Motorcycle Repair: 83 cb450, spark plug wires, chassis grounds

Question
my 83 cb450 will only get a strong nice spark if i hold the plugs a little bit away from the head.....will not get a spark if the plugs are touching the heads ........ i cant understand.....iv tried new plugs....no difference......pleas help......bonybologna@hotmail.com  

Answer
Hi Bub,

I suspect one or more of the following:

The chassis grounds are not conducting well due to loose connections, corrosion, dirt/grime, or other defects.

It's possible the CDI is defective.

Spark plug wires/caps leaking current or otherwise defective.

If the problem persists afterwards, I recommend having a local tech inspect the problem for you.

Respectfully,
Mark Shively