Florida or Bust.....

[Mick Milakovic]

I finally can say I've got a Penton to ride and race! [8D] Sunday I travelled over to Danville, Illinois and worked with Gary Ellis for 10 hours to get my Hare Scrambler ready for Gainesville.  Late in the day it ran for the first time 25 years! I still have to do a little jetting when I get down there, but I'm thrilled!  I've got a lot to learn about Pentons; they are very detailed and well crafted machines.  I've been riding Huskys for 30 years [:I] and I really like them too, but Pentons have been special to me since my brother bought his first Jackpiner in '73.  I can't wait for Florida! [] I'm checking out of here Thursday afternoon and will arrive Friday about noon.  Good luck to everyone that's going, and safe traveling.

[Paul Danik]

Mick,
   Congradulations on getting your Hare Scrambler running, it sounds like you have a good friend and helper in Gary Ellis. Good luck in Gainesville and remember that the main thing is to have FUN!!!! We will all be looking for some race reports when you guys get home. Take some pics for the newsletter if you can.

Paul

[chris richardson]

I have a "new" MC5 400 to sort also. It started right up after a complete resto, but my neighborhood simply is not condusive to fine tuning/jetting, so I head to FL without knowing of the thing will really go!

How about using the Friday CC event to tune, with an hour to "race", I can ride it, get it hot, and pull into the pits for jetting changes, return to the "race" to see if it's better or wose.

I'll bring a few Bing parts, but will be looking for other poggers there to lend some advice. Please be kind to an expert rider, but mediocre tuner!!

Chris "Chilly" Pepper Richardson
Diamond Don Racing - Team TX
come visit under the TX flag!

[chris richardson]

Also - The New Bing I ordered came with a tickle AND a lever choke. I may have made a mistake when I simply asked for it set up for MC5 400, no specifics.

I used both enricheners starting the bike in the driveway, it started, but died when the lever choke was returned upward and would not restart at all. Very wet plug. The Bing seems tilted pretty steep compared to my <CZ> experience,, should I set the floats less than 90 degrees when level?

also VERY tight getting in there to do any work requires a long disassembly. The pipe is on the way of the carb, the tank is in the way of the pipe, the engine brace is in the way of everything. Ah but the Penton is more sophisticated and worth the added effort. I just wish the Bing were more predictable, accessible.

BTW, can't get to the airscrew at all while carb is installed, ugh...

230 slide
fat needle all the way down (uppermost clip pos)
185 main
50, then 45 pilot

we'll see in FL!
cell # 281 844 2920, I'd like any help you guys could provide, team owner Diamond Don is no tuner either!

[Randy Kirkbride]

Mick..... What...  NO CC

See you there.

[Mick Milakovic]

Chris-I saw your name on the pre entry list.  Look forward to meeting you in Florida [8D] I'll be tuning my bike on Friday, also.

Randy-No CC I have to take off three days work as it is, and I promised the kids a side trip to Disney World [:0] so maybe I'll get to see part of it.  Are you racing?

[Randy Kirkbride]

Mick,
Yeah,  I'm making the trip with my son & grandson.  Should be a lot of fun.  I'm riding my Berkshire in the VCC.  Hope it's not too cold.  We'll see you there.

[tlanders]

You guys are killing me - I WANT TO GO!!!!!

Teddy

[Lew Mayer]

Randy and Mick, I'll see you there. Sounds like I won't be the only one sorting out bikes. Gainesville weather report says P.M. showers,59.0 on Thurs.,partly cloudy and 67 on Friday. Sounds right fer a cross-country. Trials,too! Partly cloudy and mid to upper 60's Sat. and Sun. Sorry,Teddy.[V] I'll be coming in Thursday,sometime. Look for the big Harley trailer.

Lew Mayer

[Glenn Berry]

Looks like it's going to be a good time to run my first cross- country on my recently completed (I hope)72 jackpiner,even if it does meen spending 15 or 16 hours in a truck with Lew Mayer. Hope to meet you guys in Gainesville.

Glenn Berry

[Randy Kirkbride]

Don't listen to that, Lew.  I always sleep really good when you're driving me to the races.  See you there.

[Mike OReilly]

To Chris Richardson:
I couldn't agree more about the tank/pipe/engine brace situation. It's a major pain. I suggest you leave the brace off until you get the jetting sorted out. It won't hurt anything and will make life a lot easier.
I don't know about the 400's; I can't get my 250's to run clean until I get down to a #35 pilot - in spite of what the books say. I haven't looked at the spec for the 400's but you may find that the recommended numbers are on the "fat" side.
Good luck.
Mike

[Mick Milakovic]

Teddy - We'll miss you, too

Chris & Mike - jetting appears to be on an individual basis.  My 250 has a hesitation on the bottom with a 35 pilot, less of a hesitation with a 40, and I ordered a 45 and a 50 from Al that I will try down in Florida. We'll see how the weather affects the bike "down under".

[Steve Minor]

For what it's worth, the Bing people sent me the carb specs for my 77 400 GS6.
They are as follows:

Stock Jetting Specs @ sea level are:
44-051-185 Main Jet
45-120-3,22 Needle Jet
46-360-401 Jet Needle in position 2 from top
44-353-50 Idle Jet

Steve

[chris richardson]

That is exactly what Bing sent, so they are consistant. Bobby Lucas confirms those pretty much too, but my 400 is running rich down low and flooding/fouling when restarting.

I know for sure a $450 new PVL makes jetting wwaaaayyyyyy less crucial, with a big fat spark cold OR hot.

Its just so hard to cough up that much, with a seemingly fine motoplat, but that upgrade worked on my last 400, I should quit restoring and then selling my sorted bikes.

An old timer once told me I'd be surprised "how much jetting is in the magneto" and I think he is right.

chilly