boyer ignition

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jamesp

jamesp

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Hi, when I bought my 74 Commando a few months ago, the seller gave me an uninstalled Boyer electronic ignition. I am considering installing it and was just wondering the pros and cons, such as what to expect in performance,reliability, and do I need any special tools? Thanks in advance.
 
My Boyer runs fine.
Static timing is simple but once it is up an running you will need to set the timing with a strobe light.
I found mine to be very advanced when I put the strobe on it.

Here is a link you may find useful rather than having to get to 5 grand to time it with the light..

http://www.nocnsw.org.au/igntntmng.html

Sweenz
 
JamesP, being on my third Boyer in 30 years I can give you a few tips. It has an encapsulated black box usually mounted to the frame under the tank. It should be wrapped up tight with dense foam and some ducktape to protect against vibration which electronics detest. Also the Boyer likes a good ground/earth point to the frame or like myself will discover the demise of encapsulated trigger diode .Boyer has honoured their warranty well with me and I now run the newer Micro Mini unit which keeps firing with a weak battery. Earlier Boyers like a very strong battery or strange running will occur with headscratching. As for timing I say ignore standard strobe method and after lining up plate with the word Norton just readjust until motor runs happy without kickbacks on starting (timing marks from factory not precise in many cases).Also the thin wires that enter the timing case need vibration support(I use silicone blobage) or they will chafe/fracture. The white power wire to the black box should be fitted a fuse of it's own to protect it.Good luck and happy ridin'.
 
Mine has been running fine for about 20 years.
This year I bought a 750 with points. I also had a free not fitted boyer with it. It will be on it before spring.
It is a lot less hassle than points.
 
Yes I have owned two Commandos with old style Boyer Ignition.
No problems with either.
There may be better around, now, but if you have them, use them.
There will be plenty of other things to spend your money on.
AC.
 
I've put about 4K miles on my Bonnie fitted with a Boyer Mk 3 Micro Mini unit and I've not looked at it since it was installed.
Remember, the system prefers (but it's not essential) two 6v coils wired in series and copper core HT leads, follow Torontonian's advise and insulate the black box from vibration.
My only complaints are the cheap and nasty automobile type crimp connections (I threw them away and fitted ones more suited to a bike) and the fact there are no mounting holes in the black box, although this is easily fixed with some foam and a couple of zip ties.

Webby
 
jamesp said:
Hi, when I bought my 74 Commando a few months ago, the seller gave me an uninstalled Boyer electronic ignition. I am considering installing it and was just wondering the pros and cons, such as what to expect in performance,reliability, and do I need any special tools? Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
After replacing 2 Boyers, I installed a Trispark system. A completely diferent bike. More power crisper exhaust and stable idle. Worth the investment. Sell the Boyer and buy this http://www.trispark.com.au/
 
A few of us were just discussing this topic again last night at our monthly club meeting. One out of five had an issue with the pick-up plate wires, three have never had a problem and the last guy still had his original 50 year old points in his BSA. You be the judge.......A long standing topic.


Tim_S
 
last guy still had his original 50 year old points in his BSA. You be the judge.......A long standing topic.


Tim_S[/quote]

Boyer still in the box, Tri-Spark still in the box. Points still in the Norton. :shock: You know, I screwed around countless times to get those points adjusted and strobed. Finally did. :D Been running so well in the last 2 years since, didn't want to take them out. :roll: Someday I'll get around using one of them for one of my 2 Nortons.
 
Tim_S said:
A few of us were just discussing this topic again last night at our monthly club meeting. One out of five had an issue with the pick-up plate wires, three have never had a problem and the last guy still had his original 50 year old points in his BSA. You be the judge.......A long standing topic.


Tim_S
Click to expand...

Ever had a high compression commando kick back ? Yr ankle and asshole become one unit. Trispark goes to full retard below 400rpm. It cannot kick back. There are no pickup plate wires either. The idle stabilisation circuit gives a solid idle with worm amals. 1st kick start hot or cold, even after months in the shed. I cant go back to points.
 
Yes on higher CR P!! than a Combat to either break knee or foot bones &/or end up landing on ground squirming till the shearing pains settled down. Just keep that Tri-spark cooled and vented in dry summer Mt climbing air I hear. I'm stealing that early bit of wisdom of Tri-spark so impressed as much as anyone by their happy users. Oh yeah Greg Fauth has Boyer trigger wire kit or make your own out of test metter leads might to be constantly flexed and coiled. How does Tri-spark solve this? Have ya read what Jim Schimdt does to them black boxes to race on?
 
After replacing 2 Boyers, I installed a Trispark system. A completely diferent bike. More power crisper exhaust and stable idle. Worth the investment. Sell the Boyer and buy this http://www.trispark.com.au/

Would it be worth chucking our Boyers out & spending £210.38 plus postage to fit a trispark?
 
Yes.

Been said before but bears saying again - that 1st gen Boyer has a Triumph advance curve, designed for the Triumph's high dome pistons/heads that require more advance. Yeah, you can compromise it for the Norton's flat top piston/head by retarding the initial spark, and sacrifice performance and get more kick backs and maybe hurt your self or your kick start assembly.

Nothing wrong with points, except the Lucas auto advance unit. You can use a drilled out washer to lock down that Lucas auto advance, run the points, and have pretty much the same running characteristics (kick backs especially) as that first gen Boyer and if you have a low battery, the points will fire when the Boyer won't.
 
Running a 30 year old RITA with no issues. If it came down to replacing it, I'd go Trispark. That is of course if I couldn't find a replacement box for the RITA.
 
I'd of jumped on a Trispark a decade ago, now I've personal reasons not to shop for any more electronic substitutes. My quip/question was from a few reports of Tri-sparks fainting for a time d/t heat. I do wonder what happens if a Tri-spark
is run w/o resistance to the spark plug on a bike with LED signals and lights. hobot
 
hobot said:
I'd of jumped on a Trispark a decade ago, now I've personal reasons not to shop for any more electronic substitutes. My quip/question was from a few reports of Tri-sparks fainting for a time d/t heat. I do wonder what happens if a Tri-spark
is run w/o resistance to the spark plug on a bike with LED signals and lights. hobot
Click to expand...

Gooday Hobot,

Rode the 2008 Norton International Rally in Australia. 2 days topped 120f in the shade. Never missed a beat. Never heard of a trispark failure (touch wood).

You must have 5kohm caps. I have run LED signals and lights without an issue. The designer of the Trispark is probably the best to answer the technical stuff.

We can set up a thread and Im sure he would participate.

Cheers
 
Nortiboy said:
You must have 5kohm caps. I have run LED signals and lights without an issue. The designer of the Trispark is probably the best to answer the technical stuff.

We can set up a thread and Im sure he would participate.
Click to expand...

First, I suggest you put "trispark" into the forum search?
As you are a new member you will probably be unaware that the Tri-Spark Classic Twin (along with various other electronic ignitions) has already been discussed at great length on previous occasions, and Steve Kelly (Tri-Spark's owner) has already participated in some of those discussions. Some of our members (including myself) have been using Tri-Sparks for some time-mostly without any problems.
 
Glad to read heat is a non issue for Tri-sparik fainting away. I assume it' and all the others will start and run fine w/o an R factor in line with the HT leads - its just the entertainment factor with LEDs I'm waiting to see on a video after dark.

I'm in awe there's enough market to allow a handful of ignition systems to exist. Boyer is about the bottom of the bunch yet once its couple of weaknesses handled, trigger leads and good charge over 11v's its fine for decades. Tri-Spark just seems like extra money for extra easy start and stable idle, same as cheap vs expensive bar grips or tires, it takes unusual rider or conditions to notice the extra icing on the cake. Audiphiles are like that too of course and glad of it. Go for it if ya care is all.

Its a shame that idle is so damage/wearing on our engines so ill advised to spend much time there after the sump pumped out. I don't view 1000 rpm as idle I see it as a bit off idle into low mid range zone to keep oil pressure, carb flow and charging up. Shoot factory Trixies sloppy AAU/points does that, after a bit to finally slow down or me drag it down to that, it'll stay there. Trixie came to me with idle set at 450-ish, as some clever soul had adjusted each point skewed enough it worked really well as heart throb to highway comfy cruiser.

Don't ask me about what I paid for quadtriple thick ignition icing on Ms Peel.
 
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