Martek 440 Ignition

[OldVet66]

Does anyone have any experience with the Martek 440 Ignition. There is one on my parts bike (GS1000E) with the low mileage motor. Is it any good?

[Nessism]

My understanding is that they were not the most reliable. I had a 440 and one of those big 880 booster boxes that came with a bike purchase, in the spares box. The rotor was missing from the 440 so I gave away the module to someone that has a failed 440 on their bike. The recipient was happy to finally get their bike running properly since they had been fighting the old 440 for some time.

[OldVet66]

According to the second owner that I bought the bike from, it ran fine. There is a mess of wiring and a microprocessor , so what would your recommendation be, scrap it or try it. I'm running the simpler Dyna points replacement on my other bike. This motor has 3,802 miles on it.

[Nessism]

The 440 is a simple unit like a Dyna S, fully contained and hidden under the engines ignition cover. There shouldn’t be any additional parts such as a “microprocessor” or black boxes. Personally, I’d run the thing since you already have it. Check the rotor out carefully for cracks since this seems to be one of the weak links.

Good luck

[OldVet66]

I had to go check it again, there is an 8 wire Martek sealed black box that was between the rear break master cylinder and whatever the other black box is that is attached to the outside of the battery case. I'm thinking it has to be a microprocessor of some sort, in addition to the Dyna like 440 unit over the ignition plate. I think if it works, I'll leave it be until the Harley Gremlins fix it till it's broke.

[KEITH KRAUSE]

Just so you know, the "other black box" attached to the battery case is the turn signal control unit. I suggest placing some quality 1" thick foam between the TSCU and the case. I believe vibration helps kill the unit which is very expensive if it needs replacing.
As for Martek, I installed one many years ago and it was poor quality. I then went with the Dyna S and it works much better.

[OldVet66]

Thanks, little by little I'm getting to know each part. I've got the connectors to go through the whole wiring harness, but haven't done any but the real bad connectors near the top of the battery. The electric system is still a unread chapter for me at this time, but I imagine the GS Gremlins will give me the full tour before it's over. I do have a Dyna S on the '78 that I'm riding now.

[Rudeman]

Does anyone have any experience with the Martek 440 Ignition. There is one on my parts bike (GS1000E) with the low mileage motor. Is it any good?

I replaced the breaker plate and points on my '77 GS750 with a Martek 440 and ran it for a year and a half until I sold the bike to buy my current one. Never had a lick of trouble and the guy who bought the bike ran it until he high-sided the ol' 750. Those 440's were pretty cool; they used an optical trigger instead of magnetism (Hall effect) like the Dyna units and stock breakerless units do.

I never heard that there were any reliability problems with them. I think they went away because they were not tuneable like the Dyna units are.

I would just use it.