Monthly Archives: January 2021

A new start(er)

Motorcycles

Japan rules.

BMW airheads first saw the addition of electric starters in 1970, and still came fitted with kick starters as a back-up. These were deleted for the 1975 year but the original owner of my 1975 BMW R90/6 had one fitted at the factory before importing the machine. It’s pretty useless on a cold motor, but works OK with a warm one if the whole macho scene is your thing.

To say that the massive Bosch starter in my bike is an enthusiastic participant when it comes to getting sparks and explosions going would be an overstatement. It always struggled a bit getting over the compression hump with a cold engine and things deteriorated further in recent months, so much so that I would use the kicker to position the motor just past compression to give the ailing German starter a running start at things, so to speak. But clearly, a rebuild was indicated, reverting to a properly tuned but still weak willed Bosch original, for some $250.

Now engineers are always looking for something better though I do rather struggle with the idea of installing non-OEM parts in my classic machine. I corresponded with a riding friend explaining that there is a Japanese alternative but I felt rather uncomfortable mixing races, if you know what I mean. No problem with Japanese bikes; in fact they are the most reliable and well made machines out there. “Well”, he replied somewhat caustically, “they seem to have got on just fine in the last World War, so I wouldn’t worry about it”. OK!

Why Japanese? Well the Bosch starter in my bike is 1970’s technology – probably more like 1950’s, truth be told. And aftermarket places have been modifying a Nippondenso/Toyota starter with the right Bendix (the geared teeth which the solenoid advances into the flywheel when the starter button is depressed) along with the correct nose cone for aforesaid Bendix, which allow the whole thing to fit just so in the innards of the bike.

The Bosch unit was discontinued many years ago, replaced with a French Valeo which used to shed its magnets destroying the starter. That problem was fixed and manufacture moved to Poland, a nation not renowned for its engineering prowess, and a new one can be had for $300 with the correct 8-tooth Bendix. BMW later reduced gearing – acknowledgment of the marginal power of the Bosch – to 9 teeth but that would also dictate changing the flywheel, which is overkill for a little more turning force.

Over the years the Nippondenso variously used a Toyota truck starter, a forklift starter and a small car starter, and it’s the latter I decided to pony up $350 for after reading of some 20 years’ good experience with the Japanese part from any number of Airhead riders. Toyota trucks and cars routinely run the distance to the moon and back several times, so there’s reason to be confident here. I estimate that the Bosch starter had some 2,500 starts under its belt.

The Nippondenso is 1995 technology, this model being from a 1995-97 Toyota Corolla 1.6 liter four banger. If it can spin a four cylinder engine, I reckoned it should make mincemeat of the twin in my bike. Weight dropped significantly:


A porker at nearly 10 lbs.


Modern materials see a big drop in weight.

The lighter weight means that the alignment bracket on the Bosch starter can be dispensed with.


1995-97 1.6 liter Toyota Corollas come with these.

Installation is a breeze. After disconnecting both battery terminals the starter cover comes off in two minutes – two Allen bolts – the two starter retaining bolts are removed (wobbly extensions come in useful in the tight confines here), three electrical connections are disconnected and the new starter is installed. The Nippondenso used threaded eyelets and uses the stock 13mm metric bolts to hold it in place. Being a belt and suspenders type I also installed the washers and nuts which are used with the original.


Installed, a perfect fit.

All sorts of claims are made for the lower power draw and the superior cranking power of the Nippondenso. The only data I can find suggest that the 120 amp draw of the Bosch falls to 80 amps with the Nippondenso. In the absence of further data I can only report empirical findings. Simply stated, the compression hump hesitation is notable for its absence, and the new starter spins a cold motor faster than the former Third Lady can say “Leave the Money on the Dresser”.

Recommended.

Ultra wide lenses

Photographers

A useful review.

When I was a kid the first really wide lens for 35mm cameras was the Leitz 21mm f/4 Super Angulon, the optics computed by Schneider. It cost a lot, vignetted badly, had modest resolution, required a separate optical finder for use on the Leica M …. and was thrilling. Later versions saw the aperture increased to f/3.4, then f/2.8, aspherical glasses were added and Leica now even offers an f/1.4 version which will set you back $10,000 with the separate finder.

But there’s no need to spend that sort of money as a host of aftermarket makers now offers ultra wides for under $1,000 and you can find an excellent review of many of these at Phillip Reeve’s site:


Click the image for the Phillip Reeve site.

Not only is the review comprehensive and critical, the accompanying photography is excellent, something that cannot be said all that often about gear sites. The widest lens reviewed is the Laowa 5.6/9 FF-RL which sells for all of $800, with a mount that includes the EXIF coding recesses for use on recent Leica M bodies. Corner definition is reminiscent of that original 21mm F/4 Super Angulon, meaning ‘meh’, but what a spectacular effort. It’s actually wider than the wild 12mm lens found on recent iPhones, and promises many exciting photo opportunities.

Reeve’s site specializes in reviews of very wide and very fast lenses, and there is much to enjoy there.

Seiko PADI solar

Ramblings

A fine and inexpensive timepiece.


The Seiko PADI Solar Model SNE435P1

A friend is an expert on watches and helped me with the decision to buy an inexpensive yet robust timepiece. I have got tired of inflicting damage on costly Swiss timepieces and the related maintenance agonies which last seemingly forever. Last time my Patek Philippe Nautilus was in for replacement of a broken bracelet clasp the service took – wait for it – 9 months.

The Seiko PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) diver’s watch uses a quartz movement, charging its battery through solar cells embedded in the dial. These are so skillfully hidden as to be invisible to the naked eye, and will recharge from any light source. Once fully charged the watch will run for 10 months, according to the manufacturer.

The watch’s appearance is a rip off of the Rolex Submariner with two differences. It’s quartz, not automatic, so far more accurate. And the rotating bezel is screen printed like earlier Submariners. Later ones are enameled for greater longevity.

This is an excellent watch for the rider of a classic motorcycle which has no clock installed. Like my 1975 BMW R90/6 air cooled twin. That’s because the visibility of the hands is very high, requiring only a quick glance at speed and meaning that you do not have to angle your wrist this way and that for a reading.

After many days of checking – you can freeze the seconds hand when setting the watch against a know accurate time source like Apple – the watch is dead accurate, having neither gained or lost as much as one second. The only time you are going to be adjusting the time is at the end of short months when the crown is rotated to advance the date. By contrast the Rolex is guaranteed to +/- 2 seconds a day, or up to one minute a month, which is disappointing on so costly a timepiece.

The Lumibrite fluorescence of the hands is excellent though it rather fades after 3-4 hours. The outer diameter of the dial is 43.5mm suitable for medium and larger wrists. I has to remove one link for a good fit, as well as setting the clasp on its shortest of four positions.

The bracelet is not, however, Rolex quality, using a mix of stainless stampings and castings. The pin and collar mechanism used to connect links is a horror story necessitating that a small 2mm collar is installed one side as the pin is pushed in from the other after removal of link(s). Chances are your jeweler is clueless and will lose the collar, meaning the bracelet will eventually fall apart. Check out online videos, splash out $5 on a pusher tool and do it yourself. The bracelet rattles off the wrist but is fine once in place. The deployment mechanism uses both a clasp and a push button release as a failsafe. While aftermarket bracelets are available for many Seikos, none has yet been made for this model. They tend to be better quality and use screws, not pins, to connect the links. Typically priced around the $100 mark you can buy ten before approaching the cost of the repair on my Nautilus.

Price is incredibly low for what you get. I paid $300 at Amazon. That’s less than the round trip shipping of your Rolex to Geneva when it breaks down, and it will. The happy Seiko owner simply recycles his PADI and buys a new one. He is also $15,000 richer, money which can be spent on scuba gear and lessons.

Fans of automatic movements can spend $50-100 more for the Automatic Turtle (SRPA21J1) or the Automatic PADI (SRPA21) which will get you less accuracy and a short 41 hour power reserve. Replacement aftermarket bracelets for those models are readily available. All are guaranteed leakproof down to 200 meters (660 feet).

The Solar has a date only display with a cyclops magnifier for better visibility. The Automatic PADI and Turtle have day and date displays, unmagnified. Accuracy of the automatic watches is specified by Seiko (4R36 movement) as +45/-35 seconds a day which is, frankly, awful, but can probably be tuned for better performance. None of these qualifies as a ‘dress’ watch, but as I gave away all my suits and ties years ago, ask me if I care.

Highly recommended.

Update after one month of use:

The Seiko gained just 3 seconds. Given that the date has to be advanced mostly every other month, I’ll simply ‘hack’ it at that time to lose the 3 seconds or so it has gained.