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How does the ignition advance work on a post '81 airhead with electronic iginition?
Have I answered my own question..........electronic advance, or does it have a mechanical advance mechanism?

Reason I'm asking is that my RS is breaking down towards the top end of rpm, about 6500 >

Of course it could be caused by quite a few other things too........

Valve settings OK.
I don't think float level because the breakdown can happen very quickly from low rpm, before the float bowl/s would have time to lower significantly?
30 yo coils?
I don't think it's 'one side' breaking down.

All advice, and thread degradation most welcome.

ME 109 wrote: All advice, and thread degradation most welcome.

That's good, 'cause you sure got it comin'! But not from me, I paid in advance.

I don't know anything about your question. I'm a points kind of luddite.

Jeff - I am sure you have the same Hall Effect bean can as I do. There are spring loaded mechanical advance weights in it.
I just replaced the advance springs in mine with some from Motobins. Fiddly job, but cheap.
The weights could be sticking from grunge and grime, I cleaned mine out and gave them each a small drop of light oil.
Have you checked your ignition timing with a strobe light?

Haven't checked timing yet.......That's a good way to find out, isn't it Doug!

So it sounds like a mechanical advance, springs and things.

ME 109 wrote:Haven't checked timing yet.......That's a good way to find out, isn't it Doug!
So it sounds like a mechanical advance, springs and things.

Read my post again - I added a bit (advance weights in my brain are sticking).

30 years and 250,000 klm is excellent reliability from an automotive part, if indeed the bean can is the problem.

Timing light first, Z in the window at 3,000 rpm I think is the deal.
And if Z is in the window at 3000, can one assume that the bean can is operating as it should?

Native /5 wrote:I don't know anything about your question. I'm a points kind of luddite.

A pointless response Native, none the less.

ME 109 wrote:30 years and 250,000 klm is excellent reliability from an automotive part, if indeed the bean can is the problem.
Timing light first, Z in the window at 3,000 rpm I think is the deal.
And if Z is in the window at 3000, can one assume that the bean can is operating as it should?

Z is the important one and it should be centered in the window at full advance (about 3000rpm).
And it shouldn't be dancing too much.
S should be showing at idle.
Isn't it 4 am there?
I know - sleep is for wimps.

dougie wrote: Isn't it 4 am there?

Well.......it was.

9:00 am Doug. But I did get up 3 hours ago.

My RS has behaved itself for a couple of years now...........very little to 'fix'

Although I did break the wire gear shift lever linkage a couple of weeks ago and had to ride home 180 k's through the mountains!
Ya know yer can change gear by hand using the short lever attached to the tranny!
I made it home with about ten gear changes. (and still beat the GS's over the mountain )

ME 109 wrote:Ya know yer can change gear by hand using the short lever attached to the tranny!

Thought about that once. Figured I could dig a hole in the sole of my boot to fit over that little gearbox lever.