Hitchcocks Forum

hi all electra experts,the bikes now up and running although at this time of year i can,t get an m.o.t ! heres the question are these bikes bad for back firing ?the compression is a leg breaker (not good with bad legs)gingerly kicking gives a bad back fire i,m thinking mr h,s stepped keys may ease this situ ,i also need a 7/8ths decomplever so that i can ease over comp before the big swing can,t wait to hit the highway possibly to hell atb paul.

Sorry Paul, can't help much, never go my head around the bobo valve lifting device, and you are right they take a lot of getting over TDC without a decomp. If you put it in gear and roll it backwards till it starts to come up on compression it should be ready to kick over, great if it starts first kick, pain if it doesn't

Hi Paul. Yes! These bikes nearly always backfire if they are not kick started on TDC, or slightly past TDC - mine does anyway. Any slightly bad connection anywhere in the ignition circuit (plug lead, connectors going into TCI unit, three yellow alternator wire connector block, etc.)will also result in backfiring.

Hi Paul, yes the Electra is higher compression than the iron engine models. They take some kicking over and that is one of the reasons why they came as standard with E/start.
Some people have been removing the starter motor and associated paraphanalia due to sprag clutch issues but, IN MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, these issues are totally and completely eliminated by fitting the WS green TCI unit which stops kick-back / back firing.
If you fit one of these you probably won't require the stepped keys (unless you think that the timing is really so far out), and you can consider refitting the E/start.
I replaced my sprag and fitted the green TCI (along with a new battery) and it has not kicked-back or backfired since. I would never consider ruining the future value and useability of my Electra XS by ripping out the E/start.

Hi Guys-----------GRUNDA, glad to hear it's all done---my that was a "Quickie" and no mistake !! NORM, back in the day when ALAN R was a tad younger he had half-shares in a 500 JAWA Speedway bike running on straight Methanol with a 15:1 CR...Pulling it backwards onto comp. then a running, bump-start was the only way to get it going.... Def. NO motorised rollers in those days, just a couple of trainee apprentices.... Nowadays I need a "BUMP" just for a "JUMP" ??????--- Hmmm.

thanks guys ,stu i can,t fit the electric start i,ve junked everything redesigned the primary case with a substance made in barnsley!!green tci may try that will go round with toooth comb just ordered a decomp lever off my buddy in india,i must admit that push rod adjustment is fiddly i,ve got mr h,s adjusters fitted for non jump off,i ve been in the garage for the last few days and i must offer my sincere thanks to norm ,for the torque values and oil type etc can,t say its been built to a book as i havn,t got 1 if i keep it i might like it butit may wind up on ebay with a new mot ,on another note all gaskets were fitted with a smear of grease,no leaks composite head gasket was fitted with a light smear of welseal atb paul.

forgot to mention that the electric start was removed in ogri,s ownership due to the gears loosing their teeth!!atb paul.