Hi All
I have a problem with the Big Red 200ES I just got. when i first got it a few weeks ago it had been sitting in my uncles shop for a year. i installed a new battery and cleaned the carb and replaced the plug. it fired right up and ran great for a couple days. i didnt run it hard or anything; just messed around in the yard.
then one day it just wouldnt start. since then I have replaced the stater (it tested out bad with a meter) and had the coil checked (checked out fine). after the stater replacement it ran fine again for another couple of days and then went right back to not starting at all.
i checked the plug and am getting no fire. i replaced the new plug with another new one and it still wont fire. i tested the stater again and it checks out fine.
anyone have any idea where to look next? could it be something with the ignition?

any help would be appriciated.

 

Sounds like something in the ignition circuit may be grounding out. Did you check for voltage and continuity at all the wires to and from the key switch, To and from the kill switch? To and from the CDI? There is also a neutral switch (prevents you from starting with it in gear) that if it goes bad, and it often does, no spark, but I think the starter wont work at all if thats the case. Mine was bad so I bypassed it (grounded it) because it is inside the engine case and a pain to get at. Just keep in mind that it will start in gear then.

 

i did check the red switch on the handle bar and it seemed ok. looks like it just grounds out to kill the motor and it is functioning properly. i havent checked the ignition switch yet. does it also ground out to kill the motor or break a circuit?
this friday i am going to take the tank off and start tracing all the wires out; hopefully i will find a bad spot in one.
the neutral switch is ok.
anything you can tell me about tracing out the wires and testing would be most helpful
thanks!

 

The key switch is a grounding kill switch too. All you need is a continuity test light, 12V test light, and the manual. If you dont have a manual I have one for the 82-83 200E, it should all be the same other than mine is chain drive not shaft. I can email you the electrical stuff.

 

HELP!!! scary you seem to maybe know what your talking about lol. i have an 84 atc200s with no spark, i have looked and looked on forums and what not but they all tell me to check the same things, i have ohmd out everything on this bike and it all checks out, i even pulled the whole harness out and checked each wire and connector visualy and with tester :X now i do not have an electric start and i have never had this running myself but the guy i got it from says that it ran last summer and it just stopped. i have talked to a guy at a shop and he tells me out of every 100 parts checked good by ohm, 5 will be bad. this sound like it could be right? he wants me to pay him $75 to check it over. i have just replaced the cdi because it was the only thing i could not get to check correctly any help from anyone would be HIGHLY appreciated thanks all

 

lol is right! I'm no mechanic.. If you've never heard it run you cant take the guys word for it. You said no spark, so I assume you've checked and know everything else is good. If I remember right the 200s only had a kill switch and a pull start. It says you checked each wire and they're all fine. You've checked the kill switch continuity? Plug wire and coil? Does it have a neutral switch? How about the resistance from the stator?