I think I've sorted out the Norton's starting. The key is just to hold the button in for a couple of seconds at a time - no more - and it starts reliably after 2 or 3 attempts hot or cold. I've just taken the little twin out for its first real (well 25 miles or so) run and it went very well and started first button push after stopping for petrol after 10 miles or so. So I'm very pleased.
It does seem rather under-geared (unless the speedo is reading very slow) as it seems to want to go everywhere in top gear, pulling lustily from an indicated 30 mph. And all the cars on the 50 limited road I was on were doing 40 according to my speedo.....
Brakes excellent, handling up to Norton (though maybe not Featherbed) standard. Gearchange a little clunky, clutch frees well enabling neutral at a standstill from either 1st or 2nd and with no slip. The engine is still rattly.....
It's very well balanced, always nice when you get your feet on the rests as soon as the wheels turn with no wobbling or feeling it's going to topple over.
In fact I was going to take the Bouzuki out but discovered I hadn't quite got the gear lever position right so needs a bit more fettling.
The Yam is going on ebay on Wednesday after I get the new MoT with a starting price of £1,700. I'm now looking for another project. I just missed an interesting pre-war 250 OK Supreme which is just the kind of thing I'd like.
Speedo gearing
Congratulations on getting the Electra on the road.
I've raised the gearing of my Navigator by taking a couple of teeth off the rear sprocket. Its made 50 - 55mph cruising more comfortable. For "around town" riding its hardly noticeable, but I have made some significant modifications to the engine that would help this.
The speedo, I have a 2:1 gearbox and 1600 speedo. Our lightweight guru, Andy S, wrote an article on speedo gearing. If memory serves, I think the article suggested that the bike should have a 19:10 gearbox. After reading this I took the bike for a spin with my cycling GPS device taped to the handlebars. Very close to the usual speed limits, about the width of the speedo needle out, reading slightly over up to about 50mph. Worth checking speedo and gearbox spec?
What tyres are you using? The guy who rebuilt my Navigator fitted Pirelli "City Demons". I find them very fussy with regard to pressure, even a pound or two under pressure spoils the bike. The front tyre only just fits under the mudguard.
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I have to confess.....
... I'm using the tyres it came with - rather old TT100 on the back, ribbed Avon SM on the front. I know new ones would be advisable but these seem fine on dry roads and my days of riding in the pouring rain are over. I have them at 28 psi front, 32 rear.
I'm not inclined to strip the primary drive yet again especially as the starter seems to be doing its stuff well. Are bigger gearbox sprockets available?
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You can go up a tooth
Well done Ian. Your hard labours of winter now turning to miles of summer pleasure. The NOC list a 20 tooth sprocket. 5% difference.
These bikes always sound busy. Here in North Yorkshire with our proper hills it is a pleasure to pull up the gradients in top. So I keep to the standard 19 teeth gearbox sprocket.
I always thought the TT100 profile, a bit "trigonic" in profile, as they claimed in the day, not a suitable replacement for the bog standard 18 x 3.25, or was it 18 x 3.50. Not sure of correct rear profile.
Peter
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....they are under-geared, one tooth on the Gbox helps a lot. One of the first times I gave mine a razz through some local bends, I was always looking for 5th, us coyboys do love paying tunes on the Gbox! But no more gear to come! so up the gearing one tooth and it seems to cope very well.