Hitchcocks Forum

Hi all. Mine's a 500cc Classic Bullet (year 2000) with conventional contact breaker ignition. I'm just in the throws of fitting new points and checking the ignition timing etc. It's all pretty straightforward stuff but one little thing puzzles me and I thought I'd called upon our collective wisdom. On the large spring side of the contact set there is a nylon spacing washer (amongst an array of other washers) with a long thin tab dangling from it. I cannot figure out what this long tab is for. At first I thought that it maybe should have been cut off at the factory but it can be seen clearly on the diagram on this web site under 'Technical Notes - Ignition'. Anyone any ideas please? Cheers guys - Riggers.

I received a complete contact breaker set (plate and points) from our hosts, the other day, with the plastic tab facing outwards.



As far as I'm concerned, this is wrong, as I believe the plastic tab is there to protect the points from any grease that is flung off from the felt lobe greasing pad.



Any alternative views?

Some (not all) Bullets with points have metal covers on the contact breaker – you can buy them as an accessory (various types at http://www.hitchcocksmotorcycles.com/ac ... s-ignition ). Perhaps later Redditch models and early Indian Bullets also had a metal cover. I have always presumed that the plastic tab is to prevent direct contact between the live parts of the points assembly fed from the coil and an earth provided by the cover.

Bob's right

Thanks for the comments guys. I think I'll either cut it off or tuck it away somewhere whereit can't do any harm.