Alton Electric Start

john robert bould said:

Is the 4 pole starter just as good?

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Do you mean the stock Norton MK3 starter? if so, their starter is a STARTER, not a kick assist. Many owners of MK3 Norton have alrerady changed their starter motor for the one sold by Dyno Dave just because they wanted to use their starters as it was intended, push the button to start :!:

Jean
:!:

I think he is referring to the mk3 starter after a two pole to 4 pole conversion is done. I have one of these on my Mk3, it spins the motor up with great gusto.
The sprag is still an issue from time to time, however.

Glen

I debated over replacing original MK3 starter components + upgrading starter & cables etc. over waiting for Alton to bring out a specific kit for the MK3.

I decided to replace all the moving parts in the original MK3 starter mechanism, I had already upgraded the starter motor, cables and battery.

It all works now, the spragg can still give a crunch noise now and then, I find when I stop the motor the next time I start I can sometimes get the crunch noise BUT if I just gentle kick it over once and then use the starter no crunch noise?

After working on the original starter mechanism I kept thinking there has to be a better way of doing this, to my untrained non engineering brain it just seems over complicated and fussy, the spragg seems to be the weak point or at least it seems to get a VERY hard time doing its job.

I'm presuming over the last 45 years improvements have been made on how to produce starter mechanisms, that's why I was interested in the Alton system.

Does the Alton system have an anti-backfire mechanism?


Kevin

click said:

I debated over replacing original MK3 starter components + upgrading starter & cables etc. over waiting for Alton to bring out a specific kit for the MK3.

I decided to replace all the moving parts in the original MK3 starter mechanism, I had already upgraded the starter motor, cables and battery.

It all works now, the spragg can still give a crunch noise now and then, I find when I stop the motor the next time I start I can sometimes get the crunch noise BUT if I just gentle kick it over once and then use the starter no crunch noise?

After working on the original starter mechanism I kept thinking there has to be a better way of doing this, to my untrained non engineering brain it just seems over complicated and fussy, the spragg seems to be the weak point or at least it seems to get a VERY hard time doing its job.

I'm presuming over the last 45 years improvements have been made on how to produce starter mechanisms, that's why I was interested in the Alton system.

Does the Alton system have an anti-backfire mechanism?


Kevin

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There is a shaft with a polymer coupling designed to skip if something jams to keep the starter and the enging going the wrong way to rip everything apart. The starter motor is not geared too high so a kick back from the engine with the starter not engaged can be spun backwards. The starter can also be spun backwards when doing timing adjustments with the gearbox in gear and the rear wheel being used to position the engine at the correct point.

Jean

Here are pictures of an Alton starter with a belt drive primary





This is an interesting modification done to a Kenny Dreer 880 with high compression pistons to allow starting with an Alton starter. The bike was a bear to start with the kickstarter BTW. No other information except what is seen on the pictures.





Jean

Hi
Lyell here from NorCom Cycles.
Aussie Alton Dist.
I have the Aussie street price at $2500 as well.
Alton have already sent me the belt drive adaptors, so they are ready to go.
Custom spacers for fitting the belt kits are available free from Alton upon request, so that various different belt kits can be accommodated.
Plenty of good info from Jean here though. Really good.

what do you hear of negative ground kit availability?
Also re: belt drive.... for RGM??
JD

NorComCycles said:

Hi
Lyell here from NorCom Cycles.
Aussie Alton Dist.
I have the Aussie street price at $2500 as well.
Alton have already sent me the belt drive adaptors, so they are ready to go.
Custom spacers for fitting the belt kits are available free from Alton upon request, so that various different belt kits can be accommodated.
Plenty of good info from Jean here though. Really good.

Click to expand...

I have a 73 850 with a belt primary

so, do I read correctly that it would cost about $2500 US dollars total to convert to electric start?

boy this is getting tempting, my old body would appreciate just pushing a button!

I don't have any additional information on the scheduling of that yet.

jeffdavison said:

what do you hear of negative ground kit availability?
Also re: belt drive.... for RGM??
JD

NorComCycles said:

Hi
Lyell here from NorCom Cycles.
Aussie Alton Dist.
I have the Aussie street price at $2500 as well.
Alton have already sent me the belt drive adaptors, so they are ready to go.
Custom spacers for fitting the belt kits are available free from Alton upon request, so that various different belt kits can be accommodated.
Plenty of good info from Jean here though. Really good.

Click to expand...

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You have to allow for a battery that can handle the load.
The solenoid bracket supplied is generic. It might need a little tweaking dependant on changes that might have been made to any given bike.
Some owners will likely want to fab a custom bracket that they think best suits their machines.

Obviously, a bracket in a style that an owner prefers is nothing.
What is something is an entire new casing, and all the drive components, etc.
It really is good looking stuff.

In respect of belt(and even chain really), the issue is the SPACING/ALIGNMENT of the STARTER DRIVE SPROCKET, and the RETENTION of the STARTER DRIVE SPROCKET.

The chain set-up is consistent, so one spacers solves the issue(supplied).

There are variations in belt drives, and that means one style of RETAINING SPACER does not suit all.
But it can be done, it just needs to be assessed on an individual case.

Alton are wanting to provide a non-machining solution in all variations, to simplify things.
But if you took a stock kit, and committed to a little machining(making a suitable spacer, and possibly a small mod on the belt pulley, depending) then I think any type of belt kit could be accommodated.

1up3down said:

I have a 73 850 with a belt primary

so, do I read correctly that it would cost about $2500 US dollars total to convert to electric start?

boy this is getting tempting, my old body would appreciate just pushing a button!

Click to expand...

Heres a few pics of a belt install.
There was a little basic machining done for this install, but fairly simple and inexpensive stuff.
An old belt keeper was used in the pics. A different one (same thickness of course) was used on the bike.
The pulley is sitting the wrong way in one pic. I t was just sat on top to show where it goes(which we all already know anyhow).
Starter drive gear endfloat was set at 0.010.
Starter is working well on the bike. Drives it well, and starts easily.
Pics are a little bit reverse order, but you get the idea I am sure.