I've just bought a used meteor with only 500 miles on it ( as new ) . I was told by the dealer that the first service had been done , after looking at the oil through the spy hole the following week it convinced me they'd done nothing of the sort . I've now changed the oil and filter and cleaned the oil mesh ( do both every time) , and will be doing the valves myself as bike shops clearly don't want to do it , or say they done it when they haven't. It's nice to get involved with your bikes maintenance and know it's been done 😁 happy riding everyone. Thanks for video 👍
I watched a bunch of videos and did them myself...and mine were way off...like both of them you couldn't get any feeler gauge in them ...I'm glad I did it...was deffently a learning experience for me....and I had never done them on a motorcycle before...and it's been since 1984 when I did them on an old dodge 6 cylinder
I have a ‘65 Dodge Dart, slant six. Did you adjust the valves with engine cold? The engine has a complete rebuild with not even 1500 miles on it, but if I ever get any valve cover leaks I figure I’d adjust the valves anyway when replacing the cover gaskets. Also, I’m thinking about getting a Classic 350 Signals Dessert Sand. How do you like your 350 bike?
I adjusted it myself. My dealership loves doing the tappets, because they charge $350 per service. It's easy to give your bike a deep cleaning when servicing the tappets and the fuel tank off. Only think to make sure of is to get the bike near empty first. And use a small towel/rag to protect the frame when removing and putting the tank back on.
I do all my own service. I purchased a brand new Royal Enfield 350 Meteor and rode it for about 1500 miles. I figured I better do the first service so I did, I changed my own oil and checked my own tappets and they were exact. Your mileage may vary. I first thought it was a waste of time but then I thought well at least I know they're correct now. Yes I waited till 1500 miles and I knew I was being naughty but I figured the factory must have adjusted them when they built it in the factory and it seemed a waste to change the oil so quickly. But now it's done and it runs perfectly. I love this bike. 🙂
exactly the same thing happened to me on my first service. (Atherton FNQ) I did the tappets myself and it's not a big deal and WILL service my bike myself from now on as I simply don't trust any else to do a proper job. Ride with Warro youtube does a comprehensive explanation of how to do the tappets
First couple of services are the most important ones for the longevity of the engine, especially when it comes to the tappet adjustments. The valve seats are still bedding in at this point which causes the tappets to get too small a clearance which in turn doesn't let the valves to fully close. This could lead to burning your valves and seats since hot exhaust gasses will be slipping by during the expansion cycle. Well worth trying yourself with the instructions floating around the web in general and youtube in particular. First time always feels awkward, but after a couple of times it's a one hour operation.
@RidingTheGoblin the dealer at my first service didn’t do the tappet inspection & adjustment & said they never need doing🤦♂️ I’m going to do it myself from now on.
Every RE I've owned I have the found the tappets to be on the tight side where they DO need to be adjusted... these are old school bikes and just like the old Harley's the tappets need to be inspected and adjusted if need be. You will find that once you adjust your tappets to the correct specs it will run better. It won't feel like something in holding the bike back. The tappets are a pretty straight forward job the bike is pretty simple to work on and designed with the home mechanic in mind. Several other things you might want to do while you are working on your RE is that the brakes tend to squeak I have no idea why RE has not put copper grease on the metal backing plate of the disc brake pads but put tons of grease in the relays. To stop your brakes from squeaking at you just put a thin coat of copper grease on the backing plate as well as the tab where it will be touching the guide. Go into the relays and pull each one and clean the white lithium grease with electrical cleaner and put a thin coating of dielectric grease. Here's the issue with white lithium is that depending upon conditions it will dry out and will prevent a solid electrical connection which means the engine will cut out leaving you to sit for a bit and it might start up again or it may not. So call this more of a preventative measure than anything else.
Whether you do it yourself of have a dealer do it, it is quite important. Especially after the first 300 miles the tappets will almost always be too tight as a result of the initial bedding in. Too tight tappets can ultimately result in a burnt valve which is not a good thing and far more expensive than a tappet adjustment.
@@RidingTheGoblin Yes, the reason they have to be adjusted cold is that the parts expand when they are hot thus reducing the gapif they are adjusted hot the gap will be too large resulting in noisy tappets if the gap is too small when cold as the engine heats up, the gap will be further reduced so that it can keep the valve from seating completely which is why they can get burnt.
George has it right here. Too tight is what kills motors, too loose makes a lot of noise and gives reduced power. Easy job to do, especially on a 2 valve thumper. Move the crank until both valves are fully closed, swipe your feeler like a credit card. If the card reader is all sloppy, it needs tightening. If it takes effort to swipe, you should loosen the adjustment. A little adjustment can go a long way on some motors, so take it slow and come back to the adjustments as many times as needed until you are satisfied with that credit card swipe feeling on both tappets.
Greetings from Germany. I have a little Problem with my Classic 350. I know you should not rev the engine high for the first 500 Km. But after a warm up i did not follow the engine run-in exactly like its mentioned in the manual. So thats how i know what the bike is capable, how it does accelerate, and whats the top speed is BEFORE the first Service! I tested the Top Speed two or three times within the first 500 Km. (but always with warm up, and only for a short time) Now i did the first Service myself. (i am an mechanic, but not a bike-mechanic) I inspected the tappet setting. And it was way to tight as many others mentioned in the comment sections. So at first i was relieved that i inspected and adjusted them because it was so much off from the Datasheet (0.08mm Inlet, 0.18mm Outlet). Am i memorize correctly i could not put a 0.05mm Tin Strip in the inlet gap. And the outlet was also too tight maybe 0.1mm instead of 0.18mm. So, i went on adjusting them (Engine cold, Cam shaft dead center top,) so specified numbers and i took my time doing it perfectly and triple checked everything. I thought with these proper adjustment and fresh oil and filter the bike must run better than before. But i was wrong. Before tappet adjust it runs on flat road about 115 Km/h. And after tappet adjust it only runs around 100 Km/h. I can feel a loss of Power especially in fourth or fifth gear. I opened up the Valve cover again and checked the tappet gab. For me, it looked like its almost perfect (maybe the inlet side was a bit wider than 0.08mm more like 0.09). But because the Setting was from factory so much off from the datasheet, i minimized the gap on each valve slightly. Now i adjusted it to about 0.07 mm for the inlet, and 0.15 for the outlet. Initially, factory setting was tighter than my second adjustment... I have to make a Testride today, and i hope it will run better than with the first adjustment. I do not want to close the Valve gap even more. If the bike do not run 115 Km/h i think that the factory did something wrong with the camshaft setting. Maybe the Top-Dead from the Crankshaft does not match the top dead from the Camshaft? And thats why the tappet setting was so much off. But to check these, i would have to make a oil change again and take off the Engine Side Cover to block the Crank Shaft in Top-Dead. As i did the tappet adjustment i only orianteted myself on the Cam-Shaft. Normally Camshaft and Crankshaft have to match pefectly... I will write my conclusion here again when i know whats going on. (By the way: The Oil was very clean (brown not black), no metal flakes, no visible dirt or Metal anywhere)
Hey Goblin, I just did mine today! The same dealership said they didn’t need it🤦♂️ After phaffing with the tank breather hoses, everything else was not too bad. The tappets were completely out of spec! Super tight. Adjusted them & after getting the tank back on & going for a test ride… so far no leaks from the cover & nothings fallen off👍 Took my time & followed a few others … it runs so much better! Let’s catch up!
Do it for sure. I had the dealership do it but, after watching videos from Ride With Warro and Stuart Fillingham on the procedure, I'll do the next one myself.
Great you're asking for opinions. I have one; this my 3rd time owning a RE Bullet x 2 and 2018 classic 500 battle green now. I loved them all and still do. Currently I live in the Andes mountains at about 3000 mtrs., although I did ride the highest navigable road in the Himalayas on an RE Bullet 500/ Here, like there, was/is a nightmare to get parts and service. In truth, I don't have anyone to call unless I ship my bike to the city some 5 hours away (and probably will never see it again) or I do it myself; i have opted for the latter. Leave the tappets alone is my advice unless they suddenly sound like a sewing machine on steroids. If you want a smooth sounding RE, you're gonna have to wait a lifetime ;-)
OK, here's what we've done so far... Three of us got Royal Enfield Classic 350's. At late 200's Miles, we changed oil/filters and cleaned/lubed/adjusted chains and other various nuts 'n' bolts. At 400 miles, I took mine to a local mechanic who is trained in many makes. They said it was "slightly loose" and adjusted them. Son did his over the weekend. He had ~400 miles on his. They needed no adjusting. Now, we both put on the DNA oiled filter/cap and have now about 500 miles on them both. Indeed, running better every day - not to mention they sound great and just feel more smooth and fun overall. At this point we're running Motul 5100 15w50 oil and it's hard to believe they're only 350's. Is it worth doing? I'd say for peace of mind and warranty, yes. But either do it on your own, or find a local mechanic instead of the dealers. They wanted $500 and $630 respectively for this! Insane... Loving this bike more every day. Ride Safe 🙏🏼
Mine must've been on the tight side. Because when I picked it up after it's first service they definitely sounded noiser. As someone once said, "If you can hear them - they're working" lol
Absolutely follow the service guidelines and do the tappets. Both of the dealers, one where I purchased and the other I like to visit, are emphatic the tappets need to be checked if not adjusted as per the service schedule. No different to an early Holden.
I'm a bit late to the party here, but as others have suggested I'd get them done. Did you get them done in the end? It shouldn't be expensive, no more than an hours workshop time (there's only two)? I wonder if some dealers are under the impression that it's a "cheap" bike and treat it with a little contempt? "Cheap" means different things to different people. The Meteor, Classic and Hunter are simply excellent value which is an entirely different thing. They deserve as much respect mechanically as a bike costing three times as much. I wonder what would happen if someone had a warranty claim due to valve seat damage caused by mal-adjustment and it transpired that the dealer had advised that it didn't need doing?
I have a 500 Classic, it adjusts the tappets all by itself as they are hydraulic activation, Yippee, 7k miles and never been touched and as quiet as anything. Talk about progress .
Same here, you never need to adjust the valve clearances on the old uce pushrod engines such as the classic 500. It uses self adjusting hydraulic lifters. All you need to do is change the oil, air filter and spark plug.
Funny video. I would recommend you get it serviced or do it yourself. I did it myself today and it took less than an hour. Had to add an hour because I was missing a 14mm hex key and a 16mm socket. Not too difficult a job but you want to make sure it's adjusted correctly. An improper adjustment can cause trouble starting and 1st gear is troublesome. And eventually can cause serious damage.
I changed oil and filter myself and will adjust the tappets when I notice a difference. I expect that will be around the 1000 mile mark, it is not a difficult job just a little bit of time, care and patience. I do not trust dealers to be careful enough, they tend to be a bit casual where scratching/scraping things are concerned. The warranty is not worth the paper it is written on, for first year use sale of goods act if need be. I do like the bike in fact I love it, smiles all the way if you are not into speed.
I’m not normally one for commenting but the reason why the manufacturer states that you MUST check the valve clearances at there recommended interval is because with some new engines as they break in you can get slight valve seat recession hence the valve gap closing up,as with my own classic 350 I was going to leave them alone as recommended by the main dealer but I had a cutting out issue from cold and with past experience with various motorcycles its due to tight valve clearances, mine had no gap at all but now they are adjusted correctly it runs perfect 👌
I did the 1st service on my RE Hunter 350 myself for quite a few reasons that I'm not going to go through on here. What I will say is that both my Intake and Exhaust valves were way off tolerances. They were ridiculously tight. I suspect that RE setup brand new engines like this for one reason. An engine sounds a lot better and quieter when the valves are tight. If the valves are correct, you will get quite a distinctive 'tapping' noise, which people buying a new bike might be concerned about. Remember...... a tappy engine is a happy engine. Also, It's better to have valves with bigger clearances, because they will always stretch and not shrink. So the clearance will become less and less as the engine loosens up.
I have a 350 classic also. Same issue here. I had the 300 mile service appointment for 2 pm I took the bike in early 9 am to allow the engine to get cold. I asked about the tappets ( knowing about the procedure of adjustment of the tappets I am well aware that the engine needs to be cold) I could tell immediately that the tappets where not going to be done. If you think about it this is a major issue for royal Enfield and us the owners. I will explain a the dealer I took it to charges £90 a hour Inc vat just first service was £160. If tappets where also done that would be a extra 2 hours £180 total £340 this is not affordable for most at 300 miles. There lies the rub.
There's no way it should be a two hour job😳. Maybe, if you did it yourself and were taking your time. These dealers see many of these bikes and would have become pretty slick at this job. Maybe not like changing the tyres at an F1 pit stop - but you get what I mean. The job should cost no more than an hour's labour. It'd be interesting to see what the suggested time is in the official workshop manual 🤔
The hardest part seems to be taking the tank off, I did my old xs650 myself getting top dead centre was tricky due to 2 sets of points to adjust but valve adjustments help you to bond with your bike, it’s the fear factor. I am determined to do it myself but will watch the dealer first as it’s under warranty, they said it was really important at 1000 klm. Your dealers up there are just sales reps I think.
I would stop going to the no-tappet dealer and tell him AND THE REGIONAL DISTRIBUTOR why. I that dealer wouldn't do what is clearly listed on the maintenance chart, what else would he skip?
I Mine is coming up for first service. I have got the filter and oil. Have a full cat delete and Punjab shorty pipe coming, as well as fuel x and free flow air filter. Will be doing all the work myself. I don’t care about warranty book. They seem reliable anyway and I would fix/ replace any problem parts myself. Rather save the money and do it all myself properly.
I did the first sevice myself at around 650 kms. Changed the engine oil and oil filter, cleaned the engine oil strainer and i used the correct viscosity oil as recomended in the hand book. I adjusted the clutch freeplay ; checked all wheel spokes ; checked tyre pressures ; cleaned air filter ; cleaned and lubed and adjusted the chain and did a general inspection of the bike. I also reset the service reminder. But.........., mmm, i didn't check the tappetts 😐. For some reason I've been putting it off and i've been going to do it but, gee the bike runs well and no tappett noise. But yes i should do it for peace of mind. 🙂But at your fisrt sevice they didn't do it so ......????
Yeah my tappets were too tight. Since I adjusted them it runs a lot better. You don't seem to have to change gear as quick. It's happy to stay in gear and pulls much better higher up in the rev range.
@@robertcostello9473 interessting. My Re 350 runs worse after tappet adjustment. Normally tighter tappets give you more power. Mine also were too tight and i set it to recommended Numbers. But my bike runs worse than before. (Less Top-Speed, less Power).
Hello sir, I am Varun and I ride meteor 350 in india. I have recently completed 20,000 kms and done with 5th service as well. Two days post to service i noticed engine oil was leaking a bit on head part from gasket. Technicians changed and after that work a strange feel was felt for me. They told they adjusted valve clearance whilst working on it. I feel little bit roughned aftrr that head gasket changing and valve clearance. Before service bike was super refined. My exact question is? Once the valve clearance adjusted will the little bit of roughness felt while riding not while idle. They told me to ride for some many kilometres or miles for the engine valve become loosens or set depends on our riding style. Is that the normal way in our bikes sir? Thanks
I asked my dealer and they do them, but with all they have checked they said very rarely have they had to adjust any! Now makes me wonder if they know what they are doing or if they just don’t have to adjust many….
I just had my tappets done on the first servicing. They were tight. This is really Bad. I have heard this more than a few times. Loose is only noisy. If I bought another RE new, I would check the valves as soon as I got it home and the engine was cold.
The first service on my 350 is due and to have it done by a dealer means and a 100 mile round trip. I know bikes and engines so will do it myself. Warranty - well I was told that providing I use genuine parts and the service is done by a VAT registered dealer the warranty is good. I am rather dubious on the VAT registered thing however but my local garage does bikes and is VAT registered so no brainer. Will talk to them.
Mate that Service is Mega vital with the running in period, I would give the so called engineer the sack for such stupidity! My own Classic 350 Reborn started popping exhaust gasses audibly past the valve at 68-70 MPH because the gap had near closed, and when Hot "running hard" the gap closes and holds the valve open, this can and would quickly burn the valve seats which would require more costly re-seating of the valve/valves.
Go watch Stuart Fillingham explain in fine detail how to carry out the operation,then decide if you are up to doing it yourself or not and at the very least you will be up to speed with the fine details of what will be done to your bike.good luck!
Tried posting this earlier but for some reason the A I didn't allow it. Hmm. My nearest RE service is just over 1 hour away. They want 450 USD plus parts and tax and 3 to 4 hours. Purchased TDC tool from Hitchcock along with Rocker Service Kit. Going the DIY route with special thanks to Stuart and Warro for their wisdom. Just under 600 miles. The place I purchased the bike from said 300k service was done (bought used with 267 miles). Questioned them after turning over 500 miles and discovered they did not do the tappets, claiming it is better to wait for 500 mile mark. Hmm. I have no trust with dealers or service departments now.
The first couple of services *are* important, including valve clearances. Imagine all the RE owners whom the first dealer tells don't need to be checked (or says nothing at all about it). Personally, I'd like to see more manufacturers using hydraulic valve adjusters, as H-D does, along with most car engines.
I took my 2022 classic in for it's first service at 800 km and they didn't do the tappet setting as recommended . I did it myself when I got home and they did need adjustment .
Dealership refused to adjust tappets at first service, don't know why taking the tank off etc is a 15 minute job 🤔. Second service different dealership stripped everything down while I stood and watched from less than 1 meter away🤪. Speedo had started playing up just before told them about the recommended fix which they were happy to do,and no issue since 👍. I do not trust dealerships at all and my rule of thumb is when I pick up the bike it should feel different (better) and this time it did 😀.As Stu says get it done the first time for your own peace of mind otherwise don't worry until you are way up there in the miles. Stealerships are just milking this for everything they can, they've never had it so good.
OK, great idea only suggestion I would make before you start is there is a very thick durable rubber gasket between the cover and head, get 1 in advance and hold on to it "just in case". If this gets damaged you can't put the bike back together and the gasket has been out of stock for a while. Buy and keep it safe 👍.
One thing is certain there is pretty much no other new bike that is this easy to do the tappet setting, but I understand that some people just don't feel comfortable with stripping the top of their engine and removing the tank 🤷🏻♂️
When my 350 goes in for its first service I will ask them and rely on the advice given, maybe give my brother-in-law a shout as he is a bike nut plus airo engineering wizz , that's brownie points for me in his eyes , I don't do nuts and bolts , bricks and mortar were my way to earn a living, so for me ask and hope the dealer keeps smelling of oil and not farm yard! Back to the brother-in-law he said Enfield's are to slow for hi m ! I said if I go to fast people won't be able to see how good I look on my classic as I ride by !
I’m a big fan of pottering along on the Enfield… it goes plenty fast for my style. The mistake I made was to not ask the dealer about the tappets when I dropped the bike off… that would have avoided all of the confusion…. I mean, that was why I took it to them, I really should have asked!
For sure, pottering along is where I am in life now, that's why I bought the 350 ,as you said plenty fast enough, most roads here have 50 mph limit so hay ho , keep the videos coming, cheers for now ride safe.
I've just adjusted mine for the first service and the tappets were way out of spec. That's what I'm hearing from lots of other people who work on these too.
@@christianschellbruck9788 There was a lot more tappet noise but after doing some research that's really normal. It's definitely become way, way smoother over time but it's hard to say how much of that is proper clearance and how much is just normal break in
@@christianschellbruck9788 That's a little strange. Were you taking up to full before? There's not much power there to start with, it's enough that like even a stiff headwind can keep you from hitting 70
I know i am late with this post, but I have read so much rubbish in the comments regarding not adjusting the tappets because they will loosen with time that I just had to comment. On a new engine the valves will bed in tightening the tappets, you need to adjust them early or run the risk of a burnt out valve!.
My opinion and I know alot will disagree is the first dealer was being correct and very honest stating they didn't really need doing! The tappets are set tight when they finish building the engine at RE.The main reason being they don't expect people to adjust them at 300 miles,and in India most dealer's don't as they know they will be tight. Year's ago when you bought a new motorcycle you always felt like the engine was tight when running in,and this was the main reason. A tappet doesn't suddenly tighten up in the first 300 miles and then go on to be loose at the next 6000 check. The reason they need adjusting then is because someone adjusted them to correct gap's at first service. I'll give you a good example,itchy boot's who most people will have heard of on here, didn't get chance at the first service of her first Himalayan too get the tappets checked. When she got to the 6000 miles service she got them checked and they were within tolerance and didn't need adjusting! They would have done if someone had slackened them off at first service! At the end the day tappets tap when they need adjusting! Valve shim's are a different matter they can tighten up especially with a poorly maintained bike, but you do get lot's of warning as the bike tends to stall just after start-up. Obviously it doesn't do any harm adjusting tappets early on,but as your first dealer said it's unnecessary and alot of other dealer's are gaining lot's of money in labour they wouldn't have had.
Interesting insight. If tappets are set tight from factory, would they not loosen up instead of getting tighter? I'm no mechanic but I read that loosening makes the tappets rattle. But tight tappets can damage the engine.
@@jamesdspaderf2883 but you don't want them to rattle. They will loosen by themselves by the time the 6000 mile service is due, tappets can't tighten up,and if you checked a brand new one, they'd be tight like what they still are at 300 miles. There not set that tight by the factory that they'd damage a valve,the engine Will just feel a bit tight, which you wouldn't notice if you're sticking to the running in period.
@@bally632 As i know the longer the engine runs, the tighter the gap will get. Because the valve will set itself a little bit into the engine head. So for my understanding: When the factory setting is too tight you risk that over time the setting will get even tighter till its too tight. Normally factorysetting would have to be a bit to wide, so when the valve seat wears out the gap will close slightly. I guess you are wrong.
maybe they have more than enough more "easy" work to earn money. Why spending Time and effort for adjusting tappets and you can only charge about 2 hours of work when you got hundreds coustomers waiting to do only a oil service witch is much easier and take less time and got relativly high charge?
My advice to "EVERYONE" is to know your engine model. I thought I had a home run when I looked at adjusting the tappets. I found out that I had to strip the engine down and extract contaminated liters Imagine that 🤣
The royal enfield dealer near me is a joke, they want over $800 for the first service. An independent shop down the street wants $330. Not to mention they were trying to sell the same bike for $1300 more than the dealership 80 miles away.
I don't know how a dealer can do it unless they have the bike for a couple of days the engine really needs to be stone cold for accurate gaps, that's why I do it myself!
I've just bought a used meteor with only 500 miles on it ( as new ) . I was told by the dealer that the first service had been done , after looking at the oil through the spy hole the following week it convinced me they'd done nothing of the sort . I've now changed the oil and filter and cleaned the oil mesh ( do both every time) , and will be doing the valves myself as bike shops clearly don't want to do it , or say they done it when they haven't. It's nice to get involved with your bikes maintenance and know it's been done 😁 happy riding everyone. Thanks for video 👍
I watched a bunch of videos and did them myself...and mine were way off...like both of them you couldn't get any feeler gauge in them ...I'm glad I did it...was deffently a learning experience for me....and I had never done them on a motorcycle before...and it's been since 1984 when I did them on an old dodge 6 cylinder
I have a ‘65 Dodge Dart, slant six. Did you adjust the valves with engine cold? The engine has a complete rebuild with not even 1500 miles on it, but if I ever get any valve cover leaks I figure I’d adjust the valves anyway when replacing the cover gaskets. Also, I’m thinking about getting a Classic 350 Signals Dessert Sand. How do you like your 350 bike?
I adjusted it myself. My dealership loves doing the tappets, because they charge $350 per service. It's easy to give your bike a deep cleaning when servicing the tappets and the fuel tank off. Only think to make sure of is to get the bike near empty first. And use a small towel/rag to protect the frame when removing and putting the tank back on.
I do all my own service. I purchased a brand new Royal Enfield 350 Meteor and rode it for about 1500 miles. I figured I better do the first service so I did, I changed my own oil and checked my own tappets and they were exact. Your mileage may vary. I first thought it was a waste of time but then I thought well at least I know they're correct now. Yes I waited till 1500 miles and I knew I was being naughty but I figured the factory must have adjusted them when they built it in the factory and it seemed a waste to change the oil so quickly. But now it's done and it runs perfectly. I love this bike. 🙂
exactly the same thing happened to me on my first service. (Atherton FNQ) I did the tappets myself and it's not a big deal and WILL service my bike myself from now on as I simply don't trust any else to do a proper job. Ride with Warro youtube does a comprehensive explanation of how to do the tappets
Interesting... Ride with Warro's video is very clear... not sure if I'm up to it, but might give it a go...
Nous ne sommes jamais aussi bien servi que par soi même 👍
@@RidingTheGoblin think of the £40+ an hour charges you won't be paying, it'll help you get on with it . 😁👍
First couple of services are the most important ones for the longevity of the engine, especially when it comes to the tappet adjustments. The valve seats are still bedding in at this point which causes the tappets to get too small a clearance which in turn doesn't let the valves to fully close. This could lead to burning your valves and seats since hot exhaust gasses will be slipping by during the expansion cycle. Well worth trying yourself with the instructions floating around the web in general and youtube in particular. First time always feels awkward, but after a couple of times it's a one hour operation.
Thanks! Am working up to giving it a go...
@RidingTheGoblin the dealer at my first service didn’t do the tappet inspection & adjustment & said they never need doing🤦♂️ I’m going to do it myself from now on.
Funny, that's what they told me too! I've decided to just believe them!
Every RE I've owned I have the found the tappets to be on the tight side where they DO need to be adjusted... these are old school bikes and just like the old Harley's the tappets need to be inspected and adjusted if need be. You will find that once you adjust your tappets to the correct specs it will run better. It won't feel like something in holding the bike back. The tappets are a pretty straight forward job the bike is pretty simple to work on and designed with the home mechanic in mind. Several other things you might want to do while you are working on your RE is that the brakes tend to squeak I have no idea why RE has not put copper grease on the metal backing plate of the disc brake pads but put tons of grease in the relays. To stop your brakes from squeaking at you just put a thin coat of copper grease on the backing plate as well as the tab where it will be touching the guide. Go into the relays and pull each one and clean the white lithium grease with electrical cleaner and put a thin coating of dielectric grease. Here's the issue with white lithium is that depending upon conditions it will dry out and will prevent a solid electrical connection which means the engine will cut out leaving you to sit for a bit and it might start up again or it may not. So call this more of a preventative measure than anything else.
Thanks for the info, very helpful!
Whether you do it yourself of have a dealer do it, it is quite important. Especially after the first 300 miles the tappets will almost always be too tight as a result of the initial bedding in. Too tight tappets can ultimately result in a burnt valve which is not a good thing and far more expensive than a tappet adjustment.
Thanks George, first person to say what could happen if they're not adjusted correctly!
@@RidingTheGoblin Yes, the reason they have to be adjusted cold is that the parts expand when they are hot thus reducing the gapif they are adjusted hot the gap will be too large resulting in noisy tappets if the gap is too small when cold as the engine heats up, the gap will be further reduced so that it can keep the valve from seating completely which is why they can get burnt.
George has it right here.
Too tight is what kills motors, too loose makes a lot of noise and gives reduced power.
Easy job to do, especially on a 2 valve thumper. Move the crank until both valves are fully closed, swipe your feeler like a credit card. If the card reader is all sloppy, it needs tightening. If it takes effort to swipe, you should loosen the adjustment. A little adjustment can go a long way on some motors, so take it slow and come back to the adjustments as many times as needed until you are satisfied with that credit card swipe feeling on both tappets.
@@DonalvonGriffyn Thanks! I'm working up to it... seems like it's worth checking...
Greetings from Germany. I have a little Problem with my Classic 350. I know you should not rev the engine high for the first 500 Km. But after a warm up i did not follow the engine run-in exactly like its mentioned in the manual. So thats how i know what the bike is capable, how it does accelerate, and whats the top speed is BEFORE the first Service! I tested the Top Speed two or three times within the first 500 Km. (but always with warm up, and only for a short time)
Now i did the first Service myself. (i am an mechanic, but not a bike-mechanic)
I inspected the tappet setting. And it was way to tight as many others mentioned in the comment sections. So at first i was relieved that i inspected and adjusted them because it was so much off from the Datasheet (0.08mm Inlet, 0.18mm Outlet). Am i memorize correctly i could not put a 0.05mm Tin Strip in the inlet gap. And the outlet was also too tight maybe 0.1mm instead of 0.18mm.
So, i went on adjusting them (Engine cold, Cam shaft dead center top,) so specified numbers and i took my time doing it perfectly and triple checked everything. I thought with these proper adjustment and fresh oil and filter the bike must run better than before. But i was wrong.
Before tappet adjust it runs on flat road about 115 Km/h. And after tappet adjust it only runs around 100 Km/h. I can feel a loss of Power especially in fourth or fifth gear.
I opened up the Valve cover again and checked the tappet gab. For me, it looked like its almost perfect (maybe the inlet side was a bit wider than 0.08mm more like 0.09). But because the Setting was from factory so much off from the datasheet, i minimized the gap on each valve slightly. Now i adjusted it to about 0.07 mm for the inlet, and 0.15 for the outlet. Initially, factory setting was tighter than my second adjustment...
I have to make a Testride today, and i hope it will run better than with the first adjustment. I do not want to close the Valve gap even more. If the bike do not run 115 Km/h i think that the factory did something wrong with the camshaft setting. Maybe the Top-Dead from the Crankshaft does not match the top dead from the Camshaft? And thats why the tappet setting was so much off. But to check these, i would have to make a oil change again and take off the Engine Side Cover to block the Crank Shaft in Top-Dead. As i did the tappet adjustment i only orianteted myself on the Cam-Shaft. Normally Camshaft and Crankshaft have to match pefectly...
I will write my conclusion here again when i know whats going on. (By the way: The Oil was very clean (brown not black), no metal flakes, no visible dirt or Metal anywhere)
Hey Goblin, I just did mine today! The same dealership said they didn’t need it🤦♂️ After phaffing with the tank breather hoses, everything else was not too bad. The tappets were completely out of spec! Super tight. Adjusted them & after getting the tank back on & going for a test ride… so far no leaks from the cover & nothings fallen off👍 Took my time & followed a few others … it runs so much better! Let’s catch up!
I really should do mine.... sounds like it's needed! Good to hear you managed to get yours done!
@@RidingTheGoblin Let me help you✅ Message me. It made a huge difference in power delivery.
Awesome, thanks will do…
@@RidingTheGoblin how can I email you or vice versa?
The Goblin has an email account - ridingthegoblin@gmail.com
Do it for sure. I had the dealership do it but, after watching videos from Ride With Warro and Stuart Fillingham on the procedure, I'll do the next one myself.
Definitely looking into doing my self... those videos make it look more and more doable... how hard can it be?!
Great you're asking for opinions. I have one; this my 3rd time owning a RE Bullet x 2 and 2018 classic 500 battle green now. I loved them all and still do. Currently I live in the Andes mountains at about 3000 mtrs., although I did ride the highest navigable road in the Himalayas on an RE Bullet 500/ Here, like there, was/is a nightmare to get parts and service. In truth, I don't have anyone to call unless I ship my bike to the city some 5 hours away (and probably will never see it again) or I do it myself; i have opted for the latter. Leave the tappets alone is my advice unless they suddenly sound like a sewing machine on steroids. If you want a smooth sounding RE, you're gonna have to wait a lifetime ;-)
OK, here's what we've done so far...
Three of us got Royal Enfield Classic 350's.
At late 200's Miles, we changed oil/filters and cleaned/lubed/adjusted chains and other various nuts 'n' bolts.
At 400 miles, I took mine to a local mechanic who is trained in many makes. They said it was "slightly loose" and adjusted them.
Son did his over the weekend. He had ~400 miles on his. They needed no adjusting.
Now, we both put on the DNA oiled filter/cap and have now about 500 miles on them both. Indeed, running better every day - not to mention they sound great and just feel more smooth and fun overall.
At this point we're running Motul 5100 15w50 oil and it's hard to believe they're only 350's.
Is it worth doing? I'd say for peace of mind and warranty, yes. But either do it on your own, or find a local mechanic instead of the dealers. They wanted $500 and $630 respectively for this! Insane...
Loving this bike more every day.
Ride Safe 🙏🏼
Great to hear your bikes are going well... sounds like the tappets are probably ok... will definitely find a local mechanic moving forward
Mine must've been on the tight side. Because when I picked it up after it's first service they definitely sounded noiser. As someone once said, "If you can hear them - they're working" lol
Absolutely follow the service guidelines and do the tappets. Both of the dealers, one where I purchased and the other I like to visit, are emphatic the tappets need to be checked if not adjusted as per the service schedule. No different to an early Holden.
It's becoming increasingly apparent that they need adjusting... thanks for your comments!
Hi i had same prob they only changed oil and filter👎$250 i did next oil change took me twenty five mins 👍
I reckon they need to update the handbook... just remove mention of tappets and no one would be worrying about it....
I'm a bit late to the party here, but as others have suggested I'd get them done. Did you get them done in the end? It shouldn't be expensive, no more than an hours workshop time (there's only two)?
I wonder if some dealers are under the impression that it's a "cheap" bike and treat it with a little contempt? "Cheap" means different things to different people. The Meteor, Classic and Hunter are simply excellent value which is an entirely different thing. They deserve as much respect mechanically as a bike costing three times as much. I wonder what would happen if someone had a warranty claim due to valve seat damage caused by mal-adjustment and it transpired that the dealer had advised that it didn't need doing?
I have a 500 Classic, it adjusts the tappets all by itself as they are hydraulic activation, Yippee, 7k miles and never been touched and as quiet as anything. Talk about progress .
That’s fantastic 😎
Same here, you never need to adjust the valve clearances on the old uce pushrod engines such as the classic 500. It uses self adjusting hydraulic lifters. All you need to do is change the oil, air filter and spark plug.
Funny video. I would recommend you get it serviced or do it yourself. I did it myself today and it took less than an hour. Had to add an hour because I was missing a 14mm hex key and a 16mm socket. Not too difficult a job but you want to make sure it's adjusted correctly. An improper adjustment can cause trouble starting and 1st gear is troublesome. And eventually can cause serious damage.
I changed oil and filter myself and will adjust the tappets when I notice a difference. I expect that will be around the 1000 mile mark, it is not a difficult job just a little bit of time, care and patience. I do not trust dealers to be careful enough, they tend to be a bit casual where scratching/scraping things are concerned. The warranty is not worth the paper it is written on, for first year use sale of goods act if need be. I do like the bike in fact I love it, smiles all the way if you are not into speed.
Got this exact bike two months ago as my very first bike. My first service is coming up soon so this was a very useful vid. Liked and subbed.
Congrats on the first bike. And thanks for the feedback. Good to hear the video is useful 😎
@@RidingTheGoblin Winter is coming 🥶 Can you do a vid on how to install a battery tender? Warro's is done on a Continental
I’m not normally one for commenting but the reason why the manufacturer states that you MUST check the valve clearances at there recommended interval is because with some new engines as they break in you can get slight valve seat recession hence the valve gap closing up,as with my own classic 350 I was going to leave them alone as recommended by the main dealer but I had a cutting out issue from cold and with past experience with various motorcycles its due to tight valve clearances, mine had no gap at all but now they are adjusted correctly it runs perfect 👌
I did the 1st service on my RE Hunter 350 myself for quite a few reasons that I'm not going to go through on here. What I will say is that both my Intake and Exhaust valves were way off tolerances. They were ridiculously tight. I suspect that RE setup brand new engines like this for one reason.
An engine sounds a lot better and quieter when the valves are tight.
If the valves are correct, you will get quite a distinctive 'tapping' noise, which people buying a new bike might be concerned about.
Remember...... a tappy engine is a happy engine.
Also, It's better to have valves with bigger clearances, because they will always stretch and not shrink.
So the clearance will become less and less as the engine loosens up.
I have a 350 classic also. Same issue here. I had the 300 mile service appointment for 2 pm I took the bike in early 9 am to allow the engine to get cold. I asked about the tappets ( knowing about the procedure of adjustment of the tappets I am well aware that the engine needs to be cold) I could tell immediately that the tappets where not going to be done. If you think about it this is a major issue for royal Enfield and us the owners. I will explain a the dealer I took it to charges £90 a hour Inc vat just first service was £160. If tappets where also done that would be a extra 2 hours £180 total £340 this is not affordable for most at 300 miles. There lies the rub.
That was the main reason my dealer didn't do it too... 'Who would pay for it?', they said
There's no way it should be a two hour job😳. Maybe, if you did it yourself and were taking your time. These dealers see many of these bikes and would have become pretty slick at this job. Maybe not like changing the tyres at an F1 pit stop - but you get what I mean. The job should cost no more than an hour's labour. It'd be interesting to see what the suggested time is in the official workshop manual 🤔
The hardest part seems to be taking the tank off, I did my old xs650 myself getting top dead centre was tricky due to 2 sets of points to adjust but valve adjustments help you to bond with your bike, it’s the fear factor. I am determined to do it myself but will watch the dealer first as it’s under warranty, they said it was really important at 1000 klm. Your dealers up there are just sales reps I think.
I would stop going to the no-tappet dealer and tell him AND THE REGIONAL DISTRIBUTOR why.
I that dealer wouldn't do what is clearly listed on the maintenance chart, what else would he skip?
Yes, it doesn’t leave me feeling too confident
I
Mine is coming up for first service. I have got the filter and oil. Have a full cat delete and Punjab shorty pipe coming, as well as fuel x and free flow air filter. Will be doing all the work myself. I don’t care about warranty book. They seem reliable anyway and I would fix/ replace any problem parts myself. Rather save the money and do it all myself properly.
Great plan. I'm about to put in the free flow air filter from Hitchcocks... will be interesting to see if it makes any difference!
I did the first sevice myself at around 650 kms. Changed the engine oil and oil filter, cleaned the engine oil strainer and i used the correct viscosity oil as recomended in the hand book. I adjusted the clutch freeplay ; checked all wheel spokes ; checked tyre pressures ; cleaned air filter ; cleaned and lubed and adjusted the chain and did a general inspection of the bike. I also reset the service reminder. But.........., mmm, i didn't check the tappetts 😐. For some reason I've been putting it off and i've been going to do it but, gee the bike runs well and no tappett noise. But yes i should do it for peace of mind. 🙂But at your fisrt sevice they didn't do it so ......????
Damn those tappets!
Yeah my tappets were too tight. Since I adjusted them it runs a lot better. You don't seem to have to change gear as quick. It's happy to stay in gear and pulls much better higher up in the rev range.
@@robertcostello9473 interessting. My Re 350 runs worse after tappet adjustment. Normally tighter tappets give you more power. Mine also were too tight and i set it to recommended Numbers. But my bike runs worse than before. (Less Top-Speed, less Power).
Hello sir, I am Varun and I ride meteor 350 in india. I have recently completed 20,000 kms and done with 5th service as well. Two days post to service i noticed engine oil was leaking a bit on head part from gasket. Technicians changed and after that work a strange feel was felt for me. They told they adjusted valve clearance whilst working on it. I feel little bit roughned aftrr that head gasket changing and valve clearance. Before service bike was super refined. My exact question is? Once the valve clearance adjusted will the little bit of roughness felt while riding not while idle. They told me to ride for some many kilometres or miles for the engine valve become loosens or set depends on our riding style. Is that the normal way in our bikes sir? Thanks
I asked my dealer and they do them, but with all they have checked they said very rarely have they had to adjust any! Now makes me wonder if they know what they are doing or if they just don’t have to adjust many….
I just had my tappets done on the first servicing. They were tight. This is really Bad.
I have heard this more than a few times. Loose is only noisy. If I bought another RE new, I would check the valves as soon as I got it home and the engine was cold.
That's interesting. Did they do the tappets without you asking?
At first service the cylinder head fixings must be adjusted to the correct torque settings and the tappets must then be checked and adjusted. Basics.
I would not use the dealer that said don't worry about it for anything, if they won't do what is required, I wonder what else they don't do.
Exactly 😬
The first service on my 350 is due and to have it done by a dealer means and a 100 mile round trip. I know bikes and engines so will do it myself. Warranty - well I was told that providing I use genuine parts and the service is done by a VAT registered dealer the warranty is good. I am rather dubious on the VAT registered thing however but my local garage does bikes and is VAT registered so no brainer. Will talk to them.
Mate that Service is Mega vital with the running in period, I would give the so called engineer the sack for such stupidity! My own Classic 350 Reborn started popping exhaust gasses audibly past the valve at 68-70 MPH because the gap had near closed, and when Hot "running hard" the gap closes and holds the valve open, this can and would quickly burn the valve seats which would require more costly re-seating of the valve/valves.
Go watch Stuart Fillingham explain in fine detail how to carry out the operation,then decide if you are up to doing it yourself or not and at the very least you will be up to speed with the fine details of what will be done to your bike.good luck!
Thanks, will check out his video
Tried posting this earlier but for some reason the A I didn't allow it. Hmm. My nearest RE service is just over 1 hour away. They want 450 USD plus parts and tax and 3 to 4 hours. Purchased TDC tool from Hitchcock along with Rocker Service Kit. Going the DIY route with special thanks to Stuart and Warro for their wisdom. Just under 600 miles. The place I purchased the bike from said 300k service was done (bought used with 267 miles). Questioned them after turning over 500 miles and discovered they did not do the tappets, claiming it is better to wait for 500 mile mark. Hmm. I have no trust with dealers or service departments now.
The first couple of services *are* important, including valve clearances. Imagine all the RE owners whom the first dealer tells don't need to be checked (or says nothing at all about it). Personally, I'd like to see more manufacturers using hydraulic valve adjusters, as H-D does, along with most car engines.
I took my 2022 classic in for it's first service at 800 km and they didn't do the tappet setting as recommended . I did it myself when I got home and they did need adjustment .
I'm beginning to think they need to revise the handbook... if no one does it, then why have it there?
Where was this?
Is any polish to maintaining black colour of that black engine ?? And what is the care about colour fading issue with engine
The engine is a matt black colour, with a bit of a texture, so it doesn’t seem like it will fade. I just give it a bit of a wipe to keep it cleanish.
Dealership refused to adjust tappets at first service, don't know why taking the tank off etc is a 15 minute job 🤔. Second service different dealership stripped everything down while I stood and watched from less than 1 meter away🤪. Speedo had started playing up just before told them about the recommended fix which they were happy to do,and no issue since 👍. I do not trust dealerships at all and my rule of thumb is when I pick up the bike it should feel different (better) and this time it did 😀.As Stu says get it done the first time for your own peace of mind otherwise don't worry until you are way up there in the miles. Stealerships are just milking this for everything they can, they've never had it so good.
Thanks! Am definitely leaning towards doing it myself eventually...
OK, great idea only suggestion I would make before you start is there is a very thick durable rubber gasket between the cover and head, get 1 in advance and hold on to it "just in case". If this gets damaged you can't put the bike back together and the gasket has been out of stock for a while. Buy and keep it safe 👍.
One thing is certain there is pretty much no other new bike that is this easy to do the tappet setting, but I understand that some people just don't feel comfortable with stripping the top of their engine and removing the tank 🤷🏻♂️
Good point, maybe I should be brave and have a go 😎
Moto guzzi v7 is easier.
No removing bits and pieces.
can you ask a friend motor mechanic ? ore try to do it your self , so you now it is don , ore i go to a dealer en hope for the best.
I will have at dealer for first service, then do all service myself including tappets.
Sounds like the plan of the moment!
i have 3 types of engine oil in my 350....alrd done 5000km service...dealer doesn't want to adjust my tappets.Great Bike but crappy service centre.
OMG you are incredible!😂😂😉⭐️🙌
When my 350 goes in for its first service I will ask them and rely on the advice given, maybe give my brother-in-law a shout as he is a bike nut plus airo engineering wizz , that's brownie points for me in his eyes , I don't do nuts and bolts , bricks and mortar were my way to earn a living, so for me ask and hope the dealer keeps smelling of oil and not farm yard! Back to the brother-in-law he said Enfield's are to slow for hi m ! I said if I go to fast people won't be able to see how good I look on my classic as I ride by !
I’m a big fan of pottering along on the Enfield… it goes plenty fast for my style. The mistake I made was to not ask the dealer about the tappets when I dropped the bike off… that would have avoided all of the confusion…. I mean, that was why I took it to them, I really should have asked!
For sure, pottering along is where I am in life now, that's why I bought the 350 ,as you said plenty fast enough, most roads here have 50 mph limit so hay ho , keep the videos coming, cheers for now ride safe.
Thanks, will do 😎
I've just adjusted mine for the first service and the tappets were way out of spec. That's what I'm hearing from lots of other people who work on these too.
how did your bike run after adjusting the tappets to specs?
@@christianschellbruck9788 There was a lot more tappet noise but after doing some research that's really normal. It's definitely become way, way smoother over time but it's hard to say how much of that is proper clearance and how much is just normal break in
@@shadowydragonpirateninja mine had less top speed and less power. The factory setting was too tight. But now i got the Problem of power loss.
@@christianschellbruck9788 That's a little strange. Were you taking up to full before? There's not much power there to start with, it's enough that like even a stiff headwind can keep you from hitting 70
Get them done, especially for first service, but what do I know??? 😀
Totally with you.... !
Apparently the tappets are no longer checked on the first service
Interesting... have they updated the handbook... that's the real question....
@@RidingTheGoblin good question
I know i am late with this post, but I have read so much rubbish in the comments regarding not adjusting the tappets because they will loosen with time that I just had to comment. On a new engine the valves will bed in tightening the tappets, you need to adjust them early or run the risk of a burnt out valve!.
My opinion and I know alot will disagree is the first dealer was being correct and very honest stating they didn't really need doing! The tappets are set tight when they finish building the engine at RE.The main reason being they don't expect people to adjust them at 300 miles,and in India most dealer's don't as they know they will be tight. Year's ago when you bought a new motorcycle you always felt like the engine was tight when running in,and this was the main reason. A tappet doesn't suddenly tighten up in the first 300 miles and then go on to be loose at the next 6000 check. The reason they need adjusting then is because someone adjusted them to correct gap's at first service. I'll give you a good example,itchy boot's who most people will have heard of on here, didn't get chance at the first service of her first Himalayan too get the tappets checked. When she got to the 6000 miles service she got them checked and they were within tolerance and didn't need adjusting! They would have done if someone had slackened them off at first service! At the end the day tappets tap when they need adjusting! Valve shim's are a different matter they can tighten up especially with a poorly maintained bike, but you do get lot's of warning as the bike tends to stall just after start-up. Obviously it doesn't do any harm adjusting tappets early on,but as your first dealer said it's unnecessary and alot of other dealer's are gaining lot's of money in labour they wouldn't have had.
Thanks for the detailed opinion, very helpful.
Interesting insight. If tappets are set tight from factory, would they not loosen up instead of getting tighter? I'm no mechanic but I read that loosening makes the tappets rattle. But tight tappets can damage the engine.
@@jamesdspaderf2883 but you don't want them to rattle. They will loosen by themselves by the time the 6000 mile service is due, tappets can't tighten up,and if you checked a brand new one, they'd be tight like what they still are at 300 miles. There not set that tight by the factory that they'd damage a valve,the engine Will just feel a bit tight, which you wouldn't notice if you're sticking to the running in period.
Correct.
@@bally632 As i know the longer the engine runs, the tighter the gap will get. Because the valve will set itself a little bit into the engine head. So for my understanding: When the factory setting is too tight you risk that over time the setting will get even tighter till its too tight. Normally factorysetting would have to be a bit to wide, so when the valve seat wears out the gap will close slightly. I guess you are wrong.
Why would a dealership turn down work that it can charge you for?🤷🏽♀️
maybe they have more than enough more "easy" work to earn money. Why spending Time and effort for adjusting tappets and you can only charge about 2 hours of work when you got hundreds coustomers waiting to do only a oil service witch is much easier and take less time and got relativly high charge?
If its in the first service then it needs doing , otherwise it may affect your warranty. 😊
My advice to "EVERYONE" is to know your engine model. I thought I had a home run when I looked at adjusting the tappets. I found out that I had to strip the engine down and extract contaminated liters Imagine that 🤣
Valve clearance on the first service then every other service there after.
Staggered they didn’t do it!
The royal enfield dealer near me is a joke, they want over $800 for the first service. An independent shop down the street wants $330. Not to mention they were trying to sell the same bike for $1300 more than the dealership 80 miles away.
I don't know how a dealer can do it unless they have the bike for a couple of days the engine really needs to be stone cold for accurate gaps, that's why I do it myself!
Seems like a rip off to me. Why should you need tappet adjustment ect checked on such a
LOW milage service ? Easy money for a main dealer eh !
Needs doing the valves get tight and long term can burn out the valve seats. If its in the service schedule why wouldn't you get them done.
i now the dealer dont always doe te mentenace like it schould be don , but you have to pay for it , it is not richt
Do the tappets yourself, same with the servicing, beware that this may void your warranty
they need to be checked!
Adjust the tappets by your self! That’s no rocked sience and you can findlots of videos how it’s done.
ASSUME makes an ass out of U and ME..... that first dealer makes a big assumption in regards to the tappets!
They sure did!
hopefully you did it yourself yeah?
Learn how to do it yourself; it's not difficult! BTW, the thunbs up and down with the stupid noise is very annoying...jus' sayin'
Am working up to giving it a go myself.... and apologies for the irritating noise!
I know them bikes don't hold their value and the quality is no better than a Chinese bike
Do it
Annoying video...have them done...doh!