on the part of some - in a kind of reaction to the Japanese Revolution for that kind of motorcycling image. Thus the old CIs, having virtually unchanged since their Indian inception in the mid-'50s. proved a certain appeal for a certain limited number of "born again" motorcyclists. Nostalgia over a time of simpler motorcycles, that looked and sounded like motorcycles, or over a misspent youth that didn't spend enough time in Auto Shop, and too much time in Bookeeping classes, gymnasiums, Physics and Chem labs, and the like. And some of those with this kind of youth now wanted to master the black(fingered) arts of motorcycle mechanics, with particular to maintaining their new instant collector pieces.
In America, The Terror of Hwy 101 came to be replaced by the Nicest People, ("You meet the nicest people on a Honda") beginning in the early '50s, and by the late '70s, interest in the motorcycle as a tinker-toy that you could ride occasionally waned as well. The motorcycle became much more civilized over the following 50 years, and the UCE Bullet, is, in the opinion of this writer, a fine example of this change in thinking. Enfield went with the times, and has now in production an extremely civilized, Unit Construction, Computer Managed motorcycle for those much more interested in riding than in monkey-wrenching. Hence this manual, aimed at an entirely different audience: those who have chosen the UCE for its reliability and lack of need to tinker your way across town or down the highway.
It is not intended as a mechanic's manual, but rather as an owner's manual, the intent being to provide for the UCE owner an understanding of how to operate the unit with a minimum of fuss and bother, with occasional forays into a bit more depth of understanding for those who care enough not just to skim over what some others would prefer to dismiss as "techno-babble."
As with all machines, motorcycles especially, the former consideration is still important. An uninformed and/or non-caring operator can still do a lot of damage to any motorcycle in a short time; thus it is still imperative to understand the basics and principles of operation. But fortunately, the various systems which comprise the Whole Machine are designed not with regular owner tiddling as a major requirement. In fact, many, such as the ignition system and the fuel injection system (collectively referred to as the Engine Management System) are in fact basically non-owner-serviceable. All the owner needs to be able to do is to recognize the signs that it needs to be taken in for service - and these will not be frequent, provided of course that the Basic Care And Feeding is attended to.
Hence this second of my manual series - a product of many hours of dedicated work on my part., My bibliography/credits must include many sources,beginning with the factory parts book, dealer's bulletins, and, with this one, the excellent-in-its-own-right Factory Service Manual, many years of Bullet and other motorcycle work of all kinds, conversation with owners face to face, and especially, via the internet, from all over the world, and particularly to a few Enfield Bullet professionals, such as BR Gurunandan in Bangalore, and Tim Busby, a busy Enfield Dealer in New Zealand.
Thank you also to my "Beta Testers," who provided the necessary proving ground for me to evaluate the usefulness of variou sections of the manuals.
I hope this manual will serve you well, and especially your motorcycle. Treat him well; I knew his Dad!
The first problem was handled initially by deciding to write the manual in .html format, and to distribute it on CD's as you see here. The potential for cross-linking files, inserting graphics, etc. is just mind-boggling compared to print medium, and it has been well-received indeed in this form. Furthermore, it is completely updateable; as changes come to mind (and they really do, as feedback from owners comes in!), the manual changes from time to time.
I was at first stymied as to offering a printed version - the market is just too small, and I just wasn't prepared to consider having a few thousand knocked off by some vanity publisher. But an Enfield owner and afficionado - here in Canada, even - lept into the breach shortly after becoming one of my first CD customers. Bruce Aitken is now the official publisher of the print version. For more information, just connect to the internet, and click here. This printed version is also updated from time to time - Bruce's digital printing setup allows him to print manuals one at a time, so there's never any backlog which must be gotten rid of. This second manual will likely be published in the same fashion.
My second concern was how to ensure that I would be paid reasonably for my time. During development of this manual, it was pointed out to me on many occasions that, due to the inherently simple nature of digital copying, I would have no way to ensure that this would not be done, if I were to distribute it on this open format. Yet to lock it up would involve making you, the legitimate owner, unable to run pages through your printer - a major feature, imo, of using this medium.
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So, I have decided just to appeal to all of you who find a copy in your hand/computer to deal fairly with this thing. It is a simple matter to take the disk to anyone with a CD burner, and burn copies for all your Enfield-owner friends, neighbours, and relations, and it for this reason I deal this heart-felt appeal:
OK? Just pass on the url of my promotional web site - www.enfield.20m.com - and let him/her get his/hers the same way you got yours - by making a fair contribution to the author of this very useful piece of my life's work.
If you prefer to burn him/her a copy yourself, I think it's entirely fair enough to ask that you send me the sum of $US25.00 per copy as a "registration" fee. Paypal is a good way - snidey@telus.net
And finally, if you find yourself in possession of a bootleg copy of this manual, and you feel that the poor slob who spent so much of his time making your life easier is worth a contribution, please follow your heart, as Sir Alex has said.
One other consideration: if you ever find this on a CD which you bought from other than myself or a legitimate RE dealer, please email me with the particulars. There's always some cheating bastard out there who's looking for a way to make an illegitmate cheap buck. (You will note I use the pejorative advisedly.)
Thank you. I have faith that I'll be repaid by the majority of Bulleteers, honest fun-lovers that they are. Peace be with you - and keep on thumpin'!
- Pete Snidal, June, 2009
Ralph, 1962 |
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