All British Rally 2014 - Newstead Victoria

 This year the weather was kind allowing us a great opportunity to visit with our customers and then get busy with some installations. With willing onlookers ready to lend a hand we installed 3 twin systems at our site - all in record time. The rally is a great way for us to see first hand how the ignition works on different bikes and the amazing thing I found was just how quick and easy it is to install - even under less than the ideal workshop conditions. This was our sixth year at the ABR and it just seems to get better and better!

The strange thing about batteries

If batteries just lost a bit of capacity as they aged we would notice this and plan to get a new one in due course. Unfortunately they die in strange ways - sometimes suddenly - resulting in some of the most common troubles with our old bikes.

For info that could save hours of hair pulling tension in the garage .....click the link
Battery article

Red Norton Commando

This sleek and sexy  machine belongs to one of our customers in France. It has all the upgrades and improvements you'd expect from a ground up rebuilt custom without loosing any of the classic appeal of the original bike. Just look at those brakes - this is a serious riders bike!  

Bonneville Bike Blast - 152MPH!

Double Vision #901 built and ridden by Tyler Malinky of Low Brow Customs, shown here in a photo by Jon Glover, uses our Magneto Replacement kit on these 1955 pre unit Triumph motors.

Tyler wrote:

Hey Stephen, successful Bonneville Speed Week with my dual engine 1955 Triumph and your magneto replacement units and ignitions. I beat two records, previous were 128 which I upped to over 140mph, and 135 which I upped to 151.5. Top speed was 152.5mph. Flawless service from your ignitions.

 

 

Shown above is the drive line side and the ignition housings just behind the cylinders. The double output coils on the down tube power 2 sparks for each cylinder. More spark = more speed!

Coils and HT Leads for Norton

Our customers know that in order to get the most from their new ignition system, the coils and HT leads need be up to the job. This photo from one of our dealers (Norcom cycles) shows how it all comes together on the Norton Commando with our IGC-1006 coils and SPL-0002 HT leads. The leads are simply cut to the required length before the plug caps go on - neat and easy!

Aussie Triples Rally 2013 Winning BSA

Travelling 2,000 kilometres by motorcycle is a feat in itself but when the trip is completed on a classic bike then it makes the expedition even more courageous.  This is exactly what Gerry Rowley did in 2012 to attend the Triples Rally when he rode from the Gippsland area of Victoria to Ballina in the Northern Rivers region of NSW where the rally is held annually. He would have repeated the trip in 2013 too but due to various circumstances he ended up taking two bikes on a trailer along with a mate to ride the second one.

This year he brought his 1969 Rocket 3 and his 1969 Triumph Trident T150 to Ballina and both bikes are beauties. Gerry keeps them in tip top condition. Obviously everyone else who participated in the rally thought so too as he took home rally awards for both motorcycles including Best BSA 2013 for the Rocket and Best Drum Brake Trident for the T150.

Gerry says he’ll probably ride up for the 2014 rally because he knows that whichever bike he rides, it will cover the distance without a hitch. He’s that confident because he’s got Tri-Spark digital electronic ignition systems installed on both bikes. Whether he rides one of these bikes or his 1974 Norton Commando 850, which also has the Tri-Spark system installed, he knows he’ll get to his destination no matter how far away it is.

 So delighted is Gerry with the trouble-free riding he now enjoys that when he takes delivery of a Rob North BSA currently being built, it too will have a Tri-Spark system installed before a final tuning on the dyno.  For him a Tri-Spark system has become a mandatory component.

“I tried other units before I discovered the Tri-Spark system and I just wasn’t happy with them,” Gerry explained. “I like to keep maintenance on my bikes to a minimum and Tri-Spark does the trick giving me superior starting and better riding especially on the three cylinder models.”
Gerry says initially Tri-Spark was recommended by another satisfied customer. Since then, he has recommended Tri-Spark to at least three other classic bike riders.

“It’s a very easy system to install so there’s just no reason to put up with inconsistent starting, kickbacks or backfiring.” Gerry said. “I can set out on a trip knowing I can enjoy the ride without a worry.”

Aussie Triples Rally 2013

Our roving reporter Norma Flint attended the 2013 Aussie Triples Rally in Ballina NSW where Tri-Spark was a hot topic amongst rally participants. Riders who had Tri-Spark Digital Electronic Ignitions Systems installed on their bikes were so pleased with the trouble-free riding they were experiencing that they were happily sharing the reason why with other riders.

One of these was Danny Ryan who was delighted with the way his bike had performed on the 200km Saturday ride. He said he’d tried various options in the past before discovering Tri-Spark “but, they just didn’t perform as well,” he stated. 

It was a lucky day for him then when he bumped into Steve and Joanne Kelly at the Triples Downunder Rally some 7 years ago!  He purchased a Tri-Spark system soon after and hasn’t looked back. “Tri-Spark fires individually unlike other options making it much more reliable,” Danny explained.

As a result he now has Tri-Spark units fitted on his 1968 Triumph T150T and his 1972 T150V and more recently, he’s installed one on his 1981 Bonneville and he’s a happy man.“My bikes are easier to start now and run much more smoothly,” Danny said. “Also, when I place an order with Steve a unit soon arrives and they are easy to fit.”

Similar comments were repeated by several of the 55 plus participants throughout the three days of the rally.  It’s good to know that Tri-Spark has improved the riding pleasure for so many classic motorcycle enthusiasts.