Motorcycle Repair: No fire!, amp fuse, pickup coil

Question
QUESTION: Hello Wayne,  I have a 1980 kawasaki kz440a that most of the time runs great.  While riding last summer the bike just died, and I'm unable to get it to start now.  I charged the battery and replaced the spark plugs only to find that when I attempted to jump a spark from the plug to the engine block neither plug fires at all.  I've tinkered with engines in the past, but am a novice and I know the ignition system is quite complex. Is there any advice you can give me on where to start, or a troubleshooting method I can use to "nail down" the problem?  Thank you very much.

ANSWER: John,

check for power on both sides of your 15 amp fuse
with the key on. Wires should be red/blue and
red/white. Also check the other fuses.
The red/white wire goes up to the engine stop/kill
switch and then it turns yellow/red and
sends the power on to the ignition coils.

If you have no spark it could be a break
in this circuit. If you have power getting
through and still no spark, check if it
has contact points which could be dirty
or not opening. (under the flywheel)

If it has electronic ignition it is similar
but the power goes to an ignitor unit
and the coils as well. Also there is
a pickup coil which should have 360-540 ohms.


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hey Wayne,  I did check my fuses and they all seem fine. My cycle does have electronic ignition.  In regards to the points, I'm assuming, wich is usually a mistake, that the flywheel and points would be under the side case on the shift side of the motorcycle? I took the small oval cover off of the brake side and saw what I believe to be the end of the crankshaft. Ther was some electical components in there, but I thought it may be for the tachometer. Please correct me if I'm wrong and thanks for the great info you've already given me!

Answer
John,

that is your ignition pickup coil
under that small cover on the right
side of the engine unless it
looks like a set of contact points?

The pickup has a blue wire and a black wire
that go up to a connector under the gas tank.

Check if you have battery power to the ignition
coils, the ones that the plug wires lead
to. The yellow/red wire I believe.
Make sure the key is on and the engine
stop switch is on "run"

If you have power to the main coils,
then it is up to the pickup coil to
operate and signal the ignitor
to create a spark by grounding the main coils.

In other words, if you have power to the coils,
then check the ohms on the pickup coil wires.(360-540)
If it is within specs you might have a bad
ignitor unit or some corroded connectors
or bad or loose wires. It is a common problem
to have some corrosion on these older bikes.

The ignitor is the black box above the engine
and behind the horn a bit.
Also check any engine to frame ground wires.