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By Daiwiskers
#85961
Hi John
I have a monobloc on asbo 30 so the settings will be of no use to you
But if running weak mid range I would go down half on the slide if you have a 3.5 drop to a 3 the needle has more effect at higher throttle opening say about 2/3 throttle the slide will come into play from just above tick over to about 2/3 throttle
Hope this helps Dai
PS the reason I said my settings won't help is I have a 389 fitted and I am sure you will have a 376
Cheer's Dai
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By windmill john
#85975
Thanks for that Dai.
The other day, I raised the needle one notch. Definite improvement mid-range, but a bit of a bugger to start. Wondered if it's gone too rich, so will be fiddling on Saturday, haven't had the chance this week.
I am guessing it is 376, I haven't been inside, but that's what I think Hitchcocks site suggests.

I'll see what happens on Saturday. It wouldn't idle either after the change, so pretty sure that just raising the needle and not touching the throttle, I'm rich; the carb that is!
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By Wheaters
#85990
Unless you're trying to start the bike with the throttle held open (not recommended on a 4 stroke), the jet position won't affect the mixture.
By Daiwiskers
#85993
Just had another thought
Bikes with monoblocs fitted don't like starting on the side stand
With mine the center stand is fubard so I lift it upright then flood it before resting back onto the side stand and kicking
It's all to do with the fuel level in the float chamber
Hope this helps Dai
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By windmill john
#85994
It does seem very critical to exactly where you have right hand at start up.
I know a lot of people say there’s a knack.... they’re not kidding!

Bear in mind I haven’t had him long, he can start first kick many times.

When I first got him I played with the mixture screw.... wasn’t ready for the grief trying to start after that. I cracked that with a little time on a warm run, stopping, tweaking, until at the best setting. I have to say it’s very easy to upset the running with this carb.

If he was my only bike and used every day for commuting, at this stage I might look at a different carb; money not withstanding. But I haven’t finished fiddling yet. On my Bings on my old Airheads, I used to make sure each carb was right and not rely on one carb to drag the bike along whilst the other carb wasn’t pulling its weight. It’s easy to let a carb slip into a state of, erm, blocked jets etc.
By Daiwiskers
#86000
Today's petrol doesn't help either going off as quickly as it does
Then there's the wet sumping (hence the smoke and oil leaks when starting after a few days of being stood)
If you think of the bike as a 60s classic they're pretty good but can be a shock when you're used to more modern bikes
The bike was designed back in the 50s when people would have had one vehicle that would have been used every day for work and pleasure people would have learned very quickly all the little things to make it easier to live with
Luckily we have forums and the like to pick up all the ideas
Keep smiling Dai
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By windmill john
#86001
Totally agree with what you said.
If you think about it, we should be committed!
Why don't we all have as new as possible, turn the key and go.
I love the fact that I have to think carefully about throttle position, have I taken it just over top dead centre etc.
I need to know what happens when you turn a key.
But then again, would I have felt the same way in my old job with a 52 mile round commute plus other journeys when there.
I'm glad I am now in the position not to rely on just one bike.
But I also remember having just one bike and that was for commuting and pleasure.
I do my own tyre changes, but that is a grind.
Re the forum, I remember 40 years ago, writing to motorcycle mechanics help page and waiting two months for an answer. It's hard imagine that now with the Internet.
John
By Daiwiskers
#86007
Motorcycle mechanics and workshop manuals taught me more than school ever did I left school not able to read or write now I'm dyslexic then I was considered thick
Fair enough I still find punctuation difficult but I can get by
Oh well never mind my sig states dyslexic Dai but my sig doesn't seem to work not sure anyone else's does either
Cheers Dai
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By Wheaters
#86013
In our English literature lessons (in the late 1960s/early 70s) we often had to read parts from a Shakespeare play around the class, which I found very boring indeed.

We were reading "A Midsummer Night's Dream". I was allocated a part to read but I kept missing my cue.

Unknown to me, the teacher (a willowy blonde), slowly sneaked up behind me to find out why.

She suddenly reached over my shoulder and fished out the copy of "Motorcycle Mechanics" that I was also reading. :shock:

To my surprise she found it rather funny and being a good sort she gave it back to me at the end of the lesson! :oops:
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By windmill john
#86024
Well, 42 years after starting to ride and fiddle with bikes.... I’ve used a Colortune.

I knew my idle was rich, needing a lump of air to start. Then I raised my needle and now harder to start unless I gave it even more air.

So I could have just sat there tweaking, but as a neighbour had a colortune he bought 40 years ago.... what the heck...

Warm up ride, Colortune in, richness confirmed, adjust to still a tiny bit on the rich side for safety.... lovely.

I’ve had a lot of bikes. That’s not a boast, probably a sign of insanity and I’ve never used a Colortune, I’ve always been pretty okay at setting up carbs by feel, sound etc.

Still, as I didn’t have to pay, it just saved some time.

More importantly, my neighbour said keep hold of it :D it’ll come in very handy when I set up my 500T carbs.

I’m sure there maybe some comments. I can see one doesn’t need a Colortune, but it was good to use, saved some time and gave me an accurate setting and starting easier without a dollop of air needed.

John

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