Electric leg?

[Joolstacho]

Into my 4th score years, fairly rattly ol' bones, 3/4 lungs -emphysemic at that, and maybe a little money coming my way soon, has had me thinking.
That new Enfield twin looks pretty good. And I have a sweet '89 Suzi GS500 that really does everything I need, with all the functional simplicity of an aircooled twin, and performance that any RGS could only dream about. BUT... Something's missing! My SR.
Steve McFarlane's electric start A10 modification looks terrific, a pretty good proposition surely. Not cheap, but.
Can I get reactions from people who've done this mod?
Am I going troppo? (Alright I can answer that myself!)

[chaterlea25]

Hi Jools,
I have the kit here waiting until my new knee permits me getting back to the workshop
I posted about it here,
https://www.a7a10.net/forum/index.php?topic=15852.msg135079#msg135079

John

[Colsbeeza]

Hi Joolstacho,
I have also asked this question but got no responses from anyone with experience of it. Maybe John chaterlea25 is the only customer. You and I may be the next.! I am in the process of exchanges with Stephen McFarlane, and I'll let you know in due course what I have done - hopefully in a couple of weeks.
It isn't all that straight forward - 12V conversion is necessary - do you speed up the dynamo or get it converted to 12V as per Andrew at Priory Magnetos ? - negative or positive earth?. He needs you to send him your cush parts for machining - spares in case it doesn't get to UK? Do you purchase the battery from Stephen or get one locally - dimensions & CCA are important.
He did say that he has had 3 orders from Australia in the past month, so someone is ordering them.
Col

[Joolstacho]

Yes Col, interesting. 12V conversion is easy enough, I have a JG available. Otherwise a rewind.
I wonder if a belt drive dynamo and belt drive primary is needed.
I'm sure we could get the battery locally. Least of the problems.
Do you know what conversion is needed on the primary chain case? I have an earlier one that I could use- nicer than stuffing with my super Super-Rocket one.
I assume the underslung starter motor drive needs to 'get into' to the primary casing. Wonder how all that is sealed.
Would be good to get someone who has done the conversion to advise us.
You know that Royal Enfield seems great, but then you look at the weight of it... over the top, what a shame.

[Colsbeeza]

Jools,
There are a couple of mods to the chaincase, but I have no details yet. Stephen apparently encloses detailed instructions.
Getting the battery locally should reduce the freight costs a little. I suspect that for our open roads, uprating the speed of the dynamo may not be essential, particularly if one installs LED lamps, and may depend on how much night riding you want to do and how many starts during the run. I am sticking with the chain primary - the chain and sprockets are new, and I think that the drive may need to be modified to make room for the wider belt.
Col

[Bsareg]

I've got the Pearson starter on my 500 goldie. The battery is a standard size gel type (glass mat) mounted on its end in the usual place. 12v 20Ah 220 CCA (starting amps). I use a 6v E3L dynamo with a 12v regulator with no problems, although I don't do much town work. So, I don't think battery and charging would be a problem on an A10.

[fringedweller]

G'day everyone.
Haven't posted for awhile, thought it might be time to let you know of my experience with the electric starter from S. McFarlane.  Mine is no. 29 IIRC, fitted about 7 years ago on my '60 Super Rocket.
 It was fitted due to crook knees, now 2 years after bilateral total knee replacement I can kickstart most things again. Including a recalcitrant hotrod SR500. The electric starter is still a bonus, especially when my brother is trying to get his Kawasaki W1 fired up, it's good to press the button to show him up.
 The kit is a work of art, everything is supplied and fits. Pretty simple job only one hole to be drilled in inner primary about 10mm from memory. Everything else is bolt on using existing mounting points.  I used a locally sourced battery, SSB Gel YBX14 possibly, tight fit  but works fine. Converted to 12v  with DVR2. Have not felt the need to change the dynamo drive but I do put it on the trickle charger when it's parked.
 Now the big question, how does it work in normal day to day riding? It works very well and is still doing it's thing 7 years later. A few provisos though , the bike must be tuned well, mine I could start with the kickstart easily but until the maggy was reconditioned and the concentric was replaced with a new monobloc the starter struggled. It doesn't like a wet sumped engine.
 Most of my riding is on country roads with a fair bit of dirt road component. The starter sits fairly low (see pic)but hasn't been a problem with clearance, nor dust and rocks thrown up.
 So there you go, a good bit of kit that lasts and keeps us riding.
Cheers.
 

[Joolstacho]

Excellent mate, very useful info, ta.

[chaterlea25]

Hi All,
Some answers to questions above,
Chain primary drive is retained, I do not think a belt would fit?
Steve's price includes the battery and every screw, nut and gasket needed
There's a soft rubber donut seal that goes between the inner primary and the starter drive
The hole needed in the inner case is about 1/2in.
The standard kit is positive earth, negative earth is £50 dearer
The two tabs on the standard battey platform need to be flattened out to fit the battery supplied,
a WestCo SVR15L, the terminals are on top and shielded once fitted
As for charging, here is the blurb from his website on how many starts there are in the battery
I would not worry unless the charging failed and hundreds of miles had to be driven with headlight on ....

"I have exceeded my design objectives, because after 200 start-ups, the battery was down only half a volt! If your battery is fully charged, you should achieve 250-300 starts""

I do not know if Steve is VAT registered? if so the kit would be VAT free when exported , but if there is import duties /tax  into Australia that would add to the costs ??

John

[Colsbeeza]

That is great feedback from Fringedweller and John Chaterlea. Just what Joolstacho and me were seeking.
Col

[RDfella]

Question for fringedweller - are the shortcomings due to the starter turning the engine too slowly, or does it struggle to turn the engine over? That could be either gearing ratio or starter motor power. For my set-up I've chosen the starter motor from a Honda Firestorm, so should be powerful enough but must shortly make a decision re gearing. Am currently thinking 15:1 or 18:1.

[fringedweller]

RD, In simple terms to answer your question it's like having a half flat battery, not fast enough.
 If the engine is not in good tune, yes it struggles to start, obviously not the starters fault. Kick starting with gusto and 100kg on the kickstarter it turns it over faster and it will start.
 With good spark ,empty sump and the carb in good condition it starts easily on the button hot or cold.
 Gearing wise for this setup I don't know what it is nor do I know the rating of the starter motor.
 Would a starter from a big twin (Guzzi, Harley, xv1000 yam etc) be a better proposition for you more so than one for a 4 cyl bike?
Don
 
 

[RDfella]

Don - Thanks for the info. The Firestorm is 1,000cc vee twin - short stroke / high compression hence why I chose it (apart from the fact I've got one and it starts easily).

[chaterlea25]

Hi RD
If I can get to the shed tomorrow I will do a gear / sprocket tooth count to check the reduction ratio
on Steves kit.
There is a fair amount of setting up the components so there is no binding which would cause symptoms like fringedweller has found ????

John

[chaterlea25]

Hi All,
I counted the gear and sprocket teeth on the McFarlane kit earlier and I make out the total
reduction is 22.834 :1

John