Messages

 ...genius!  I'll try that first and come back with more questions when I screw it up.

Re-doing my throttle cable using the Venhill custom cable kit (OEM is too long with clubman bars), but having trouble locating a 3-way throttle cable splitter box/junction to work with the 2 carbs + oil pump. Seems my options are:
1) find a 3-way splitter
2) use a 4-way splitter (with only 3 of the splits being utilized)
3) modify the OEM splitter

Option #1 would be the easiest, but I can't seem to find any except for an Amal 244/2080 splitter https://steadfastcycles.com/products/copy-of-junction-box-splitter-triumph-norton-bsa-amal-throttle-cable-union-244-104-1-2 - maybe that will work?

Option #2 is easier to find, but not sure if using just 3 of the slots would cause splitter to pull the cables unevenly.

Option #3 may work but I haven't opened it up yet so can't tell.  Looks like it's held together with some rivets, so would have to grind these off then figure out how to re-attach it after I make the new cables.

Has anyone had to do this before and have some ideas?

Related but unrelated question:  do Spec II's tend to have a more baritone growl (relatively speaking for 2 strokes) as compared to the "hornets in a coffee can" buzz of other pipes (for ex, JL)?  My older Spec IIs don't have that high of a pitch and wondering if that's just a characteristic of all Spec IIs.

...what would you buy?  Spend it all on one higher end piece of equipment? Get a few small, cheap Amazon specials from China (drill press, bench grinder, etc)? Extensive set of hand tools?  Let's say you'll mainly be using it for, I don't know, say, restoring an old motorcycle.

Got to take a nice ride today since the weather was "nice" (43 degrees). And now my face mask smells like 2T oil. Ahhh!!!

I've had the best luck with PJ1 Fast Black, but DON'T buy off Amazon - I think vendors there are selling old cans that are kinda clumpy and don't spray properly. 

I have not had luck with VHT - sprays and covers fine but seems to chip off easily even when I follow the instructions to the T.

Those $15 Huskys seem to provide the same or more protection than some moto gloves 2-3x the price.  I've seen other work gloves lined with Kevlar (which I don't think I've seen in a moto glove), which seems useful if you're sliding down the road with your palms down, still for less than moto gloves with basic protection.

Anyone use or have used work gloves for riding gloves?  Yes, I know that $300 moto specific gloves with all the high tech armor is better, but I'm curious whether people think a work glove could be passable or have used em themselves.  I have a moto-specific summer glove and a heavy winter glove, so was looking for something to use in transition seasons, which took me down a rabbit hole. Looked at the Lee Parks Designs elkskin gloves, then the Aerostich versions. Then read that Aerostich was made by a company Geier so looked at those. Then just started looking at driver/roper gloves generally and came across these $15 leather kevlar-ish lined gloves from Galeton: https://www.galeton.com/rough-rider-reg-cut-resistant-leather-driver-gloves/2506-product/ and the upgraded version with knuckle protection for $24 https://www.galeton.com/rough-rider-reg-flakbak-trade-cr-impact-protection-and-cut-resistant-leather-driver-gloves/2514-product/

Crossover tube connected?

Can you post photos/videos of how your carbs are set up?

I'm sure one of you guys was JUST about to mention this one, but this Bollywood movie Rama o Rama features the main character riding 3-4 different Rajdoot RD350s. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KO0VONG7pg

And teaches a very valuable riding technique in the first scene - if you brake hard and pretend there's an animal crossing the road you can get some extra love from the lady on the back! Just don't overdo it or she might catch on.

Well, the stupidest mistakes are sometimes the easiest to fix. 

Turns out I was just sitting in a false neutral between gears - rocked the bike back and forth and dropped to actual neutral and the light came on as it should.  But still glad I asked the question here since you guys confirmed my wiring was done correctly, so thought to double check the basic stuff before chasing imaginary gremlins.

Have my new Vape all hooked up and working 

I have it hooked up via the relay so the stock switches work.  That's all working fine, but the one thing I can't figure out is how to get the neutral light working again.

I made a new wire and screwed it into the neutral plate (see photo), and ran the wire behind the vape, through the grommet hole and back towards the fuse box.

On the other end, I put in a bullet connector and connected it to sky blue wire (see photo) that the original neutral wire was connected to.  I thought this would do the trick, but no luck.  What am I missing here?

I'll be installing my new Vape ignition over the next few days (merry christmas to me!) and was reading through the instructions in preparation.

The instructions at one point say "Do not use spark plugs with an intern suppression resistor. NGK (e.g.) offered such spark plugs coded with an "R" (for resistor)".  Seems pretty clear. 

But, later on, it says "You should have received the HT Cable with the fixed rubber cap (which does not contain a resistor) as a part of the kit, you should have to use a spark plug with an inbuilt resistor (or replace the cap with the one containing a resistor) to comply with your local laws (Electromagnetic compatibility requirements)".  Hmm  so does that mean I should use a resister plug?

Then later, it says "Do not use a spark plug cap(s) containing a resistor WITH a spark plug(s) containing a resistor at the same time", which seems to imply it's ok to use a resistor plug as long as I don't also have a resistor in the plug boot (which I suppose would only be the case if I were to ditch the Vape-supplied plug boots and use my own, which I am not doing).

So, resistor or no resistor spark plugs?

If no resistor, any suggestions on brands, since those B8ES NGKs are a scarce commodity these days?

I use these numbers posted by 1976RD400C as a baseline for judging whether my head temperatures are in the right ballpark:

Here's what my CHTs read on my stage II 400 with B9 spark plugs
       start up and go putt putt for 1.5 miles        160
       back road cruising                                     275
       hooligan                                                   335
       took it to a few track days                          310   maybe because it has more air rushing past the cylinders
       max I ever saw                                         340

     Noticed there can be up to 15 degree variance between the 2 cylinders and can't figure out why. I think because the sensors are touching the actual spark plug there may be a slight difference in way the plugs shed heat??? Maybe I'll try switching the plugs and see if the symptom follows???

http://www.2strokeworld.net/forum/index.php?topic=1752.msg16164#msg16164

In addition to what everyone else said:

• put the air filter on - it's gonna run lean if you run the bike without it (unless you've up-jetted to compensate)
• either way, do a leak down like suggested (the way the revs were increasing in your video sounds like an air leak)
• did you check timing?
• are you getting spark on the left side if you rotate by hand (take plug out of cylinder but keep it in the boot, make sure it is rested against bare metal to properly ground, turn key and ignition switch, then rotate the crank slowly using the kick start or wrench on the left-side crankshaft bolt)?
• did you try swapping coils?