RDD Digital II CDI for RD350: Post-install feedback

[tushar]

Disclaimer:
1. Jetting far from dialed-in.
2. Bike currently running in

Ok, now that it's out of the way, here goes. Bike was started and run around a bit on the static CDI. No issues. I have never had my bike (or another) idle like it does now.

Finally switched to digital CDI. It really is as simple as the documentation tells you. Get your wiring harness right, match the colours and go. The bike started on the first half-kick. Some impressions:

1. Half-kick. Nothing more. It almost feels like the piston just about touches TDC and then takes care of itself. No more powering through the kick to get some momentum into the crank.

2. The spark burns the hell out of the oil. Using my earlier oilpump setting, there was absolutely ZERO visible smoke from the pipes. Paranoid, I adjusted the oilpump to drown the engine in oil and then I saw some smoke. This has fouled/shorted one plug, but it beats melted pistons.

3. Despite aforementioned fouled plug, causing one cylinder to mostly misfire, the bike idles and runs. I am quite amazed at this. Even with half an engine, you would need some years of experience on an RD to figure out that there is a drop in power.

4. Lighting is fabulous. I am used to flicking the headlight on, waiting a bit for it to get the message, and watching the bulb slowly brighten. With the RDD CDI, the bulb just bursts into brightness. Even with my current 35/35 halogen, lighting is adequate. I wonder what a higher power bulb/lens would do. Recommendations?

5. The static CDI included is a real nice backup. I carry it with me and the swap is a 2-minute affair. Excellent for redundancy.

6. Despite poor jetting and a conservative 18-degree advance, the bike is turbine-smooth and feels grunty. I can't wait for the fuel to be right and the bike run in.

I will post pictures of my CDI install soon. It has been done very neat and really sorts out the wiring quite well.