Starting and fettling!

I had been looking forward to fitting there chromed header pipes to my red Z1Super Six so I was really excited when the postman called with a large package from ACF Howell.

- Allen Millyard

I opened the package to reveal the four header pipes and they looked just perfect, but as I was due to be with Henry Cole filming a new series of the ITV4 Motorbike Show I would have to wait a few more days before I could fit them. The weather was looking good for the weekend so hopefully I could get out for a test ride after fitting the pipes.

I rushed home that evening and couldn’t wait to get started, so went outside to see how the pipes looked on the bike. I had a number stamped on each pipe so I could return them to their original position on the engine because they are all slightly different and on the standard system they are welded on to the silencers at the factory.

The four pipes fitted perfectly and matched the finish of the two new central pipes. I was eager to see if the engine would run but thought it would be best to wait until the weekend. I pushed the bike into the garden, turned on the ignition and kicked over the engine on the kick-starter, and it fired up on the third kick. I was really pleased it started, sounded great and revved freely. The idle was a bit high though so I slowed it down slightly by turning the idle adjusting screw. The idle settled down but was a bit off-beat and I could feel it wasn’t quite right. Also, when I ran my fingers lightly over the header pipes, one was slightly cooler than the other five. I stopped the engine and got ready for a test ride, thinking maybe it would clear when warmed up.

Out on the road the engine pulled well but was slightly slow on the return to idle and the off-beat sound was still there. I had built this bike in slow time during the lockdown and I began to wonder if I had set the carbs up right. I continued to ride for around 10 miles then returned home to check over the engine for possible faults.