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@Patch has helped me learn, and no doubt countless others here. I'm still a newbie, like you, learning along the way. If it wasn't for guys like Patch, cowpuc, saddlebum, and others, my bike would spend more time in the shop than on the road. They've not only helped me directly, but I've learned much by reading their older posts helping others. Regarding electrical issues, I have a EE and spent 20 years in silicon valley manufacturing, starting as a production floor technician. I learned a few troubleshooting skills along the way. Controlled explosions of internal combustion are new to me, but the education process has been a fascinating journey along the way. Not to get too basic on the electrical stuff, or insult you, but here are a few pointers as you go along that journey (and some basic terminology). At a very basic level, there are two types of circuit faults; a short (often used incorrectly as a description for ANY circuit fault) and an open. A "short" is a short circuit, or path for electron flow, between two points that is not intended to exist. Typical symptoms of a short are blown fuses, charred or melted wires, sparks, something getting really hot & smoke. To better visualize this, imagine (do not do this) straightening out a paper clip and connecting opposite ends to +Pos and -Neg of a battery. You've just created a "short" circuit between battery Pos & Neg - Bad idea - allowing nearly unimpeded electron flow between them. You will quickly notice: a) initially a spark; b) a glowing red wire in your fingers and c) 3rd degree burn marks on your fingers. (Final disclaimer: I am not recommending anyone do this!). Intermittent, and/or high resistance shorts can also exist due to dendritic growth of oxidation between two circuits, usually the result of some type of contaminant or chemical reaction with the conductor (even moisture can cause this). These will cause arcs between circuits and/or ground. This type of short may likely not cause a fuse to blow, instead, you will have charred insulators and wires, which can lead to either a direct short or even burn a wire out completely, causing an "open" circuit. An "open" circuit, should be fairly obvious by now. Its a break in a circuit, stopping the flow of electrons, between two points. Sometimes an open circuit is intentional, i.e. a switch in the "open" position. A broken or burn wire creates an open. You can also have a low/high resistance open, particularly at connection points. Again, this is due to oxidation (any metal, save the few precious metals) will oxidize over time. As the oxidation forms a barrier to electron flow between the connection points, heat can be generated causing even greater resistance to current flow. In extreme cases, this could generate enough heat to actually burn out the wire. Common places to look for unintended mechanical opens are at the connector crimp on a wire, often caused by stress (mechanical stress, not wife/kids/job/mortgage/etc kinda stress...) This is why the advice to clean/inspect all your connection points is very good advice to follow as a starting point, along with the voltage/resistance measurements that Patch is pointing you towards. Not sure what to make of your spark plug wire pics. Can't tell if that's heat, arc or chemical related. It appears there is some other contamination around the area there, related? Is the damage just on the outside, or can you see that it is burning through from the inside out?

So yes as for the popping coming from the carb. The "backfire" means just that. What happens is just like what Terry is going thru. The combustion area becomes to wet, every so often the coil will fire which causes a misfire. How does it happen? Glad you asked In this case and with this ignition system there are 2 reasons for it: The coils are not being triggered in sync with the engine timing. This is what we are looking for as to what the cause is. The next reality is this system is based on "wasted spark" that means a coil is triggered on every exhaust stroke as well! I am going to briefly explain combustion, my hope is that you can visualize the single event that begins the combustion cycle: Each combustion has a duration (time) this is further explained through propagation (the progression of ignition to the fuel/air charge) This can be visualized by 1 single sheet of tissue crumpled up into a ball the lit at the top - as the flame spreads the tissue and flame change shape or propagate the time this takes is called "duration"! The exspansion is the energy that drives the piston the crank and the valve train and that is continuations. So if the duration is to long then the backfire will light the next charge as it enters past the intake valve on the intake stroke causing the "backfire"! Next you misinterpret my disadvantage comment. NO reason for you to know my background but enough to say I have worked thru many disadvantages turning them into advantages. I'll share this too: I have been working with a 38 year old that was hit by a train suffering many injuries including head trauma. He is visually not the man he use to be, he walks like a toy soldier, his beautiful loving girlfriend and mother asked me to help him. To be honest with all I didn't believe I could but I found a way and I now know he can, So I persist because he tries. I have a small group of PTSD that I work with as well. Each one of us is different but none of us ever laugh at the other unless we all laugh together. Oh and I also train good people to defend...... None of or any of the above is done for profit. I think I am qualified to know a bit about disadvantage to advantage

Some people like the automatic membership renewals and some don't. There wasn't an option to turn off automatic renewals previously but there is now. When you purchase a subscription, the default is for it to automatically renew after a year but now there is a box that you can uncheck to turn off automatic renewal. I wish I could make OFF the default but haven't figured that one out yet. I'm working on it though.

I found some are unsure as to were to go to renew their subscription. I have had to talk a couple members through the steps. After I finally figured it out myself.

Your memery is not so bad yet, keep up the learnen!!

Just to close the comment/remarks drawer, this membership here in the club has given me more over the years than I have been able to return in kind. (I think that's english) Your plugs are showing 2 different issues, so let the guys know the plug number, the caps will need attention and is a proper place to start. The wet plug will lead you to a path that will generate the quickest results. There is a tool I recommend that is cheap and easily found call a gap tester. I always ride with mine in the saddle bag. Say $10.00, using it just cuts down on the work or, will certainly point you/us to the right location (s). One of the clubs here in Calgary is closing permanently, it is our old guy hangout in these parts. I'll be away for a bit likely till tomorrow afternoon, as we all raise the roof one last time. All the steps are listed in Terry's thread models are different procedures remain the same. Just don't skip over the questions or measure halfway; and you'll come out knowing how to help the next guy that buys an old bike

getting back to your opening question Stay in bed don't get up

Rear end grinding noises can come be from several causes. Brakes worn to the metal can make one heck of a grinding noise failing u-joints in the drive tube failing bearings anywhere in the drive line Middle drive gear cam drive assembly in the middle drive gear section Try putting the bike on the center stand and while someone is manually rotating the the rear wheel try listening for the source. Keeping in mind that driveline noises can telegraph along the driveline make it sound like the source is coming from a different location than it actually is.

I posted the above yesterday as the forum went dark. The new format for the forum doesn't seem to lend itself to the format I am use too. So what ever are the new cut and past or quote and comment tricks are, are beyond me. You'll have to open the quotes and read thru

You could likely be fighting two issues at once - electrical & carb related. Sounds more electrical, but I have a set of carb sync gauges I'm happy to send you on loan if you want to at least clear that off the table relatively quickly and easily. I'm not sure how well they will sync if you are having electrical/voltage issues @ the coils or ignitor but worth a shot to at least give you some peace of mind. PM me if you want me to send the gauge. I just finished a sync a couple weeks ago, so it will be sitting unused until later this year anyways.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/254991190784 This is the only one I found on ebay. Are you missing yours or does it need to be recovered?

Spent some time sweating in the Garage today her in Arizona....106F outside but 350F in the un-aircondition garage! My right knee don't bend as much as it used to, so I installed a set of floorboards on my bike AZZI today. Hauled those boards all the way from Canada...customs officers got a little suspicious and opened my bag up during the flight and proceeded to lose a bolt and c clip during their "Inspection" of the dangerous bag filled with Yamaha Venture floor board parts! Anyway, got them installed and now my knee can stretch out a bit. By the way, a big shout out to @paysaw for selling me the set of floor boards as well as sending me pictures so I could figure out how to install them! Thanks Buddy!

A couple years ago Tweeks (our 83 that we retired this spring with well over 300k miles on her) got caught in strong south by southwest by westernly wind while Tip, Tweeks and I were out goofing off. Tweeks ended up hauling us out to see Mt. Saint Helens via The Dalles Oregon Rally via Frisco via Nellis Air Base via The Grand Canyon Via Jerome Az via Big Bend NP via The Alamo via Squids house for a Stator Update and sleep over via BikerJohns house for a sleep over (we always sleep in our tent but Squid and John would have no part of that) via Route 66 via Chicago where I still believe is where those high winds originated. While on that ride we visited The Jelly Belly Factory in California (hey,, we are older people,, we can visit Jelly Belly if we want).. WE HAD A BALL!! I ate so many Jelly Belly jelly beans I thought I was gonna turn into one:buttkick:.. Did you know they have jelly belly beans that taste like pencil lead or skunk smell or vomit? I digress.. They gave us each a bakers hat with "Jelly Belly" on it so I got one for Tweeks. We stopped at a Wally World and I bought some super glue, took my knife and cut out the Jelly Belly emblem on the hat and stuck it on Tweeks dash! Fast forward to this spring when our new bike - Tweeks sister - needed a heart transplant and Tweeks donated her heart (carbs).. Tweeks always loved to hear me sing Willie Nelson songs to her while we were riding and one of her favorites was "All Of Me" - you know = allll of me,, why not take allll of me,,,,, you took the part, that once was my heart,,, so why not take alll of me... While I had her under the knife I found myself singing her favorite song to her.. I promised Tweeks I would do all I could to fulfill the promise found in one of her favorite songs and have been little by little making progress in keeping that promise.. Tweeks dash was in really really bad shape - she had been completely inverted once on a mountain in Utah which really messed her up so swapping dashes was out.. That gorgeous Jelly Belly momento was gonna have to find another way to find it's way aboard Tweeksis (Tweeks Sister). Today I found just the answer.. I took my 4 inch side winder and cut the Jelly Belly off the dash!!! I then trimmed it up and re-attached it on Tweeksis with the Dash backing behind it!! After completing that project Tweeksis talked me into taking her for a ride to show off her new addition.. Tip (my wife) dont take to kindly to Tweeksis and I pulling out of the garage without her sitting behind me.. Right after we pulled out of the driveway a strong South Easterly wind came up from Chicago and Tweeksis got caught in it and we soon found ourselves half way across Northern Michigan in a little town called Wiedman where my Puc's MGnEM staff happen to be waiting for us to discuss the possibility for an upcoming Rally. While we were there we had Hot Dogs and tater chips AND,, get this,, we even got a couple more Red White and Blue sets of Beads for Tweeks trunk rack! Thats what I did to and for my bike today = the end!