it wont start

[MATTYL86]

well I have a very good brain ? my 78 xs has no spark most of the time . the last time I was riding it every thing was fine it started running on 2or3 cyl. and just for grins I turned off then on the kill switch it run great for about a block . while runn stop signs I noticed that if I cekp above 5000 rpm it run prity good . then had to stop at a red light when I went to take off BAM BOOM DEAD played with kill botton agin and run fine till tryed to take off then died agin after jiggling wires to no aveil (spelling sucks ) got it to start and kept 5k on the tac. got home aprox 1 mile swaped out the main box (back fender) run and acted the same then quickly pulled the tank swaped the coils no change )(*&^%$# well at that point a shot of some thing stronger than gas fumes was in order!! when I regained sight I turned on my coputer and read every thing I could find on this problem but found only things that I had all ready tryed or knew about I am not a know it all but this is very strange PS all voltage is good every place it should be coils , black box , batt., starter sol., pickup coils. well pick up coils are 700 res. heated coils to 70deg. C and they were still in spec. at that temp. on pri. and secondary scraped all grounds cleaned all conectors please help if you can if some one gives me the answer that fixes this pos I will send them a money order for 40.00 us dollars NO BULL 40.00

[ratbyk]

Only Run Above 5000

Matty, go back to the pick up coil wires. I know that you have already checked them but do it again. Take each individual wire next to each of the clamping supports and with a pair of needle nose pliers grasp them and give them a pull. Not so hard as to break them but hard enough to prove that they are not broken inside or down to only a couple of strands left to carry current.
Pay particular attention to the wire with the light green insulation.
If bad the wire should stretch the plastic insulation into an hour glass shape.
The rocking back and forth of the vacuum advance will pull the wires apart (opening up a break) and push them back together at a higher RPM.
LOTS OF LUCK,
Ken/Sooke
78E Ratbyk

[Meista007]

I would take a look at your kill switch or ignition. Mine was doing the same thing and it was a bad connection at the kill switch. Good Luck

[sixtysix]

Check out the tips on trouble shooting the starting circuit.

http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread...=&threadid=803

http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread...=&threadid=769

[MATTYL86]

78 XS11

Gary,

thanks for your tips. I'm going to try all of these in the next couple of days. This bike has only 11000 miles on it and it's super clean. If you send me your phone number, I'll call you on my dime. My email address is MATTYL86@aol.com. Thanks, Gary...