ok so i tested for spark after the shutoff by pulling the cap on plug #1 and placing another plug in there. I grounded the plug against the head and sure enough no spark...tried several times with no spark. Waited a bit and and tried again with the plug grounded against the head and had a good healthy spark and the bike started right up. I am thinking this could possibly be a ground issue related to the symptoms i was having last year where the bike would cut off but was always able to immediately restart. Should i check all my grounds or should i be looking at my pickups and cdi?

one more thing to note i have always had the intermitten issue where i would turn the bike on but the headlight wouldnt turn on until i tapped the starter...sometimes on rare occasions no lights would show on the bike at all until i taped the starter. might be related

Ok so lets make sure that you don't have a loose wire somewhere in the bike causing this shutdown.

Find your IC Igniter it's under the seat area right? Find the Green with Black Striped Wire as well as the Black with Yellow Striped wire coming from the IC and with a straight pin push through these wires and make sure they are well grounded or straight to the (-) Negative side of the battery. Now find the solid red wire coming from the same IC as well as the Red wire going to the coils and with another straight pin push through these two wires and connect them directly to the (+) positive side of the battery. This will give an un-interruptible power supply to the ignition system by bypassing the neutral switch, clutch switch, side stand switch on the ground path as well as the main fuse, j-box, kill switch and key switch for the positive voltage path. Test run your bike for shut downs if it does it no more then we know it is in the bike somewhere; but if it still shuts down then we will test your pick ups and IC box.

one more thing to note i have always had the intermitten issue where i would turn the bike on but the headlight wouldnt turn on until i tapped the starter...sometimes on rare occasions no lights would show on the bike at all until i taped the starter. might be related

The headlight should not be coming on until AFTER you have bumped the starter button; if it is coming on with the key then that is a relay problem in the J-box.

ewwwwwwwwwwwww pushing pins thru wires?


start at a simple spot, pull the tank, and check the blk/yel ground wire that attaches to the bolt on the left side coil mtg point...pull the bolt, check the terminal and the wire, if it's fatigued and broken, replace the ring lug...clean the surfaces and replace.



carry on....

oh, Tony's stick coils are super nice also....(you're welcome T...)

ewwwwwwwwwwwww pushing pins thru wires?


start at a simple spot, pull the tank, and check the blk/yel ground wire that attaches to the bolt on the left side coil mtg point...pull the bolt, check the terminal and the wire, if it's fatigued and broken, replace the ring lug...clean the surfaces and replace.



carry on....

oh, Tony's stick coils are super nice also....(you're welcome T...)

It's not pretty but it is a simple rock solid test to prove where problem is coming from.

so maybe some thick sewing pins and some test leads with alligator clips?

that will work, but before you turn the wire harness into a Vooddoo Doll, go look at what I said about the coil ground wire...please.......
 

that will work, but before you turn the wire harness into a Vooddoo Doll, go look at what I said about the coil ground wire...please.......
 

I will for sure. Started back to work after a layoff today and didnt have any time last night as I was getting stuff ready. I will let you know what I find when i do check it out.