I pulled the plugs out again to double check them....they look ok color wise....however when I turned one upside down the white porcelain piece slid down . I wasn't sure if this was supposed to happen ..checked the other and it didn't happen. Got a new set, gapped and greased.....problem solved!!! Runs like a champ. I guess the sea foam was just a coincidence .....

 

Seafoam is not the problem. I use it regularly on my bikes.

 

Nice work, Sherlock. Plug porcelain is definitely not supposed to slide. It probably was preventing ignition of the mixture. Lucky it was stopped from dropping into the combustion chamber by the ground strap.

That's some good sleuthing for sure, now we all learned something. Excellent troubleshooting.

John

 

Thanks John....yeah that would have sucked if that little piece fell in! Any idea what would cause that little piece to break? (Sea foam?) hahaha! JK!

 

I stored a 08 Ulysses (same motor as the XR) for three years but on StaBil) It started instantly and ran super. I never have used Seafoam so I don't know what shoud be expected with it.

 

Broken spark plug will get you every time. Glad you figured it out.

 

Good detective work! My experience is that problems almost always lie in the simple things.

You saved yourself some problems by storing the bike properly, too.

To keep your carburetor parts happy use Non-Ethanol fuel.

 

[QUOTE=Spurlee;12661232]Good detective work! My experience is that problems almost always lie in the simple things.

You saved yourself some problems by storing the bike properly, too.

To keep your carburetor parts happy use Non-Ethanol fuel.[/

Man....I wish I could get non ethanol gas....I'm in central NJ. I don't think there is anywhere in the state that has non ethanol. I was in Tennessee / NC last summer I was surprised to see so many non ethanol pumps!

 

I've used Seafoam for years, Last year I used Stabil to save a few bucks. Won't do that again. I'll stick with the Seafoam, didn't care for the poor turn over this spring, until that tank was used up. JMO

 

[QUOTE]The word is "officially" out courtesy of EPA. Ethanol is bad for motorcycles. Its also not good for anything else. Their recent release announcing this has been on the forum several times or you can no doubt google it.