Pazon

Bracker1

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VOC Member
Anyone have an opinion on the Pazon ignition for a Vincent twin. I read about the system and seems too good to be true. At about 800 USD, doesn't seem too expensive. It seems the popular upgrade is the BTH. I would think a more powerful spark could be generated from the Pazon system, but I'm not an electrical engineer. The fact I never here too much about the Pazon makes me think it has limited application, maybe for racers ?. Thanks, Dan
 

davidd

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I think it is more that Pazon is a relative newcomer to the market and that they are so far away. I have used both the Pazon and the New BT-H on the racer. They both work well. I prefer the BT-H because I do not want to deal with a battery. I am not an expert, but I do not think that the spark is an issue in either system. It used to be with a mag, the faster you went the bigger the spark, but electronic ignition has done away with that.

I have run the BT-H the most (all but one race since 2008) and although it has taken a bit of a drubbing in the forum, I have found it stunningly reliable.

David
 

Bracker1

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Thanks for the info. Would it matter if the engine were a single or twin? I would think the BTH would have a problem similar to the Lucas in generating a strong spark to the front cylinder. I like that pazon offers a 7 year warrenty. The big question is were to put the large control box with it's umbilical of wire. Also, I was unaware the BTH had problems, but will search the forum to find out what that was all about. The fact David uses the BT-H to race tells me it must be up to snuff. Thanks again, Dan
 

passenger0_0

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There is another option -Joe Hunt magneto. I run a rare-earth type and am very happy both with reliability and spark intensity. Only downside is that you'll probably need the ATD for road use but you can't have it all ways (charging system, battery, advance curve etc...). Just sharing my experience, apart from needing to be original I wouldn't bother with a Lucas mag ever again. Dangerous to say in this forum but in the past my bikes haves heared the drive shaft resulting in a stuffed engine, another time on the road gone onto one cylinder in the middle of nowhere and had to limp home. If you send me a pm I'll give you some details of LT amperage and dyno comparisons for the Hunt verses coil ignition. Good luck with a difficult decision and please accept my statement as an opinion only. David
 

vibrac

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Thanks for the info. Would it matter if the engine were a single or twin? I would think the BTH would have a problem similar to the Lucas in generating a strong spark to the front cylinder. Dan

Lucas were making a 180 degree mag butchered to fit a V twin the BTH is made for the job

I have a BTH on my Comet Racer a BTH on my Road twin and the Racing Egli has a BTH firing 4 Coils
 

Howard

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I use the Pazon SUREfire from Kirby Rowbotham. It's simpler, smaller and cheaper than Smartfire, and it works very well. It fits easily under the mag cowl.

Downside - there's no timing light, so it takes a bit of fiddling to set up and it uses about 2.5 amps (12Volt) which is a lot with a dynamo.

Now it's setup I'm chuffed with it. Easy start and never misses a beat.

H
 
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Howard

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I am getting confused now Howard. My Smart-Fire, bought direct from Pazon for my Rapide, has a static timing light. My Sure-Fire, bought from a Norton specialist for my Commando, does not.

Cheers

Dave

No you're not, Dave........... It's me that's confused......... it's Monday morning.............. I'll edit it.....Sorry.

H
 

davidd

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Thanks for the info. Would it matter if the engine were a single or twin? I would think the BTH would have a problem similar to the Lucas in generating a strong spark to the front cylinder. I like that pazon offers a 7 year warrenty. The big question is were to put the large control box with it's umbilical of wire. Also, I was unaware the BTH had problems, but will search the forum to find out what that was all about. The fact David uses the BT-H to race tells me it must be up to snuff. Thanks again, Dan

I do not think it matters if it is a single or a twin. In fact, I think that the BT-H is not a Mag like we are used to thinking of it. It is a small generator that provides energy for the coils (as oposed to a battery supplying the energy), so it is does not suffer the same maladies as a mag in terms of generating spark. Someone else may know more. I think there are quite a few racers using the BT-H and most of us are using twin plugs, so the spark is quite adequate. Tim Kingham has had great success.

I mounted the Pazon ECU under the seat of the racer figuring that it was the coolest place with little vibration, but most of the street riders seem to be able to get it under the mag cowl. I mounted the coils under the tank, which you will not be able to do with as stock tank.

David
 

BrianR

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VOC Member
I have just replaced a BT-H with a Pazon. The Pazon generates a full energy spark when triggered (you can turn the engine over by hand for a full spark). The BT-H would generate about 3 volts to the coils when the bike was kicked normally and about 4 volts when kicked hard with the compression release pulled in. My BT-H never let me down, but starting became more difficult and it became less forgiving of the fuel air mixture over time. I like that the BT-H is self contained but it is still a magneto, electronic or not, and I do believe the Pazon to be better at delivering full spark energy, especially to the second plug. Hopefully the Pazon will last for many years.
 

Tom Gaynor

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Motor cars abandoned magnetos about 80 years ago. Nowadays they seem to use slightly modified welding sets, blue sparks a foot long, but coil has fired every car engine for decades, including all of the wrecks I've owned. (Cycle mag tested coils, and noted that bike coils (Ducati, Lucas) would easily spark a 20 thou gap, and cheap as chips AC Delco coils would spark 1/8". Go figure... Cook Neilson won Daytona on his Ducati 750 powered by an after-market AC Delco coil that cost about $1.99 from Walmart.)
Pazon (I have one on another bike) is essentially a solid-state advance / retard control, and a spark trigger. All it needs is a power source in, and a coil out. I've had no problems with mine. But nor have i had any problem with my Vin magneto, once Dave Lindsley overhauled it (the capacitor died), and I corrected 289 float levels that differed by 5/8". Now THAT improved starting!
 
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