Electric start 650SS

Previously trevor_burt wrote:

Does anybody know if there is any development going on for a electric start for my 1962 650 SS. As I need replacement knees and dont want to sale my bike.

Well in one word NO You have to have one made up , A member in our branch is doing a electric start fitment for his 1961 ES2 hes fitting the start under the engine in-between the engine and gear box and using a dog clutch that fit just in front of the clutch and he made a spring tensioner and slipper plate for the primary chain hes modified the rear engine plate to let the starter motor in and a oval hole like the one at the back of the clutch and hes using the same oval slipper plate to so yo can adjust the chain , so you will have to use your imagination on this one, and think it all thought, or fit a commando set up but the trouble with this is the starter will be in the way of the ignition, the other way is to fit Harley Davidson parts like there ring gear for the back of the clutch and pre-engage starter fitted well back on top of the clutch just in front of the battery box you have to find a old back half of the primary chain case to cut out where the starter going to fit, so there 3 ways of doing this jobs

There are BSA singles and twins with electric start conversions out there (not to mention Velocettes) so perhaps there is hope.

Trevor,

this might help instead. Half the sore leg problems occur with the first start of the day. Try a solo starter. Subsequent starts are on a hot engine so should be less effort.

I bought a solo starter 5 years ago and have saved the purchase price twice over by not visiting my chiropractor.

Cheers

Rob

Whilst it doesn't address your problem, Jim Comstock in the States has his commando fitted with a very trick fuel injection and electronic ignition. He demonstrates it being started with a firm push down on the kickstart with his hand. Pretty impressive IMHO

There is a guy in colorado a real tinkerer he has a 12 volt motor under the fuel tank of his atlas with a open chain & sproket down to the kickstart shaft I do not know what he did inside the gearbox (remove spring etc) I saw it work it cranked continuly till the motor started then he had to mamualy park and lock the kickshaft sprocket in the correct spot it looked crude but it worked

Hi Trevor, I reviewed the Alton Commando system in Roadholder a while back. I did state that I thought it could be fitted to any bike with a Commando primary drive. It might be possible to adapt a Commando chaincase etc. to fit an SS. I would have thought the gearbox/engine spacing would be similar (and is adjustable to some degree). The fitting to the crankcase would need adapting as the Commando engine is not vertical as per the Dommi. Other issues might be the primary chain and clutch - it might be worth a bit of investigation. You'd also need 12v electrics. The Alton starter would spin the 650SS motor easily. It spins my 920 as if there were no plugs fitted.

Cheers,

Mark Woodward

I recently E mailed Alton about the possibility of a kit to fit Dominators and they advised that they have no plans to look into this in the near future. Appently the problem with the present Commando setup is that the starter motor positioncannot be moved and this prevents the engine being fitted verically. Not too sure but I think the starter motor mount forms part of the Alton primary chaincase

Perhaps we ought to have a question raised in Roadholder to see what the interest is out there on having a system developed

Does anybody know if there is any developement going on for a electic start for my 1962 650 ss. As i need replacement knees and dont want to sale my bike.

I recently E mailed Alton about the possibility of a kit to fit Dominators and they advised that they have no plans to look into this in the near future. Apparently the problem with the present Commando setup is that the starter motor positioncannot be moved and this prevents the engine being fitted vertically. Not too sure but I think the starter motor mount forms part of the Alton primary chaincase

Perhaps we ought to have a question raised in Roadholder to see what the interest is out there on having a system developed

Does anybody know if there is any development going on for a electric start for my 1962 650 SS. As i need replacement knees and dont want to sale my bike.

Well it would be nice to know if any one as done any mods like this, and how they tackled it all. But if I was to do this on my bike I would do a study on it first, and take the most effective way of tacking the job , there are a hole range of starters out there, Harley Davidson clutch gear ring parts wound come in as there near the same size clutch as a Norton clutch , the gear ring would fit on the back of the clutch basket some small spaces would have to be made up the starter motor would come in from the under side of the clutch as that is where the best place would be to drive the clutch and spin the motor up , but if you lower the compression a bit this would help you start the bike easier, and having things like good carburettor and ignition timed right, this all help to get the bike fired up first kick and having the right spark plugs too, it all help for good starting and running of the engine and taking care of maintenance all helps for affective starting , if you cannot kick your bike over then you can covert it too a hand start by a long handle from the kick starter just take off foot part and make a long handled , has any one seen the wind up spring starters , we had them on donkey engines on ship. yours anna j

Don't forget the other Norton that saved on leg power.....sometimes!!! - The Electra. There were at least two on show at the Brixham Rally. The one owned by Peter Holland had a Honda Starter motor conversion. Very tidy looking.

Remember...that modern starter motors are now half the size but 3 times the power of 50 years ago thanks to modern magnets and better stator windings. On an 88 or 99, the original Commando idea of having a starter motor in the Magneto/distributor position could possibly work. You can now get an alternator that has an integrated ignition system which would free up the space for the starter motor. A modified intermediate sprocket and some clever bits inside the timing cover could make me a happy pensioner.

Don't forget the other Norton that saved on leg power.....sometimes!!! - The Electra. There were at least two on show at the Brixham Rally. The one owned by Peter Holland had a Honda Starter motor conversion. Very tidy looking.

Remember...that modern starter motors are now half the size but 3 times the power of 50 years ago thanks to modern magnets and better stator windings. On an 88 or 99, the original Commando idea of having a starter motor in the Magneto/distributor position could possibly work. You can now get an alternator that has an integrated ignition system which would free up the space for the starter motor. A modified intermediate sprocket and some clever bits inside the timing cover could make me a happy pensioner.

Well Phil you mean CDI ignition buy Electrexworld .com and they do an array of start motors too , but I go the Harley Davidson route with a big twin and hide the start on the under side in-between the engine and gear box coming out just in front of the clutch from the bottom of the inner cover and a gear ring fitted to the back of the clutch basket and use a per-enguage starter motor . yours anna j

Previously anna jeannette Dixon wrote:

Previously phil_hannam wrote:

Don't forget the other Norton that saved on leg power.....sometimes!!! - The Electra. There were at least two on show at the Brixham Rally. The one owned by Peter Holland had a Honda Starter motor conversion. Very tidy looking.

Remember...that modern starter motors are now half the size but 3 times the power of 50 years ago thanks to modern magnets and better stator windings. On an 88 or 99, the original Commando idea of having a starter motor in the Magneto/distributor position could possibly work. You can now get an alternator that has an integrated ignition system which would free up the space for the starter motor. A modified intermediate sprocket and some clever bits inside the timing cover could make me a happy pensioner.

Well Phil you mean CDI ignition buy Electrexworld .com and they do an array of start motors too , but I go the Harley Davidson route with a big twin and hide the start on the under side in-between the engine and gear box coming out just in front of the clutch from the bottom of the inner cover and a gear ring fitted to the back of the clutch basket and use a per-enguage starter motor . yours anna j

Sorry Anna but the Harley starter will not fit between engine and g/box. I have done two of these conversions and both work great. You have to put the starter on top to the rear of the gear box which creates problems with battery and oil tanks.

You also need a belt drive alloy type clutch to mount the gear and use Commando Chaincases. Theres no such thing as a free meal.

I have bought 3 Harley starters of ebay at £50, £35 and £30. with the gears which I made myself it works out very inexpensive. All you need is 45 years engineering experence and a fully equiped workshop.

Cheers Tony H

Previously anna jeannette Dixon wrote:

Previously phil_hannam wrote:

Don't forget the other Norton that saved on leg power.....sometimes!!! - The Electra. There were at least two on show at the Brixham Rally. The one owned by Peter Holland had a Honda Starter motor conversion. Very tidy looking.

Remember...that modern starter motors are now half the size but 3 times the power of 50 years ago thanks to modern magnets and better stator windings. On an 88 or 99, the original Commando idea of having a starter motor in the Magneto/distributor position could possibly work. You can now get an alternator that has an integrated ignition system which would free up the space for the starter motor. A modified intermediate sprocket and some clever bits inside the timing cover could make me a happy pensioner.

Well Phil you mean CDI ignition buy Electrexworld .com and they do an array of start motors too , but I go the Harley Davidson route with a big twin and hide the start on the under side in-between the engine and gear box coming out just in front of the clutch from the bottom of the inner cover and a gear ring fitted to the back of the clutch basket and use a per-enguage starter motor . yours anna j

Sorry Anna but the Harley starter will not fit between engine and g/box. I have done two of these conversions and both work great. You have to put the starter on top to the rear of the gear box which creates problems with battery and oil tanks.

You also need a belt drive alloy type clutch to mount the gear and use Commando Chain cases. Therese no such thing as a free meal.

I have bought 3 Harley starters of ebay at £50, £35 and £30. with the gears which I made myself it works out very inexpensive. All you need is 45 years engineering experience and a fully equipped workshop.

Cheers Tony H

Hello well tony your only 5 years up on me and I did not say anything about HD starters just the clutch parts there is lots of small start that will go under there, and work well But I am not doing one yet , as I can still start my bike very ease, even after 3 months , first kick, its all about getting the combustion chamber right in the first place , and the timing and carburettor in good order, then your cooking with gas, yours Anna J

Hi Anna

Sorry, yes I think you were on about the ring gear on the Harley clutch not the stater motor. I am not to sure if this is part of the clutch ot bolted on. I think the alternator is also in the clutchbon the Harley. I did look at one but the memory is fadeing as it's been a while.

I think I had to make the gear one ot two teeth smaller to fit the Commando cases. I will send a little artical to the R.H about it, Mark askes for tech articals.

I fitted the starter not because the bike is difficult to start, like all my bikes it starts very easy but my right knee is pants after years of abouse. I start all my singles and twin with my left leg but when the motors go over 650 I do struggle so I decided to make life easy.

Cheers Tony