Manx GP 2012 Result

Success comes in many forms and for the Steve Robins team with rider Mark Parratt and the Tri-Spark sponsored Rocket 3 it came in the form of finishing what can only be considered an endurance race for these classic racers and placing second without any mishaps.
I would emphasise the endurance nature of this race in the following way. The four laps of the 37.7 mile circuit totalling over 150 miles are raced at an average speed of nearly 100 MPH mostly at full throttle. Mark Parratt's time was 1 hour 32 minutes 37 seconds. (Dave Madsen-Mygdal's winning time was 1:31.21.84.) Congratulations to everybody involved in making this a reality.

More about coils

We get asked about coils - a lot! Customers want to know which coils will work with their electronic ignitions and we are happy to help. Each kit has a particular combination of coils that will work best and we also have coils to suit the original contact breaker ignition. The following is a guide to get started:

Electronic Ignition
Engine       Ignition Kit        Tri-Spark Coils to suit       
Unit Twin    TRI-0005         IGC-1006 (2 required)
Unit Twin    TRI-0005         IGC-2012 (1 required)
Unit Single  TRI-0005         IGC-1012 (1 required)
(Commando, BSA, A65, Triumph, T100, T120, T140, TR7RV, RE Interceptor many others)

Triple           TRI-0001         IGC-1006 (3 required)       (ballast required)
Triple           TRI-0001         IGC-1012 (3 required)       (recommended)
(T150 T160 Trident Rocket 3 Hurricane)

Points ignition only
All models with 12 volt electrics on points ignition use IGC-1012 except where a ballast resistor is fitted (for example late Norton and Triumph T160). If there is a ballast resistor use IGC-1006.

 Key specifications
IGC-1006 1.8 Ohm primary resistance
IGC-1012 3.5 Ohm primary resistance
IGC-2012 3.5 Ohm primary resistance

Red Bobber

With the cold winters in Norway, Gudvin has used his time wisely crafting this one-of-a-kind Triumph bobber based on a 1965 machine. He has the Tri-Spark Classic Twin fitted and loves the clean no black box design. The evolution continues with the addition of the Dual output coil - no wonder this machine must be the envy of Triumph fans everywhere!

Rider Fatigue

Many people think that fatigue involves going to sleep, but for motorcyclists the real problem is a lapse in concentration.
Rider fatigue indicators include:
• Running a bit wide on a corner.
• A couple of rough gear changes.
• Not seeing a sign.
• Day dreaming.
• Dry mouth.
• Stiff joints (neck, knees and wrists).
If you have any signs of fatigue stop immediately and rest.
source: NSW government Motorcycle Riders Handbook
Read more in the riders handbook.pdf

Spark plugs and suppression Q and A

We often get asked about spark plugs, caps, HT leads and spark suppression. This question from Andrew in the UK is a good one.

Q: I have fitted a Tri Spark (Classic Twin) to my T140E but suspect that my standard plug caps and leads may no longer be suitable (both the caps and leads are expanding with heat and the caps keep jumping off the plugs)
Please can you confirm which type of plug and lead I should fit?

A: The plug cap must be a good fit or it will continue to fall off. The ones pictured above from the sets we sell are tight fitting and click positively onto the spark plug. The HT wire is simply cut to length and screwed into the socket for easy connection to the cap.

Q: Are resistor plugs (NGK BPR7ES) OK to use instead of a resistor cap? Yes

Q: My plug wires are copper core.  Is this OK or should they be replaced with carbon core?

A: We don't recommend carbon core leads unless both molded end fittings can be retained. Carbon leads are great for cars but no so good for bikes with high vibration and heat. Cutting carbon leads and fitting universal caps is generally not a good practice. Automotive leads are often odd colours and have unsightly printing down the length.

Q: Can I use Iridium plugs with the Tri-Spark ignition?

A: Some people will claim an improvement changing to iridium. There's no harm in it however for the cost you might be better off to buy 2 sets of the standard type to keep on hand for spares.

Q: Do I need spark suppression with the Tri-Spark ignition?  

A: Spark noise is like the electrical equivalent of a Tsunami or Tornado. The electrical noise interferes with all sorts of electronic items including the ignition and charging systems so it's best to have either resistor type plugs or caps (not both) fitted to your engine to reduce the noise and keep things running smoothly. Keeps your GPS happy too! 

Frank Zappia R3



This very fast 930 Rocket 3 Belonging to Frank Zappia was recently spotted at the Broadford Bike Bonanza. He's been fine tuning the details of this very competitive racer for years now - most recently with all new electrical parts from us. Frank knows his bikes and loves to recommend  and install our ignitions for his mates in the Sydney NSW area.

Plastic cover shows off the Tri-Spark

Magni Rocket 3

This one of a kind racer made by Magni and triple Tecs puts out over 90 HP claimed from the highly tuned Rocket 3 power plant. Handcrafted to suit this engine it displays an attention to detail rarely seen in such builds - we love the signature Magni custom exhaust and hand hammered tank. Just Beautiful!
Click to read more

2012 Manx GP entry

Update from Steve Robins:
Mark Parrett the rider and I spent the weekend at the Beezumph track days and rally in Anglesey a few weeks back, fine tuning the gearbox and other small annoyances. Mark was very pleased with the Rocket 3 now and feels the bike is a much better all-round package than it was 2011, with more attention to detail.

As usual the Tri-Spark fired the bike at the first turn of the rear wheel which is a big challenge for an ignition system with the huge porting on the R3 cylinder head and 33mm carbs, of course with such large carbs the pilot jet is almost ineffective so the ignition has to fire the bike with a huge amount of fuel from the 270 main jets and a very large volume of air passing through. Quick starting capability is of the greatest importance at the Manx GP because of the 240 Km distance covered a refuel at the half way stage is necessary, where the engine must be stopped and restarted after the refuel. Poor starting in pit lane can cost the race during this exercise.

There is a lot more competition this year in the Formula Classic race this year with six Triples entered, a few Honda 4s and at least two Norton Commandos, but even with this competition we are confident and looking forward to what we hope will be a successful two weeks at the Manx and bring home the win in the Formula Classic race again on the Tri-Spark powered BSA Rocket 3.

Best regards

Steve Robins (aka) Snibor

picture courtesy of  DJG Photography +44 7791647414

Customer Ride

Ted Stanley's unrestored 1974 850 Commando.

Ted says "I installed the Tri-Spark system about 8000 miles ago and all those have been trouble free miles.

Fuel consumption has been about 48-52 mpg during this time and I didn't even use a timing light on installation - Just used your handy built in timing LED .Bike starts first kick and has a ton of power. Couldn't be more pleased.

The backdrop for picture is the local harbor where I live on Whidbey Island, a smaller island in Puget Sound about an hour north of Seattle, Washington.

Thanks again for a great product which has proved itself over and over."

Cheers.

Ted Stanley, Vice president Northwest Norton Owners Association.

Desert Sled

The June 2012 issue of Classic Bike, which sells around the world, has a feature on a Triumph twin that runs our complete Tri-Spark system.

It's written by Australian motorcycle journalist Hamish Cooper. He bought a wreck of a 1966 Triumph Bonneville chopper from Murray's Britbikes, which stocks our electronic systems. Over 18 months he rebuilt this junker into a "desert sled" using period parts. But there were two areas he didn't cut corners on: the ignition and carburetion. Here's a extract from the feature:

 To ensure clean running I got the Monobloc carbs resleeved and bought an entire ignition system (coils, rectifier, electronic ignition) from the Australian Tri-Spark company.....

..... After a few hours of running in around a farm property I took the Triumph to a Vinduro event and it performed faultlessly. It started easily and chugged from low revs, even with twin carbs. This proves that the decision to fit fully rebuilt carbs and a complete new ignition system was the right one.

Modern fuels often don’t agree with old British engines so you need every bit of help you can find.

Motorcycles Classics: Tri-Spark Installation on the Norton Commando

A must read for Norton owners - Motorcycle Classics contributor Keith Fellenstein of Geezer's Garage in Lawrence Kansas has put together an incredible How to article for the Norton Commando installation. This is one of the best we've seen, complete with clear and accurate photos by Keith and copy written by editor in chief Richard Backus.

click here to read the article

Keith is also the happy owner of a Tri-Spark powered '74 Trident which he claims starts first kick every time with the proper tickling (don't we all!)

Thanks for permission to share this with my readers

Negative Earth (Ground) Q & A

Q- In a recent email Bill Dawson says "the ignition seems to be wired for positive earth with the ring terminal on the red wire going to the pillar bolt for the earth connection".

A- The ignition is wired for positive earth but it will work either way by changing the connections - the wiring diagrams are supplied in the kit for both positive and negative earth.

On this subject we often get asked if the voltage regulators will work for negative earth. The single phase and the three phase regulators are made so that the case is isolated from the internal connections so they can be used on positive or negative earth machines.

We also get the odd email asking if there are any advantages to converting the machine to negative earth. The idea is that this is more common and therefore the better way to go. I feel that keeping the wiring stock is probably the better way to go - that way anyone working on the bike in the future can follow the wiring diagrams in the manuals if they need to make repairs. Either way the machine will run just the same.

Tri-Spark Classic Twin Installation

Watch this and see how easy it is to install the Tri-Spark Classic Twin ignition in a '73 Triumph TR7RV. Note this video is a few years old - colours and finishes are different to our current production parts.

Tri-Spark Starting up T160

Watch this humorous demonstration by one of our New Zealand customers as he fires up the T160 for the first time with Tri-Spark Ignition.

Neitzert Racing Triple

This machine ridden by proud owner Bernd Neitzert is crafted to perfection with only the best components from around the world. The competitive nature of racing means that each part must function at peak performance for the machine as a whole to be out in front - safe - and reliable. We are pleased to play our part in so many success stories in the classic triple racing world. 

Triple Brew Racing

 

Long time customers Ian and Grant of Triple Brew Racing in the UK once again have their outfit racing in the UK this year. After a few years of development they are confidently making gains in their class - watch for these guys at the UK classic race meetings. 

Grant: "many thanks - we recommend your briliant system all the time"

Custom BSA Tracker

This exceptional piece of handiwork comes from one of our first customers based in New Zealand. He has hand crafted his own parts and modified others to fit so that nearly ever component is custom. Mike says  "the standard oil filtration on these bikes is designed to trap sparrows, bits of piston or con-rod and slow moving boy scouts. Anything smaller is considered acceptable. Not now tho’! I have mounted a paper type unit tucked up under the swing arm pivot and plumbed that in with big sized tubes. Now the oil will be properly filtered and the motor will not need to accommodate the ‘soup’ that originally would have passed through its vital organs."  I like the way this one stays true to the style and the updated technology looks as if it grew there....nice

Left Over Wires

A common question we hear has to do with wiring and left over wires. With electronic ignition the condensers are no longer required so they can simply be removed and the wires taped up to the adjoining wiring loom. If you have any doubts about the wiring we suggest you bring in a specialist or check with your local bike club for someone who's installed electronic ignition before.

Timing Tip

If you get your new ignition system on the bike and it wont start, one of the most common problems is easy to spot. After you've gone through the usual checks on fuel and compression and battery voltage and you're still finding the engine only backfires, this can be a sign that the timing is out of sync by 360 degrees. This might sound odd after carefully checking and rechecking the alignment of all the timing marks but it's easily done and also easy to fix. Just go back over the installation making sure that the number 1 or timing reference cylinder is on the Compression Stroke when aligning the rotor in the static timing procedure. You can double check this by ensuring both the intake and exhaust valves are closed when rotating the engine to the static timing position. Hope that helps.....

Where we're exhibiting in April

Our first exhibition for 2012 will be at the Honda Broadford Bike Bonanza running from 6-8 April at Broadford in Victoria. Check out our site in the road race area for new products and displays. Hosted by Motorcycling Australia, you can find out more about this great family oriented event on their website www.ma.org.au




We're also participating in the All British Rally again this year which is at Newstead Racecourse Reserve in central Victoria from 28-29 April. Come and check out our site - we will have some new products and displays for our 4th appearance at this event hosed by the BSA association. check out their www at www.bsa.asn.au

Triple Racing in Europe

Out in front is our customer Berni riding the x43 which is running second place in the German Historic x class racing. He has a number of Tri-Spark systems in his triples which he believes are the best in the world (we like to think so too!) and recently finished a Rob North which again has the Tri-Spark ignition. His Philosophy is to keep all the parts the same on his bikes so he can swap them around in case of an accident - sounds like a great idea!

Bonneville Phil

Phil likes to get around to bike shows like the Bombala Bike Show where his Bonneville won best British this year.

You wouldn't be alone if you were wondering where Bombala is - I'm guessing that would be somewhere near his home in Canberra here in Australia.

Phil adds that it does get ridden regularly and other riders watch with envy when his Tri-Spark powered machine fires up with one half-hearted kick.

We love to hear from our customers so keep those photos and stories coming in!