Hello Chaps.

This is my first post on here so be gentle with me!!

Having always been a Bultaco type of person I decided to go for something a little different this time and whilst browsing my way through ebay decided to take a punt on the bike pictured. An italjet 'Feather' t250/350 (not sure yet)!!

If anyone knows of a simple identification process please let me know.

I bought it 'blind' with the reasurrance that it ran. My intensions were to tinker and fettle the bike up to using in clubman trials and in a few years time go for the full on restoration.

The seller duly delivered the bike and I must say I was pleasantly surprised to see the bike although used was better than I anticipated. There was none of the usual bodges from 4 decades of use. A bit of fresh go juice and away she went although not too happy about it. The owner for ten years prior had used the bike to round up his cows for milking apparently.

Anyway Having gone through the usual routine of plug cleaning,carb emptying I now have a bike that runs as sweet as a nut and rides straight, I took a punt and it seems this time it has paid off at least this time.

I have the dumb question coming now. I have never had any dealings with electronic ignition. As you may be able to see from the attached picture there is a switch with three stages (up, middle and down)! I would like to know if possible what position the switch should be in for starting and running. If any of you kind people have an answer it would be apprieciated.

Signing off Gary.

never seen one of them it looks pretty good

Nice find. I recently rode one of that very model & loved it. Inspired a fair bit of confidence quickly to this 'rusty' rider. Lovely bike for a clubman it seems to me.

I think you'll find that if there's a T2 or T3 on the VIN plate &/or S2 or S3 prefix to engine # that indicates 250 or 350 respectively.

Just don't let the kickstart lever crash into the footpeg when starting or it WILL break the shaft & they're unobtainable.

Enjoy

that switch is not a standard fitment so may be connected to anything, or nothing. Most likely it is an ignition switch so one of the positions is probably "on", and the other positions stop the motor.

As far as I know, the standard ignition for those bikes is just magneto, points, coil type. If so, the ignition switch should earth the primary circuit to stop the motor. Most people use a push button switch or a quick release lanyard switch on the handlebars to stop the motor.

It looks like it has been fitted with an electronic ignition conversion to me. The switch simply switches from electronic to points system, you should be able to tell by the bikes performance.

Jc

It looks like it has been fitted with an electronic ignition conversion to me. The switch simply switches from electronic to points system, you should be able to tell by the bikes performance.

Jc

Pretty sure both mine had points ignition as standard so this would make sense.

Wish I could tell you if it was a 250 or 350 can't mind any differences,but the 250 was much nicer.

As yours seem to have a decompressor it could be the big one?

Looks really nice.

It looks like it has been fitted with an electronic ignition conversion to me. The switch simply switches from electronic to points system, you should be able to tell by the bikes performance.

Jc

I think you may be right on this issue jc. it does run differently (sounds rougher, irregular) with the switch in the down position. With this in mind I assume I should be running with the switch in the 'up' position(sounds dumb I know)!

Thanks GB

Just label the switch "better" and "worse" and you'll always remember what it does!

As an ItalJet-riding mate once advertised on his t-shirt: "It's an ItalJet thing...even I don't understand."

Just label the switch "better" and "worse" and you'll always remember what it does!

As an ItalJet-riding mate once advertised on his t-shirt: "It's an ItalJet thing...even I don't understand."

Good thinking batman!!! I could do with one of those t-shirts as well

Hello shotblast. i can help you with this bike, as i used to own it. The bike is a 350, and has a electronic ignition system fitted to it,but also still has the points system , it can be flicked between the points and electronic as you wish .although it is FAR superior when in electronic position. i cant remember wether this was the up or down position of the switch,but when you ride it you will instantly know .When you start the bike ,you should always start it on the "points", and flick it over to electronic once its running. hope this helps regards fordy ps i still have a new spare electronic unit, if that one fails.

Nice find. I recently rode one of that very model & loved it. Inspired a fair bit of confidence quickly to this 'rusty' rider. Lovely bike for a clubman it seems to me.

I think you'll find that if there's a T2 or T3 on the VIN plate &/or S2 or S3 prefix to engine # that indicates 250 or 350 respectively.

Just don't let the kickstart lever crash into the footpeg when starting or it WILL break the shaft & they're unobtainable.

Mate of mine got a new shaft of e bay month or so ago £50 think someone has had a batch made I will ask him next trial for the details and post them

Enjoy

Do they all have ally spindles and a few nuts? Looking at my recent purchase it looks like they cured lot of the bultaco niggles. dsellorto is good brakes work better and it seems quite powerful.

Pretty sure only the later ones 84 ish had alloy spindles.

The ones with the marzocchi? forks like the one pictured.

I'll have to dig out some old pictures.

Edited November 24, 201312 yr by breagh

Mines. Got bettor forks black side panels but alloy spindles front and rear wheels.

The flywheel isn't much and it revs a lot easier and quicker than a 340 built. Impressed with the build tbh.

I remember getting alloy spindles for an 83 250 so I assume the originals were steel.

I genuinely liked my 250.