I enjoy your tips & stuff on the GasGas website and I was hoping you would be able to help me with an ignition problem. I ride a '95 GasGas and I just picked up a '93 for my son from a friend of mine. The problem with this bike is that there is no spark whatsoever. I bought the bike knowing this, but have been told that the Motoplat ignition on these bikes are notorious for just dying and are pretty tough to fix, and that the only real solution is to retrofit a Ducati ignition off a '95 or so.

Is this truly the case? If not, do you have a source for some diagnostic procedure for the Motoplat? If I do have to replace the whole unit, where would be my best bet for parts? Thanks so much for your time!
Chuck

Thanks, Chuck.

We've got a lot of the Motoplat equipped bikes out here in the Midwest and on the West Coast where I used to live and I've found them to be very reliable when properly maintained. Generally, on the Motoplat ignition, if there is no spark, it's the banana shaped generating coil attached to the stator plate. That coil can be rewound to be as good or better than new, saving you the cost of a new assembly. The wiring diagram and diagnostic spec.s for the Motoplat is on the Gas-Gas website, courtesy of Jim Snell. Jim informs me that the Ducati and Kokusan ignition assemblies will retrofit all Gas-Gas engines back to 1988, but I'd think a rewind (if necessary) would save you a lot of money and be a good way to go. Your Gas-Gas dealer should be able to help.

Jon