Ok so more testing this morning has determined the root cause, so your post led me to think, I have tested the output from the pin (yellow red wire) that goes to the power of the coil, but not the end of the wire where it plugs in, Sooo I tested and - dead as a doorknob, on closer inspection there was no wire sticking out of the insulation at the crimp joint. I had a spare wire with the same spade terminal on it and popped it into the plug, wahoo, how have voltage at the end of that wire as it should be.

So I go ahead and hook it to the coil and earth the sparkplug, turn the motor over - no spark, check wire to power of coil - nothing, check at cdi end - nothing. disconnect wire, plug in old cdi, power at said wire again, connect to coil and try - no spark and no longer any power from this wire...

Im thinking coil is dead shorted and is roasting my CDI's so once I get a chance im going back to the shop to grab another coil and cdi.. almost temped to get a wiring loom too, but im confident in my loom so far, pretty sure the roasted coil is the core of my issues like my initial suspicion.

If i do a continuity test from the earth on the bike to the + lead of the coil I get a beep from my multimeter indicating a short... - guessing this isnt meant to happen

 

ok so it runs now, runs really smoothly and have been for a couple of little rides! replaced coil and it ran, but also bought a new minimal loom which is much nicer than my cobbled together late friday night loom, this is just stator plugs, cdi plugs , starter plug and a kill switch plug, I bought a new run/stop start switch also..

Only issue with the minimal loom is it doesnt have the wiring for the rectifier so I have just robbed that from the old loom and now I just need to figure out the pinout for the starter solenoid so I can get the electric start working with this loom, although I did have the start chain break the link earlier, I want to have all the wiring sorted for when I get the new chain.

Does the solenoid have a ground and then just a 12v signal to trigger it ?

Cheers

 

Wow so had a bit of fun this afternoon putting round with the kids. I had already inspected the brakes and changed the brake fluid, overhauled the steering and welded up the steering shaft so bike was good to go. Once we had a ride i chopped up the old loom and got the rectifier plug and wiring off and also made a small adapter to feed power into the starter circuit all done nicely with solder and heatshrink rather than tape of then factory loom haha

Ive actually been starting it with a drill since the starter link dropped by putting a 14mm socket in through the inspection panel in the stator cover..