Amal Premire Carbs

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A quote from Bernard:
I don't care which Bike/car manufacturer you talk about, they ALL ‘spoil their ship for ‘halfpence worth of tar!’[/quote]


I read this whole thread and this was the best thing in it.
I'd love to use that in my sig line. :D
 
Well, I just have to give my two cents worth after having such a laugh reading all the wonderful comments here. I submit to you all that this wear fetish with Amal carbs is a myth, just like many of the other endless talking points that are perpetuated regarding the Norton. Before all you experts pan the merits of the Amal, I might suggest that someone with a flow bench or even some more primitive apparatus, actually test and report on the flow/leakage inherent in Amal cabs with varying levels of wear. Obviously the data with slides at the nearly closed position has an impact on idle. This can be overcome by provided air adjustment screw.I suppose that is why one is provided. Part throttle operation probably makes no difference whether worn or not. Then, if you want to get more data, do the same on the other favorite replacement carbs. When the data is analyzed, then
make your comments based on fact rather than myth.
 
Perhaps I'm easily pleased but I've put more than 100,000 mile on the same Commando (well a few bits of it anyway) and carb wear just hasn't been a major problem, neither has adjustment. I think that I've replaced them twice in that period (the bike had an unknown mileage when I got it ).

I haven't replaced them because they were clapped out but simply because I'm fussy and they weren't looking new any more. Unlike the Keihin on my old winter-hack Honda, the Amals have never thrown a steel choke flap and half the butterfly down the intake and nor do they corrode into green slime as the Mikunis of the 1970s used to if left unused for a month.

I like Commandos. I like the ritual of tickling, it seems to suit the character of the machine. Mk1 Concentrics seem to work well enough.

The old 76s and 276s are a more fiddly thing to work on but I like them too on the right bike, just as I like manual ignition advance and exposed valves. Not because they can't be improved on but because they add to the period experience. Based on the mileage that most Commando owners do these days, replacing slides at 20,000 miles and sleeving the bodies or replacing at 40,000 hardly sounds like an onerous task or enormous expense.

I'm always interested to read of owners altering their machines but this constant Amal-bashing is becoming tiresome. We all know the limitations and most of us have chosen to live with them. A forum such as this should be a place where owners and enthusiasts can exchange views. I fail to see that any value is added by the constant criticism of owner's choices, not least by someone who doesn't even like Commandos.
 
No offence to you Bwolfie because your intentions were very good, but maybe LAB should locked this one out too, allowing it to painlessly drift off the end of the page.
 
pvisseriii said:
No offence to you Bwolfie because your intentions were very good, but maybe LAB should locked this one out too, allowing it to painlessly drift off the end of the page.
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There hasn't been any personal attacks… yet. :mrgreen:
 
I'm fine with locking it, I was just trying to let people know, not start a heated debate on metalurgy.
 
bwolfie said:
I'm fine with locking it, I was just trying to let people know, not start a heated debate on metalurgy.
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And what is even better is that the debate is based on assumptions of, what where and how the new carbs are being made!!
 
Sometime back I remember someone talking, in another context not on this board, of a pig with lipstick.

Even I as a relative newbie know there are carbs that are ultimately more reliable. The Amals seems to be a self-fulfilling prophesy: Something which ensures spares will always be needed.
 
swooshdave said:
L.A.B. said:
stockie2 said:
Don't forget Burlen have not had AMAL that long
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8 years...long enough.
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Really? You work there and know what they went through?

With a purchase of any company the first thing you have to figure out is what you got yourself into. In the US you can do some heavy investigation so much so that you'll know what the janitor had for breakfast and how often his bowel movements are. In EU, nothing. So first you have to sort through business process, records, inventory, customer records, manufacturing contracts… shall I go on?

Then you move to a stabilization phase of keeping the newly bought company running and making as many operation improvements as you can. All the while hoping for some positive returns.

And only then, assuming you have sufficient operating capital can you even consider beginning product re-development.

So Burlen, who produces antique carburetors to sell to cheap old men with crusty old cars and bikes, are going to have the resources and manpower to magically whip up some fancy new stuff "right away"?

8 years is astounding. It's not like this is the first improved part they have came out with in 8 years. The anodize slides, chrome slides, new floats… They have been doing an outstanding job.
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Well said, very well said.
 
79x100 said:
It has been well documented that Amal were under constant pressure from the motorcycle industry who refused to accept new instruments unless they were cheaper than their predecessors. The pre-war mazac Type 76 replaced the earlier bronze Type 6 which needed much more individual finishing.

This is all a matter of history and we can't change it now.

I don't think it fair to compare Burlen / Amal with current suppliers of OE carbs or developers of new instruments. They exist to supply the niche market of replacements for historical vehicles which are now at least 35 years old and I for one am glad that they do that. I find it quite remarkable that I can order jets and needles for a seventy-year old carb off the shelf.

I realise that there are those who are convinced that they can extract a quart from a pint pot and are trying to make a modern motorcycle out of the Commando and good luck to them but personally I'm quite prepared to accept the difficulties which come with machines of this age.

As far as I'm concerned, if you want a modern bike then buy one but please stop trying to bring down a small company which in my opinion is doing a bloody good job supplying parts for ancient machinery.

The fact is that by any logical criteria, the Commando is inferior to the products of modern 'reputable' manufacturers. Thats why Carbonfibre neither owns, nor wishes to own one but he does seem to enjoy picking holes in them.
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Another well stated point of view. :)
 
bwolfie said:
Wow, once again you people amaze me. I started a thread spreading the news of an all in one updated existing product, and once again it has been blown out of proportion. Yes there are "better" carbs out there. Yet thery are made out of "better" materials. Who cares, if you don't like them, don't buy them. For those of us that do, good for us. Please stop wasting our time with your know it all whining. It's getting old.
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Amen.

Concentrics are good carburetors, the Burlens fix the few faults they have.
 
I dont mind in the slightest if anyone chooses to buy shoddily made Far East/Eastern European manufactured parts to fit to their bikes, and can see why anyone concerned with an original look would want to do this. However doesnt seem to make a great deal of sense otherwise, as more modern carburetion will make any older bike run a great deal better, which tends to make riding one a lot more fun.
 
Carbonfibre said:
I dont mind in the slightest if anyone chooses to buy shoddily made Far East/Eastern European manufactured parts to fit to their bikes, and can see why anyone concerned with an original look would want to do this. However doesnt seem to make a great deal of sense otherwise, as more modern carburetion will make any older bike run a great deal better, which tends to make riding one a lot more fun.
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Of course that's theoretical for some people. :roll:
 
I will as soon as I sell some more stuff. The toy account is almost drained.
Most of us have 35+ year old amals that still function, but could be better. At the miles I put on, it will be the only set I will need.
I don't see why certain people are getting so worked up over this.
I guess their life sucks and need somewhere to complain.
You know the old saying, "he would complain if you hung him with a new rope"
 
I've been in contact with Amal (Burlen Fuel Systems Ltd.) regarding their Premier Mk1 carbs.

Burlen released the following statement regarding various issues raised in this thread which may help to clear up a few "Amal" misconceptions.

“All Amal carburetters are made here in our Salisbury factory. Mark 2 Concentric castings marked “Made in Spain” are sourced from Arreche in Spain who formerly made Amal carburetters under licence”. When the new tooling which is currently on order is introduced the Mark 2 will revert to being marked “England”.

For the time being the material used to cast Mark 1 Concentric bodies remains Mazac – the zinc alloy they have always been made from. The reference in the announcement to new materials refers to the new slides, floats and needle valves.

Our testing has shown that the anodised slides significantly reduce the rate of body wear in a similar way to that found on “sleeved” carburetters.”
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thank LAB, maybe carbonfiber will shut up about them out sourced to Asia or china but probably no hope as to the mazak.
 
bill said:
thank LAB, maybe carbonfiber will shut up about them out sourced to Asia or china but probably no hope as to the mazak.
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Wishful thinking! Oh, and it's Carbonfibre not "ber". Criminy, what are trying to do, all he needs is a itty bitty reason to get all cranked up?
 
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