The tale can now be told after my 17th cold kick start in a row this morning. They have been varying (since the 23rd of June) from up to 4 kicks, mostly 2-kicks and a few one-kicks. This morning was a one-kick I suppose because it had been out in the sun for a while planning how to do the video (my daughter's camera).
Here's a short rundown for those who haven't followed this story since 2010:
In the winter of 2013 I sent my head off to Ace for his (and Mondello's) wizardry. I spent the whole 2014 spring and summer reassembling, dialing in and tweaking. All Federal stuff had already been removed, wide open exhaust, Ace can and TM 32 were added.
After dialed in (many, many carb adjustments and tweaking) it ran marvelously out on the road. I was amazed with it and could not have been happier.
It was an easy kick starter, but only AFTER it had been started for the first time using the evil, hated, electric starter. I chased that problem from the very beginning (I HATE a bike I can't kick start) trying a hundred different tweaks and I NEVER solved it until the 23rd of June. I had NEVER gotten a cold kick start before that no matter WHAT I tried.
I had had it in the back of my head all along this time that it "might have something to do" with the NGK plugs in this particular engine, but I never had the sense to overcome the dogma. I never liked the looks of the plugs when I pulled them and no matter how I tweaked the Mikuni it maddeningly made no difference at all. I even discussed it with Ace years ago. I think I went through at least a dozen NGKs. I finally got pissed off for the final time around the 20th of June after replacing a plug again and not getting even an electric start out of it. I pulled the NGK, got my 4-pound sledge out and smashed it in the driveway, went immediately to eBay and ordered a 4-pack of Champion plugs Free Shipping
They arrived on the 23rd of June. I put one in and got an immediate cold, first-start-of-the-day, 3-kick kick start
I could not believe it myself and could only explain it with airy theories about 9.8:1 compression, change in chamber shape and the spark being blown out, etc., etc.. Cold fuel, gremlins, pay back for the evil I've done
Let me also say that NOTHING was changed except the plug. ALL my mods had been done before this season even started. I would not shit you guys because if I got caught I would never live it down. It's the god'shonest truth. A simple change of plugs solved this whole painful, frustrating problem.
I have no excuse for not trying this before, but I always thought it HAD to be the carb. I also let myself be a victim of NGK dogma.
I welcome comments if anybody thinks they've got a theory. But please don't tell me stuff I should have done that I probably already did and tried a dozen times since May of 2014.
A simple change of plug brand has solved what I've been chasing since then. Here's the video (I hope it works). The engine sounds different than it does live, but I guess everything does.
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