Neil, I've had my 98 1100 since new and I've tried Bosch, NGK and Champion plugs.
After some soul searching and scientific fiddling (writing and keeping notes) I've finally come up with this setup for my bike.
Approximately every 10,000 Klm's the bike gets a thorough service which I undertake, it also gets new Bosch spark plugs.
Somewhere down the track and this is usually about 5,000 to 6,000 Klm's the bike is a bit hesitant at low throttle settings. This can and could be up to various things, But, I have narrowed it down to the spark plugs going off song. I change the spark plugs and voila, it's like a new bike again.
I've re-set the throttle bodies using a TwinMax unit, this will marginally help, which tells me that the cables have loosened ever so slightly.
Checked the TPS (Throtle Position Sensor) never moved since I reset it years ago.
Adjusted the valves very, very, very carefully. This in the latest incarnation using four feeler gauges at once, made a difference to pick-up and idle, but didn't affect the hesitancy.
In short I think my bike and other 1100 machines, RS, RT and GS's do go off slightly at about 5,000 Klm's in the spark plug department. Other people have said the same thing to me.
I accept this quirk and just change the plugs. I have high and exacting standards for the running of my bike, I find this a small price to pay for a near faultless running of the engine.
My bike doesn't have a cat and therefore doesn't have an Oxygen sensor so the computer second guesses the amount of go juice to give the engine, especially at low revs. I think that new plugs help overcome this deficit!
Mick.
