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My vacuum advance has failed and there are no replacement units available. I've decided it was time to upgrade the entire ignition system by removing the antiquated mechanical vacuum advance and replacing the coil pickups that are prone to wiring failure. I found a nice aftermarket system produced in Germany which seems to fit the bill nicely. I just wanted to get your guys opinions on if this would be a good solution for upgrading the ignition system. The upgraded digital ignition system can be found here: https://www.elektronik-sachse.de/sho...ha-xs1100.html Let me know what you think. Thanks
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My advice is - Keep it stock. We have discussed that unit here many times but nobody uses it. What is the issue with your present unit? Most problems can be repaired.
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vacuum advance diaphragm has failed and is causing a serious vacuum leak, so I deleted it. I want more control over my ignition curve as well which the stock ignitor box doesn't provide. This bike isn't stock by any stretch and I want to take advantage of all the ponies I paid for when I built this engine which the stock ignition falls very short in providing. Besides that the coil pickup wires are a major failure point and I just don't want to have to deal with that issue in the future. If the bike was bone stock and I wanted to keep it in pristine original condition I would consider it, but she isn't and I never intended on keeper her that way. I wanted to pull all the potential this bike would have provided if Yamaha had done it right the first time. Instead they muzzled her and she has no bite and falls squarely on her face at higher RPMs.Comment
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You sound like a man that knows what he wants. You should buy the electronic unit and get back to us on your findings.
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Yeah this isn't my first rodeo with this model. I had one when I was younger and had a friend of mine who used to drag these bikes and was a master mechanic for Yamaha in Spokane, WA build my bone stock '79 into one hell of a sweet sleeper. Doesn't take much effort to get these rigs up to their full potential while still keeping it within budget. As these classics age the OEM parts are becoming increasingly rarer and ridiculously expensive, so the way I see it for what I would have to spend to fix this ignition system up back to stock specs which still wouldn't give me the punch I'm seeking I could spend that money on upgraded and far superior parts that will give me what I want and I wouldn't have to worry about having to look for stock replacements in the future and that's a win win for me. I don't want a street cruiser that sits in the garage more than she is on the road. I live in an area where I can ride her full time and I plan on doing so for as long as I can. I'm not a young pup anymore and I would like to enjoy a little pay back for having to ditch my dream bike back in the day because I had family obligations which included two small children. It was a no brainer then just as it is a no brainer now. Thanks for your advice and I'll let you know how it works out. Ride safe !Comment
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2 - 80 LGs bought one new
81 LH
02 FXSTB Nighttrain
22 FLTRK Road Glide Limited
JimComment
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I'm excited to see some dyno runs of this built motor once it's all set up!'79 XS1100F
others: '95 XLH1200, '98 GSF1200S
Past Yamahas: '78 XS1100E, '76 XS500CComment
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AFAIK, ain't seen or heard any feedback 'bout this ignition system from anyone who installed it IRL. (╯•﹏•╰)
TIA fOaR bein' the proverbial canary in the coal mine in this situation. ໒(⊙ᴗ⊙)७✎▤
It's been "out there" fOaR a number of years and I, myself looked at it with a critical eye. (⇀‸↼‶)
I like the GERMAN MADE aspect. From my experience in the "industry" (IBM...) I can say that they usually(?) use the highest quality electronic components instead of the bottom of the barrel quality control challenged left-overs one sees shipped and used in Taiwan.... (－‸ ლ)
Wuz lot'sa fun to have to learn to read/understand Deutsch repair manuals and electrical schematics as part of muh JoRb. ( ๑‾̀◡‾́)σ"
But now-a-days I actually don't have the proper test equipment to diagnose this system down to the component level of say a transistor or "chip" even IF the manufacturer provided an accurate electrical schematic, physical test points, or the flow chart of the Theory of Operation. (☉_☉)
Translation- Wut could I do iffin' I had it all hooked up right and I wasn't getting spark? (O_o)
Mebbe check the fuse(s) would be about it and iffin' it still no wurky order 'nuther one while it's still under warranty. (O_O)
The OEM system has pass/fail tests listed in the repair manual one can do with a multimeter and I have my very own "dynamic" tests I used to eliminate the ignition system as the source of the problem when I had my very own "ain't runnin' right" scenario about a years ago. AND I've got a cache of spares lined up if/when a part of the system goes Tango Uniform. (•‿•)
FoAr Me? (O_o)
I noped outta this option but my bike IS just a cruiser that prowls the streets and takes down 2024 Mustangs who over-estimate the advancements in chip technology, fuel injection, and plastic body molding. (⁀ᗢ⁀)
Lookey like YOU wanna go further than that. (─‿─)
I hope that, "Fortune Favors the BOLD" in this situation. (*^‿^*)Comment
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unfortunately I ran into the same issues with my last XS build some 36 years ago when it came to the factory ignition system as I am now with this current build which is really frustrating for someone like myself who is looking to improve on factory performance. I've heard some good things about this upgraded digital system. Not so much feedback about this particular kit, but they do offer this kit for many bikes, not just the XS, so I based my opinion on the overall performance gains on several bikes from this era and from what I have read they are quite amazing to say the least. The Germans have really dialed this system in and yes they are using quality components in this kit. What I particularly like about this system is that it completely removes the common points of failure that have plagued the factory ignition system as it ages, so I'm willing to take a leap of faith and see what is what personally. I'll let you all know how it goes.Comment
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Myself included. My last build with this same model 36 years ago was a real screamer even with the limited performance upgrades you could make at that time. However with the new technology available to us today I am very sure I can improve on my old build three fold. It all comes down to ignition and fuel delivery which I think I will have dialed in with this new digital ignition system and the modifications I made to the stock carbs. The proof is in the pudding as they say, so I will have to wait and see. I'll give you guys a full report when completed.Comment
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Would like to see this as well!Comment
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