"what it reads is not very accurate with the timing marks"
wtf?
Setting timing with a strobe is the only accurate way. It's totally accurate. Static timing is only approximate, although with practice you can get consistently close to correct.
Set the static timing to get the engine running well enough to do the real timing adjustment with a strobe.
The usual problem with these points plates is that the plate is loose in the engine, trying to turn the plate to adjust 1-2 timing shifts it sideways, throwing the timing way off and messing up both gap settings as well. This has been talked about before, what you do is shim the three centreing tabs to eliminate any sloppiness so that the plate is snug and doesn't move except to rotate. Then set gaps and static timing, then final timing with a strobe.
The engine runs at full advance almost all the time. Set timing exactly at the advance mark (2000 RPM+) then check that idle timing is close to the T mark - it doesn't need to be exact. This gives you the correct spark timing when youre actually riding, and idle advance (is not critical. If you want to experiment with additional advance this is the only way to get consistent settings. Honda set the ignition advance with a bit of a safety factor: if you use good gasoline, even a higher octane, then you can set the spark with more advance and get a power increase that's quite noticeable. If you go too far or burn bad gas on a high-octane advance setting... you may melt holes in your pistons.
