Good morning. Yes, there is one very common part failure that makes this happen.

• Disconnect one battery terminal cable.
• Remove the front fairing cover and the front engine cover.
• Fish around within the cover and you'll find an ivory colored 3-pin connector that's attached to the lead of the ignition "bean can". There are only one or two connectors in there, so it should be easy to find. This connector may be sitting above the diode board, but there's enough slack in the harness to pull it down and easily get to it.
• There is typically a small spring wire that acts as a retaining device and keeps the 2 connectors connected. Defeat that device and separate the 2 connectors.
• The white/ ivory/ light yellow connector half (which is on the lead to the "bean can") may be cracked, turning to dust, broken, disintegrating, fractured, or all of the above. That connector MUST be replaced. Any damage or aging to that connector causes the exact issues you're having.

• The only way I know to fix this is to call Rick Jones at Motorrad Eliktrik and buy the replacement lead, complete. This $30 part is NOT displayed on their web site. What you'll get is the connector, pre-assembled onto the 8" wiring cable. Web link: http://motoelekt.com/
• Remove the 2 screws securing the "bean can" to the front of the engine, and pull the ignition unit straight off.
• Take the bean can to the work bench, where you can open it up, and solder in the new wires on the bench.
• The bean can only goes back onto the engine one way. If you work carefully, you can match up the housing outline in the grit, and your ignition timing will be very, very close to where it was.
• It's always best to strobe time the engine to the Full Advance mark at high RPM, just to be sure.
• Be VERY careful replacing the cover. It is VERY easy to pinch either or both the alternator wires and/or the new ignition wire. And then you bike won't run for a new reason.

► These type ignition parts fail due to age, not mileage. It will also be helpful if you'll replace your plug wires with metal-core wires, and both plug caps with 5000 Ohm caps. Motorrad Eliktrik also sells very nice plug wire/cap replacements.

► If you got that far by yourself (and this is not difficult work) replace that connector no matter what you think or believe, because it will fail sooner rather than later. Best to do it now rather than in some dim motel room at 3AM.

Hope this helps.

Thank you very much. I have a few days of distractions and will be back at this. A week of 90° temps is discouraging me in a hot garage.

You're welcome.

This is not, very physical work. 7 fairing screws, 1 battery terminal screw, 2 front engine cover screws, and 2 "bean can" screws. If you have a lift, then you can do the entire task from the comfort of a lawn chair. I kid you not. If we plotted all repairs Energy required vs. Meaningful results, then this would be the lowest effort, most fruitful repair by far !

I highly suggest you order the bean can lead and the plug wires today, so they'll be there when you get ready.

Yeah, no lift and a body that has seen 73 years. . I will call Rick once time zones catch up. I hope he can do fed x as mail is taking 7 weeks plus from the US to Canada.

It sounds like a must do upgrade even if there is another issue.

Thanks again
Craig

You might enjoy reading / gaining more detail from this thread....

https://www.airheads.org/forum/my-airhead-needs-help/1196-86-r80-dead-battery-no-spark

( No extra charge. 😛 )

Reading that I will say again, you are a paragon of patience. 🙂

That's my favorite prayer...

"Lord, give me patience. RIGHT NOW !!"

😛

Ordered connector, new wires and plugs and at Rick’s suggestion some heat paste for the ignition module. Rick seems like a super nice guy and helpful. Fed X is over $100 so will use priority mail and wait. If wait becomes intolerable Rick said a TEMPORARY fix with solder and shrink tape will work but only as a temporary fix.

Now I have to work on my patience. I am not good at that.

Thermal paste is an excellent idea. On your bike you'll remove the fuel tank and look for the ignition module. It's got a huge connector and a small block of aluminum.

Pop off the steel "Stay Plugged In" clip, and unplug the connector. Then you un-bolt the unit from the heat sink. There will be old, hardened thermal paste on there that looks like light brown varnish. You can sand both mating surfaces with #320 grit emery to remove the old "varnish", and then polish the surfaces out with #400 grit or similar. Apply a smooth, even coat of the new thermal paste. A credit card (yours, not your wife's) is an excellent way to "squeegee" an even layer over the entire heat transfer surface. Even is much better than thick.

Then reinstall the screws to a moderate torque. It's much more important that they be evenly tightened, than "super tight". Extremely tight will only make the 2 surfaces "bow" away from each other. You want full, 100% contact for thermal dissipation. Don't forget to re-install the connector clip !!

Good luck. Should your mission fail, the Secretary will disavow any knowledge of your actions.

PS. Send us a photo of your white connector.

This is the similar thread I wanted you to look at.....
https://www.airheads.org/forum/my-airhead-needs-help/1136-1988-r100rt-no-spark

He has a great photo there...

This photo makes 2 good points...

1. The black connector is stuck way up inside the starter housing. What is not apparent is that the black connector has about 6" of slack cable up inside the starter housing, so the connector pair can be gently eased down to where you have plenty of slack to work on both connectors. Pull gently if yours looks like his.

2. The oil should not be there. A common issue for older bikes is for their oil seals and o-rings to harden with age. NEVER miss an opportunity to replace an oil seal or o-ring when you are doing other repairs near by. There is an oil seal behind the alternator. There is an o-ring where the crankshaft adjoins the "bean can".

Hope this helps.

Thanks again. Now if we had a way to make the mail move quicker... I am not good at waiting.

With time on my hands and being my usual obsessive self I am wondering if the ignition module could be faulty. Is there a way to test that device without complex diagnostic equipment?

Sigh.. riding the VStrom just is not cutting it. 😉

Thank you Scott. Added to the list.
Craig

Not wanting to be one of those people who gets help and then disappears this is just a quick update. I ordered the parts from Rick Jones a week ago but he just shipped and i anticipate 3-6 weeks to Eastern Canada via USPS Priority. FedEx was over $100.

In the meantime a local retired electrical whisperer who loves a challenge and works on many bikes because he enjoys doing so is having a look at the suspect component. I will be back when I know more. In the meantime, thank you again.

Craig