SOLO STARTER
I’ve booted many a Gold Star into life, but that was then, this is now, and the thought of busting my titanium hip trying to kick-start anything over 250cc nowadays just isn’t too appealing.
I’ve been thinking about building a remote starter for a while but, while wombling around the internet looking at starters, I ended up on the Solo site and I have to say, it’s impressive. I’d seen their stuff in the GP paddock at Stafford and they start everything from zingy TZS up to 1000cc Triumph triples. So, do I really want to spend a heap of time (and probably a similar sized heap of cash) making something... and almost certainly remaking it, when I can buy one with a proven track record? I have to admit I was torn, but I decided to bite the bullet and break out the credit card.
A couple of days later my starter arrived, very well packed in a couple of boxes... it’s a chunk! I opted to fit a set of fork lift connectors so that I could quickly move it around and to enable me to store it without having to wrestle the battery every time. This isn’t recommended by Solo I hasten to add, but so far it appears to work perfectly. Time will tell.
A lot of emphasis is placed on battery clout; it needs to have plenty of it as the two starter motors take lots of amps and if the battery is not up to spec, the operating voltage will drop and A) the bike won’t start and B) there’s every chance you’ll hurt one of the motors. Commonsense stuff really but... I always make sure the battery is fresh and raring to go, and go it certainly does!
Starting procedure is simple. Lay out the starter and battery, set the foot-operated switch in a handy spot, away from any moving parts, select second or third gear, and place the rear tyre on the rollers with the bike in line. Clutch in and press the switch, now dump the clutch! Don’t feather it, dump it. The motor will spin over and hopefully start.
One other use that I love about it is that I can pop the plug(s) and with ignition and fuel off I can spool the motor up to check oil circulation. I realise this is quite an expensive item, but now I’ve bought it I’m really glad that I did; it’s safe and effective and as it says on the label, it’s ‘Built By Engineers’. Can’t disagree, storming piece of kit.