Motorcycle Repair: Spark on only one cyl. 74 CL360, plug wires, sandpaper

Question
Rich,
Man I bought a 1974 Cl360. Needs some work here and there, but over all, pretty sound. I rode it for the first time last week after I got it running and did some minor repairs. It ran like a like a champ. Now I am only getting spark on the right cyl. and nothing from the left. The right pipe gets really hot and the left is cold. I thought maybe it was one of the coils since I found one of the plug wires barely clinging on at the coil. I replaced that coil with like it but not exactly the same. Coils that match are hard to come by. Now the cyl. gets warm but not hot only after it runs for 5 minutes or so. The darn thing won't get out of its own way unless I go really slow. Idle is somewhat up and down. I am getting fuel and compression seems good. I tried doing a visual check for spark with the plug pulled and attached to the wire. can't see any spark. Confused as to what look for. I want to ride this bike, but now I may just have to push it....

Answer
Well, it sounds like you have either a condenser problem or the points are dirty.  Try taking a point file or some fine sandpaper and clean the points.  Make sure you get all of the grit out from between the points after you clean them so they will make good contact and see if that doesn't fix the problem.

Good luck
Rich