how hard go you have to kick a commando

plj850 said:

.... Not being a smart alec but interested to hear from owners who also have 1-2 kickstart Commando's maybe some info on setup and plug type will help others.. IMHO

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I have a 9173 - 850. I have Amals and Boyer Mk-111. The Amals are new-ish (i.e. not the originals) with chrome slides. I don't have the air valves fitted. My bike starts with 1 to 3 kicks from cold pretty consistently. I do have to tickle it until it really floods when it is cold. And I mean, gasoline running down the carb bowl. I have the advantage of living in a warm climate, so I can get away with no air-valves (chokes). Still, it takes a while to warm up and won't idle properly for several minutes.

I often have more trouble with a hot start than with cold ones.

nortonspeed said:

Even if I bought new bodies I'd immediately get them sleeved

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Slightly overdone, get yourself new bodies (or complete carbs) and buy CHROMED BRASS throttle slides, then your Amal set-up will last twice as long.

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That will work too.

I also have a 1973 Mk1 850. No air slides fitted. With a good tickle, it nearly always starts 1st kick, any temperature, even after weeks of not been ridden. In fact, even months after a winter layup. Exremely rare it will need two kicks. A few more if I forget to turn the ignition key on. Boyer ign. & idle was set with a colourtune, no problems at all warming up.

well I've tried all the aforementioned tips and think I'm on the right track. I suspect I haven't been letting the enrichers sit long enough to allow the passages to fill completely. Trouble is I've got to let him cool off to test new techniques. Time consuming. Today he started tenth kick. After I opened throttle wide. I got into this as I enjoy tinkering but seem to be tinkering in the dark with these carbs. I've found some stuff on jrcs and a lot on pwk but no diagrams or drawings that show fuel routing. Once I get this starting issue sorted I'll be a happy camper as these carbs run smoother than a babies rump. Thanks for the help

My personal preference would be to use original Amals that have been sleeved. Even if I bought new bodies I'd immediately get them sleeved.[/quote]

Why would you take a brand-new piece of equipment, and perform a modification that is meant to refurbish worn equipment? I know there are various approaches to the subject of worn Amals, and I have looked at some of them-------sleeving worn bodies, teflon coated machined alloy slides; and they all work out to pretty much the cost of new ones. Prices went sky-high a short while back, with a new distributor , but now you can buy them direct--last time I saw, 78GBpounds. Which is about $A150 ea, plus postage which, for some unfathomable reason, is always less from the UK to Australia than from the US. Mine were $A300 a pair when new about 8 years ago, with the optional chrome plated slides. Which has pretty well all gone, now.
And please, no comments about 10, 000 miles in 8 years . It had serious issues for quite a few years which kept the mileage to, well, very little.

ranmar850 said:

swooshdave said:

My personal preference would be to use original Amals that have been sleeved. Even if I bought new bodies I'd immediately get them sleeved.

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Why would you take a brand-new piece of equipment, and perform a modification that is meant to refurbish worn equipment? I know there are various approaches to the subject of worn Amals, and I have looked at some of them-------sleeving worn bodies, teflon coated machined alloy slides; and they all work out to pretty much the cost of new ones. Prices went sky-high a short while back, with a new distributor , but now you can buy them direct--last time I saw, 78GBpounds. Which is about $A150 ea, plus postage which, for some unfathomable reason, is always less from the UK to Australia than from the US. Mine were $A300 a pair when new about 8 years ago, with the optional chrome plated slides.

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That statement was for new, unchromed slides. If chromed ones are readily available, then never-mind.

1974,850. boyer and 5 ohm dyna coil and bog standard bp7 plugs with resleeved amals (thanks Per).

tickle and 1st kick always !! in fact my mates nicknamed me 1/2 kick Blaise ! (gloat )

Sparx ignition w/ dual 6V coils, BPR7ES plugs, thoroughly overhauled Amal 930s (or 932s, depending on model) and I get 'em to one kick typical, 2 kicks if really cold, EVERY TIME.

If the first kick feels real sluggish, it's wet-sumped; drain the crank. the next kick should fire the bike.

Oh alright, just got mine out, few weeks of not bring used, due to illness & the crappy weather.
2nd kick.
Going for a little ride now.