This argument comes up in every owners' forum eventually, usually started by someone who just got stranded by a burned set of points. Both sides have a real case, and the right answer genuinely depends on what you actually want from the bike rather than which side shouts louder online.

The Case for Keeping Points

Points ignition is mechanically simple, with nothing electronic to fail in a way you can't diagnose with a feeler gauge and a bit of patience. A fresh set of points and a condenser rarely costs more than the price of a tank of fuel, and for a bike kept strictly original for shows or judging, it's the historically correct setup - full stop.

Where Points Actually Let You Down

They wear. Contact surfaces burn and pit over 6,000 to 12,000 miles depending on use, and the gap drifts out of spec well before most owners notice the symptoms creeping in - harder starting, rougher idle, slightly reduced power. They can also fail suddenly rather than gradually, which is exactly the kind of stranded-at-the-roadside problem that turns people toward the electronic camp.

What Electronic Conversion Actually Buys You

Consistency

No physical contact surfaces to wear, pit, or need re-gapping, which means the timing stays correct for the life of the unit instead of drifting between services.

Easier starting

A stronger, more consistent spark and reduced kickback risk on the kick lever - genuinely noticeable on a cold morning.

Set-and-forget maintenance

Once installed and timed correctly, there's essentially nothing routine left to service.

What You Give Up

Electronic units cost more upfront, and if one fails outright, you're stranded with no simple roadside fix the way a worn set of points can sometimes be filed and gapped well enough to limp home. It's also, unavoidably, a modification away from original spec, which matters to some owners more than others.

How I'd Actually Decide

A bike built for shows and judged on originality keeps its points, full stop - that's part of what you're preserving. A bike you actually intend to ride regularly, especially anywhere you can't easily get parts or help, is a strong candidate for a quality electronic conversion, since the reliability trade genuinely outweighs the originality cost for most riders. Keep the original points assembly in a box if you ever want to put it back - a reversible modification is a much easier decision than a permanent one.

Photo credit: Ronald Saunders from Warrington, UK (CC BY-SA 2.0)