[Blltrdr]

I'm wondering if your intake hose is cracked. This can cause all kinds of problems.

[Arizoni]

IMO, the black smoke and dirty fouled spark plug both point to a severely restricted air inlet.
It is possible the bike in transit was placed on its side or in some other position that allowed oil from the engine to soak the air filter.  I'm sure the filter has been looked at but even if it is not dripping oil if the paper was once soaked it is useless and will cause no end of problems.

[meph1st0]

Can you replace your plugs and check.
Few months back, I had same problem, bike wouldn't start. Even if it started, it would die very quickly and make a totally different exhaust note. Since I had used choke to start the bike exhaust, SMOKE used to be very messy. I could see spark, hence hadn't bothered to replace the plugs.
After struggling for three days finally decided to replace plugs and it worked. There was no other problem. It was just the faulty plug

[Bala2014]

BACK IN ACTION!!!  Phew!  We were so afraid it was something catastrophic like bad exhaust valve (for our situation where we are that would be catastrophic!). 

In the end unfortunately its hard to say exactly what it was.  As I said in my first post, when it didnt start at the airport I put a brand new plug.  Then it started but sounded like hell and we drove it 20 miles before it died and it never really started again.  Taking everyones advice I checked the timing and it did seem retarded...i adjusted that.  I checked the plug and it SEEMED to give a nice spark.  I took off the carb, took it apart and gave it a clean.  But it still didnt start.  I eventually handed it to the mechanic who fixed it....how?  New spark plug got it to start up and once it did it sounded normal again!  I felt a bit silly....

Here's my theory.  The problem lied in either the timing and/or carburetor and I actually DID fix the problem by cleaning and adjusting them but didnt realize that the 20 miles i had driven with the horribly maladjusted timing/carb had fried even the brand new plug so I just couldnt start it to hear that the problem had been fixed.  So we are back in business!!!  Heading off in a week to do the Pamir Highway ...15,000ft. mountains along the border of Afganistan and Tajikistan!

Thank you all SO much for the help.  This will probably not be the last time I turn to this community in desperation to help us out of a snag...still 8,000 miles to go.  Really nice to know you are all out there and kind enough to spend the time to help

-Jordan, Bala (the bike), and Magdalena (Pillion)

www.thescenicroutethroughlife.com

[Phlakaton]

Be safe out there!  It's a crazy planet full of crazy peeps.  Have a great ride.

[High On Octane]

Excellent news!  Keep us posted on your progress and be safe!   

Scottie J

[Arizoni]

Glad to hear it's fixed and your underway again.

As a side note:  Even a lightly fouled spark plug can fire nicely when it is out of the engine but when it tries to fire with 6-8 times the air pressure around the electrode like during the compression stroke it will short out and fail to produce a spark.

[cyrusb]

I'm still trying to figure out why anyone would tour the "STANS" Thats gotta be dangerous, and you brought a lady too? May Allah smile on you.!

[REpozer]

True dat Cyrus .
If captured , maybe  play it off that you are a Canadian.....or super  cRaZy .

[Bala2014]

Haha!  I didnt realize "The Stans" had a hard rep.  Been here for several weeks now and its all smiles and hospitality so far.  There are a few areas that are supposed to be dodgy but we mostly avoid them.  We have both traveled ot much more dangerous parts of the world so we have grown good eyes on tha back of our heads.  Its really AMAZINGLY beautiful here especially for riding.  I will post some updates/photos on my blog of our recent trip to some lake inhabited only by about 100 or so nomads living in Yurts...we had to pass a 11,750ft. pass on snowy/buddy dirt roads to get there. 

If you "Follow" by blog you will get the update when I post it in a couple weeks.
www.thescenicroutethroughlife.com

But thanks for the concern.