Bike bogs down when upshifting.

[kevkat8]

Hi everyone,
I need some direction on this problem. Let me start by giving you a background. I have a 1979 XS1100sf. 98% stock. It has a Kerker 4 into 1. New fuse panel, blade type. New Accel coils/wires. Carbs have been cleaned twice in the last few months and synced. Bike starts great, idles great and for the most part runs great......but, there is always a but. When I "in only happens sometimes" upshift, the bike bogs down and has no power. I have to pull in the clutch a tweak the gas a couple of times to get it back to normal. I can hear when it clears it self up and then let out the clutch and off we go. Also sometimes doing that does not work and I have to downshift to clear it up. It does not happen all the time. It's random like me. Could I be looking at a carb fuel delivery problem? Carb floats, checked the floats and they seemed to be within specs? The carbs have all standard jetting. Or could it be something else? The spark plugs look good with a light cream/tan color. not sure where I should head next. Just picked up the bike last fall and this is the best it has run since I have owned it. Any ideas

[petejw]

hi kevkat8,

if ur happy with how u did the carbs it sounds like
it could be a broken pick up coil wire,
heres a good link by ken to a thread that explains it

http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread.php?t=543

btw, welcome to the site.

[BA80]

it sounds like
it could be a broken pick up coil wire,

+1 Pete.......... However, the wrong pilots can cause a similar problem.

[DGXSER]

Does this happen intermitently during every ride, or does it only happen on some rides?

[SFerinTEXAS]

Pick up coil wires are not something to maybe check. That is a must do especially on the early models.Problem or not it must be checked and known to be good.

[kevkat8]

Just came back from a short ride (30+min) and the problem showed up more the longer I rode and the faster I went. Seems to happen on almost every ride. Pulled the timing cover and the green wire has a sharp bend to it and I can see some exposed copper wire there. Also looks like other wires have been fixed before with shrink insulation. Started it up a jiggled the orange and green wires and the bike died moving the orange wire.Did that twice with the same results. Kinda sounds like it might be the problem. Can you replace all the pickup wires without a big hassle?

[BA80]

The pickups are pretty easy to change. Or you can just repair them.

Here's a couple threads on the repair;

http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread.php?t=543

http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread.php?t=122

[kevkat8]

You guys are so right. Looks like the PO spliced the wires a few times using stiff wires...no give to them. I'll fix this and let you know how it comes out.
This forum is GREAT. I've learned a lot about these monsters.

[kevkat8]

Spliced the pick up wires and put it all together and went for a ride. Smooth as silk. Runs better all round. No boging down. Easy to take off from a stop.
Thanks for your help.

Here is an Irish toast as thanks:

Here's to you as good as you are.
Here's to me as bad as I am.
And as good as you are and as bad as I am,
i'm as good as you are as bad as I am.

[petejw]

good stuff,
nothing like a happy ending.