No expert here either, but I learned a few things about tuning my daily rides over the years.
Complete burn in the cylinders depends on a variety of factors, like spark timing, air/fuel ratio, fuel octane, distributor advance curve across rpm range, dynamic compression, temperature, altitude and valve timing events.
Reading spark plugs can point in the right direction when tuning.
With todays gas however it has gotten more difficult to get a good reading from the plugs.
Once you get everything in tune, tweaking the spark plug heat range and gap is pretty much the final step.
Besides:
Who needs fuel injection, sensors and computers to get ideal burn?
I love carbureted, mechanically timed early motors.
With the right gearing you get around 20 mpg or more and all the power you ever need.
No expertize required with the old cast iron machine - it's about having fun and learning something on the way.
