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happyhenry

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  1. P.S. The seat-tank units do come up occasionally - mainly in US eBay. Paul Cowley at Shedworks (www.shedworks.net) makes a very nice looking slimline tank-seat unit (same style but the slimline Sherpa T type from the same era) in E-proof fibreglass and will do one in red or blue.
  2. Well, you asked... It's a 1972 bike with matching numbers. Apparently it came into the UK in a container-load of knackered dirt bikes from the US. I bought it "part restored" from a contact of a friend of a friend, but when I got into it I realised it had more issues than a contestant on The Apprentice. A lot of polishing had gone on, quite a few bits such as brake linings had been sourced but worrying things such as the head nuts were finger tight. It was evident that the crank was well out of balance as the flywheel motions were elliptical, nothing inside the engine cases had been touched and the frame had been badly over painted in Hammerite - though I knew that. And the new shocks were fitted upside down. As a result I took the decision to strip it right down and put it back together properly. I'm not one for over restoration, with bikes looking ten times better than when they came out of the factory, but this one does now look presentable with some patina still showing. The list is a long and frightening one, but includes: new big-end kit with the crank put back straight; re-bore and piston; new main bearings; crank seals (obviously) and careful re-assembly including In Motion electronic ignition. (I first fitted an Electrex World system with which there were absolutely no signs of life. Internet research and a few phone calls revealed that this isn't an uncommon occurrence. Lesson: "what at first appears to be a bargain often isn't.") I had the frame powder-coated and put the whole bike carefully back together. Had to have a new front wheel spindle machined as you can't get the old pattern any more. Wiring is simple and the direct lights work - after a fashion. The tank didn't even smell of vaguely petrol and had no soft spots, so I cleaned it and lined it myself with a two-pack resin system from Tank Care Products. It's had half a tankful in it for over six months and appears fine, though I'll now drain it when not in use. I've put stick-on silver heat insulating panels on the underside as an added precaution. Had to do a few small fibreglass repairs to the seat area before spraying and lacquering it myself with Apico paint. Not perfect but good enough for me. From the limited (5 minutes) I've had it running I am happy except that the gear selection is pretty stiff, but I hope that's because the clutch is dragging - hopefully through lack of use. The basket is an old version with cups and pins, rather than threaded adjusters, holding the springs in. Absolute b**stards to get in and means there is no easy adjustment other then the actuating rod. I have a dating letter from Bultaco UK and now I just need to MoT it to apply for an age-related plate! What could possibly go wrong?
  3. Here are a couple of photos - hopefully... The middle silencer is a Sammy Miller product, I have the original but need to learn to weld before cutting it open to repack it. I found that the reproduction ones for sale don't have the correct indent in the back for the Model 85 frame member.
  4. Thanks for the quick responses Ibhbul and guys. However, after an afternoon of frustration I've found the answer! All I needed to do was to ask the question on this forum, then to go and sit down in the garage facing the bike with a mug of Yorkshire Gold tea and two milk chocolate Hobnobs. After I had composed myself, I give the carb a good tickle and kicked it over on half throttle. It kicked back and I knew I had it on the run. Next kick it started! And has done first or second kick since. I have no idea what the issue was previously - perhaps oil settled out in the carb, who knows? Being the owner of a couple of older two-strokes I know they can be fickle at first, but generally behave if run regularly. This one probably hasn't been started for 20 years; the tank didn't even smell of petrol when I bought it. I must say the l/h kickstart doesn't help, but I'm getting used to it. Just got to MoT it and get a registration number now!
  5. Or even Help! Non Starter... Any hints or tips on how to start my M85 Alpina gratefully received. I have rebuilt this bike over a period of time including new big end, conrod crank balance, bearings, crank seals, rebore, piston, Inmotion electronic ignition etc etc. Crankcases carefully reassembled to avoid leaks. The carb has been rebuilt with new jets, needle and gaskets. 50:1 mixture. Fat spark when pumped over by hand with the plug out and loads of compression with it in. New NGK BP5ES plug. All looks good but no signs of life at all: Not a single cough, fart or sniff. I've even taken the l/h footrest off to get a longer swing with the kickstart. Just about at the end of my sweaty tether. Any ideas?
  6. Nigel - as I said, I don't need a speedo for the MoT. They aren't part of the test because if they were then every MoT station would have to have a legally calibrated rolling road. The only people who have the kit are VOSA. FB - thanks for the offer. I need something self-powered as the lighting is now 12V AC direct. That's why I'm looking at bicycle units.
  7. I'm struggling to get the speedo sorted out on my Model 85 Alpina. It's getting too difficult to get a working one. Original mph ones are impossible to source. I'm thinking of ditching the rear-wheel speedo drive unit and putting in a spacer (In Motion type). I will need a speedo once I get it road registered - although it's not an MoT requirement it is a legal requirement. In theory, for a bike with a lighting system it needs to be illuminated - but I'm willing to take a risk on that one. There are loads of bicycle speedos about - anyone got a recommendation? Henry
  8. Problem solved for the moment by fitting a Sammy Miller centre box for the M80 (same frame as my M85). Had to make a bracket, fiddle about with the header and make up a connector for the triangular rear box. But it wasn't an expensive purchase, it's easily repacked and it doesn't look out of place. Buys me time to sort out cutting open the original at my leisure.
  9. Did mine today for the first time. I followed Toms excellent instructions above - having read the other thread as well. After fitting new points, condenser and HT coil, I struggled a bit with the points gap as the tapered sections on all my feeler gauge sets are too wide to fit through the window and reach the points! Managed it in the end by butchering/adapting a set. I set the timing using the simple TDC gauge, not a vernier one, being careful to rock the piston back and forth through TDC so that I got the exact point. I then marked it by pulling the plunger out and sticking a sliver of masking tape on it, dropping it back in and repeating and adjusting until the top of the tape was level with the holder top at TDC. Viewing from the same angle by making sure I looked straight across the top of the holder. I then carefully measured and stuck another piece of masking tape on the plunger so that the gap between the two was 2.5 + a bit mm. I used my multimeter as a buzz box between the black wire and earth to get the timing right. Must have had the flywheel on and off 10 times. From being a reluctant sod with an intermittent spark, the bike now starts second kick every time and sounds fine. Lesson learnt - get an old flywheel and chop the centre out. It must make life so easy! Henry
  10. Patrik (and anyone else who has been following this - and hasn't yet lost the will to live...), Having installed new points, condenser and HT coil and using a auxiliary fuel bottle, I got the bike running today - it starts second kick every time much to my amazement. Lights and kill button work, the horn doesn't - but hey, I'm making progress. However, the brake light is still permanently on - until I press the brake pedal - when it goes out!! I wonder if the original Bultaco brake light switch was normally made (closed) and opened when switched. This would explain the peculiar wiring as the current normally took the easy route through the made (closed) switch, and was forced through the brake light bulb when the switch was activated and the 'easy' circuit was broken. I will experiment tomorrow by reversing the direction of the switch to face backwards, towards the rear wheel spindle so that it is held in the made (closed) position until the brake is applied and then the circuit is broken - and the light comes on! What could possibly go wrong? Left- handed kickstart; right handed prop stand; backwards electrics - it all makes sense now! Cheers Henry
  11. Thanks Patrik, I have the resistor as in your picture and now understand how it is meant to work. You are right, this is a crude system. I will carry on to see if I can make this work as designed - otherwise I'll look for an alternative method. Thanks for your help. Henry
  12. Hi pschrauber, I may be confused here because I'm used to wiring older bikes that have rectifiers, regulators and batteries. I'm not used to AC direct lighting - though it should be simple because it is still only about making circuits. I have wired my Alpina exactly as the diagram and have only managed to run the bike for a short time before losing all spark. I have a brake light switch attached to a bracket on the left hand side of the swinging arm and activated by a spring attached to the rear brake rod - there is no cable on this model. There is no doubt that the brake light is in circuit all of the time. It seems that you are saying that the resistor 'eats' the current to stop the brake light illuminating and that the brake switch bridges the resistor to allow the brake light to illuminate. If this is the case, then the resistor is providing no protection for the brake light bulb. I thought it was there to do that job, not to act as a permanent heat sink to be bridged only when the brake is applied. No wonder they have a reputation for failing. Additionally, the green (power) wire from the alternator makes the ignition circuit. With no lights it would be 'earthed' to the body of the HT coil. With lights it is 'earthed' via the resistor to make the ignition circuit complete. If the resistor fails then there is no ignition - except via the brake light bulb when the brake pedal is compressed?! I need help to get my head around this! Henry
  13. I am currently putting my Model 85 Alpina on the road and have wired it from scratch as the diagram above - which is basically what is in the Alpina manual supplied by Bultaco UK. However, I can't for the life of me see how this circuit makes the brake light work - it is on all the time (at full power) because the circuit is never broken by the brake light switch. The resistor is bypassed, the green is constantly connected to the bulb, as is the earth through the lamp body! The brake light switch merely duplicates the bulb circuit in parallel. Surely, the brake light switch needs to make and break the green wire between the resistor and the light unit. in which case the resistor is in parallel with the brake light bulb when the circuit is made by the switch. Which should reduce the peak voltage to the bulb. In addition, the green wire - which is the earth end of the ignition circuit, is earthed solely through the resistor. Which is known to be a dodgy old item in the first place! I'm more than tempted to splash out on the Electrex system and have a regulated 12V AC lighting circuit as well as electronic ignition. But the £230 price tag is a bit salty. Has anyone got a brake light to work using this wiring diagram?
  14. Thanks b40rt, I've spoken to Dave at InMotion. He doesn't have one and doesn't know when his supplier is manufacturing any more of them. I've also tried Romeromoto and Frankiemountain in Spain - neither of them have one at the moment. I've got a feeling that I'm going to have to cut the back out of mine, knock the dents out, repack it and weld it back together again. I'd prefer to experiment on a spare or find a new(er) one that doesn't need the work. An alternative may be to buy a later plain-backed one and try to reproduce the recesses in the rear and top by the careful use of some heat and a persuader. Could be an expensive experiment though. H
  15. Hello all, I'm new to this forum and I'm hoping that dipping my ladle into the deep pool of knowledge here will yield a result. I'm restoring a 1972 Model 85 Alpina (250) - which is similar to a Model 80 Sherpa but with a larger tank, seat and higher gearing, and I'm looking for a centre silencer. From the Parts Book: "Silenceiador de escape - Articulo Part No: 80.17-006" - it must be the one with the indentation in the rear to clear the frame member and not the later one with the plain back. There are plenty of new plain-backed units for sale, but I can't find any of the earlier ones. Does anyone know where I can lay my hands on one? I do have a fairly shonky one, which will need some major surgery to re-pack and straighten out - I'm just trying to avoid all that work by sourcing a 'new' or better secondhand one. Cheers Henry
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