Motorcycle Repair: no spark at the plug, honda nx 250, clymer manual

Question
I have a 1988 Honda NX 250. When trying to start it, it only emits 1-2 sparks then quits. If you continue to crank it, it will not deliver anymore sparks until you turn off the key, then turn back on whereas it will spark again only once. I did the electrical checks with an ohm meter & all was ok except the coil was slightly off, so I replaced it with a new dealer one and end cap as well. It maybe slightly better, but not dependable at all. It did run once after the new coil for about 4-5 minutes then quit like the switch was turned off. Voltage of battery (newly replaced) is 12.6 at stand, when running goes to 14.5 with a small variation but higher at low speeds and lower at high speed rpm's, but between 13.8 to 14.8 volts.
I have 2 guesses, a bad cdi or perhaps something alittle funky with the switch. I have tried holding the starter switch on and turning the key off & on but only get that 1 or 2 spark fart out of it when it turns on. Any ideas?  john

Answer
Hi John... wow.. Tuff question. My first avenue would be to disconnect the right side handlebar control switch and check if the run switch is working properly. After 20 years of operation, it is possible the switch needs to be cleaned or replaced. It is also possible the ignition key switch is at fault. I would suggest that you acquire a Clymer manual for your bike and use the wiring diagrams for a reference point. There are a number of things that can interrupt spark. The usual culprits are any of the mechanical components... ya know... switches and things that incorporate physical movement in their operation. You said that you took electrical readings.. so I guess you also checked the pulser coil too?
The last thing I would suspect is the CDI unit. They are quite reliable, yet they do breakdown occasionally. The real problem is that there is no reliable way to test them except for replacement... which tends to be very expensive. If you have ruled out everything else, and the last thing left is the CDI, then here's a tip for you: Go to tlcmotorcycles.com and see if they have a CDI unit for your bike. It will be a used one, but here's the good part... if they have one, and you buy it and it doesn't solve your problem, they will refund your money when you return it (less postage I think). John, I truly hope that something I said helps you, but electrical problems are quite difficult to diagnose from an email... Best of luck John.