Converting a 2006 Royal Enfield Classic to a Kick Start Only Machine

Reasons

There are good reasons for not having an electric start. They are:

1. Reliability. There simply are fewer parts to fail. When I bought my Bullet the
dealer was having a rash of failures in the gear drive from the engine sprocket to
the starter motor which is what prompted him to advise me to never use the
electric start and to fill the primary case with a full quart of fluid. There were
three bullets in the shop when I picked up my bike, all for broken gears in the
starter drive train.
2. Performance. There is a significant savings in weight by removing the starter, the
primary inner half with the entire starter gearing and switching to the smaller KS
only battery. Weight is the most reliable way to achieve performance. Handling
was also quit noticeably improved at slow speeds on my bike as most all the
weight savings are forward of the engine and move the center of gravity of the
bike back.
3. Authenticity. These bikes are admired by most people that see them because they
think they are actually a restored old bike. Even when they are told that it really is
a new old bike they remain captivated. I really didnt want a fake old bike. I
wanted as true to an old bike as was legal and practical. Given the ease of kick
starting an RE that is properly setup and tuned, I consider having a KS only to be
very practical.

Required Parts

1. One 5sp KS-only primary inner case half part number 510946. This will have to
be order from India by CMW most likely so plan ahead. Mine took three months.
2. One 4sp KS only primary inner case gasket. The hole pattern for the three bolts
that hold the inner case to the engine case were changed so the gasket that goes
between them will either half to have new holes punched in it or you can use one
from a 4sp.

Tools

1. a 17/64
th
drill bit
2. a hand drill
3. an 8mm X .125 tap

Machine Work

The starter gear on the engine sprocket will have to be machined off of the sprocket.




Procedure

1. Remove the starter, the primary case outer half, the alternator, the engine
sprocket, the clutch and transmission sprocket and the primary case inner half.
This entire process is documented and illustrated in section 5 of the Bullet Electra
manual and section 3 of the Bullet Service manual which are both available from
CMW and everything you need to know will also be found in Pete Snidels
manual along with tips not found in the other two manuals.
2. Remove the wire that runs from the starter back to the solenoid in the left hand
tool box.
3. Remove the solenoid.
4. There will be two wires going to each battery post. One will be heavy gauge and
the other a much smaller gauge. Remove the heavy gauge wires as they were only
needed to carry the high amperage drawn by the starter.
5. Drill and tap the bolt holes for the 5sp KS only inner chain case.
6. Have the starter gear machined off of the engine sprocket.
7. Attach the primary case inner half.
8. Replace the clutch and alternator.
9. Replace the primary case outer half.

Notes

Removal of the ES inner primary case

The ES inner primary case uses three 8mm bolts with counter sink heads that take a 5mm
Allen key. I just put a small box end wrench over the end of a 5mm Allen key and all
three came out with no problems. I apparently was lucky. Many times these bolts are
torqued beyond the capabilities of a 5mm Allen key and the Allen hex in the bolt head
gets stripped out before the bolt comes loose.

A technique the shop here is using when this happens is to drill a small dimple in the face
of the bolt next to the Allen hex hole, being careful not to drill through the head. Then
they take a center punch and place it in the dimple and angle the punch so they can
hammer the head around.

ES vs KS inner case differences

One difference between these is that the KS inner case has a hole drilled out in it next to
the hole the alternator wires exit the back of the case through. The purpose of this hole in
the 5sp KS only bike is unknown to me. I simply filled it in with JB weld.

All the other differences in the case are around the engine sprocket. Due to the addition
of the starter gear on the sprocket and the need for that gear to engage with the gear train
leading up to the starter, the stator mounting post where machined down on the inside and
repositioned and the mounting holes also had to be repositioned. Refer to the illustration
below.




Fortunately RE left the material in the engine case where the old holes were drilled so
you can drill them yourself.





Drilling and taping the holes

I made a drill guide out of a 3/8 OD plastic tube used to connect toilets to the water
supply. I drilled this piece of tubing out with a 17/64 drill. See the illustration below.







I drilled the holes using a 17/64 drill bit to a depth of 13/16.



Then I taped the holes using an 8mm X .125 tap and a long extension from a quarter inch
socket set.



Machining off the third gear from the engine sprocket.

This is hard stuff. This was parted on a lath using a carbine tip.



Mounting the new inner case

I replaced the Allen screws with regular 8mm bolts and 5/16
th
washers. I had to grind one
side flat on the two front washers due to case interference. I torqued these to 5 ft lbs using
a quarter inch drive torque wrench.