Just been looking over all my old threads

[ashman]

It was good going over all my old threads going back to 2010 and just realize its been 15 years now since running with the Joe Hunt maggie, still starting first kick every time, still running with the original point but the condenser and front cover has been replaced after a slide down the road, the front cover squashed the condenser, so a new cover and a tune up kit from Joe Hunt, cheaper in the long run to buy the tune up kit than just a condenser, the kit comes with point, condenser and new plug leads.
As for maintenance all I have done is every oil change I pull the front cover off the JH, check the condition of the point and put a few drops of STP on the point cam felt, I haven't touch the timing since installing the Joe Hunt back in 2010 and I only replaced the Champion spark plugs when going back to my old Amal carbs, the plugs had 30+ miles on them new when I fitted the JH and they still looked as good as the day they went in, no sign of wear on the electro or carbon build up, in fact they been running quite nice, I have more life out of these plugs than any other ignition system I have ran.
I no longer use my Norton as a everyday rider like it use to be but with the JH I have over 35k+ miles riding time with the JH, the best thing no need for a battery to run, but I run a small dirt bike battery so I have a nice bright brake light and run my head light if I get caught out after dark.
After 49 + years the Joe Hunt has been the best ignition system I have run on my Norton and no it don't need to be retarded to start first kick, it don't kick back and once started for the day will fire on 1/2 a swing on the kicker, these 4 rare earth JHs are the ducks nut and works so well with the Amals, starts first kick and idles perfectly when stopped.

 

[concours]

It was good going over all my old threads going back to 2010 and just realize its been 15 years now since running with the Joe Hunt maggie, still starting first kick every time, still running with the original point but the condenser and front cover has been replaced after a slide down the road, the front cover squashed the condenser, so a new cover and a tune up kit from Joe Hunt, cheaper in the long run to buy the tune up kit than just a condenser, the kit comes with point, condenser and new plug leads.
As for maintenance all I have done is every oil change I pull the front cover off the JH, check the condition of the point and put a few drops of STP on the point cam felt, I haven't touch the timing since installing the Joe Hunt back in 2010 and I only replaced the Champion spark plugs when going back to my old Amal carbs, the plugs had 30+ miles on them new when I fitted the JH and they still looked as good as the day they went in, no sign of wear on the electro or carbon build up, in fact they been running quite nice, I have more life out of these plugs than any other ignition system I have ran.
I no longer use my Norton as a everyday rider like it use to be but with the JH I have over 35k+ miles riding time with the JH, the best thing no need for a battery to run, but I run a small dirt bike battery so I have a nice bright brake light and run my head light if I get caught out after dark.
After 49 + years the Joe Hunt has been the best ignition system I have run on my Norton and no it don't need to be retarded to start first kick, it don't kick back and once started for the day will fire on 1/2 a swing on the kicker, these 4 rare earth JHs are the ducks nut and works so well with the Amals, starts first kick and idles perfectly when stopped.
View attachment 121291View attachment 121295

So, would you recommend using the Joe Hunt magneto?

 

[ashman]

So, would you recommend using the Joe Hunt magneto?

Its not everyone's cuppa tea but for me its works so well on my hotrod Norton and a big saving in weight not running a big heavy battery, I just love the big spark that it produces, reliability and not having a worry about a big thick wiring harness and all that extra wiring running everywhere, most of my wiring is under the seat in the tool tray with the small dirt bike battery 2 main wires running up to the head light a brake and tail light wire running to the tail light and one earth wire, a simple set up, I don't run daylight lights and no longer run the Norton at night but its set up if I do get caught out, I ran my power need from a battery eliminator but found the head light went dull when I hit the brakes so a small battery to stop that happening and give me a brighter brake light.
As I say not for everyone and it produces a big spark even at slow speed but the best thing open up the throttle and the quicker the motor spins the bigger the spark, it just goes and works so well with the Amals, the cam I am running and head work, everything works together, this is the second Joe Hunt I have ran which had an older JH on my 81 Triumph Thunderbird which just kept going so I knew how good they were and the new one with the 4 rare earth magnets work even better.
In 49+ years of ownership I had lots of problems with the original points set and failed AAU, 2 EI fail and one leaving me stranded 100 miles from home and of course the dead battery letting me down once or twice, but I did get 32 years out of my replacement Boyar, the first one failed from the great fire of 82.
I don't recommend running a Joe Hunt for no one but I do know they worked well for me with 25+ years of running Joe Hunt magnetos on 2 British bikes hanging off the side, it also a bit of counter weight hanging off the right side with the left side weight of the ALT and rota, but a lot say it looks ugly there but me I love the direct running off the end of the cam, no extra chain and no need to have a AAU fitted, as I say no need to retard for starting, no major machining needed to fit, the JH comes with the adapter to run off the end of the cam and it hangs in the breeze so runs really cool instead of being behind a hot motor or having any fuel leaks dripping on top of it (I been through a major fire on my Norton while on it back in 82).
I can putt around town at slow speed without any problems and open the throttle it just boots the Norton to life, one of the plug leads dropped out of the front cover of the JH one day not far from home and the spark was jumping 2" to 3" and the bike was still firing on both cylinders although with a slight misfire but since fitting a bridge between the leads I haven't had that problem since.
I read all the time on here with people having issues with EI and being left stranded on the side of the road and so far in 25+ years of running JH magneto's I have never had any problems with them (touch wood lol) and the spark they produce and my Norton has ran the best it has ever run since adding the JH and works so well with the old Amals.
But it does get up my nose when people make comments like, it has no retard, full advance as soon as you kick it, really its doesn't need to have never had any problems with kickback and always fire on first kick even with out of tune carbs, first kick for the day is always the biggest swing on the kicker but once its been fired up for the day it starts on lazy kicks after that and being a high compression motor a one kick is idea.
Do I love my Joe Hunt magneto, I sure do, but I do get a lot of knockers from people who have never ran one, I just smile, kick it with a lazy kick and ride off into the sunset with a big grin on my dial.

Ashley