Lectrons on 76 and up Pentons

john durrill · March 15, 2003, 09:38:39 AM

Helmut,
One of our Canadian ISDT riders and still a KTM dealer sent me a 4 page article on Lectrons . It was a test done in 1977 by Cycle News. in the test 4 riders on three different brands of machines were used.
In the test the bikes were ridden , used in 1/8 miles timed drags with the stock carbs . then Lectrons were installed at the site by the riders and the tests were repeated.
I can post the article somewhere we can all access it, if their is an interest.
You guys running MX in ARMHA can use the Lectron if it was offered in the years your bikes were made. Just can't run a power jet.
We trail riders can use it on any year bike we can fit it on .
Al has a supply of used Lectrons he has rebuilt for the new gas and should be every bit as good as a new lectron less the power jet. The one he offered to us would have been about the same cost as a mikuni with the extra Main and idle jets we would have ordered. the Lectron mounts up about the same as the mikuni on the intake manifold. Al and Helmut both have some of the air boots that make the swap a snap.
Its a viable option if you are thinking about replacing your Bing with a mikuni.
I can help with the right needle to get for a 175. Helmut just passed on a good starting needle for the 250. Some of the POG members have Lectrons on the 400 so the right needle to order should not be hard to find.
Just a thought guys. you can put the stock Bing and air boot in a box and return the bike to its stock form later in just a few minuets
I'm told by more than one source that the Penton family used them on their personal bikes. Hi Point offered the Lectron for Pentons and other brands in their catalog.
John D.

tomale · March 16, 2003, 09:41:03 PM

Thanks John, I would be interested in that article. could you e- mail it to me?
[email protected]

Thom Green,I own and ride a 76 250 MC5 MX which I bought new.

[email protected] · March 17, 2003, 10:05:09 AM

John in the events I have attended AHRMA won't allow a Lectron.The rule states no flatslide carbs or Lectrons. The power jet/ pumper rule is seperate.My experience with this carb has been less than good.Don Vesco could make them work and as you stated John Penton did.I am not in that league.Frank

john durrill · March 17, 2003, 11:40:08 AM

Frank i think that AHRMA changed the rules this year. if you could get a 76 or 77 Penton from the factory with a Lectron then it should be legal. i looked at the rules ARMHA has posted on their web page and you can use them but only in certain classes and with no power jet.as long as they were available at that time for your machine.
we got a response from Barry Higgens that was like your experience when we asked him about Lectrons. Barry said they never could get one to run right on the Maico ( SP is wrong i think)
we had some trouble with mine , its 3 sizes smaller than what came on the 77 175 and parts from 3 different bikes working together didn't help chuckle chuckle.
but we have it working well. we just put a 32 mm on my sons 75 175. it took 20 mins to dial in and works great.
it has to do with the size you pick for your motor i think. you can run a lot bigger Lectron on a bike than the size that the stock carb was.
we had to find the right needle for my bike and that took a lot of trial and error. Peters was easy because we knew what mine was using and what Al was using on his 175.
they are easy to tune and adjustments only take 5 mins.
I'll send you a copy of the article that we have if you like. its interesting reading.
there must be a reason that AHRMA has made them illegal in some classes. I haven't seen the big benefit of the power jet on the two bikes we have but that may be because we picked smaller carbs to start with.
I went with a 30 mm to detune my cylinder.
the crank and tranny are not up to the power hit a 175 KTM motor puts out.
Peters bike cam with a 30 mm Bing and we went witha 32 mm Lectron. it feels about as fast with the lectron but is much easier to ride. Al is running a 34 mm on his 175 and has had it on for years.
The tighter the trail get the more the Lectron shines , and from what Dwight as said they make as much power ( you just don't feel it like with a BING) its just much smoother when it comes on the pipe.
I'm still learning Frank and i really love this group . Kicking around ideas and drawing on each others experiences is one of the nicest things about it.
John

[email protected] · March 17, 2003, 12:42:18 PM

I would like to read the article,we have some Lectron's kicking around somewhere,and I'd sure revisit the deal if it would work.I have the 2003 AHRMA rule book and perhaps you are right about the age.I don't read past 74 cause that's the newest I have.Frank.

john durrill · March 17, 2003, 01:45:14 PM

Frank, Thom,
I will e-mail you folks tonight with the 4 pages.
John D.

john durrill · March 17, 2003, 07:37:24 PM

thom , Frank
they should be in your mail boxes now.
John & Peter

[email protected] · March 20, 2003, 12:42:19 AM

OK John you got me going now.Went thru the carb pile and the Lectron's we have are 38's or so and pretty crapped out.Why do you keep this stuff?Anyone have a 30mm and rods for a 125? frank

frank the welder · March 20, 2003, 07:06:27 AM

Would you folks be so kind as to forward that lectron info to me too! I found the lectron guy to be easy to deal with and I want to try to make mine work too! thanks

john durrill · March 20, 2003, 08:58:43 AM

Frank the welder ,
will send the pages when i get home tonight.
fbtl,
you might want to take one of your 38's and see if it will clear everything on the 125. the 30 mm lectron is the same in size everywhere as the 38 except where it mounts to the cylinder.
30 mm are pretty rare. we had to buy ours new.
the two lecrton carb bodies we have will oxidize quick and look tatty. we have to hit them with crc or WD40 after we wash them to keep that from happening
john

[email protected] · March 20, 2003, 11:05:55 AM

John thanks,Frank.

Keith · March 20, 2003, 02:34:41 PM

Frank, if your 38mm is a powerjet model I would be interested in buying it if you're interested in selling it>

Keith Taylor

tomale · March 21, 2003, 01:24:35 AM

Thanks John, Sorry that I did not get back to you sooner. I needed to be out of town for two days and was unable send you a message, I did how ever look at the stuff that you sent and printed it out. thanks very much.

Thom Green,I own and ride a 76 250 MC5 MX which I bought new.

JEFF SALEM · March 23, 2003, 09:59:12 PM

HI GUYS,
SORRY TO GET IN ON THIS TOPIC SO LATE,HAVEN'T CHECKED THE SITE IN A FEW DAYS.
MY 76 400 HAD A 40mm LECTRON ON IT, AND IT WAS THE CLEANEST RUNNING BIKE I'VE EVER OWNED! YOU COULD BE IDLING THROUGH THE TIGHT TREES IN 2ND GEAR, COME OUT ONTO A POWER LINE OR OTHER WIDE OPEN SPACE, CRACK THE THROTTLE WIDE OPEN, AND HANG ON! NO LOADING UP IN THE LEAST! I BOUGHT THIS BIKE FROM THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND HE THREW THE OEM BING AWAY THE FIRST WEEK. WHAT I WOULDN'T DO TO OWN THAT BIKE AGAIN! I'M FROM A SMALL TOWN WHERE NO ONE EVER SEEMS TO LEAVE, MAYBE I COULD TRACK IT DOWN. SEE WHAT YOU GUYS STARTED!

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Lectrons on 76 and up Pentons