Yeesh. Started the bike up this morning and after about 30 seconds one cylinder dropped out. No spark. Swapped plugs side to side and verified the plug is bad. OK, so maybe I dropped the damned thing at some point during the freshen up, probably when setting the valves. I doubt these plugs have a thousand miles on them yet, practically new. So, OF COURSE nobody within 50 miles carries NGK BPR7ES plugs. However, NGK 5534 plugs ARE available locally. Why would I consider the 5534? Here's why, copied from an Amazon source-
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Can't anything be easy anymore??? (spark plugs)
- Thread starter Pat D
- Start date
I am no longer convinced that NGK plugs are the high quality item they used to be*. And there's tons of fakes out there. I've recently swapped to using Denso plugs instead.
* using them since 1973.
* using them since 1973.
The official NGK site "seems" to indicate they are the same.
https://www.ngk.com/ngk-5534-bpr7es-nickel-spark-plug
ITEM #NGK5534
BRAND NGK
Of course, Autozone lists it as a "copper" plug ...
NGK OE Series Standard Nickel Spark Plug: Conventional Tip Design, BPR7ES
https://www.ngk.com/ngk-5534-bpr7es-nickel-spark-plug
NGK 5534 BPR7ES Nickel Spark Plug
SKU #BPR7ESITEM #NGK5534
BRAND NGK
Of course, Autozone lists it as a "copper" plug ...
NGK Standard Copper Spark Plug 5534
And Advance Auto parts calls it a nickel plug when you search for 5534 ...NGK OE Series Standard Nickel Spark Plug: Conventional Tip Design, BPR7ES
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Agreed, I've run NGK plugs for years, but QC seems to be a thing of the past. Lots of counterfeits.Like gggary, I rarely buy new plugs.(clean em). The Densos sound like a good alternative if the NGK is unavailable. I don't know anything about the 5534. I had good luck with an Autolite equivalent in a pinch when one of my plugs was broken.
And, in conclusion, while there are no NGK BPR7ES plugs within 30 miles, there are plenty pf NGK 5534 plugs available, and the box has BOTH part #'s on it. The plug itself is labeled BPR7ES. I should probably stick with my traditional "if it threads into the hole and doesn't hit the piston, and it runs, it's the right plug" philosophy. Served me pretty well since the 70's.
They still work fine. You have zero resistance caps, correct?And, in conclusion, while there are no NGK BPR7ES plugs within 30 miles, there are plenty pf NGK 5534 plugs available, and the box has BOTH part #'s on it. The plug itself is labeled BPR7ES. I should probably stick with my traditional "if it threads into the hole and doesn't hit the piston, and it runs, it's the right plug" philosophy. Served me pretty well since the 70's.
Correct. I think the point I was trying to make is, the same plug has 2 different labels/part #'s. Search for one part #, and I gotta drive 30 miles to get one. Search for the other part #, and the item is on the shelf 1.5 miles away. The box the plug comes in has both numbers on it. It's the same plug, so I would expect it to work fine. It all depends on which number the particular retailer ID's the plug with.
My stash of plugs has both numbers as well. When you go into a parts house, ask for both. They often seem to respond to one or the other unless you come across a real professional parts person.
360Gradi
XS650 Member
5534 is simply the stock number NGKs are marketed, unrelated to the size and rating. That said, I totally agree that NGK plugs can be bad right out of the box, based on my experience buying them for other bikes.
And yes, Denso equivalent plugs have never failed me.
Also, the regular no-resistor plugs (BP7ES as required for the bike before Electronic Ignition came stock from factory) are becoming VERY hard to find. Resistor plugs are now required (with no-resistor caps) to prevent electro-magnetic interference with the electronic ignition modules and other solid state black boxes installed on most modern bikes these days.
And yes, Denso equivalent plugs have never failed me.
Also, the regular no-resistor plugs (BP7ES as required for the bike before Electronic Ignition came stock from factory) are becoming VERY hard to find. Resistor plugs are now required (with no-resistor caps) to prevent electro-magnetic interference with the electronic ignition modules and other solid state black boxes installed on most modern bikes these days.
I found this cross reference.
https://www.sparkplug-crossreference.com/convert/NGK_PN/BPR7ES
I personally prefer Bosch plugs on everything I own, but I do have a stash of NGK plugs from a decade ago still in the box.
https://www.sparkplug-crossreference.com/convert/NGK_PN/BPR7ES
I personally prefer Bosch plugs on everything I own, but I do have a stash of NGK plugs from a decade ago still in the box.
360Gradi
XS650 Member
And you would be very wise to hang on to them, as they become more and more scarce.
