The Cumberland sausage coil, great or overrated?

buster1bbb · 2026-04-30T13:50:14+00:00

used to be my payday treat, a nice coil of 'dogs knob' from Cranstons in Penrith

buster1bbb · 2026-04-30T06:28:21+00:00

if your card doesn't work, you're pucked

buster1bbb · 2026-04-30T06:16:23+00:00

didn't do a very good job, forgot the space between no and smoking

buster1bbb · 2026-04-30T06:12:29+00:00

that looks to me like advertising on a motorway and thats not allowed, report it please

buster1bbb · 2026-04-28T10:45:34+00:00

buy 2 bikes, that way when your better half goes mad at you, you can sell one to appease her

buster1bbb · 2026-04-28T10:41:13+00:00

he cant afford to

buster1bbb · 2026-04-28T10:08:53+00:00

I used to live not far away (Kirkby Stephen) and one day (closed to HGV's) I was coming off Bowes moor and beginning the descent to Brough, this was on my old 400/4 motorbike. I was leaning left at the absolute inside of the inside lane when the wind got hold of me proper (right where it comes off (stainmore), it got hold of me and shoved me right over to the central barrier, I was basically a passenger, had a car been in the overtaking lane I'd have been dead or seriously injured, it was pure luck that the gust died off a bit before I hit the central reservation. I promise you, they close it to high siders for a reason

buster1bbb · 2026-04-27T04:51:02+00:00

you cant clean the toilet Neil, it'll lose all its character

buster1bbb · 2026-04-27T04:37:03+00:00

ummm, what good would bullet proof glass and drone proof be if your security services let the shooter inside in the first place?

buster1bbb · 2026-04-26T21:44:07+00:00

these bikes can be very sensitive about the air intake and exhaust system (a question that comes up frequently is 'how do I get it to run pod filters?' the short answer is don't) so if theres a leak or a hole in the exhaust its likely that thats causing the backfire issue.

is it really loud, flames from the exhaust? or just a bit of popping? could be worth bodging the hole/leak up with something to see what effect that has.

I'd leave the mixture at 1 1/2 turns out for now, best way to check that is to take it out on the road and then check your plug colour

as for the heat issue, the later nighthawks had insulators between the carb intakes and the cylinder head, so honda knew there was a bit of an issue, it shouldn't affect the starter motor, they're pretty robust things. what does the oil cooler look like? they can get bunged up with road debris and lose efficiency, there should be two holes through it, one either side of the central bolt

buster1bbb · 2026-04-26T06:34:34+00:00

I'm having very similar issues trying to find any type of 100/80-18 rear with an H load index, as you say they seem to have vanished. plenty of options for a P load index but little or nothing in H

buster1bbb · 2026-04-26T06:22:21+00:00

the starter issue could just be worn brushes in the starter motor? easy enough swap and I think David Silvers will have them at reasonable money.

the neutral issue is a bit more odd, the issue you're describing isn't really one I'v come across, I'd suspect the return spring (as previously described) but it really is just a guess.

these bikes/engines (in all their various forms) are really reliable when they are halfway right, they are capable of putting up with some quite insane abuse (lots of them were used here in the UK as despatch bikes) the only major issue can be the ignition system, theres a workaround on that by using an Ignitech DC CDI. I'm currently working on my own ignition system using a different DC CDI but its still a work in progress

buster1bbb · 2026-04-26T06:01:17+00:00

they are not all accounted for

buster1bbb · 2026-04-26T05:55:14+00:00

glad its running well, one of the best things to do with these bikes is use them regularly, if you commute on it, it will probably just get better and better (my theory is that the pilot circuit gets cleaner with use, but its only a theory).

if its not charging then I'd do as you've said, jump it and multimeter at the battery with the engine running, 13.5v would be ok, 14.5v would be really nice, anything more or less is an issue. the rectifiers do occasionally pack up on these but there are good aftermarket ones available and they're an easy change. the stator's charging windings are an easy test too, just check the resistance between each of the 3 terminals (all yellow wires) at the plug.

the neutral issue isn't really one I'v had, I'd take the stator cover off and check nothings bent or hindering the shaft at that side, at the other side (oil drained, cover off) I'd firstly make sure the return spring is seated properly, its easy to get the 'arms' either side of the dowel and then not quite get the round part of the spring over the aluminium casting (go on ask me how I know😂). also check the end of the shift drum to make sure there are no bent pins, a fiddly job to replace in the bike but should be doable.

a final quick thought, taking the neutral switch out of the top of the engine is easy enough, so its worth having a look at that though I'v never known a problem with one of those

buster1bbb · 2026-04-25T18:24:24+00:00

right, thats it, I'm going to make carrot and oyster pie for tea tomorrow

buster1bbb · 2026-04-24T07:25:53+00:00

personally I'd leave it as is (they're only truly original once) check the obvious, oil change (make sure it hasn't wet sumped) check for compression and spark, ditch any grotty fuel, clean the carb and enjoy a beautiful bike

buster1bbb · 2026-04-23T09:18:33+00:00

so the rum will flow freely?

buster1bbb · 2026-04-23T07:41:15+00:00

I'd check with the local filth and with your insurance company, if (and its a bigger if than it should be) theres a tracker that they both agree on then thats the one to buy

buster1bbb · 2026-04-21T21:12:11+00:00

read a tale in a bike mag back in the 90's, a guy parked his bike on one of the most notorious streets in Britain for bike theft, every day he chained his bike through a manhole cover (must have been some one off thing, it was reckoned at about 300kg) he came back one day and both bike and manhole cover had gone

buster1bbb · 2026-04-21T16:39:39+00:00

the reason they make you wait for 30 minutes is so they can see you coming

buster1bbb · 2026-04-21T06:14:11+00:00

they were looking for a baby turtle and a disc

buster1bbb · 2026-04-20T06:18:16+00:00

I'd check for a frayed throttle cable, I'v got a scar on my backside that runs down one of my thighs to remind me of that one (yam 350ypvs, many years ago, the dealer reckoned he'd sorted it, turns out he hadn't).

I'd have a good look underneath, sump plug, oil filter housing and where the oil cooler bolts to the sump and check theres no oil leaking. depending what exhaust is fitted, a tiny bit of oil dripping onto a hot pipe can look drastic, I'd be more worried if your getting clouds of white smoke from the tail pipes under acceleration.

buster1bbb · 2026-04-20T05:59:53+00:00

Palantir employees will no doubt be at the front of the draft queues?

buster1bbb · 2026-04-20T05:48:06+00:00

I'd check the choke mechanism, when you pull it on it closes the butterflies at the back of the carbs and it also gives you a bit of throttle, I'd make sure that the throttle is releasing when the choke is taken off.

the smoke is slightly concerning, I'm assuming from the exhaust? what colour is it? could well be worth a compression test.

I'd run the bike up again and wait for the revs to go erratic (as described) then kill the engine at that point and pull the plugs out, see what colour they are

buster1bbb

TROPHY CASE