Alton Electric Starter - Share Your Experience

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With regard to the lack of timing marks on the Alton alternator I've scribed a simple mark on it showing the static setting (as I know that the timing was cock-on prior to fitment of the starter kit).
 
Jeandr said:
Snorton74 said:
Anyone have issues with idler gear spindle working loose?
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If you bought a series 2 kit, you should have received a fix by e-mail, if not, send me a PM and I will forward the instructions.

Jean
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Hello!
Don't worry if you haven't received an email - only a handfull of kits were affected and all the owners have been informed and the tiny modification carried out. Our email (Alton) wasn't clear and Jean supposed it was all of series 2. 8)
 
Just ordered the kit from Norvil after a year of thinking about it. I have no trouble kicking my commando to life but every time I ride my wife's BMW I think, "WOW, this is really neat..just press a button!" :)

Seriously, to me it's a matter of convenience NOT just for the normal starting but if you stall it in some situation - going up a steep hill/heavy traffic, for example - the estart allows you to hit the button/ essentially keep going like nothing happened as opposed to the drill of getting the bike to the side of the road in the midst of all the honking. So I decided to pull the trigger. My only "complaint" about the unit is the alternator. I have the 3-wire 180W Lucas alternator on the bike now and will be dropping to 150W; I wish that wasn't the case. I plan to install one of the 18AH Shorai batts. I see that they want more voltage for charging than flooded batts and I'm wondering if the 150W will supply it at moderate RPM/headlight on. Anybody know?
 
mike996 said:
Just ordered the kit from Norvil after a year of thinking about it. I have no trouble kicking my commando to life but every time I ride my wife's BMW I think, "WOW, this is really neat..just press a button!" :)

Seriously, to me it's a matter of convenience NOT just for the normal starting but if you stall it in some situation - going up a steep hill/heavy traffic, for example - the estart allows you to hit the button/ essentially keep going like nothing happened as opposed to the drill of getting the bike to the side of the road in the midst of all the honking. So I decided to pull the trigger. My only "complaint" about the unit is the alternator. I have the 3-wire 180W Lucas alternator on the bike now and will be dropping to 150W; I wish that wasn't the case. I plan to install one of the 18AH Shorai batts. I see that they want more voltage for charging than flooded batts and I'm wondering if the 150W will supply it at moderate RPM/headlight on. Anybody know?
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I'd like to see the output curve on the two alternators. I would bet that the Lucas one is generous with the rating.
 
mike996 I guess you must have missed my previous posting

I've done about 1000 miles since I fitted mine and have used the starter many times in all sorts of conditions. I run daytime dipped headlight (55W) with no trouble at all i.e. no sign of the Shorai battery running down and making electric starting fail. I would say the 150W output is quite adequate.

To clarify, I have a MkII 850 with the Alton belt drive e-start conversion and I'm using the 18Ah Shorai battery. I couldn't be more pleased. Kicking with my right leg always caused knee pain for days so I had to use my left leg with the bike on the centre stand; not much use if it stalls in traffic! I just get on and ride anytine now with complete confidence.
 
Sorry, you are right - I missed the post. Good info, sounds great; I can't wait to be able to push-button start my Commando!
 
Jeandr said:
hampdenguy said:
I had an alton electric starter conversion and it works fine when the engine is cold but when the motor gets hot the starter doesn't engage properly and it seems to make a loud grinding noise but does not engage properly so i have to kick start it.Im hoping there is some adjustment i can try to correct the problem but so far i have not heard anything about it anywhere else.any info or help would be appreciated.
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Yes, please contact Altn directly, if you can include a video it would help identify the problem.

Jean
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I contacted Alton directly and they supplied a new shock absorber for the starter kit as the original had failed,the new version is a new stronger design. I installed the new part and it is working fine.Alton provided this part free of charge which included shipping, all thanks to their waranty.Many thanks to Alton
 
My experience with Alton is also excellent as far as contacting them and their replacement of defective parts.
 
Hello to all. Mike996, how is the Alton holding up this Summer? I just had spine surgery and a knee replaced. Right one of course! Damn the bad luck! My 70 Fastback is lonely and I am talking to the Classic Bike guys about the Alton for my RGM 30 mm belt drive system. At least my credit card is out of my wallet this time! Wondering how the install and ops worked for anyone of my Norton riding brothers out there?
Mike
 
I've just emailed this picture to Alton for their comment. I went to check my belt tension and noticed the shock absorber starter drive looks sick. Anyone else had this problem?

Alton Electric Starter - Share Your Experience
 
Hi, My shock absorber failed march 2013 kit fitted sept 2012.also the started motor started chucking out bits of gearing and my old shock looked very muck like yours I received a replacement much sturdier.some folks in your position might think it prudent to contact their supplier in order to possibly prevent further damage.

Happy days
 
Just had the following email from Alton:
We had noticed that sometimes this part starts to fail too quickly. It is designed to fail in the event of a serious backfire or other issue that could damage all the other parts but some examples were not sufficiently robust. We have made a new part that addresses this question and I'll send one out to you ASAP. Now instead of having a gel insert, that can move inside the gear, there are little plugs fitted and these are more robust and cannot move in their seating. They will fail in the case of a large event as was the intention of the original part.

It was not every example but a sufficiently large percentage to motivate us to make a strengthened version. But since we couldn't know which ones would wear out too quickly, we couldn't ask clients to return them.

It seems to be related to the conditions when the resin is poured into the seating - there can be air bubbles, or it can dry out too quickly etc.

We have now moved away from this process as you'll see when you get your part.

Can't fault their response. I just put this down to the ironing out of early development issues.
David
 
my worries are concerning the drive...all the turning force is applied to a keyway that was only designed for holding a Lucas alternator rotor.
 
seattle##gs said:
my worries are concerning the drive...all the turning force is applied to a keyway that was only designed for holding a Lucas alternator rotor.
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This is a common misconception. The key is a locater. The clamping force is obtain through the taper on the sprocket and the clamping force against it from the rotor. These keys are so soft and I believe I am correct when I say they are design to shear. Would you rather pay for a key ($1) or a sprocket and a crankshaft(NA)?
 
I see NorComCycles are no longer advertising the Alton kit on their website. I'd be interested to hear why they've dropped it, after such a glowing recommendation here.
 
just fitting an Alton and found the rotor nut internal thread is at a big angle to the axis of the nut, meaning if you tightened the nut against the rotor you would probably bend the end of the crank at the thread and you rotor may not run true, I was trying the nut on the crank and it was immediately obvious it was running out a mile.
I dont know if anyone else has had this issue but its certainly something to check.
 
Old Scratcher said:
I see NorComCycles are no longer advertising the Alton kit on their website. I'd be interested to hear why they've dropped it, after such a glowing recommendation here.
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I have Lyell's "Alton Demonstrator" bike now. It is a 1974 850 which was brought into AUS from the USA about 4 years ago. When he sold it to me he said that he was getting out of the Alton business because of their lack of consistency in supply. Not quite as bad as Mr.Singh, but he led me to believe that he was uncomfortable waiting months for parts to be delivered to his antipodean customers.

My experience with the bike has not been trouble free. The Alton kit was an early one that had been installed by the PO, whether in the USA or AUS is unclear. Lyell re-installed it after rebuilding the engine, and it worked fine for the first few months. Then the "double gear" failed. This device has a gear at one end of a 2 inch shaft and a very small sprocket at the other, and transfers the drive from the starter motor to the chain which drives the sprag clutch attached to the crank end. To provide some flexibility or cushioning beween crank and starter motor, the double gear has resin filler between the gear that engages the starter and the shaft that transfers the motion to the sprocket. This is the weak point in the design.

I was told by Lyell that he had installed an upgraded 'mark3' version of the gear when he built up the system. Beverley at Alton was very sympathetic [via email] and assured me that they would supply a newer version of the gear [ 'mark8'? ] as a warranty item without cost, other than postage. This turned out to be about A$60. There was some delay due to my own stupidiity, but the new gear was installed by Charlie Osterfield in early April.

All worked well until last Saturday, when the gear failed again; I haven't opened up the primary yet but the graunch is the same, and the starter doesn't move the crank. Kick starting is still fine. I'm waiting to hear back from Beverley.

I'm not sure how to go with this. Junking the whole system would mean a new inner primary and charging system, as the Alton stator/sprag clutch includes an uprated charging system which is incompatible with the original inner case. I could then switch to a belt very simply. Fixing the starter and hoping it works is the easiest option but I'm not sure how I'll cope with the uncertainty of waiting for it to fail again.

I realise these are very first world problems but it is a PITA. Maybe my wife was right and I should have bought a shiny new BMW R9t. :?
 
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