Electronic versus contacts

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Chester

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I'm sorry...........I phrased that wrong, although it is great info to know the types.

I was wondering if electronic has advatages or disadvantages over the original breaker system?

My bike is a 74 850 Commando
 
Hi, Once Ive set up the electronic boyer ignition I dont need to touch it again, unless I strip the bike.
Its been a maintenance free system for me.
I would never go back to points again.
I dont know if its a better spark but the bike starts easyly & runs well.
Cheers Don
 
I fitted a Boyer to my 850 in around 1978 and haven't had to touch it since! Before that I was messing around with the points every couple of months or so. (bad starting etc)
Dave.
 
Only drawback with the Boyer is if the battery voltage gets low, it won't fire, whereas with the points-and-coil and capacitor, you could always get it fired up regardless of battery (if the alternator was putting out minimal voltage)
 
Actually, there's one more drawback in my opinion. If the electronic system fails while you're on the road, you're not likely to have a spare with you. Points are cheap enough to carry a spare set. However, I consider the advantages of electronics to outweigh the negatives and run a Boyer on my Commando.
 
When I first fit the Boyer the leads broke. Adding a piece or medium foam under the points cover and a little RTV to the leads fixed that problem. I kept the blue capacitor and my bike will start with a blown fuse ( the wire to the rear brake switch chaffed through...). After that I quit carrying the points plate and auto advance on long trips.

It can still crap out, but if what passes for electronic ignition on your car dies, you are also a pedestrian.

Greg
 
SteveMinning said:
Actually, there's one more drawback in my opinion. If the electronic system fails while you're on the road, you're not likely to have a spare with you. Points are cheap enough to carry a spare set. However, I consider the advantages of electronics to outweigh the negatives and run a Boyer on my Commando.
Click to expand...
But if you carried enough spares to cover all contingencies with one of these old crocks, you'd need a sidecar or a trailer! :lol: :lol:
 
The points/mechanical advance unit require periodic maint and adjustment. However, their overall advance curve is superior for performance to the Boyer. There is data posted by Dyno Dave, showing the advance curve of the Boyer, the Rita, and the oem points. When set at the same max advance, the points are better in every way - less advance at starting speed which makes it easier to start and with little possibility of kickback, and more advance in the midrange for added power/response in that area.

The fairly new Trispark electronic ignition essentially duplicates the curve of the oem points and is the way I'd recommend you go if you don't want to mess with the points. I took a Boyer off my Commando shortly after buying it and went back to points which I kept on the bike for the past 4 years. I had no intention of going to electronic at all until I heard about the Trispark. After reading a lot and comparing the curves, I decided to try it and I've been very pleased with it. It may be worth noting that Colorado Norton Works did not recommend any electronic systems for the Commando until the Trispark. Some note that that is because they are the US dealer for Trispark but I see it as the other way around...there were electronic systems available for years that they could have used but they did not feel the lack of needed maintenance provided sufficient advantage to offset the more effective advance curve of a properly operating oem point system.
 
I fitted a Boyer to my 750 racer in 1984. It's still there, it's still working. I think the argument that you can fix points if they break is not valid. The only repairs I've had to do to the Boyer is replace the stator plate after accident damage.
Also, as regards the advance curve, I challenge anyone without a dyno to tell the difference between advance curves.
 
I fiited a Boyer about 15 years ago & really, it is maintenance free.
I did notice that the bike lost some of it's punch in the mid rev though, due to the slower advance curve.
That Trispark looks interesting.
 
I'm running a Trispark now and I am very happy with it. Ditched the Boyer to fit it. Easy starting and runs like a dream.
 
Hi Chester,
Well in answer to your question it looks like Electronic ignition is by far the most popular. No suprise there really.
The Tri Spark looks intresting, The boyer works OK & is quite cheap & my mate Mark swears by The Phason (excuse my spelling), But my mate Mark needs to get his arse in gear & get his going again to see if the phason is that good.
If you get a boyer & dont like it you can sell it on e.bay
Best of luck, cheers Don
 
MexicoMike said:
The points/mechanical advance unit require periodic maint and adjustment. However, their overall advance curve is superior for performance to the Boyer.
Click to expand...

Define "superior". Comming on full advance at 2500 rpm riding two-up in top gear and accelerating up a hill is a recipe for ping & knock. The Boyer tops out at 5000 which I agree is too late, the TriSpark maxes at about 4000. But 2500 rpm is way too soon.
 
I think I remember reading that timing on a Boyer can be set 3 degrees further advanced than the points due to better advance control of the electronic vs. the points. Maybe that would make up whatever performance drop discovered.
 
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