RT1 bite

[Iain Cameron]

When we started at Heaven Nev raced a RM80 in the mini and pre 70 class from memory there was a guy on a very quick yz80 , Nev on his rm80 , myself dt1 , Antony Suttor on a Bully . This was when Biggles (Brad ) was pres , Mark Austin club secrety . I blame myself for corrupting Nev into the DT\RT brotherhood .

[euro bikes]

When those things were new they were notorious for kick back ,a friend of mine had one then, he limped a lot !!

[Iain Cameron]

If you add another head gasket and get the timing spot on it seems to tame them down a bit .

[mitch75]

If the Yamaha didn’t break my leg, it wasn’t for lack of trying. The harder it kicked back, the more timid I would become. This strategy fed the bike’s remorseless evolutionary mission to kill off the halt and the lame.

[brent j]

A kid at school had an RT3 and broke his leg when it spat him off one day. I bravely volunteered to start it once a week until his cast came off. I must have been 14-15 years old and weighed about 91/2 stone.

It went fine for a few weeks till I got a bit over confident and didn't commit to kicking it over.
Of course it bit me and caught on the heel of my school shoe which twisted my foot forward. Apart from stretching my ankle joint it forced the hard leather edge of the back of my shoe into my archillies tendon which resulted in a jagged cut and three stitches.

The bike didn't get started again for about another 6 weeks and I've never tried one since.

[Tahitian_Red]

So, I have a PVL ignition and a compression release on my RT-1.  Will it still rise up and take me out one day? 

[Iain Cameron]

Does a one legged duck swim in a circle . She will let you get all happy and forgetful then one day you will forget to clean her or thank her for a day out riding and pow instant limping around in small circles clutching your shin . I always pat my girl before and tell her how good a bike she is and after thank her for the day out , Still bites me if she feels in a bitchy mood . These Rt's are possessed there can be no other reason . Iain 

[firko]

These Rt's are possessed there can be no other reason

Mine bit me yesterday. I mixed up some fuel for my Whipper Snipper (Weed Whacker to our American friends and had a bit left so I poured it into my flat tracker and gave her a kick. On kick three it kicked back like a mule putting my knee into a bend it wasn't made for. The little 360 has a big bite! You might find it tough to kick the RT1 over with a PVL Jay. I had a hard time when I had PVL on it and was told that the RT1 kick over doesn't produce enough revolutions to enable the PVL to spark enough on kick over. I read somewhere that the PVL doesn't make much low speed spark or words to that effect....I'm not an electro type of guy, but know enough that it starts easier with DT400 ignition.

[Tahitian_Red]

Firko,

So, did it bite you even with a DT400 ignition?  I have a PVL on my CR480 and I was told the same thing, but a good ground and a thin wire plug helped some.

[firko]

Yeah Jay, It's got the DT400 ignition on it now. I must admit that I didn't put a lot of effort into the kick as I wasn't expecting it to go because I hadn't timed it to any sort of accuracy, it kinda took me by surprise . The throbbing knee actually woke me last night .

[FourstrokeForever]

I'll never buy one of those nasty machines after reading this thread. No wonder I dislike Yamahas.....
As for PVL ignitions, they do need a bare metal earth grounding. But it doesn't help much at start up. The spark at low speed is very weak and even intermittent. And they don't seem to last long. I tossed the PVL out of my B50 and put in an Electrex ignition. The old beeza starts much easier now and even lost the hesitation that sometimes rared it's ugly head. I'm waiting on the same ignition to arrive from pommy land for my B44.

www.electrexworld.co.uk

[firko]

The Electrex is reportedly a vast improvement over the PVL but the R&D departments at Klub Kevlar and Husky Central are achieving good initial results with Runtronic ignition kits. I haven't fitted one to my Yamaha or Maico tackle yet but I'm closely watching Husky Pete's experiments on his Husky, Frank Stanboroughs on his Matchless G80 and Jonesy's on his C&J B50. http://forum.ozvmx.com/index.php?action=profile;area=showposts;u=32

[pancho]

 One of my theories is that the RT1 original ign. system spark is so weak on kick over speed that the 'fire' is only very flimsy resulting in very slow flame travel, consequently the combustion pressure starts to get effective when the piston is on the way back up=instant pain.
 SO, I grabbed a 12 volt standard car coil off the shelf plus a condenser off something or other, wired through a switch to an alarm battery from Battery World resulting in a spark that would kill a black dog. (Still don't kick it)

 Noticed that the standard set up doesn't seem to kick back when hot, sort of supports the slow flame travel theory.
 cheers pancho.

[FourstrokeForever]

The Electrex is reportedly a vast improvement over the PVL but the R&D departments at Klub Kevlar and Husky Central are achieving good initial results with Runtronic ignition kits. I haven't fitted one to my Yamaha or Maico tackle yet but I'm closely watching Husky Pete's experiments on his Husky, Frank Stanboroughs on his Matchless G80 and Jonesy's on his C&J B50. http://forum.ozvmx.com/index.php?action=profile;area=showposts;u=32

I like the simplicity of the Electrex ignition. No making rotors or custom pick ups, just bolt it on, make sure the timing is correctly adjusted and bobs your old mans brother. Oh, and parts back up is only an email away IF ever needed, unlike the PVL. For AU$360 delivered, it's pretty good value I reckon. The Electrex on my B50 made a world of difference so I can only report from that experience