Honda-SOHC

my problem is I have no interest in modern bikes except the ones that look like old bikes.I looked at the cl 500 as recommended by Skoti but just too modern. My biking is nostalgia driven, re-living my youth so bikes I have some connection with are the ones I go for, but have to be practical going forward. the enfield appeals as my first bike was a crusader and i like the look. still ok with the weight at the moment. even looked at the 350 hondas and bantams etc but maybe a bit too small as regards engine power. sigh, dont know what to do.

First, and fundamental, is to individually turn each airscrew in isolation with it running once warm and with choke fully off.

If there's not reasonable/perceptible shift in running, for that cylinder, then most/ further settings to optimise will be invalid.

This checks the normal, acceptable presence of the idle circuit function for air and fuel modulation, without which it'll never really run correctly. 

Any fault with this and you'll need to identify exactly what the cause is.

Interesting and thorough overview Dave.

It does come up quite heavy though, something I'd not estimate from its looks. Watching riders move their bikes around at meeting places, Newlands corner etc, and with even a gentle slope on parking, shows that many are apparently at their personal limit when manually moving them. Definitely a consideration in potential purchase decision.

A reference, but not recommendation as only older example available, the original aircooled Ducati Monster id view as pinnacle in manual handling and general design concept for this attribute. 600 to 900 they are all torque biased measured against peer bikes. But, they feel like a bicycle to move them around in pushing or riding them. A real 270 degree twin with all but perfect engine balance, lovely responsive free flowing torque, great sound, almost a perfect motorcycle 

They're a great contrast to those looking for something in contrast to a classic 4 cylinder type bike. Don't know if anyone makes a currently available bike like this.

I was quite keen to buy the 650 a year or so back, however a local dealer (not Enfield) with quite a few on the showroom floor suggested that I push one around, and then put it onto the main stand a few times. It felt very weighty for its size and, when he invited me to try the same with a selection of other bikes on display, my wish to buy went away quickly!

I've owned and enjoyed four CB500/4's over the years, two bought new and two bought used in more recent times.

In my view, if you find it difficult to manage the weight of the Honda, buying an Enfield won't improve matters.

 

Other models as in?

I’d imagine so long as they seal on the needle seat you can adjust the float height to accommodate any difference in length, if any.