Happy Birthday twocvBloke

[WesternElectricBen]

That's one of the things that intrigues me about the ignition on the mower I have, it's basically just a magneto setup, as the magnet on the flywheel passes the coil, it generates a high voltage current to initiate the spark, simple but clever...

That's a thought, I need to order a new plug & cap for the engine, the spares one comes with them, but I'd rather I had the NGK ones I found for a lot less than the "cheap" brands too...

I use NGK, never compared prices before when it is a single cylander engine.

Ben

[zaphod01]

Just the word 'magneto' gives me the shivers. In 1967 I bought a Hodaka motorcycle. It was stone simple. Two-stroke motor. You had to pre-mix the gas and oil and it had a magneto ignition. I think the entire motor had 9 moving parts.

Unfortunately, I rode this bike hard and maintenance was minimal. It slowly began to suffer the fate of being owned by a teenager.

One of its' quirks was that the cap would shake loose on the spark plug. I would hear the engine begin to sputter and reach underneath the gas tank, while riding, and push the cap back down. This work-around seemed cheaper than replacing the spark plug cable.

However, I eventually reached underneath to tap the top of the cable and it had worked completely loose from the plug. It was throwing a spark to the top of the plug just enough to sputter along. I made the connection between the cap and the plug with my left hand.

There is a unique pain associated with the shock you get from a magneto. After the initial searing pain, my arm was numb. I had no feeling in it whatsover. Not a good thing when you are doing 30 mph down a dark country road. It was a 'life lesson' about maintenance.

Happy Birthday!

[WesternElectricBen]

Is it just me, or does anyone else think 2-strokes are better? They seem to be very powerful and you never have to change the oil, that's good unless you don't like to mix gas.

Which I find no problem in mixing...

Ben

[zaphod01]

I loved 2-stroke motorcycles. I used to take a bunch of grief about trailing smoke from my friends with Honda 305's. However, my 1966 Yamaha 305 would leave them in the dust (or smoke)!

And, compression braking allowed me to out brake the cops when necessary. I'd race up to a corner, brake like h*ll and throw the bike around the corner. The cops didn't have a chance of making the turn. They would just sail on by and give up. They weren't supposed to chase bikes on traffic stops anyway. Too many deadly crashes by inexperienced riders.

[twocvbloke]

I'm not keen on 2-stroke engines, the noise they make, the smell they leave behind, the pollution they emit because of the need to put oil in the fuel, and the fact that they're a menace in the hands of chavs who think its great to scream up and down streets on 2-stroke bikes (often illegally) at 3am, I much prefer 4-stroke, they're cleaner, quieter, efficient and easy to look after with the right knowledge...

I use NGK, never compared prices before when it is a single cylander engine.

Ben

There's always room to compare prices when it comes to buying anything, it just so happens that the NGK stuff I was looking at was cheaper than the chinese junk that they specified in the manual...

[zaphod01]

I'll have to admit to being one of those kids racing around in the middle of the night. I finally stuffed that bike into the side of a car. Another 'life lesson'. I've run into cars, trees, fences, and even a house. I think the only think I didn't hit was another motorcycle. I finally slowed down and still take the occasion spin on my daughter's Honda CB919. 

As the saying goes, there are old riders and bold riders but no old, bold riders. My wife refers to motorcyclists as 'future organ donors'.

[twocvbloke]

My wife refers to motorcyclists as 'future organ donors'.

Most paramedics refer to them as organ donors aswell...

I do want to get onto two wheels myself, but it'll be a more reasonable 125cc scooter, if I could afford one...

[zaphod01]

My wife and just returned from a week in Salisbury, UK. Visited Salisbury Cathedral, Stonehenge (special access tour inside the stones), Glastonbury Abbey, and Avebury. 

We love England. Spent a week in North Devon a few years ago. We intend to visit again in 2016. Still haven't seen London other than Heathrow. We prefer the countryside. 

[twocvbloke]

We prefer the countryside. 

Visit the north of England, plenty of countryside up here, just have to watch out for the nutters on their 2-stroke bikes...

[Mr. Bones]

Happy belated Birthday, 'bloke!

My Friday was full of obligations, so sorry that I neglected to get this posted sooner!

I hope that your day was full of good things, and your weekend is relaxing and enjoyable, as well.

Best regards!

[Russ Kirk]

Happy birthday!

[twocvbloke]

Thanks, didn't do much, just ate cake and devoured beer & whisky with family...

Though today we did go to the Durham Light Infantry museum, I sat in a US Army jeep from the WWII era, tiny little thing it was, my knees were up to the steering wheel with my feet on the pedals... 

[DavePEI]

Happy belated Birthday!

[twocvbloke]

Thanks, ain't doing anything today, just relaxing and wishing this hangover would go away...

[AE_Collector]

I sat in a US Army jeep from the WWII era, tiny little thing it was, my knees were up to the steering wheel with my feet on the pedals... 

He prefers a twoCV for roominess!

Sounds as though you had a good one so keep working on the recuperation!

Terry