Zen and the art of motorcycle maintance

I need to read the Pirsig classic, as the parallels of two characters, one with a new bike and no plan to learn about repair, and another with an older bike and a desire to learn how it works and how to service it, are surprisingly similar.

Downloaded the service manual for my enfield bullet motorcycle. It is a well written and detailed manual, and the bike is easy to work on and well designed. Both on my phone and tablet, but a printed copy would still be handy. Though nanden advises to take the info in the manual with a grain of salt, and use it forguidance more then reference.

Having fun adjusting the idle speed, brakes and clutch, which need a little tuning I feel. (This was written before i saw i had almost no compression due to my piston having 'soft-seized' in addition tomy piston rings had a huge gap from wear. This probably happened on the highway getting to pokhara, as it was the first time i opened her upto almost full speed, which in retrospect was a mistake, especially not knowing the topspeed we hit. According to nanden, even an engine broken in, but only city or mountain ridden less then 70km, will seize up if you just take it to topspeed and leave it, he claims you must slwoing wear the clearances for that working temputure, which is a perfectly logical approach. The enfield, when new has many parts not set at working fit, but interfereance fit, and only through careful wearing the parts in can you achieve perfect tollerences.

Currently I need to fix my rear brake light, which apparently was disabled after a mechanical fault (a screw attaching the brake switch to the bike is missing, causing the switch to rotate) by removing the spring and splitting the electrical connector to the switch, both are easy to fix. My turn signals also need to be fixed, one of the rear ones is falling off, and the front ones are removed entirely. They have also been electrically disconnected.i also want to fit larger jetsin thecarb and the k&m airfilter rohit gave me, plus change the tires formodern knobbies, and change the rear suspension or the spring/recharge or tunr the pressure, or find an oldschool oil dampened shock and tunr that instead.

Work done on my bike so far (as i remember)
-rear shock bushings
-front shock seals and oil
-rear brake pads changed from knockoff
-engine rebuild and new piston cylinder head kit after catastrophic seizure
-wheels bearings
-centrrstand needed weld tokeep bike upright, making it easiertoget offthe stand[needs tobe done again]
-oil pump rebiolt
-used pistons fitted, needto put new ones in india
-got a rack
-fixed/disabled rear brake light myself a few times [missing a bolt i cant find, gonna use wire as there is no stress]
-Got spokes fixed in rear wheel and wheel trued.

In Rishikesh - Planning a Enfield trip to the Himylayen mountains and Nepal.

We have been here in Rishikesh for the past 2 weeks, and right now am plannning the next leg of our trip. Our Visa's need to be extended by may 11. Current plan is to go to Tungnath, one of the panch (five) kedar's on rented Enfield motorcycles on tuesday (the 23rd or april) We have hooked up with Rohit, a friend of sophia's that organaizes bike tours and shoots photpgraphs, who has agreed to bike with us to the nepal border across the india himalayen range, after he joins us for a 300km trip from here to Tungnath.


Ideally we plan to each purchase a bike with the idea to sell after the summer, which is cheaper than renting for 600 rupes (11 dollars) a day. Prices for an enfield is around 50000 rupees (1000$usd) for an slightly older (1998-2006) bike without disc brakes in trip ready condition, a almost new bike (2009-2011) is around 85000 rupees (1600$usd) with front disc brakes. The bikes can be sold back to the same person we bought the from in rishikesh at 70% of what we bought them for, or sold to someone else for anywhere from 35,000-45000, making the cost for having a bike around 10,000-15000. Most enfields are 350cc bikes, but there are 500cc models, and there are rare old models called the interceptor, which is 2x 350cc engines bolted together in a v-configuration. I have never seen one, but enfields are a common sight. They are similer in style to a Norton or Triumph, from similer british origins.


List of Enfield Motorcycles


Looked at a few bikes today, and got my first 50-60km trip in on an enfield today. these bikes are powerful, sturdy, and heavy, and a dream to drive. The advantages of the enfield are increased stability compared to the lightweight japanese and indian bikes, ease of repair and finding parts, reliability, and a huge userbase in india. The bikes are also incredibly well balanced. 

Helmets procured

We have bought two helmets, black full face style. Devin rented a Honda hero motorcycle, something like 100-150cc and we have been riding for a week or so. All freaks came out for the full moon, and we joined them.. New years promises fun, parties everywhere from arambol to anjuna.