I have a ranch about an hour from you in the Hillsboro area - last year I picked up a brand new 2021 leftover to keep down there; just finished putting on 300 miles. Now, I need to do the 300 mile service. This video is definitely a keeper.
So glad to find this. You were correct about needing an easier to understand accent to walk through the process in a straight forward manner and you, sir, did an excellent job here. Timing is perfect as I'm due.
I'm glad you enjoyed it. I've got one more video coming of a ride to a historic fort near my home, and dumping the bike and picking it up the easy way. then my Himalayan videos are done. I sold the bike today. It just didn't meet my expectations. Onto something new.
I've just ordered my himalayan after downsizing, one of the reason's I choose this bike is the simplicity of its construction, it reminds me of my early day's of motorcycling, your video was a pleasure to watch,
Thank you. I hope you enjoy it more than I did. I sold it after 1500 miles. Too many things to not like on this bike for me. I have a Versys X 300 now. It's much faster on the highway with this Ninja 300cc engine than the Himalayan was with a 411cc engine and it weighs about 80 lbs less. I couldn't even pick up the Himalayan without a "Dirt Knapper" (see my other video of crashing and picking up the Himalayan.). But nothing beats the maintenance simplicity of my new Moto Guzzi V7 Stone Centenario. You can adjust the valves without removing the tank and with the shaft drive I have no chain maintenance. And both of these bikes have much better fuel injection than the Himalayan had. Yes, you are right, the Himalayan is a 1950s bike all the way through it. Noisy engine, under-powered (wouldn't even do 60 mph into a stiff headwind), very old-generation FI. You'll feel just like you are riding a vintage bike.
This was SUCH an excellent video. I’ve just hit 300mi and am super intimidated, but a huge part of wanting this bike in the first place was about learning to maintain an engine. Thank you!
Thank you very much. I hope you like the bike for a long time. I didn't like mine and got rid of it in 1500 miles. The easiest bike I've ever worked on is my new Moto Guzzi V7 Centenario. You can removed the valve covers without taking the tank off (which was a pretty big job on the Himalayan), and I no longer have any chain maintenance (drive shaft), and I finally have enough power to go any speed I want to go even into a 30 mph headwind (where my Himalayan was all tapped out at 60 mph). But some people really like the Himalayan, and I hope you are one of them. If not, take a look at the Moto Guzzi line. I also bought a Kawasaki W800 which I love too. And a Yamaha XT250. So far I've bought 7 new 2021 bikes this year and got rid of three of them.
@@spydie the Centenario is a great looking bike. I’m brand new to the two-wheeled life and the price point on the Himalayan was great for me, as is the slightly lower chance of getting myself in trouble. So far I’m having an absolute blast.
@@chrisdye7171 Yes, the price sells the Royal Enfields, and you just have to live with their shortcomings. I've been riding 55 years and have a garage full of motorcycles. I don't know where you live, but here in NM I can ride year round. It was 75 degrees today and I put about 40 miles on the Kawasaki.
@@spydie it’s not quite as nice here as NM, but we were in the 70s today. I’m surprised to hear your Himi was that incapable. I’m 230lbs and it’ll still get to 70 (eventually) with me on it. I don’t think I’ve faced a 30mph headwind yet though.
that was something... i'm not sure i'd ever have the confidence to do it without YOU watching over me just the honest trust well done thanks for sharing
Very informative... clear, concise, and easy to follow! I am going out right now to do the adjustment, and I'm glad I happened to come by this video in particular... Thank you Sir, from Canada!
You're welcome, but I won't be making any more videos on the Himalayan. I didn't really like it so I sold it with just 1500 miles on it. Moved on to two new bikes. 2021 Yamaha Xt250 which I'm outfitting as an adventure bike (it's faster on the highway than the Himalayan) and new 2021 Kawasaki W800.
@@spydie The Himalayan is a good bike, but perhaps not for everyone. While I really did like/appreciate your video (for all of the reasons mentioned previously _ and believe me, the task went well thanks to your demonstrative skills), I am considering changing out for something along the lines of a BMW F650gs... Some what larger, more powerful, better on the highway, etc. So I do understand where you're coming from.
@@Ronster999 Yes, I'm still playing with different bikes. Since I got rid of the Himalayan I've gotten a 2021 Yamaha XT250 which I'm outfitting for an adventure bike, and last week I picked up a 2021 Kawasaki W800 which I've added a carry rack and windshield to for highway use.
Very clear video work, by far the best valve adjustment video made by anyone with useful commentary throughout. Also impressed by that excellent tool you made, you should go into production with that one. Every Himalayan owner would buy one for certain! Top job ! I love the little revolver, the only handgun that I am allowed in England is a Bond arms410 but I have plenty of rifles and shotguns!
I am just now seeing some of the older comments. I don't know how they got buried. I have a Bond Arms 45/410 also that I've had engraved. I wish I could send you a picture of it. The little North American Arms top-break .22/.22 magnum that I have on my hip is also fully engraved.
Thanks dude for taking the time to video and explaining this very well. I now feel confident about doing this myself for the first service and saving myself the $425 the dealer charges for this.
@@spydie oh i mean the first service is free in our country and the valve adjustment or anything related to engine is adjusted/repaired by royal Enfield service centre itself without any cost. Myself own a 2020 model, had the valve adjustment done free of cost on my 5th service.
@@yasin_mhd_ I knew you weren't in the US because we don't get that free stuff here for some reason. We have very few dealerships also so they are usually a long ways away from where we live, so we have to learn to do our own work. "Moto Guzzi...making mechanics out of riders since 1921"
Great video. I am buying a Himalayan this spring. Valve adjustments look a little harder than on my Honda Grom. I am definitely going to buy a new tappet tool before the first adjustment on the valves. Those things make it a cake walk.
Good luck with it. I didn't like mine so sold it with 1500 miles on it. Too underpowered (wouldn't do 60 mph into a headwind), terrible FI and just totally under-designed in my opinion. Moved up to a Kawasaki W800, Yamaha XT250 and Moto Guzzi V7 Centenario 850.
We never work on motorcycles here unless we are armed. Some of those bikes get very testy (belligerent) when they are being worked on. One of them killed a guy that wasn't armed. Never get around a naked bike without a gun! LOL
Thanks for the video, very instructive and thanks for the warning about just how belligerent they can be. Being in the UK too, I will just have to approach the service with a club hammer to hand. Wish me luck.
Whatever floats your boat! LOL. It's really not that hard to do yourself, but then I grew up doing that kind of work and if you have no mechanical skills, it's better to let someone else do it.
Great video with awesome explanations! Thanks for sharing your experience. I don't like / trust dealer service centers because they just don't pay attention to details and care. With my previous bike they did some scratches on the dashboard! So imagine my angry. And you never have proof to show it was them so you have to live with it. My valves are clicking a bit with 3,800 miles already so I will do the adjustment soon.
Best Video on adjusting these valves on the Himalayan I've watched and I've watched a number of them. Nice to have the measurements in standard fractions so thank you. Also nice to see you packing, exercise your 2nd amendment rights and stay vigilant.
This is a great video thank you for adding this to RU-vid, going to help alot. As an Australian and our relaxed view on safetyit is interesting to see a man wear safety glasses for working on a motorbike, but also carrying a (loaded?) firearm on his belt God bless you american man
That gave me a chuckle! LOL. As a policeman once told me, "an unloaded gun will get you killed." Everybody that lives in a foreign country mentions the gun, but nobody has ever mentioned the safety glasses. In fact, I just re-scanned the video and I couldn't find one place where you could see my face! (correction, I found that tiny spot where you could see the glasses). I wear them for two reasons. First of all is safety. When I used to wear glasses (from about 12 years of age until in my 40s) my eyes were always protected. But I had Lasik surgery to correct my vision and now I'm more concerned about eye protection. Also my safety glasses have bifocals in them so I can see close-up stuff.
@@spydie As someone thats often gotten pieces of rusty car or dust fallen into my eye balls I can definitely relate haha, great video thanks again, cant wait to get my own Himalayan
@@DeetDogg I have to tell you that I didn't like the Himalayan and got rid of it after 1500 miles. There were lots of reasons, but lack of power was the biggest reason. It wouldn't do 60 mph into a headwind. And we get a lot of wind here. Now I'm riding a 2021 Kawasaki W800, a 2021 Yamaha XT250 and my newest one a 2021 Moto Guzzi V7 850.
Great Video!! Best I've seen so far! I just got the same Blue Himi Yesterday!! 300 Miles goes by too fast! So this video is super helpful! Got to find that tappit tool somewhere. Any suggestions? Looking forward to more of your videos! Thanks so much!
YOu can get a valve tappet tool at Hitchcocks in the UK. Just google it. Mine was a combination of a couple different ones I had on hand. Sorry to say there won't be any more Himalayan videos. I did not like the bike. It was not what I was expecting in many different ways I won't go into here. After 1500 miles I sold it and bought a Yamaha XT250 which I like a lot more. It's much faster and more powerful (power to weight ratio), can climb hills in high gear that I had to use 2nd gear on the Himmi and it's more capable off-road (and even faster on the road). I will get panniers and windshield for it and it will be my new adventure bike.
Spydie, don't forget to check the small bolts holding the head to the barrel LHS under the cam end cap, these are known for coming loose at about 1500 kms and leaking oil out the head to barrel join line. If its leaking (hopefully not) then fit 5 mm longer bolts, and Locktite the damn things in place with blue locktite. If yours is staying dry then no issue, just make sure they don't come loose.
Hi Matty. Somehow I must have missed this post. Thanks for the heads-up. My email address is oneranger at me dot com. Give me a shout as there's things I'd like to talk about with you. Also, please check Aaron Damery's post near the top and comment on it if you have a solution to his problem or an understanding of it. Thanks pal
@@spydie - They really look nice. I was recently impressed with ballistics data for the new Federal “Punch” ammo in 22 WMR. I am looking at a Himilayan now, so I will be looking through your channel some more soon, thanks again 👍🏽
@@sboy1955 I hate to disappoint you but I sold the Himalayan with only 1500 miles on it. I really didn't like for a lot of reasons. I now have a Kawasaki W800 and a Moto Guzzi V7 Stone Centenario. Both are light years ahead of the Himalayan.
Thanks Chad. Glad you enjoyed it. Your comment meant a lot to me because I'm a superhero fan. I can't wait for the next Marvel movie and I've read comic books all my life. When I was a little kid after I'd watch a superman TV show, Mom would pin a towel around my neck so I could play being Superman! LOL. My bed quilt and pillow cases were made by my wife and they are both full of superheroes. But at 70 years old, even Superman grows old!
@@spydie I love how you never “grew up” in this regard. Many would learn much from this example. Can’t wait to take Jimmy the himmy (my bike) out when it gets warmer! Greetings from Idaho.
@@Chad-wb7du Great to meet you Chad. I have a cousin that lives in Boise. You probably already put together that my name on here (Spydie) comes from Spiderman! LOL. 70 years old and still running around the house with my towel around my neck for a cape and the neighbors trying to get me committed! LOL. (just kidding... I only do it after dark so they can't see me! ha ha)
@@Chad-wb7du By the way, I had the XT250 out for a spin yesterday as we hit 70 degrees in NM. today and the rest of this week very windy and temps in the 60s.
I can tell dude loves his bike... I've owned a 2022 for about five days and rode the hell out of it for 24 miles through some sh@t trying to blow it up under warranty... im already in love.. owned a 100 bikes... something about this bike... made for off road and street, not street and off road.
Got rid of mine in 1500 miles. hated it. Got a new Versys X 300 now and 1800 miles in 3 weeks. It's my dream bike and my 64th bike. Riding for 55+ years now.
You're definitely right at home disassembling the bike. I think it would be smart for us less experienced to record the bike before taking things apart
I think if you can't figure it out with my explanation of removing the fuel tank, you probably don't have the skill level to be adjusting the valves. I explained what you had to do to remove the fuel tank and of course like all bikes, you start by taking out the bolt(s) at the rear of the tank and then you can reach up underneath and find and disconnect all the various connections. This was the most difficult tank I've ever removed with more connections than any other bike. Sometimes I feel no need to make a much longer video removing things like the fuel tank, oil filter, etc, because maintenance does require a certain amount of skill to begin with and I'm aiming my videos at guys that feel they have some of the skills and would just like to see the nitty-gritty so that they don't miss something. Good luck with your valve adjustment. I sold the bike shortly after that video because it just wasn't a very good bike in my opinion. It had 1500 miles on it and and there were just too many things I didn't like.
@@allans7281 I could name a lot more than a couple, but the worst was it was way underpowered. It wouldn't do even 60 mph into a headwind on level road. It weighs as much as a KLR 650 but with that 411 cc engine it just didn't have the power to pull it. I hated the fuel injection. You couldn't start it and walk away to let it warm up while you suited-up as it would keep dying. I had to hold the the throttle at 2000 rpm for 45 seconds before it would keep running. the fast idle lever did nothing to keep it running. Worst FI I've ever experienced.
thx for sharing. For the 2023 model they corrected the starting issue it now has the same engine tune as the scramble 411 eliminating the need for that choke lever. I just rode the Himalayan and I got up to speed 70 mph no problem on the highway. It's definitely not someone's main bike but it's got so much personality and it's so comfortable I want to add it to my staple. my main adventure bike is the 2023 kawasaki klx X300 dual sport which is comfy and has terrific performance/suspension from factory.
@@allans7281 I replaced it with a Yamaha XT250, then sold that and got a Honda Monkey which I love. I traded my Kawasaki W800 for a Kawasaki Versys X300 which I’m going to take on the NMBDR in June and I bought a Moto Guzzi V7 Stone Centenario. The Ferrari of Italian bikes. Hand assembled.
Thank you so much for making this video! I just bought my Himalayan on this past Saturday. Being that I’m 400 miles from the closest dealer, I’ll be doing my own maintenance and this video is so helpful! Can you please verify the direction of turn when finding TDC? Thank you!
Yes. Turn it clockwise not counter-clockwise like we do other bikes. The reason is probably because the crankshaft nut will unscrew if you turn it counter clockwise. Congratulations on your new Himalayan. I just rolled over 700 miles on mine today. I'm only 87 miles (one way) from my dealer, but dealers ALL charge way too much for simple service that we can do ourselves.
@@Dave-in-France Not according to the service manual. But I never tried to unscrew it by turning it the wrong way, so I don't know for sure. I followed the directions in the service manual.
I wanted to let you know this video was really helpful. As you said a lot of the other videos are hard to understand due to the language barrier. In the ARMY do not have all the money in the world to take to the mechanic for a valve adjustment every 3k. Plus if I do the work myself I know it was done right. Thanks! Where did you order the filter?
I got several filters from the dealer when I picked up the bike, but I found a place on Ebay that has 5 filters for like $38 in India. That's where I'll get them next time. I love doing my own valve adjustment because I'm very OCD and they have to be perfect. I don't trust mechanics in the shops to take the time to get them perfect. Thanks for your service... I'm a USAF Vietnam veteran.
If you drain the oil with the bike on its side stand, you will find the oil flow misses everything and flows neatly into whatever container you are using. It tells you to do it this way in the owner's manual.
You may have seen the recent video by Fortnine about oil quality. Royal Enfield had the cleanest initial oil of any make, including all the Japanese brands. I was rather surprised at that and it speaks highly of their new factories.
I did not see that video, but I have to admit, it is the cleanest engine I've seen. But with all it's little quirks and problems and extremely noisy engine and old-school fuel injection that doesn't work well on cold startup, I decided it wasn't the bike for me so with 1500 miles on it I sold it and bought a Yamaha XT250. Now I have a bike I'm happy with. I could only get about 59-60 mph into a strong 25+ headwind on the Himalayan. It was way too underpowered for the weight (almost same weight as my KLR650). Now with a 250cc engine I can do 72 into a strong headwind and get as good as, or better top speed on a calm day (80 mph). I can climb mountain roads to 11,000 feet in high gear and the Himalayan was down into 2nd and 3rd. I've got a lot more power now and bike light enough that I can pick it up when I drop it.
@@user-gq2vn1xj2r I really wish I'd bought the XT instead of losing so much money on a new Himalayan. I really wanted at 300cc like the KLX300 or the CRF300L, but the seat is too high. But the 250 has surprised me in the speed and power it delivers and I'm very happy with it, something I never said from day one on the Himalayan. I never fell in love with it. the XT it was love at first ride.
@@spydieThat is really useful info. I do admit I am a bit surprised as I would have thought all the torque of the 411 would have more than made up for it's extra weight. You may have swayed me.
@@user-gq2vn1xj2r Torque and the long stroke lugging power of the Himalayan is very good, but it doesn't translate to highway speeds, which I assume takes HP to overcome the weight? And it's a very low power to weight bike, unlike the 16 hp of the XT, which is a whopping 8 hp less, but it must be all about frontal area (the XT is very slim) and weight (the XT weighs about 144 lbs less). Plus the XT has a modern engine with modern fuel injection. The old throttle-body FI on the Himalayan is very lacking in performance and it's a pain in the ass to cold start each day (I found that pulling the Bi-starter lever to start it always amounted to one or two engine dying episodes and restarts. Starting it without the bi-starter lever and just holding the throttle at 2000 rpm for 45 seconds kept it running after you finally let off the throttle). It's a real pain in the ass to go through that each morning for startup. I know that people buy these BECAUSE they are old-school, and that does hold some fascination, being able to adjust your own valves like the old bikes (instead of shim-under-bucket like the CRF250-300, KLX 250-300, KLR650, etc which require taking it to the shop for tearing off the top of the engine to adjust the valves, and in some cases, removing the camshaft). But the XT is still old school and you can adjust your own valves. All the other old-school stuff on the himalayan are worse than a 50 year old bike. You can find many articles and youtube videos on the maintenance and parts failures of the Himalayan. Most guys have to grease the head bearing and swing arm bearings as they come from the factory with very little grease, and those are big jobs. There's also lots of other very poorly built items on that bike that I didn't want to deal with. It's built in a third world country and I don't care how modern their factory is, it's still a very old bike and engine design and they aren't upgrading it (it's all to keep it at a price that people in India can afford). Honda, Yamaha and Kawasaki sets the standard for how bikes should run and operate. It's all about dependability and very easy to get parts and lots of dealer service (something Himalayan doesn't have). All your accessories for Himalayan have to come from india (Ebay mostly) or from Hitchcocks in the UK. Shipping and wait time is terrible. The XT has been around so long that you can find parts anywhere in the US (I just bought 5 new filters for $10, instead of $10 each for the Himalayan). All in all, you might like the Himalayan. It has a cult following a lot of people swear by it, but a lot more swear at it. I'm sorry I'm so down on the Himalayan. I owned one and would never buy another royal enfield in anything. I weigh 125 lbs and am 70 years old but still dirt riding and highway riding. I've been riding for 55 years and have owned 57 motorcycles of almost all brands. You can't buy a better bike with lower service intervals and easy to find parts and service than a japanese bike.
Great video spydie, just rolled 300mi on mine. My wife surprised me with a lake blue one for my birthday a few weeks ago. Can I ask what camera you filmed this with. It's crystal clear man, I've been doing some on the CT with a hero 9 and yours is looking like a million bucks. Thanks again man!
Thanks for the kind words. I use an iPhone for my maintenance videos and a Hero 5 for my riding videos. I hate to break the bad news to you but I didn’t like the Himalayan and sold it with 1500 miles on it. Same for the CT125. It went to Poland. I have a 2021 Yamaha XT 250, 2021 Kawasaki W800 and a 2021 Moto Guzzi V7 Stone Centenario now and I love them all
@@spydie anytime man. Boy that iPhone gets it done! Hey, each to his own on what he or she likes right! I have a a 93 DR350S and after a dozen more bikes it can't be beat. I'm past the point of not liking the CT, I've got over 2k miles mostly offroad already and I absolutely love it. It was time to slow down a bit for me. The first 300 on the Himalayan have been pretty dang good for me as well. Keep up the good work man, videos are A+. Subbed today
@@PSBEadventures I'm only 70, not time to slow down yet! LOL. Yeah, it took me awhile to decided if I was going to keep those two bikes. I'd keep changing my mind. My Himalayan couldn't even do 60 mph in a stiff headwind (which we get here in NM quite a bit in the spring and early summer) and hell, even my XT250 can do better than that in a headwind. I was looking at the DR650 to replace my KLR650 (about 80 lbs lighter on the DR) so that might be my next bike (I've only bought seven 2021 models this year so far and sold 3 of them). I also like the Kawasaki Z900 retro bike that I'd like to add to my stables some day. Both my Ct and my Himalayan had 1500 miles on them when I decided I was never going to fall in love (and I really tried to love the Himalayan). But on the Himalayan the poor fuel injection (I had to hold the throttle at 2000 rpm for 45 seconds before I could walk away to suit-up, and the bi-starter lever made it worse) and low power were the deciding factors, but in reality there were a lot of things I didn't like on it. But they do have a cult following for whatever reason. The CT was my 7th (I'd had four CT90s and two CT110s) and I always sold them all for the same reason, not enough highway speed. That would be the perfect bike with a 175-200 cc engine. And it really needed the hi/lo range that they used to have. Oh, speaking of videos, Did you see the new ipad mini that apple showed off yesterday? It has a feature that follows you when you are making videos. That would be so good to have when making videos in the garage doing maintenance, but alas, they chose to not put it on the new iPhone 13. On another note, the 800cc engine in the Kawasaki W800 and the 850 engine in the Moto Guzzi have proven to be the perfect size for road work in any wind (and the 650cc engine in the KLR650 never suffered on the road either). The W800 has softer suspension than the Guzzi so it's best on these rough NM secondary roads, but it has more engine vibration. The Guzzi is smooth but rides a little harsher. Nothing is perfect. Take care my friend.
@@spydie same to you my friend. I have a few videos on the Trans America trail. My riding buddy rides an 18 DR650 and it's a great bike man. I've ridden it some and I'm a fan. The 350 I have is the best bike I've ever owned! I hear ya on the not slowing down at 70! That is awesome! Ride on brother, give a few a those videos a watch for the DR's if ya like.
I'm not sure what you are referring to, but if you are referring to the rubber spacers between the ribs, then they are for vibration. Keeps the fins from breaking.
Great video! Curious about the extension cord you used for the temperature sensor, where did you get it from? Do you just plug it in or does it have to be wired in? Thanks!
Nice and clear. Thank you very much for the detailed explanation. Is it necessary to drain the oil? Also, what does the exhaust compression stroke timing mark look like?
Thanks for the video extremely helpful. Where did you get the specs I cant find a repair manual and the service manual doesn't list valve lash torque or anything of the sort?
a google search will reveal the specs and repair manuals to download. It was easy to find all that. My service manual listed all the specs. Just look for a better service manual. Also the Himalayan forums can answer all those questions. but you can trust the specs I gave you.
Nice video... hoping I can get this done with tools I have as I'm not able to fab! Are those the stock handlebars? What brush guards are you using? Cheers! (USMC Vet here!)
Stock handlebars. In this video I don't have any brush guards. But if you watch a more recent video I put the link in the description (if I remember correctly) for the "leg guards" I bought from India. (after all, do you want to protect your engine or legs? (the manufacturer says)).
@@luckyintervale I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking today! LOL. Those are Barkbuster Storm. Single mount on the end of the handlebar. I would prefer a double mount version of them, but I had these on hand.
Thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed it. But foreigners will never understand American's love affair with guns. I'm a former police officer and I can tell you the world really is that awful. There are terrorists in every country in the world killing innocent people that were not armed to protect themselves. I don't live in fear because I'm armed... all the time. I don't even know I'm wearing a gun (unless I need it). I forget about it entirely because I carry one every day of my life. I'm also a former Boy Scout and our motto was "be prepared." Also remember, it's better to have a gun and not need it, than to need a gun and not have it.
very informative video. I plan on purchasing the right tools to do the valve adjustment. how do you tell if the valves are at tdc? are they suppose to be loose? thanks for the video.
Yes, you can have the crankshaft off by 360 degrees and both valves will be tight (you can't feel any movement when you try to grab them and move them). If you are on the TDC COMPRESSION STROKE then, unless you have an extremely out of adjustment valve, you should be able to create movement in both lifters. If you can't move them, try to get a feeler gauge under them. At least one of them should move (it would be extremely rare for both to be too far out of adjustment to stop all movement). If one of them moves, the other one should too.
It's very possible. The workmanship at the Royal Enfield factory sucks worse than any other manufacturer. It's also the noisiest engine I've ever heard. It sounds like the rods are coming out through the engine any minute. I only kept mine for 1500 miles and sold it. The fuel injection was terrible and the engine was right out of a 1950 bike. I know they have a "cult" following but I have no idea why. If you follow all the videos and forums you'll see how much trouble they CAN have. But quality control is so poor you might get a good one or a bad one. It's a 50/50 chance. Sorry for the bad news and I hope you enjoy it. I bought a new 2021 Kawasaki W800 and a new 2021 Moto Guzzi V7 Centenario 850cc. So much better bikes than the Himalayan. And the fuel injection works.
Great video. Valve adjustment tool question. Is the nut a 10mm and the square 4mm? I am seeing multiple tools for the Himalayan but some say 3mm square and 9mm nut. But your video suggests 10mm nut. Thank you!
I'm sorry, I don't have the bike anymore and I don't remember for sure what the sizes were. I think 10mm and 4mm are correct, but I can't verify that. It's the same size as a wood screw (deck screw) with a square hole (which I've also used). In the video I mentioned I used a 10mm socket, so 10mm is correct (at 10:05 on the video)
Thanks for the explanation of the handedness of the crank bolt being the reason for turning the crank "backwards". Do you think a closed-end wrench and an L-screwdriver could be used for the tappet adjustment? Do you happen to know the cost of RE's special tool for that?
No, a screwdriver won't work. Watch the video again. You see that the tapped has a square head on it. You could use a decking screw with a square drive and bend it. I've seen guys use that. A closed end wrench I don't think will work unless it's an "offset" wrench. then it MIGHT.
@@spydie - I see on eBay that the official RE tappet adjustment tool goes for about $101, and the after-market tool for low $60s. I think I'd buy the after-market tool.
Excellent video Sir! My 2020 BS-IV engine was also remarkably clean and devoid of any visable metal "shavings" at 300 miles. I did retrieve about a inch and a half of what looked like "RTV" ? or some silicone based case sealer? that had a grey and "rubbery" appearance, but could not retrieve any metalic "grit", even with a magnet. Using same oil as you, and will also go to full synthetic at third oil change. I wonder if you have any opinion on removing spark plug in a cold, versus hot engine, and whether or not you recommend the use of anti-seize compound on the spark plug threads, prior to installation. Wish I had paid more attention to my now 84 year old father, Chuck Sr. when I was a teenager, as he had 22, mostly British bikes before he was 30 years old, including two Aerial Square Fours, and not one, but two HRD Vincent Black Shadows! He was a former 8th grade drop out and B-25 crew chief, who retired as a "Bird Colonel", and went on to have a second career with TRW Aerospace. He still has a half dozen bikes, and is in remarkable health. Picture is of a 28 inch waist, home brewed "kidney belt" that he made at age 16, using ground down screwdrivers, because he could not afford his own leather craft tools in those days. I am recommending your video to my fellow Himmie owners on the USA Himalayan Owners Facebook group.
Hi Chuck, thanks for watching. You should never remove a spark plug from a hot engine if you can avoid it due to dissimilar metals (metal spark plug threads and aluminum engine head) as it's easy to strip the threads in the head if the spark plug gets just a little stuck (that usually only happens to plugs that haven't been taken out for a long, long time and get some crud build-up on the bottom of the threads). It's just safer to do it on a cold engine. I used to use anti-seize off and on with my spark plugs and have never seen any difference in modern bikes. In the old bikes it seemed to help a lot. But it never hurts to use it. Nice history of your dad's old bikes. It would be fun to own those.
Stick with the semi synthetic, I switched to synthetic at the second oil change and started using oil on my old 2019. went back to semi synthetic and never used a drop between changes every 3000 miles, did the equivalent of 15,000 miles when i sold it, still wasn't burning any, still as rattly as it was from day one. When these engines go quiet, panic.
@@mattyb7736 Darn, Matty, I'm disappointed to hear that. I just bought four quarts of full synthetic to use after the next two oil changes. I'm wondering if maybe your engine wasn't totally broken-in yet? That would cause oil use. I read on some of the forums that Royal Enfield now endorses full synthetic but nobody ever replied when I asked where they found that information. I'm going to do two more (2nd and 3rd) oil changes with semi and then try a change with full syn just to see if the engine is broken in enough to not use oil with the full syn. If it does, it's nice to know I can go back to the semi-syn and it will stop using oil again. I was actually hoping the engine would quiet down with some miles on it and full-synthetic in it, but you say it won't. Damn that noisy engine still scares me! LOL. I'm wondering if some of the noise we are hearing is the throttle body? It seems to be where the noise is coming from but it's hard to tell.
@@mattyb7736 I'll report back to you when that happens in the future. It will take me all summer to get through two more oil changes! LOL. I'd like to keep in touch with you on our nearly-identical bikes. Would you like to email?
Oh, God No. No motorcycle mechanic would ever do that! That looks like way too much work and that's not the way motorcycle engines are designed to get at the valves. I think most of them have inspection plates to get at the valves if they are the standard rocker arm adjustment like these (but if you have shim and bucket, then I think you always take the rocker cover off, like my Kawasaki W800 and my KLR650). I'd never take the rocker cover off unless it was required to get at the shim under the valve. Except on my Moto Guzzi. There are no inspection plates because the engine heads are right out in the open on both sides (V-twin turned sideways) and you can remove the rocker covers without taking the tank off. So much easier to work on than any other bike. But it does look possible on the Himalayan but I've never seen anyone do it. I'd like to see a video of someone doing that and comparing the amount of work to just removing the inspection plates. Step up and make us a video! The ball's in your court! I'll be waiting for your video!
Torque specs are nice, and I use them a lot, but after 60 years of turning wrenches I have discovered that torque values serve two purposes. 1. It keeps novices from over-tightening nuts and bolts so they don't strip out something expensive like a block! 2. The make sure the novice has a bolt or filter, or anything else tight enough to (1) not leak and (2) to make sure it doesn't come loose. So torque specs are designed to make sure you have it tight enough, but not too tight. In reality, most guys doing their own wrenching are pretty good at getting it "just right." I don't pay too much attention to torque specs. There is certainly no need to torque a lock nut to any specification.
Is not the “T” mark TDC and the plain long mark a warning that the “T is next and the T should be lined up with the mark on the case? Are you using “inch” feeler gauge for measureing gap instead of MM? Just calling out a number without a reference is confusing.Thanks
No, line up the long mark next to the T. The T is just telling you that the long mark is the TDC (top dead center) or it could mean "timing", but it is TDC on the line next to the T. However, once the valves are closed, you can be quite a ways on either side of the mark and they will still be closed. It's not that critical. We just were taught to always line up the marks, but in reality, it's not critical.
I'm sorry, I don't have the bike anymore and I don't remember for sure what the sizes were. I think 10mm and 4mm are correct, but I can't verify that. It's the same size as a wood screw (deck screw) with a square hole (which I've also used). In the video I mentioned I used a 10mm socket, so 10mm is correct (at 10:05 on the video)
I called it correctly at 0:32, and again at 7:00 and again at 9:25. Where did I call them incorrectly. Intake is on the rear of the engine by the carb, and exhaust is on the front of engine by the exhaust pipe, and I called them correctly. Where did you see me call it incorrectly?
Is there a particular reason you went with 0.04mm intake and 0.10mm exhaust? I followed the recommended 0.08 intake and 0.23 exhaust and now my bike is real sluggish.
I don't know where you got your specifications from, but a 0.23" (not mm) is way, way too loose. Yes, that's the reason your bike is sluggish. The valve is not opening enough and you WILL burn out your exhaust valve. Your intake is also not opening enough so you are not getting enough fuel. I got my specs directly from Royal Enfield.
I would like to respectfully ask why you did that just so I understand your interpretation of why you needed to do that because then it interval that you need to change the valve adjustment setting is every 3000 km you’ve only put 300 miles on your bike your no where’s near having to even consider adjusting the valves on your motorcycle it’s a brand new engine if you have to adjust it at 300 miles then you have something seriously wrong with your motor I’m sorry I’m a mechanic and I’ve never ever heard of anyone adjusting the valves on a motor at 300 miles. And please understand I’m not saying what you did is wrong I’m just asking for more information so I can understand what made you make that decision because you might know something I don’t and I want to be educated because I just picked up a brand new Himalayan and it has less than 150 miles on it and I just wanna make sure I’m not doing something wrong so I’m not saying you’re doing something wrong I’m just trying to make sure that I’m not doing something wrong.
@@roamer7129 First of all, if you follow the forums and watch all the youtube videos, you'll find a LOT of guys check the valves early. And a lot of us find some adjustment is a good idea at that point. I too am a mechanic (for over 50 years now), and I do that with all new bikes, earlier than the factory recommends for two reasons. One is, they may have been improperly adjusted at the factory (yes, I've found that also) and the other is, in case of bad metal in a valve, it will stretch faster than good metal (and we never know where they are buying their metal in these third world countries like India). It's strictly a safety item for guys like me that want them adjusted perfectly. My Himalayan needed a little adjustment (early) on the exhaust, but my new Yamaha XT250 did not (is there a difference between 3rd world country bikes or metal than a first rate country that's making the latest engines? you bet!). Yes, Royal Enfield has been at this a long time. But their engines are 1950s designs. And very poorly designed in my opinion (fuel injection that doesn't automatically compensate for a cold start? ReallY?) and that's why I got rid of it with 1500 miles on it. It's the noisiest engine I've heard in my life. And most of the break downs and maintenance items on them are ridiculous. Things that never happen on a Japanese bike. You are a mechanic and you make your own decisions about maintenance and trusting other people's skills (often poorly trained wrench-turners that really don't understand what or why they are doing (it).). A lot of people find out too late that the valves needed adjusting a long time before it created the problem they have now. It's just smart to check them early. If they are good (within specs, and hopefully on the "more loose" side rather than the "a little tight" side) then don't check them again until the recommended schedule. If they are a little tight, then put them on the loose end of the specs and then you don't have to worry about them until the next scheduled check. (A noisy valve is a happy valve). I'm not smarter than anyone else, but I'm a cautious man. And like I said, a lot of home-mechanics check them early just because it makes sense to do so. Only good can come from too much maintenance.
I know that. We use inches in the US (thousandths of an inch) which means .08-0.1 is .0031"-.0039" (rounded off to .003-.004) here in the US and .0091"-.0098" (we round that off to .010") so .009-.010. A lot of my tools are old and bought long before we used any metrics in the US. My old feeler gauges are marked only in thousandths of an inch.
@@sabithmankada7033 Waiting for the weather to clear up and warm up so I can do a couple more video. I want to film a ride to the Gila Cliff dwellings and I need to do a walk-around showing and discussing all the upgrades. Today I figured out how a 125 lb man can lift a 435 lb bike up on the center stand... and the part I built to do the work.
@@sabithmankada7033 What cog are you talking about? I'm not 100% sure why I chose the Himalayan. I had a Kawasaki KLR650 that was a little too tall for me and it was heavy (but it had LOTS more power). The Himalayan weighs the same, but the weight is down lower so it doesn't feel as heavy, and you don't sit as tall on it. It sits lower, like down in a cradle. I miss the highway speeds, though. This bike is way too heavy for a 411cc engine. RE really should have put their 535cc engine in this with the hydraulic lifters. I don't want to see RE put a 650cc twin in it. It will make it heavier, more expensive and it won't have the long-stroke lugging power of a thumper. So far my experience with the Himalayan has been a mixed feeling. It's a nice looking bike, and it rides pretty good, but not as good as everyone said in the reviews before I bought it. The KLR had a much better highway ride. The suspension was softer, but the seat was harder. The Himalayan suspension is harder but the seat is softer (and I have the touring saddle ordered to try to help it more). Also guys reported being able to run 75 mph all day and even hit 80 mph on their Himalayans, but this is really a 55-60 mph bike, which is too slow for American highways. Going into a headwind somedays I could only get 60 mph with wide open throttle. It's way underpowered. At this point with 1000 miles on it I'm still trying to learn to love it, or even like it. It has the noisiest engine I've ever heard in my life of having owned 56 motorcycles. It sounds like metal-to-metal rubbing of lots of stuff inside engine and sounds like it's ready to blow apart. And it is worst starting bike I've ever owned that has fuel injection. It's colder blooded than my carburetor bikes, giving me multiple false starts when it's cold until you've started it a couple times and keep the idle speed up to 2000 rpm for about a minute before it's ready to idle. I don't believe I'd buy another Indian bike when it's time to upgrade and I'm already trying to decide what I'll replace this with in the next year or two. The new KLR with fuel injection is looking good but I might go with a Honda CRF300L (or a Kawasaki KLX300) if they start making some panniers and things for it to make it into a real adventure bike. the 286 cc engine on that bike is both faster and more powerful than the 411cc engine on the Himalayan, and the bike is a LOT lighter by at least 40 lbs. And the KLX with a 292cc engine and 5 lbs less than CRF might even be a better choice.
@@wolfgang4078 Oh, yeah, we have that "right" also, but it's mostly the "left"! LOL. But we also have the right to die, how about you? All kidding aside, a lot of states in the US have what they call "open carry" rights where we can carry guns on our hips without being concealed. I think all our states have permits for concealed carry, but open carry requires no permit except Texas. Texas gave up their right to open carry to get the concealed carry permit, then they got their open carry rights re-instated, but you have to have a concealed carry permit to open carry. How stupid is that?
@@spydie Many thanks for your answer. what`s about your Himalayan ? I saw, you sold it already, you was not satisfied with the Him ? I have the second one, the first made some problems. warm regards
@@wolfgang4078 Mine didn't break down or cause me any problems. I was just disappointed in Royal Enfield. A third world country still selling 50 year old technology. I hated the noisy engine. It sounded like the rods were ready to go through the case. It had terrible fuel injection. When it was cold I had to hold the throttle on 2000 rpm for 45 seconds before I could let go of it or it would die. Using the bi-starter lever made it worse. All the horror stories of dry head bearings, dry swingarm bearings, bad relays, etc, etc. The Himalayan has a huge cult fan club, and I don't know how it earned that kind of loyalty. It's too heavy and very underpowered. I couldn't even get 60 mph out of it going into a headwind. And I couldn't pick up the damned thing when I dropped it. And I couldn't get it on the centerstand. It really needed at least their hydraulic valve 500 cc engine, but that weight really needed a 650cc single (not the twin they are talking about putting in it). I'm 5' 10" and it was a little cramped seating for me. It made a good commuter bike for urban travel, but certainly wasn't an off-road adventure bike with that lack of power and so much weight. I've heard that the Himalayan is the "bastard child" of RE and the rest of their bikes are much better. But I'm not sure I believe that. I never developed a love affair with the Himi like I do my other bikes. Just too many disappointing features, or lack of features thereof. I've developed a love affair with my W800 and I'm working towards it with the Guzzi, but the Guzzi has to prove itself first (something a Japanese bike has already earned from their impeccable reputation). The Guzzi is supposed to be a 200,000 mile engine, but what about the rest of the bike? A lot of research shows it has relays problems and other similar problems both electrical and mechanical (on the older bikes) a little like RE. Italy is not a third world country but their infrastructure makes them appear to be a third world country. Italy builds very reliable cars and they have built many reliable motorcycles over the years, more so than any other country outside Japan (British bikes and cars were known as "ride them all week and work on them all weekend") and the new Triumphs aren't even British bikes now that they are made in Thailand. And they have problems just like when they were British built. Overall, you can't beat the reliability of a Japanese bike, but I'm hoping the Guzzi will come close. This is the 100th anniversary for Guzzi so you'd think they learned something in 100 years!!! And guys collect old ones and keep them running. Not something that is done much for any other brand, and certainly not RE bikes and seldom Japanese bikes, which in our culture today, are considered disposable bikes.
I've read other places that the exhaust valve should be .023-.025, quite a bit larger gap than you're doing. This is due to the metal expanding from high temps (the intake valve stays much cooler).
Do whatever you want to. I go by factory specs. If you don’t follow the factory specs, you are taking a big chance. With .023-.025 that more than doubles the factory specs of .009-.010 and Your exhaust valve probably won’t open at all, and you should know what the consequences are.
@@spydie My mistake -- I was talking about mm and you were talking inches. Actually it's 0.23mm, not .023mm as I said. Sorry about the confusion. BTW I really like the thoroughness of your video, it will make it really easy when I do mine (waiting for the tools to arrive). Interesting about the CW rotation for the flywheel which is apparently unique to RE. Where did you find the info about the proper rotation?
@@sideskraft The information about the CW rotation was covered on several videos I think from India. I've seen it more than once. I might have seen it in the service manual also. You can find those for free with a little googling.
many reasons as I've outlined several times in my comments to others below. Just too many things I didn't like about it like the terrible fuel injection that won't stay running until the bike is warmed up by holding the throttle at 2000 rpm for 45 seconds before you can let go of it and walk away from the bike without it dying. Way underpowered. Wouldn't even do 60mph into a head wind (and I only weight 125 lbs). Many more reasons.
@@spydie Thanks for the response. I guess I missed your comments to the others . I’ll look at them now. I guess I’m fortunate that my Himalayan does not die on me. It runs pretty well and it’s fun. I call it my little tugboat.. anyway that’s why I was curious about your sale.
@@danreich4320 As long as you like it, it makes no difference if anyone else didn't like theirs. You are the first guy I've talked to that doesn't have a problem with it running cold. It's been reported by hundreds of owners. Even the Interceptor that my friend has does the same thing. 50 year old FI throttle body I guess is the reason. It's not a secret that RE doesn't use the latest technology. It's a third world country and a low production bike. I've also heard that the Himalayan is the "bastard child" of RE and is the worst model they make. I can't verify that because I'll never own another RE. So will yours do more than 60 mph in a 30 mph headwind (very common out here in NM). Or even a 20 mph headwind?
@@spydie Like I said, I was just curious. I’m a curious person. I’m not sure if it would do 50 mph in a 30 mph headwind. But I have two other motorcycles with more HP so I would use one of the other ones. I just use my tugboat for cruising around town at 55 to 60 mph tops. Or running to the corner grocery store. I also take it off road on occasion because I’m not too far from the sierra Nevada foothills. For those things it’s a lot of fun. If you pretend it’s a giant minibike it’s perfect. PS to add: I don’t envy you for having to deal with that wind. I lived in Lubbock Texas for a while and the wind blew constantly. Very unpleasant.
@@stevec-b6214 not true. Mine came loose when I turned it CCW. The manual is correct. Turn it clockwise and the nut won't come loose. Yours may have been tightened more than mine at the factory, but the manual is correct for a reason.
@@spydie if your nut came loose that easy, it is a good job you found out! the thread was manufactured the wrong way round, leaving us with a dilemma we should not have.
I'm a second-amendment fan. And a retired LEO. I carry a gun all the time no matter where I go in the country. I live in a rural neighborhood. No real crime here compared to the cities but there is crime everywhere. You can choose to be a victim or a survivor.
The bike falls apart and you have to junk it! LOL Actually, if you loosen it, just turn it back the other way and tighten it again. I don't what happens if you take the nut all the way off.
@@spydie omg for a sec you have me spooked, that’s exactly what I just did after writing this comment but haven’t fired her up yet, I’m confident I’ll be all good now, I’ve been scared to fuck with it so I haven’t rode in 10 days and I’m dying. 🤞🏻 thanks for the advice homie.
@@indiandiaper I don't know what will fall off if you take the nut off, but most people will realize they turned it the wrong way before they get the nut off! LOL. Good luck.
@@indiandiaper I'm not sure how you can lock the engine so that you can tighten it, but I'm guessing you can put it in gear and lock the brake pedal (rear brake) and that should lock the engine from turning so you can tighten the nut to your satisfaction.
