Which Headlight bulb ?

Reds system upgrades the alternator but I dont think there is a cheaper option. Regards Pat
 
A Series 1 180 should spin pretty well if all is well, even with high compression pistons (at least if the valve timing isn't too radical). Start with the battery. If it's 5 or 6 years old, that's your most likely candidate. A new AGM battery with lots of cold cranking amps will do wonders for a slow cranking starter system.
After that, it's clean off the electrical contacts for all the starter cables, and maybe even replace the starter cables. The original earth strap on my '78 Jota looked just fine until I gave it a slight tug and the last 4 strands of copper finally separated, it must have been a buggar for the last owner to start. You could even try cleaning the contacts inside the starter relay. Don't just throw another starter relay in there unless you have an automotive electrician you can trust to recommend a better replacement. OEM Bosch relays are around but obscenely expensive.
If still no luck, pull the starter motor out and give it a quick once over. It's just an electric motor, so if you're confident in your abilities open it up and look for burned out windings on the rotor or commutator, just like any other electric motor. If you'd rather not, any decent automotive electrician should be able to check it out for you. They can be rewound (at a cost), new ones can still be found too, but they are also not cheap. Somebody found a supplier in Sweden who was selling them in a thread a couple of years ago, try a search of the archives.
If all the above fails, pack the bike in a sturdy box and ship it to me, I'll confirm that it's beyond all hope and have it quietly and humanely put down. Just be sure to send transfer of ownership papers :D :D

Ken
 
Many thanks for your reply and advice Ken . I did take the starter motor out and everything was as expected . Its as if the battery is low on charge for the initial spin and then its spins up quickly as normal . I will check the charge in the battery and charging system . Earlier in the year I went out with a pair of 2A heated gloves connected to the battery and the battery needed charging after my return of 60miles in the night !

Not ready to give up yet Ken but I will bare in mind your kind offer
Thanks
Tetley
 
If the battery tests OK then you should check for voltage drop somewhere in the system. Poor connection on one of the cables and or the starter relay itself. I remember on my 180 Jota that I had a similar issue and it ended up being the starter relay. The internal contact points had become burnt and pitted over time. A new relay soon sorted it out. ( After I had already replaced the battery and had reworked the starter motor. ).
Also make sure that your earth cable is nice and  clean and you  dont have a voltage leakage there.

 
mcnicol said:
A Series 1 180 should spin pretty well if all is well, even with high compression pistons (at least if the valve timing isn't too radical).
Click to expand...

Ken,

I've found it's actually engines with rather conservative valve timing that are difficult to crank.  Best example would be the Zane 750s with their puny starter system.  The wilder Formula engines start quite readily in comparison (still rotten starters!), the softer Ghost donks are usually a right pain in the arse to get going!  Compression ratio is even a little lower on the softer engine, but with a LOT less valve overlap, effectively raising "true" compression!

Same reason why radically timed engines afford far less engine braking than conservatively timed ones...

piet
(howzzat for a hijack?) :D
 
Piet, thanks, I was going by my only experiences with playing with valve timing on my bike. Scott Potter drilled a set of vernier sprockets for me and I spent a Saturday afternoon a while ago experimenting with setting up the cams, and I certainly noticed that the starter had a lot more trouble with some setups than others.

Tetley, I forgot to ask (since we're trying to cover all possibilities), is there any possibility that you may have both a leaking fuel tap and a leaking needle valve, leading to hydraulic lock with petrol leaking into one cylinder while the bike is parked? Anything can happen with our 30 year old bikes. If the agonised slow spin at first push of the button doesn't happen when the bike has only been shut down for a few minutes, this explanation is a bit more likely. If you do get hydraulic locks ... that's not a good thing, it will wreck your crank/bend your conrods/lead to eventual conrod breakage = bye bye engine.

Hopefully not, but check your fuel taps to be sure. My money's still on the starter relay. Try looking at the contact points. Mine actually physically fused once when my engine got flooded when I left the bike parked in the pits at the local club track (Lakeside) and every single person who'd never seen a Laverda before (probably 5,000 of them) gave the throttle a good twist. I still don't know why the starter motor didn't just spin itself to death when I finally got the bike running with a lot of pushing. Anyway, if the points are bad, try dressing them with a points file. If they're too far gone, see if you can get a generic replacement relay rated at around 50 amps, an automotive electrician should be able to recommend one that'll fit (or buy a Laverda/Bosch one from a dealer, but it will cost a lot).

If that doesn't work, well, I do have a solution for you, previously outlined... :D :D

Ken
 
Many Thanks for your replies I shall check the starter relay and connections this eve . I did check the pilot shut off valves and they are shutting off perfectly . I hope its a quick fix in the relay quarters . I will let you know my findings

Ciao
(Italian for bye) !!!
Tetley
 
Anyone tried the bi-xenon kits? Available in 35W with straight swap for an H4 bulb. Provides high and low beam by altering bulb angle and supposedly 3 to 4 times brighter than a std H4. 6000k seems to be the go as it gives the whitest light and around the AUD $80 mark for 2.

Bought a pair from an Oz supplier and will try them in the Guzzi and the Lav but from what I have seen of one in my mates Darmah they look the goods - bloody bright and draw less power than the H4.
 
Not legal in OZ unfortunately Davo. I tried one in my beemer as legality doesn't particularly worry me, but the low beam was too high and too bright and I ended up every bastard flashing their high beams ar me moaning about my low beam so took it back out. Certainly bright though!! So now I have a Hella FF75 driving light with a HID bulb in it for high beam and have fitted headlight relays and a Phillips higher brightness bulb in the headlight.

Works well now :)
 
Well it worked well if you like everyone blinding you!!! Not sure if the laverda reflectors are better suited. Haven't tried it.
 
Looks good coming out the front of the Ducati Darmah and it has the same headlight as the 3CL. And he hasn't complained about flashers (but then he is on a pissy duc)
 
what's all this stuff then? i did find a globe that had an led for the dip and a halogen for the main beam, but can't find it again. are these globes for real and can we use them in our 2 candle power RGS lamps?

http://www.brightlightautoparts.com/HIDKits.html


http://www.xenonheadlights.net/products/selectProduct  found it - bottom of page nearly
 
Thats the sort of thing Henry, although I paid about $50 on ebay from Taiwan. The electronics look identical.

If I get enthusiastic I'll try the HID in the RGS and see if it looks better than the beemer.
 
Virtually plug and play Henry. The Bi-Xenon kits have the globe stay on but change the angle of the bulb to provide high and low beams. The globes are rated by heat eg 4300k, 6000k etc with the colour of the beam changing from yellow to white to blue depending on the temp of the globe. 6000k gives the whitest beam from what I can see. Kits are usually sold for cars so come with 2 globes, and 2 ballast. Available in 35W or 55W, apparently the 35W kit have better longevity.
 
That's correct and they still give out way more light than a 100W halogen so it's easier on the charging system too. I usually choose the 4300k ones as it is less blue than the 6000 ones, being illegal I don't want to attract attention.

Am still looking for a right hand drive lense for the RGS BTW.
 
http://www.delonixradar.com.au/hid-xenon/colour-chart.php

For the reference of anyone interested

5000K looks to be perfect but I have never seen them advertised
 
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