ET: Engine (Twin) Starting a twin

[hadronuk]

Amazing how they vary. My Rapide with BTH mag and original carbs needs full choke, throttle fractionally open and to be well tickled. It's a very reliable starter, but only with a hefty kick. I release the decompressor very early, almost as I start to kick.
On the other hand, a very original and well used (6.4 compression?) B Rapide in the Coventry section chuffs into life with just a gentle prod and no enrichment.

 

[Sakura]

No idea what my comp ratio is but it's pretty hard to kick over. I'm no lightweight and can't get it over compression without the valve lifter. This doesn't help starting.

 

[hadronuk]

No idea what my comp ratio is but it's pretty hard to kick over. I'm no lightweight and can't get it over compression without the valve lifter. This doesn't help starting.

Mines the same. I think it's only 7.4 compression but I can stand all my 11 stone on the kickstarter for several seconds. So no chance of starting it without the decompressor.

 

[Robert Watson]

And most of all



Remember



It is a motorcycle




Not a woman




Kick the F'n thing!

 

[BigEd]

You could be right Eddie however with twin decompressors in the heads its easy to open the front one at half lever then find the compression on the back one, pull in the lever completely then you are set.
Lot easier than on the Grid at Snetterton trying to find it for the up hill bump start with all the engines having their last rev up before the quick silence.
What a lot of drama we lost when they allowed running engine starts.

However unless you have two spare plug holes you still have two compressions. Better not to have to find either.

My spec: "B"Rapide, BT-H magneto, 28mm Mikuni carbs.
Cold startup: Petrol on, choke levers pushed down, decompresson lever pulled in, push the kickstart down, release decompression lever towards the end of the swing. If it didn't start 1st of 2nd kick you had the chokes off, the petrol off or you were out of petrol.

Ah, Snetterton with that slightly uphill start to catch out the lazy pusher. Brother John only got caught out once. In mitigation, we had a gearchange problem with the 'beam so he was waiting for the flag to drop with it stuck in top gear.

 

[Pete Appleton]

Hi Peter. BTH "magneto" . No suppression, original KLG caps, brass terminals. Come the summer I will come and let you have a look. Check my I'd!

By all means bring it round. I will be interested to stick the 'scope on the plug leads and see what is happening in the spark department. - Home or work, just let me know that you are coming.

 

[nkt267]

Ah, Snetterton with that slightly uphill start to catch out the lazy pusher. Brother John only got caught out once. In mitigation, we had a gearchange problem with the 'beam so he was waiting for the flag to drop with it stuck in top gear.

I never realised that the start at Brands was on much of a slope till I did the Hutchinson Hundred,think that's right. It took a few pushes to get the Yam going, puff puff pant whew.
The best start at Snetterton was a 2 day meet in the rain. I picked poll position, bump start in the lead dropped the visor on my Bell Star and couldn't see for the next lap.

 

[Sakura]

Bump starting a recalcitrant starter............ Such sweet memories! Just likely to result in bump and topple over now

By all means bring it round. I will be interested to stick the 'scope on the plug leads and see what is happening in the spark department. - Home or work, just let me know that you are coming.

I will do that. It will be interesting to see what sort of spark it's getting at kickstarter speed.

 

[Sakura]

I never realised that the start at Brands was on much of a slope till I did the Hutchinson Hundred,think that's right. It took a few pushes to get the Yam going, puff puff pant whew.
The best start at Snetterton was a 2 day meet in the rain. I picked poll position, bump start in the lead dropped the visor on my Bell Star and couldn't see for the next lap.

And undoubtedly held the lead until you could see?

 

[Bill Thomas]

I never realised that the start at Brands was on much of a slope till I did the Hutchinson Hundred,think that's right. It took a few pushes to get the Yam going, puff puff pant whew.
The best start at Snetterton was a 2 day meet in the rain. I picked poll position, bump start in the lead dropped the visor on my Bell Star and couldn't see for the next lap.

I didn't know you was one of us !, Having seen that piston of your's, I should have known.
Did I ever meet you at the Vine ?, I went there a few times, Did a lot of racing with Dave Jones and the Rose brothers, Dave told me we lost Fred last year, Shame , Nice Bloke. Cheers Bill.