Hello all, while reading a post on another site, I stumbled across a fellow with a 500 Pantah describing a starting issue that my F1 has too. The bike does not want to fire when cold. Once warmed up, or after the initial start, it runs fine all day. He described it as a voltage drop at the coils that keeps the spark plugs from producing a strong enough spark to start the engine while the starter is spinning. His bike, and my F1 , will both fire and sputter for a moment when the starter button is being released. Is this a known issue with the F1? Is there a simple tried and true fix? I want to keep my bike as original as possible, so swapping out lots of parts for after market, or running a bunch of extra wires isnt really what Iwant to do. But, on the other hand I sure would like to ride it more often. This actually keeps me from riding it, and my SSD is a lot less comfortable than the F1.

Voltage drop at the coils is a common problem on older bikes, especially the Sport and Paso's, and I imagine the F1 isn't much different. Just too many connections with the ignition switch, starter switch, and on/off switch. Lots of the folks on the Paso.org site are putting in relays to help with this problem. Of course some higher performance coils helps after 25 years.

Cheers, Phil

the Pantah has ballast resistors to lower the coil voltage (I don't understand the logic for them personally), and when the old loom gives a voltage drop at the ballasts, the coil voltage drops so low when cranking that they won't fire. release the start button, battery voltage instantly rises, coils fire.

I didn't think the F1 had the ballasts, maybe it does. you can fit a relay to supply battery voltage direct to the coils when cranking, this fixes the Pantah issue.

I start my pantah by pushing the starter button with the kill switch off, while keeping the starter motor going I flip the kill switch and it starts direct. when I start with the kill switch on it does not spark it seems. must be te same issue.

Jarno