Manky's XS650 Yamaha

[terry t]

O.K, the number on the Boyer unit is 00010/twin12  01/102.

5 wires coming out of it.

look here Andy
They still make them. you may still get spare parts
http://www.boyerbransden.com/micromarkiv.html
http://www.boyerbransden.com/pdf/KIT00052__BOX00023_.pdf

[Manky Monkey]

O.K Tel.
Experimenting with side panels. PD cut these curved panels from an old Calor Gas bottle when he had the bike to build the hardtail. I like them, but not sure how to mount them yet. Probably going to hang a platform from the underside of the seat base plate, to bolt the electrical components to, then slip the 2 side panels, welded together in a V shape, up over it & hold them with more Dzus fasteners.
These aren't very deep so I might have to mount the regulator/rectifier unit on the back of the battery box, although I may extend the panels to make the box a bit deeper.

[Manky Monkey]

Rear mudguard struts welded to a pair of mild steel bosses, machined by Master Lunatic on his Dad's lathe.

[dave 67]

Various layers of the seat base plate welded together to form the flush fitting access hatch for the electrics box. Held with 3 cadmium plated Dzus fasteners from my spares pile. The seat will hide this, but will hinge up to reveal it when needed.

Nice and neat andy it's looking bloody good

[Manky Monkey]

Thanks. The Pop's on hold for a little while, waiting for parts, so I'm enjoying a change of scenery, working on something different.

[BikerGran]

There's a list of downloadable instruction sheets on that Boyer-Bransden site - doesn't specifically mention the XS250 only the 650 - but I bet if you contacted them they'd be able to help.

I must keep reading these threads, they almost inspire me to get out in the garage.....   

[Manky Monkey]

Mine's the 650 Bobbi -read the threads again! 

[Cabman77]

It`s a good thing that the XS 650 is very much based on the BSA A65 Lightning so that boyer ignition will work fine. Not too sure but if you put a capacitor/battery eliminator into the system (we always used to use big blue ones sitting inside a spring for mounting) then it should make it easier to kickstart with that ignition setup, just kick it over a couple of times with the kill switch off but ignition on, that puts a charge into the capacitor which will be used to power the electronic ignition on the initial kick over (if I`m wrong i`m sure someone will correct me). 

[Firery Fred]

Had 1 on my old XS and kick started no bother,never let me down all the time I had it. (wish I still had it) Still, the new bike's gonna be very er different

[Olds]

Neat electrics box.
PM sent.

[Manky Monkey]

Not sure how deep I can make the 'leccy box, so I've been playing with the battery box that'll sit underneath it.
When PD hardtailed the frame he also put together a little battery box. Nicely done, but it needed a lot of finishing & I wasn't entirely sure it was my taste,. So I've quickly folded up a sheet of scrap steel to form a box & Loony's glued it together.

[Manky Monkey]

Yamaha batteries sit in a rubber "bucket" so I've made the box the same height. It'll be powder-coated black, with a black leather retaining strap, mirroring the straps on the fuel tank of my truck.

[Manky Monkey]

Decided to ditch the "hairpin" seat springs as they didn't sit right against the seat base. So I picked up a pair of traditional coil springs, (11 quid from Ebay).

[Manky Monkey]

Some offcuts of tube, a couple of washers & a bit of round bar will provide a flat platform for the springs to sit on.

[Tony oily bike]

I can't remember what used to sit in the other chrome casing, on the other end of the cam -it's been 20 years since I had an XS. Balance weights? Whatever it is, ain't.

Hi Andy,

On your bike, the RHS end-of-cam cover would have had the advance/retard bobweights with ATU shaft running to points plate at the other end of the cam, but as you're running electronic ignition, the bobweights are no longer needed as the Boyer electronics has a pre-mapped curve, Triumph/BSA twins in your case.

My XS650 runs Lucas electronic ignition, lifted from a T140E, works fine, though the Lucas system is more susceptible to reduced voltage than the Boyer system, so my personal preference of one over the other would be to have the Boyer.
I haven't been aware of any issues with respect to the advance curve being set for a Triumph.

I've phoned the guys at Boyer as I had big issues with my ignition a couple of years ago and thought it was the electronics (Lucas) and was going to throw it away and go for Boyer. The chap was incredibly helpful  , and suggested doing some tests first, as opposed to selling me a new system!!! I did the tests and kept the Lucas. So I can't sing Boyers chaps' praises high enough.  

My bike's problem turned out to be the original coils – they were breaking down when they got warm/hot. Testing had suggested the electronics (no spark with good plugs), so when Dslam and I put a borrowed replacement Lucas box-of-tricks on, it worked (because by then the coils had cooled!!). So don't always believe what you see..............

The coil replacement route I took was to fit a 12v twin-output Green Dynacoil, mounted where the originals were. The spark is superb. Downside is cost, a new one can be around £100. I found an un-used one at a bike shop for £40 and snapped it up.
Its runs a wasted spark too, as per the Honda coil Dslam uses on his sprint bike. In full agreement with Dslam about the plugs, NGK V or EGV, them be good.