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XR1200 idle and stall issues

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  • Hilly
    Hilly
    10 days ago
    Quoting obisteve on 11 Feb 2025 10:23 AMedited: 11 Feb 2025 10:24 AM

    XR1200s have twin plug heads don't they, and probably single fire ignition?  Anyone know for certain?

    From the shops bill, they put in 2 new plugs, well charged you for them anyway.
    By all means pull the plugs, clean them and see if they fire, before you replace leads or anything else.
    And no one else has said it so I will, you have of HDs great models there, once it's running well I think you'll love it.
    There's a few of us on here that like Sporties, that's one of the best. Speaking from experience, for any post 1990 Sportster I'd back the reliability, general toughness, ease of getting back into service after neglect and potential for getting very long service life against any Honda made, with the exception of the Gold Wing.
    Unfortunately I have a 1990 one.

    The twin plug heads was 98, 99 and 2000 sporty sports, was told they were Buell heads but I've never looked into it, my sporty sport was a 96.
  • thefinalmasquerade
    thefinalmasquerade
    10 days ago
    Quoting obisteve on 11 Feb 2025 10:23 AMedited: 11 Feb 2025 10:24 AM

    XR1200s have twin plug heads don't they, and probably single fire ignition?  Anyone know for certain?

    From the shops bill, they put in 2 new plugs, well charged you for them anyway.
    By all means pull the plugs, clean them and see if they fire, before you replace leads or anything else.
    And no one else has said it so I will, you have of HDs great models there, once it's running well I think you'll love it.
    There's a few of us on here that like Sporties, that's one of the best. Speaking from experience, for any post 1990 Sportster I'd back the reliability, general toughness, ease of getting back into service after neglect and potential for getting very long service life against any Honda made, with the exception of the Gold Wing.
    Unfortunately I have a 1990 one.

    Yes, they did. But they look aged and the bike has only ridden 20kms since that service.  

    Interchanging them had the same result, so the sparkplugs can be ruled out.  

    Truly agree to your sentiment, Sportsters are undeniably what makes HD, HD. And their reliability has been quite proven!

    I reckon the guy had no experience with harleys and was trying to make a quick buck.  
  • thefinalmasquerade
    thefinalmasquerade
    10 days ago
    Quoting Hilly on 11 Feb 2025 10:50 AMedited: 11 Feb 2025 10:54 AM

    Plugs look fine and I reckon you have found it mate, good stuff 👍


    This is a handy resource when you are looking for parts, Bunbury HD have an online part fich as well but Ronnie's is easier to navigate....

    Thank you, hoping this is the issue! 

    Looking forward to a proper ride once this is done. 
  • Hilly
    Hilly
    10 days ago
    I bet you are, let us know how it turns out, always good to hear the end of the story.
  • obisteve
    obisteve
    10 days ago
    So only 1 spark plug in each head? Only 1 coil?
    Images I looked at online seemed to have a 2nd sparkplug down through the top of the rocker covers.
    If it only has a single coil with 2 ht leads coming out of it, try swapping the plug leads on to the other cylinders if they'll stretch, and see if the dead cylinder changes.
  • obisteve
    obisteve
    10 days ago
    Your plugs look fine, I reckon even my points ignition would fire them.
  • B0nes
    B0nes
    9 days ago
    Quoting Hilly on 10 Feb 2025 08:45 AMedited: 10 Feb 2025 08:51 AM

    Dodgy lead maybe, but, this happened to me, corrosion of the coil post where the sparkplug lead goes, worth looking mate, TPS should be ok, it really should but I think they do throw a code.


    Stick with it mate, good you have the service manual, it has a trouble shooting section as well, it's a bonding experience getting a bike sorted 😁

    Quoting thefinalmasquerade on 11 Feb 2025 10:48 AMedited: 11 Feb 2025 10:58 AM

    It definitely is, deeply appreciate the support! 

    Spark plugs look like they havent been changed, unless 20km ride home aged them somehow (pictures below). Though interchanging them had the same result. 

    Ignition coil has a crack in it, which might be the culprit. Will try and find the part locally, along with wires as they seem to have aged as well. 

    20250211_130625.jpg
    20250211_130637.jpg
    20250211_131022 (1).jpg
    20250211_132504.jpg
    I'm staggered that the shop never brought up the crack in the coil or maybe they did. That would be the top of my list to replace. Hope you get it going soon.
  • Hoodeng
    Hoodeng
    9 days ago
    The XR1200 is a single plug head single fire ignition, that is, the engine fires only at combustion point, there is no wasted spark so swapping leads and output terminals around will not work.
    XR1200 coils have given problems in the past [rarely] they are the same coil used on other models of that year 31656-07.
    95 octane in your US handbook is 98 octane in Australia.The calculation used to give the number is different, but it is essentially the same octane fuel.
    What did the shop that did the work report on their test ride?
  • obisteve
    obisteve
    9 days ago
    Thanks for clarifying that Mark.
  • thefinalmasquerade
    thefinalmasquerade
    9 days ago
    Quoting Hilly on 11 Feb 2025 10:57 AM

    I bet you are, let us know how it turns out, always good to hear the end of the story.

    Will do, once all sorted. Have to take it to another shop as I might need to pursue legal actions against the previous one.


  • thefinalmasquerade
    thefinalmasquerade
    9 days ago
    Quoting Hilly on 10 Feb 2025 08:45 AMedited: 10 Feb 2025 08:51 AM

    Dodgy lead maybe, but, this happened to me, corrosion of the coil post where the sparkplug lead goes, worth looking mate, TPS should be ok, it really should but I think they do throw a code.


    Stick with it mate, good you have the service manual, it has a trouble shooting section as well, it's a bonding experience getting a bike sorted 😁

    Quoting thefinalmasquerade on 11 Feb 2025 10:48 AMedited: 11 Feb 2025 10:58 AM

    It definitely is, deeply appreciate the support! 

    Spark plugs look like they havent been changed, unless 20km ride home aged them somehow (pictures below). Though interchanging them had the same result. 

    Ignition coil has a crack in it, which might be the culprit. Will try and find the part locally, along with wires as they seem to have aged as well. 

    20250211_130625.jpg
    20250211_130637.jpg
    20250211_131022 (1).jpg
    20250211_132504.jpg
    Quoting B0nes on 11 Feb 2025 10:58 PM

    I'm staggered that the shop never brought up the crack in the coil or maybe they did. That would be the top of my list to replace. Hope you get it going soon.

    No, they didn't bring it up. And apparently test drove it around the block and thinks this is how Harleys ride. 

    Thats why it was never brought back to him, as he didn't even realise the engine was firing on one cylinder. 
  • thefinalmasquerade
    thefinalmasquerade
    9 days ago
    Quoting Hoodeng on 11 Feb 2025 11:08 PM

    The XR1200 is a single plug head single fire ignition, that is, the engine fires only at combustion point, there is no wasted spark so swapping leads and output terminals around will not work.
    XR1200 coils have given problems in the past [rarely] they are the same coil used on other models of that year 31656-07.
    95 octane in your US handbook is 98 octane in Australia.The calculation used to give the number is different, but it is essentially the same octane fuel.
    What did the shop that did the work report on their test ride?

    Workshop manual states 95ron (attached), unless I am looking at it wrong. 

    The mechanic thought it was fixed already in his test ride. Apparently there is a lot more wrong with the bike, he would have found out if he rode it more (in his words). But this is the same guy, who didn't even know one cylinder wasn't firing the entire time. 
    Screen Shot 2025-02-12 at 9.52.40 am_1.png
  • Hoodeng
    Hoodeng
    9 days ago
    The book is right, motor octane number + research octane number divided by two is 91calculated in the USA ,so RON when used by itself is the higher number used in Australia.

  • tussuck
    tussuck
    9 days ago
    Quoting thefinalmasquerade on 11 Feb 2025 10:48 AMedited: 11 Feb 2025 10:58 AM

    It definitely is, deeply appreciate the support! 

    Spark plugs look like they havent been changed, unless 20km ride home aged them somehow (pictures below). Though interchanging them had the same result. 

    Ignition coil has a crack in it, which might be the culprit. Will try and find the part locally, along with wires as they seem to have aged as well. 

    20250211_130625.jpg
    20250211_130637.jpg
    20250211_131022 (1).jpg
    20250211_132504.jpg
    Quoting B0nes on 11 Feb 2025 10:58 PM

    I'm staggered that the shop never brought up the crack in the coil or maybe they did. That would be the top of my list to replace. Hope you get it going soon.

    Quoting thefinalmasquerade on 11 Feb 2025 11:51 PM

    No, they didn't bring it up. And apparently test drove it around the block and thinks this is how Harleys ride. 


    Thats why it was never brought back to him, as he didn't even realise the engine was firing on one cylinder. 

    Google and facebook reviews are my weapon of choice for dickheads that have no fing clue what they are doing.   
  • thefinalmasquerade
    thefinalmasquerade
    9 days ago
    Quoting B0nes on 11 Feb 2025 10:58 PM

    I'm staggered that the shop never brought up the crack in the coil or maybe they did. That would be the top of my list to replace. Hope you get it going soon.

    Quoting thefinalmasquerade on 11 Feb 2025 11:51 PM

    No, they didn't bring it up. And apparently test drove it around the block and thinks this is how Harleys ride. 


    Thats why it was never brought back to him, as he didn't even realise the engine was firing on one cylinder. 

    Quoting tussuck on 12 Feb 2025 12:22 AM

    Google and facebook reviews are my weapon of choice for dickheads that have no fing clue what they are doing.   

    Thats the plan once it is fixed!
  • thefinalmasquerade
    thefinalmasquerade
    3 days ago
    It's back and roaring with full power! The issue was a cracked ignition coil and air bubbles in the brake line, but no other concerns were noted by the mechanic.

    Had my first proper ride back home, and all I can say, is that this thing goes like nobody's business. All the power is at low end and this it is very easy to get into trouble with.

    I'm considering getting crash bars and a wind deflector, but any further modifications will have to wait as I spend more time with it.

    I really appreciate everyone's time and advice! I'm thrilled to have a bike again, and especially one as special as this.
    20250218_125059.jpg
  • Hilly
    Hilly
    3 days ago
    That's great mate, and you know a lot about that bike now as well, knees in the breeze 👍
  • thefinalmasquerade
    thefinalmasquerade
    3 days ago
    Quoting Hilly on 18 Feb 2025 04:13 AM

    That's great mate, and you know a lot about that bike now as well, knees in the breeze 👍

    Thank you, appreciate your time on this!


  • Hilly
    Hilly
    3 days ago
    Quoting Hilly on 18 Feb 2025 04:13 AM

    That's great mate, and you know a lot about that bike now as well, knees in the breeze 👍

    Quoting thefinalmasquerade on 18 Feb 2025 04:47 AM

    Thank you, appreciate your time on this!



    You are welcome but you found the culprit 😁, we all try to help each other on here if we can, it used to be a big forum with a lot of people so there was always something new to read, times have changed, not sure when kingchops first kicked it off but I found it in 2008.
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