Born Again

Hi to everyone. I just wanted to try and get it right now and start with the intro rather than the problem. I'm a forty something born again biker. I go with the "if the cap fits, wear it" outlook! In my teens I had a Honda 50, a Suzuki GP100 and a Kawasaki AR125 but passed my bike and car test within a few weeks of each other and went straight into cars and missed out on having a proper bike first. I'm now trying to put that bit right. I was advised to start with something nice and steady like an XJ600 which I got for a few hundred quid. It ran for a month and then nothing - but thats for a different section. I'd like to ride this for this summer before getting something different for next year - you may guess that I'm not a full blown biker and don't intend to use all year round! Thats for the really dedicated. Anyway, I think that's enough for now. I'll put my prob with the XJ in the right section when I get a chance and hopefully get it going (or sold) I can then stop crying everytime a bike goes bike in this lovely weather. Cheers and keep safe Andy

Sorry for putting it in the wrong place! I'll have a look at how to move it or delete and start again in the right place when I get a chance. Cheers for the couple of replies so far though. I've had the RH case off and can see the copper coils, its just what to do about it now. Cheers Andy

Hi, I'm new to this site but I'm hoping someone on here can help me. I got a 1990 pre-diversion XJ600 a few months ago and it ran fine for a month and then one morning just wouldn't start. It was running OK the evening before but that was it the next morning. It turned over & over until the battery was nearly flat. Recharged it over night and tried again but no good. A friend looked over the electrics and said it was the CDI as all else looked ok except there was no spark. £90 later for another CDI and still no go! (That will be on Ebay when I get the bike going again!!) I'm now working my way through the Haynes manual of reasons for not starting and would like some help. I'm no mechanic, just a born again rider so please don't think I will be offended by very simple suggestions - except: is the stand down or the kill switch off! Its more the electrical wording that is doing my head in! I have found this: Ignition Coil Primary Resistance: 2.2 Ohms (book says 1.8 to 2.2) Ignition coil secondary resistance: 32 k Ohms (book says 9.6 to 14.4 K Ohms) May be a prob or me not testing right bit. Pickup Coil should be 81 to 121 ohms - what the? What are pickup coils and how do I test them? This is one thing that a couple of bikers have said could be the problem. Any hints or tips or just Haynes translation are very welcome. Cheers Andy