One of the best bike stories I heard was from back in the good 'ole Brit bike days. Old mate of mine told me gapping the points with a fag paper was common practice, guy did it but used the gummed edge leaving a circle of gum on the face of the points effectively insulating them, nearly killed himself trying to start the bike.
When I told him I'd picked up a Norton (Commando) he said "tell me its not a Dominator!". I asked why, he said they were like riding a pneumatic drill
He have me a lot of great advice you'd never find in a manual. When I was rebuilding it I had a problem with it running rich, he asked if I'd replaced the float bowl gaskets, I said yes. He said take them off and shave about 1mm from the inside edge of the gasket as a new gasket can expand when you refit the bowl and stop the float going fully up, did that and cured the overfuelling!