Hello Lads,
Many aspects in this thread or topic. Hello "new" man Rob Reznik. Few choices you face as to the Laverda and possible sale.
Coil heating, that is the reason for the elaborate pointed ( irregular shape ) coil mounting adaptors, provides a heat sink for the aggressive near 100% duty cycle of ON current for the oem Bosch BTZ ignitors ( more like "just" ignitor ). That extra heatsink material is not required for well designed Electronic Ignition Perhaps the OP's coil or coils are not performing to original specification, a modern ignition system would allow a proper test for these coils, on the motorcycle. Tick one for the modern ignition system, it just saved you many hours of effort in testing the coils. Say your time is worth $100 an hour, $3-400 saved. Let alone being stuck on the road side, and tow home. Many many $ hundreds of wasted time and money avoided.
It was always a contentious issue as to what to do with the 180 series 1 motors, the HKZ was ok, sort of. The BTZ really did a job on the charging system in the end however. Hence Reds comment and true are his words, the ignition was just one aspect of the 180 series one motor. There was nothing for it, commit to a complete new ignition and alternator. Took some doing to sort doner parts in plentiful supply or availability. Combining the ignition crank encoder and alternator stator took a bit of juggling, safety being the most important aspect of all. Redax has taken the concept to its logical development, at considerable cost and effort. He and best mate/partner have done what i could not do, making a completely brand new system. Redax is your friend on may fronts, many know this already.
Yes it does cost a lot to produce the conversion, and well we all know a considerable outlay for our bikes. The pocket pain is a one off, the advantages are so many, where do you start, well thats a good place. Starting the bike is as it was always intended to be, on the button. Battery in good condition and able to be relied upon for many years with a Deka installed. Running cost reduced for batteries per year basis. Has to be worth $150 a year from my initial experience of the under powered bosch alternator.
Wiring is new/good condition for the replacement ignition and alternator charging system, this was the first thing i drew attention to. The original DMC I was getting plenty of bad press from the original Laverda aged wiring failures, being a bit more industry savvy, i made a new harness and that was the very best decision. DMC II has new harness with it, and pluggable, a good move.
As a rider we all make our own choices for what we ride and what we modify on the motorcycles. For many Laverda riders the cost of a new charging and ignition system is a good choice, a one off expense, and ride out with a better "comfort" factor they will make it home as they rode out, on the bike. For others the cost is too much or even, perhaps the notion that the oem system suited the period look of the bike, and i agree with that also 100%. The actual road riding says you may or may not ride home with the critical oem electrical like ignition and charging system installed or repaired.
Hope i make sense.
**** For the sake of comparison, the Laverda has to be one of the best kept secrets for older Italian motorcycles, Witness the cost of Duckes...!! Rodden a few dukes, nice bikes and very alluring, yet i did not find the thrill factor as high, as when you stamp on the gas at 5Krpm Jota howl in the senses, also fellow riders around you....grin
HTH John
