I don't know if anyone has ever tried to check the operation of your ignition without the engine running, can be useful if the bike wont start and your unsure of whats causing it, especially if you have electronic ignition. I thought I would share this video on UTUBE with you as its a easy way of testing without annoying the neighbors and gassing yourself in the garage. This method will work on points and electronic so long as you have a drill or something that will rotate the engine. Don't say too much about the idiot doing it....its me.

I have several times advised of this technique on this forum, mainly to check source and trigger coil output and it is a very useful technique.

In my experience a battery drill is not powerfull or fast enough as some electronic ignitions are designed not to spark at low RPM (to prevent backfires on start up). I use a 680watt Dewalt variable speed drill.

Also you must always earth the plug. If the plug is not earthed the "spark" energy will go somewhere else, possibly through the coil and CDI and quite likely damaging them.

Put a few drips of oil in the plug hole to lubricate the bore and make sure there is not much / any petrol in the barrel - I have seen a bloke burn his face and quite a lot of hair off when looking closely for a spark at a plug rested near the plug hole, and the sprayed out petrol fired.

Best to remove the carb and reed block as this lowers crank case compression and makes spinning the engine easier. If engine is stiff to turn you can accidentially undo the flywheel nut.

Cheers

I have seen a bloke burn his face and quite a lot of hair off when looking closely for a spark at a plug rested near the plug hole, and the sprayed out petrol fired

A friend's road race bike had an unexpected but thankfully very small and quickly extinguished fire from that. We certainly were surprised at the flames!

cheers,

Michael