LED-ING LIGHTS
I totally agree with Frank’s view about the use of LED headlight bulbs in motorcycles. I have them fitted in three of my four bikes, purely to make it easier for other road users to see me. I also don’t choose to ride at night (that’s when the kangaroos come out to party) but I always carry an original halogen H4 bulb in case I have to. Australian law is ambiguous on the use of LED headlight bulbs, but the reality is that when they are installed with a reflector that was designed for an H4 bulb, the LED beam is unfocused and lacks any cut-off for a dipped setting. They do make for a brilliant daytime running light!
A few years ago I nearly did to a motorcyclist what I have always feared someone might do to me: turn in front of him in a car. It was dull, drizzly weather and he was on a dark bike in dark clothing, dark helmet and no headlight. I just managed to stop in time, but I don’t know who got the biggest fright. I have been super-conscious of visibility ever since.
There are sometimes problems fitting an LED bulb due to the extra length required for the cooling arrangement at the back. I had this problem with a Royal Enfield Electra X, when the bulb fouled the speedo cable in the headlight nacelle. Hitchcocks came to the rescue with a wide, inner headlight rim which worked a treat and facilitated the LED – just.
Talking of modifications to the Electra, it has always been difficult to start. Over the years I have tried different spark plugs, a new ignition coil and a new TCI unit, none of which made much difference. In desperation I even mounted a separate lithium-ion battery wired only to the starter motor, in the naïve belief that the main battery could supply stronger sparks if it didn’t have to turn the engine over. This worked to some extent but it was not a complete cure.
In the end I decided to ditch the PAV, the pulse air valve which adds air to the exhaust gases for more complete combustion. I didn’t really think it would make much difference, but during the process I discovered that the nipple on the carb flange and the head was flopping around, making the joint far from airtight. After copious applications of Araldite, hallelujah! She now starts at the first touch of the button and runs better than ever. Such a simple fix, but so long in the making.
I guess I was fixated on sparks rather than air leaks, which shows the importance of keeping an open mind. Maybe fixing old motorcycles is a metaphor for life? An old friend once described the process as ‘character building’. Perhaps all the time we spend tinkering with old machinery is not entirely wasted.
Keep doing what you do. Realclassic is unique bike magazine.
Keith Mckechnie
Thanks, Keith. Glad to know that only me who ends up in these loops of sorting and … ah … unsorting stuff! At the moment, my RE Muddsman is running well. Hmmm… Frank W