I don't even pull a plug to check for spark...pull spark plug wire...insert Phillips screwdriver..hold close to ground..crank engine.

 

Learned from owning a Shovelhead no doubt...
removing plugs and cranking is a good way to instigate "run-on"

 

Nope...back from my lawnmower days...still on a bicycle...

 

That's what I do also, Tom. #2 Phillips with a nice thick plastic handle.

 

If you've got spark and she has a carb, double check that you have fuel while cranking...

Sometimes a carb float can hang with the needle closed and not let fuel into the float bowl. If you have no fuel, you can smack the float bowl with the handle of a screwdriver and most of the time it'll drop the float.

If you still have a vacuum petcock, double check that you have vacuum... And if you've been cranking it with the throttle open, keep it shut so you develop some vacuum out of the motor to open the petcock.

Not all petcocks give fuel on reserve without still needing vacuum from the motor to prime.

If the petcock doesn't give any gas, you can take the fuel line loose at the petcock and squirt some gas into her fuel line till it won't take any more, and try her again.

 

Are you sure your battery is fully charged? If you've run the battery down too far for the bike to run, a "battery tender" won't charge it. It's not designed to. A battery tender is meant to maintain a battery at full charge, not charge it. Try putting the battery on a charger for a few hours at the 2 amp setting.

 

All this and.
the choke is Not really a Choke...
Odd, but if ya open the Throttle an enricher won't work.. an enricher, only functions with the Throttle plate Closed...

 

Thanks for the tips guys. I've looked at a few things, but it looks like a fuel problem. I still haven't checked for spark, but it runs if I spray starting fluid in the carb. Haven't had time to address it yet. It's really odd this happened at the same time the stator was unplugged, but maybe it was a fuel problem all along and I still had enough battery left to run one ignition. I'll report back with details later if I can get some free time to look at the petcock.

 

If you still have the stock petcock on that thing take it off and get a Pingle.

 

2nd. Or a Golan, they're both good. I prefer Golan since they have a ball detent so you can feel when the little handle is where it needs to be.

Do NOT get one of them cheap shitty ones off eBay. Get a good one.