1200 electronic ignition upgrade
- Thread starter SimonR
- Start date
The Sock
Hero member
- Location
- London, England
More information would help us to help you.
Is the starter motor spinning the engine?
How long have you had the bike?
Which model is it?
When did it last run?
Have you checked the carbs, throttle and starter enrichment cables, sparks, compressions, etc.?
You wrote "trouble starting", does it start, or not?
Is the starter motor spinning the engine?
How long have you had the bike?
Which model is it?
When did it last run?
Have you checked the carbs, throttle and starter enrichment cables, sparks, compressions, etc.?
You wrote "trouble starting", does it start, or not?
Last edited:
Thanks for the reply, it’s a 1200 30th anniversary Ed, yes it runs, I’m replacing spark plugs ( spark’s) and caps etc. it has A11 cams, I will replace the ignition system with a Witt. Malcolm Cox has been a great help so far.
I bought the bike a month ago but I’m out of date with all things Laverda my last one was in the 70s
I bought the bike a month ago but I’m out of date with all things Laverda my last one was in the 70s
As Mr Sock mentions, there are plenty of things to check before changing the ignition system.
Did it run regularly before you bought it?
The slightest bit of muck in a pilot jet will make it hard to start.
Does your machine come from the South of France?
Paul
Rob
Hero member
- Location
- Midlands, UK
The standard BTZ ignition needs decent volts to fire correctly when the engine is being cranked by the starter motor. It follows that a weak battery won't help things. A quick way of confirming is to use jump leads (or a known good battery).
Standard starting practice is full choke, no throttle, crank the motor and back off the choke to say half way once it fires. Then ride off. Repeated cold starts without getting the engine up to normal operating temperature will cause cold fouling of the plugs. Which means no starting.
Whilst the Witt DMC system is a useful improvement (and will work at lower engine cranking voltage than the BTZ), it certainly shouldn't be needed to get your bike starting reliably.
Standard starting practice is full choke, no throttle, crank the motor and back off the choke to say half way once it fires. Then ride off. Repeated cold starts without getting the engine up to normal operating temperature will cause cold fouling of the plugs. Which means no starting.
Whilst the Witt DMC system is a useful improvement (and will work at lower engine cranking voltage than the BTZ), it certainly shouldn't be needed to get your bike starting reliably.
CLEMTOG
Hero member
all 1200 Anni's are affected by the centre main bearing recall, if yours is on the original bearings they may well have given up, when they do, the crank can flex enough to make the valves touch the pistons causing compression loss, my first job would be to check the compression on all cylinders, WOT and a god battery, (jump leads frm a car with a high idle perhaps) let us know what readings you get, you might also like to drop the sump plate and strainer and have a look inside, scrape a crooked finger around the inside bottom of the crankcase as well. Do drain out the oil through the plug first though, could me messy!
Could fouling is very real, have you been starting the bike in the garage for a few minutes/seconds when your mates come around? you might only need new plugs, always run the motor for a god ten minutes, which usally means dont start it unless you are going to ride it.
CLEM
Could fouling is very real, have you been starting the bike in the garage for a few minutes/seconds when your mates come around? you might only need new plugs, always run the motor for a god ten minutes, which usally means dont start it unless you are going to ride it.
CLEM
(With the standard ignition) Too big a reluctor gap (or an offset reluctor gap - 1 side tight, one side open) will make it hard to get a spark. If that is the case, then a fast spinning motor can overcome the problem and get you started, but a modest starting rpm with a big reluctor gap = no spark.
Yes it was running and yes it was from Sth France, that’s worrying do you know anything about the bike
Be reassured, I know nothing about the bike.
I just saw the ads.
Take heed of Clem's comments: were the centre main bearings changed?
Paul
No history, so I don’t know, it looks like I’m going to bring it back to the uk . Rather stupid of me it’s covered 53K so I thought it must be okay
Andy
Hero member
- Location
- Auckland, roughly
No no not stupid at all! And this forum is the best place to find out
We’ll be here all weekend
Rob
Hero member
- Location
- Midlands, UK
53k suggests that you'd be unlucky to still have the original centre main crank ball bearings - most afflicted engines will have been sorted long ago at lower mileages. Scare stories are not what you need right now!
Stick with the basics - weak battery or cold fouling more likely the issue here. That's assuming you're not trying to start it with stale petrol and gummed up carbs.
Stick with the basics - weak battery or cold fouling more likely the issue here. That's assuming you're not trying to start it with stale petrol and gummed up carbs.
Dellortoman
Hero member
- Location
- Tasmania, Australia
If you decide to go for an ignition upgrade, Moto Witt ignitions are OK and are a pretty simple bolt-on installation, but there are other options available that offer advantages over the Witt system. When you get back to UK, have a talk to Keith Nairn at Laverda Scozia.
Many thanks, I’ll buy a trailer and bring it back in the summer and check it out then , might even have a rebuildNo no not stupid at all! And this forum is the best place to find out
We’ll be here all weekend
Many thanks