Leave em plugged in. Just use a length of wire to splice to both wires. If it doesn't work you can always tape the wires where you cut back the insulation for the test.

 

I just tried to link the left switch wires. It regognized high gear as reverse, and sputtered and whatnot like reverse normaly would. The override button only made it worse/definatly not better.
I also wired the gray/orange from the spedo to a frame ground, I would hope this would be the same as to brown wire.
Out of curiosity I pulled the spark plug, it was new after I rebuilt the engine and it had a layer of soot on it. There was also soot on half of the porcelain.

 

Then don't overlook the obvious,change the spark plug. Could be the simple things causing problems.. NGK BKR5E

 

I put a new plug in when i started having the issues and another new one during the rebuild.

 

Well I'm kinda down to a couple things if you've eliminated everything else.Could be the cdi causing the limiting/cutting out,which doesn't really have a real good test procedure in the manual or a problem in the Caltronic stator even though resistance checks out. You've also said the speedo doesn't make any difference plugged or unplugged with the new or old speedo and any jumping tests haven't worked..

 

Correct spedo plugged in, or not it doesn't make a difference. I'm gona try to talk to some friends and maybe they know someone with the same cdi that I could try. It would be nice to not have to throw parts at it but the stator has one of the white coils out on it, makes me suspicious. Hopefully I can find someone with a similar/same machine!
I'll keep you posted on the progress. Thanks a bunch!

 

about time this thread continued!
A buddy borrowed the same machine i picked it up tonight and will be swaping parts out until the culprit is found. first up will be the fuel pump.
hope i can find the source!!

 

fuel pump didn't improve much if at all. carb will also be swapped tomorrow.

 

Well after many months of searching the culprit was located. Turned out to be a carb problem, the diaphragm slide was binding up in the jet block, not opening to allow full air flow and main jet to open. Parts borrowed off another 99 sportsman 500 and with the other bikes slide she runs great and hauls aSpam wordSpam word Spam wordSpam word Spam wordSpam word Spam wordSpam word . New parts will be ordered today and I'll update if anything new happens.
Thanks for all the advice throughout this thread OPT!