Total Loss Ignition

Yep.



Was about 200 miles from home, riding down Coast Highway from Monterey to Orange County, CA. Lucky it happened in Santa Maria, a big town with lots of auto parts stores.




The bike shuddered at 80 mph, made a poor noise, so I pulled in the clutch and coasted off at the convenient exit. Smoke, fire, etc., out of the primary inspecting hole. Bike cooled, I was able to break off the rotor bits with pliers and removed the stator. Then I cleaned the primary and bought some ATF, all behind the gas station.

After it was all back together, I headed to an auto parts store and a Yamaha shop, but neither had charged batteries (they only had dry with acid separate and needed charging). I have a newer Yuasa in the bike I am pretty sure was charging right up to the point it the rotor scattered, but I found a Radio Shack and bought a couple of backup lead-acid sealed 7 ah batteries and some wires to connect the eyelets on the harness to the 1/4-inch blades on the Radio Shack batteries.

But, I ran the entire way home on the existing charge (no lights on, of course). In fact, I checked the voltage of the battery when I got home after it had rested about 30 minutes and the reading was 12.1 volts. I was impressed.

It is a Tri-Spark ignition. I don't know what it draws, but it can't be much. Does anyone know the current draw of a Tri-Spark?
I sent the photo you see above to a friend and he noted the 04 73 date code and said, "Oh, yeah, it's a known issue that they fly apart..."

I know about it now!

Got home just before dark.

Good going, Whitworth Ranch! Smart cookie.

With all the members in this forum, I wonder if it would be feasable to go on (if you have a phone that connects, or access) the forum and call out for help.

Many of us would be glad to come and help out, as long as you don't ask to borrow money.

The best thing about the Vincent club is a little booklet called "The Rider's Handbook". Club members who do a lot of touring carry this booklet everywhere. It lists all of the members worldwide who are willing to help out fellow Vincent owners in need of assistance. Beside each name is a brief description of the tpe of help available. In some cases, the offer is just a port in a storm, but many members have a shop or even a full machine shop and the knowledge that goes along with it. There are also spare parts available.

I might ship my bike to England for a tour and have the magneto pack it in somewhere in the Dales. There are plenty of members close by and probably several working magnetos available, either on a shelf or on a bike that is not in use. So I borrow the magneto, complete my tour and holiday then remove the magneto and ship it back to the lender.
In this way these 65 year old bikes can be used for extensive touring and it seems to work out well.

Does the International Norton Club have a similar scheme?

Glen

Not that I am aware of.

Yes the NOC UK did used to publish a list of phone numbers for just such situations. However, they dropped this about 5-6 years ago since they felt with free recovery being part of insurance cover it wasn't a service that was used or needed any longer.

The INOA has a parts and service directory that lists a lot of people in out of the way places, also in any issue of the Norton News, there is a list of all the club chapters,with contact names and numbers, which would probably be your best bet when stranded

Wow good story glad you made it home. I hade the entire points plate, advance mechanism disolve in my Volvo 1800 ES coming home X-Mas night once about 200 miles from home. At the time I was the Vice presedent of the Orange County chapter of the club so I knew a lot of members & was less then 5 miles from one who helped out. I also live in Orange County ca. (saddly) so if you ever need help again W. Ranch don't hesitate to contact.

It is a good community. I have to say if I saw the call on the forum here and a member were stranded nearby, there would be no hesitation in lending assistance.

I was fortunate not to have to inconvenience anyone but myself. Also was fortunate that it stayed light until I got home!

I'd gotten a few laps around Laguna Seca on Friday with that Quail Motorcycle Gathering ride and three tours of the track with 6800-rpm shifts may have put a bit more stress on the 1973 rotor than it wanted at this point in its life! Did Coast Highway with some vigor from Monterey to SLO, too. Got new parts on the way.

I think even the studs and bosses for the stator mounting are OK. Lucky day, really, considering. And it was a great ride, although crossing L.A. always is awful...
Mark

What a beautiful road to ride. I lived in Monterey from 73 to 80. Had a blue stripe 74 850. We would run down to Big Sue and buy Big Sur Red by the gallon, not sure how we survived those days.

Hmmm,



May be time for the Sparx upgrade sooner than I think, but so far no problemo.

Yeah, I went to the Army Language School in Monterey back in 63, I guess I'm dating myself. Had a '50 BSA B33 I would drive up and down the PCH, once all the way to Santa Barbara for the weekend. Don't know how I survived, but I remember more of the weekend than the trip which rained until San Luis Obispo, and no front guard. I did sleep under a bridge on the way down, can't remember the trip back, but I made it for class Monday. Those were good times, but then I was 20 and invincible. I took it to Merced and Yosemite too.

Dave
69S