My official testing of several different aftermarket CDIs

GoldenMotor.com

Pablo

Master Bike Builder & Forum Sponsor
Dec 28, 2007
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I really hate to repeat myself.... why don't you provide us some tests of your own???? (it's been over 3 years now of nothing but talk)!

(& this video is also doing tests (that you're not)!!
I'm not making any claims. Well other than, I tend to agree most aftermarket CDI's don't do much other than step up reliability depending on component selection and workmanship. Maybe you noted we stopped selling CDI's - because - TOO MUCH HASSLE, TOO MANY RETURNS. So the reliability is also operator dependent.

It seems you just want to fight. This IS a CHAT forum last I checked. I will no longer post in your thread if you don't want me to. Easy enough.
 
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Huffydavidson

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Jan 29, 2012
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I'm not making any claims. Well other than, I tend to agree most aftermarket CDI's don't do much other than step up reliability depending on component selection and workmanship. Maybe you noted we stopped selling CDI's - because - TOO MUCH HASSLE, TOO MANY RETURNS. So the reliability is also operator dependent.

It seems you just want to fight. This IS a CHAT forum last I checked. I will no longer post in your thread if you don't want me to. Easy enough.
Ok I'm in the House Now and here's the official facts.. Father&Son Arrow Cycles Loren and his son Ryan Burkman have been and still are UNDEFEATED 5 YEARS STRONG and counting in the EXPERT CLASS. I didn't know they were running 2 of my earliest HD Lighting cdi kit Models until learning of this this year. So now I am proud to as of this I sponsor their Race Team. I even called Venice motorized bicycles and left a message offering to sponsor their team but I heard had no reply. The offer still stands Norm I just want make faster. Faster? Let me elaborate on that. Dan Kelton Wildbill's son Gained 4 mph down the straight away at Grange and reported turning 11,000 rpms.
 

Huffydavidson

STREETRACER/MANUFACTURER
Jan 29, 2012
1,076
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st.louis,mo.
Ok I'm in the House Now and here's the official facts.. Father&Son Arrow Cycles Loren and his son Ryan Burkman have been and still are UNDEFEATED 5 YEARS STRONG and counting in the EXPERT CLASS. I didn't know they were running 2 of my earliest HD Lighting cdi kit Models until learning of this this year. So now I am proud to as of this I sponsor their Race Team. I even called Venice motorized bicycles and left a message offering to sponsor their team but I heard had no reply. The offer still stands Norm I just want make faster. Faster? Let me elaborate on that. Dan Kelton Wildbill's son Gained 4 mph down the straight away at Grange and reported turning 11,000 rpms.
And I'll comment regarding that the video was rigged because you can hear when Robert runs the strike he sandbagged it he did not give it full throttle he cheated because it's a fact that the strike accelerates the stock CDI big time and that's a Track Fact. And secondly Robert doing a review on my Product that guy hates me this won't end well so he had to cheat to make me look bad and dis credit my product like some other people here..
 
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Venice Motor Bikes

Custom Builder / Dealer/Los Angeles
Mar 20, 2008
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I'm not making any claims.
You absolutely DID make a very serious claim!!!
You said, *quote* "I will say that kind of testing, is not nearly as unbiased as his claims." & insinuated that he is biased & somehow rigged the test.

You (& Neil) still haven't sufficiently answered my original questions! (I'm still waiting to hear from both of you how you feel Rob (might have) rigged this dyno test???
 

Venice Motor Bikes

Custom Builder / Dealer/Los Angeles
Mar 20, 2008
7,271
1,810
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Los Angeles, CA.
And I'll comment regarding that the video was rigged because you can hear when Robert runs the strike he sandbagged it he did not give it full throttle he cheated because it's a fact that the strike accelerates the stock CDI big time and that's a Track Fact. And secondly Robert doing a review on my Product that guy hates me this won't end well so he had to cheat to make me look bad and dis credit my product like some other people here..
Hey Dan.... It's been over 3 years since I first posted this thread... & we're all still waiting to see your own testing too!! (which obviously will never happen)
 

Venice Motor Bikes

Custom Builder / Dealer/Los Angeles
Mar 20, 2008
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1,810
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Los Angeles, CA.
Ok I'm in the House Now and here's the official facts.. Father&Son Arrow Cycles Loren and his son Ryan Burkman have been and still are UNDEFEATED 5 YEARS STRONG and counting in the EXPERT CLASS. I didn't know they were running 2 of my earliest HD Lighting cdi kit Models until learning of this this year. So now I am proud to as of this I sponsor their Race Team. I even called Venice motorized bicycles and left a message offering to sponsor their team but I heard had no reply. The offer still stands Norm I just want make faster. Faster? Let me elaborate on that. Dan Kelton Wildbill's son Gained 4 mph down the straight away at Grange and reported turning 11,000 rpms.
The Arrow team are professional riders & have been winning these races long before they used your CDIs (& they would still out race everyone on the track without your CDI)

Also, you never offered to 'sponsor' me, you offered to sell me a CDI for a couple of dollars off.

I tested your product 3 years ago, & it wasn't the fastest! (if it was?, I'd be using it right now)

Now we have dyno tested proof that you're newest CDI still isn't the best.
 
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Pablo

Master Bike Builder & Forum Sponsor
Dec 28, 2007
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Duvall, WA PNW
www.sickbikeparts.com
You absolutely DID make a very serious claim!!!
You said, *quote* "I will say that kind of testing, is not nearly as unbiased as his claims." & insinuated that he is biased & somehow rigged the test.

You (& Neil) still haven't sufficiently answered my original questions! (I'm still waiting to hear from both of you how you feel Rob (might have) rigged this dyno test???
I made no PRODUCT claims.

Yes I will stick by what I wrote and I explained where I'm coming from. I have zero idea if he rigged the test or not. I have no way of knowing that. But I can say without hesitation such a test will have bias. Just so you know, I'm not taking sides - the difference could be even more or less than his measurements. And that is just operator bias. Are all his instruments calibrated with traceability to NIST? For example.

All I know is the scientific method. Basic things ones learns in probability and statistics.
 
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Pablo

Master Bike Builder & Forum Sponsor
Dec 28, 2007
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33
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Duvall, WA PNW
www.sickbikeparts.com
Ok I'm in the House Now and here's the official facts.. Father&Son Arrow Cycles Loren and his son Ryan Burkman have been and still are UNDEFEATED 5 YEARS STRONG and counting in the EXPERT CLASS. I didn't know they were running 2 of my earliest HD Lighting cdi kit Models until learning of this this year. So now I am proud to as of this I sponsor their Race Team. I even called Venice motorized bicycles and left a message offering to sponsor their team but I heard had no reply. The offer still stands Norm I just want make faster. Faster? Let me elaborate on that. Dan Kelton Wildbill's son Gained 4 mph down the straight away at Grange and reported turning 11,000 rpms.
Not sure why you directed this at me.

As I stated, I'm not taking sides. We sold a fair amount of Lightning and Jag CDI's over the few years we carried them. Most of them are still running. The returns we had were people who couldn't make proper connections or they had some other issue and falsely blamed the CDI.
 
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Venice Motor Bikes

Custom Builder / Dealer/Los Angeles
Mar 20, 2008
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Los Angeles, CA.
I made no PRODUCT claims.

Yes I will stick by what I wrote and I explained where I'm coming from. I have zero idea if he rigged the test or not. I have no way of knowing that. But I can say without hesitation such a test will have bias. Just so you know, I'm not taking sides - the difference could be even more or less than his measurements. And that is just operator bias. Are all his instruments calibrated with traceability to NIST? For example.

All I know is the scientific method. Basic things ones learns in probability and statistics.

Awesome.... I'm guessing that we'll all be waiting a very long time to see you post your own 'unbiased' tests of these CDIs.... Right? zpt
 
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Tyler6357

Well-Known Member
Mar 15, 2012
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Santa Barbara, CA
I gotta say that it was in interesting test. I would also say that consistency is not something these cheap Chinese parts are known for. It would be interesting to try a few different stock CDIs against the Lightening. It wouldn't surprise me if they got different readings for different stock ones, or even the lightening ones. I wouldn't say that one test is conclusive proof like he says in the video but anyone who claims their's are better should be able to prove it and a sponsored team winning Grange races while using it is a correlation at best and a coincidence at worst. It doesn't seem like it would be that difficult to set up a few unbiased tests and post them for everyone to see and make up their own minds.
 
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Venice Motor Bikes

Custom Builder / Dealer/Los Angeles
Mar 20, 2008
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Los Angeles, CA.
I gotta say that it was in interesting test. I would also say that consistency is not something these cheap Chinese parts are known for. It would be interesting to try a few different stock CDIs against the Lightening. It wouldn't surprise me if they got different readings for different stock ones, or even the lightening ones. I wouldn't say that one test is conclusive proof like he says in the video but anyone who claims their's are better should be able to prove it and a sponsored team winning Grange races while using it is a correlation at best and a coincidence at worst. It doesn't seem like it would be that difficult to set up a few unbiased tests and post them for everyone to see and make up their own minds.
I totally agree!!! It doesn't seem like it would be that difficult to do some tests!! but like I said before, this has been going on for over 3 years & so far there are only 2 people who have done any testing... Me & Rob! (Everyone else is all talk & no proof)!

So as of this day, these 2 tests are the only real proof the entire world has of what product really works the best.
 

Prasinos

Member
Dec 1, 2008
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California
This is all really great info. Are there links to these CDIs? When I look up Jaguar CDI or even HD lightning i gt results that i dont think are the units you guys are talking about.
 

Prasinos

Member
Dec 1, 2008
261
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California
Really just looking to see if there is any cdi that might help my bike at low RPMS. I feel like the spark is too advanced when starting because it wants to kick really hard when below idle speeds. Saw some graphs about jag intiion being retarded more than stock below 3krpms and i liked the sound of that.

Also doesn't like to idle very smoothly when it is started, so maybe a stronger spark would be nice?

Is the consensus that no aftermarket CDI will help much?

My bike as a DIO reed kit, windowed piston, SBP expansion chamber, dellorto clone carb.

I kind of assume most of my problems are still with the carb, but i wanted to try a different ignition to cross that off the list.

Personal preference: The more knobs I can turn with a part the better...
 

Venice Motor Bikes

Custom Builder / Dealer/Los Angeles
Mar 20, 2008
7,271
1,810
113
Los Angeles, CA.
Really just looking to see if there is any cdi that might help my bike at low RPMS. I feel like the spark is too advanced when starting because it wants to kick really hard when below idle speeds. Saw some graphs about jag intiion being retarded more than stock below 3krpms and i liked the sound of that.

Also doesn't like to idle very smoothly when it is started, so maybe a stronger spark would be nice?

Is the consensus that no aftermarket CDI will help much?

My bike as a DIO reed kit, windowed piston, SBP expansion chamber, dellorto clone carb.

I kind of assume most of my problems are still with the carb, but i wanted to try a different ignition to cross that off the list.

Personal preference: The more knobs I can turn with a part the better...
In general... the stock ignition box has a really good timing curve & works very well with all 'high performance' parts.
The GasBike CDI's also work very well if you absolutely have to have something other than a stock box.
All those other CDI makers are gone now.

All these 2-stroke engine kits run rough at low RPMs... They're geared to run smooth at higher RPMs. (don't ride it too slow)!

As far as the aftermarket parts that you have on your bike; The DIO reed is one of the worst out there... (I've always preferred the Arrow Racing style reeds)
Those Delorto clone carbs are terrible to tune!!!! (Seriously... I'd rather use a stock NT carb than the Delorto).
Those SBP pipes don't do anything... (You can get the same increased performance by simply hacksawing off the end of your stock muffler)
The best expansion chamber pipe (other than modifying a real 80cc dirt bike pipe) would be a genuine MZ Miami pipe... But it's difficult to find a genuine one. The MZM clones aren't very good either.
 
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Prasinos

Member
Dec 1, 2008
261
0
16
California
In general... the stock ignition box has a really good timing curve & works very well with all 'high performance' parts.
The GasBike CDI's also work very well if you absolutely have to have something other than a stock box.
All those other CDI makers are gone now.

All these 2-stroke engine kits run rough at low RPMs... They're geared to run smooth at higher RPMs. (don't ride it too slow)!

As far as the aftermarket parts that you have on your bike; The DIO reed is one of the worst out there... (I've always preferred the Arrow Racing style reeds)
Those Delorto clone carbs are terrible to tune!!!! (Seriously... I'd rather use a stock NT carb than the Delorto).
Those SBP pipes don't do anything... (You can get the same increased performance by simply hacksawing off the end of your stock muffler)
The best expansion chamber pipe (other than modifying a real 80cc dirt bike pipe) would be a genuine MZ Miami pipe... But it's difficult to find a genuine one. The MZM clones aren't very good either.
I would like to look into other reeds, but @125 bucks i dont like upgrades costing more than the original kit. Are there any cheaper reeds /reed materials you might recommend?

I'm kind of a glutton for punishment when it comes to carburetors... I will get this carb to run right eventually. got some needles and jets and feel like i just need to mess with the slide to have it right. Still way too rich at idle.

Lets not be hyperbolic, I have run straight pipe before and the SBP is certainly more power than that, not to mention much quieter and easy to mount.

I would like to try a bigger pipe but without a welder they feel hard to find.

Just felt like im getting a lot of misfires under 20mph and i have a tough time pedaling past 15 or so so theres just a really small section thats a pain in the butt.