Topic: Where did this Sebring Ignition come from?

[Honda Alan_UK]

Hi all,

I have an imported CB500/4 K1 from America. All was fine until the other weekend when it died at the side of the road. Back at the garage it was diagnosed as having no spark, traced back to the electronic Ignition.

The Ignition has Sebring on it, but trying to find any information on it has been difficult.

My question is this - where has it come from (apart from Sebring) and where can I find some information on it?

I've attached some photos. Suffice to say it's no longer on the bike and has been replaced, but I'd like to solve the mystery

Thanks, Alan UK




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[Terry in Australia]

Wow, how cool is that? Sorry mate, I thought I was familiar with every period aftermarket ignition available for a SOHC4, but I've never seen one of them! Did it use the standard Honda coils? Cheers, Terry.

[ekpent]

  Hmm looks like they were in biz from 1972 to around 1983 https://www.californiaexplore.com/company/00644520/sebring-electronics-corporation
 Here are some instructions for Brit bikes- https://www.britishonly.com/pdf/sebring/sebringcapacitordischargeignition.pdf
More- https://www.britishonly.com/pdf/sebring/sebringsolidstatepowerunit.pdf

 Might be more out there with more searching 

[Honda Alan_UK]

Wow, how cool is that? Sorry mate, I thought I was familiar with every period aftermarket ignition available for a SOHC4, but I've never seen one of them! Did it use the standard Honda coils? Cheers, Terry.

Yeah it did. The mechanics at my local garage had never seen one before either. It is cool in a retro kind of way, and worked perfectly until the other week.

I still have it, you can have it if you want!


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[Honda Alan_UK]

  Hmm looks like they were in biz from 1972 to around 1983 https://www.californiaexplore.com/company/00644520/sebring-electronics-corporation
 Here are some instructions for Brit bikes- https://www.britishonly.com/pdf/sebring/sebringcapacitordischargeignition.pdf
More- https://www.britishonly.com/pdf/sebring/sebringsolidstatepowerunit.pdf

 Might be more out there with more searching 

Cheers. That's why I can't find anything on this.

Perhaps this is the end of the trail.


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[HondaMan]

I remember them as being unadjustable (you had to "split the difference" in timing error between the 2 triggers) and short-lived. I think yours just proved the latter again? I'm a little surprised there is still one out there.

[Terry in Australia]

Short lived? 40+ years? I don't know Mark, I reckon you'd have gone thru a few sets of points in the same period, so to get 40+ years of "Set and forget" reliability, you certainly couldn't complain about that. If my Hondaman ignition lasts half as long, I'll be happy.

[Honda Alan_UK]

I remember them as being unadjustable (you had to "split the difference" in timing error between the 2 triggers) and short-lived. I think yours just proved the latter again? I'm a little surprised there is still one out there.

Glad I found someone who remembers them. I was starting to think it was some sort of oddity!

Perhaps 35+ years use has been good. Apart from dying completely, the bike ran great with it.


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[Terry in Australia]

I remember them as being unadjustable (you had to "split the difference" in timing error between the 2 triggers) and short-lived. I think yours just proved the latter again? I'm a little surprised there is still one out there.

Glad I found someone who remembers them. I was starting to think it was some sort of oddity!

Perhaps 35+ years use has been good. Apart from dying completely, the bike ran great with it.


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What did you replace it with Alan? Cheers, Terry.

[Honda Alan_UK]

It's now got a Boyer Bransden Ignition. One of the better ones on this island


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[Terry in Australia]

Well there you go mate, I hadn't heard of them for a long time either, but they were good ignitions "back in the day". Cheers, Terry.