Bad Stator?

[overthebars]

I just got done putting my 200 RM125 back together from splitting the case to replace some tranny gears. Things went fine till I tried to start it. Now... the dang thing has no spark! I went through the trouble shooting routine. New plug (still no spark), check kill switch ('twas OK), check the stator (OOPS!). On the stator check-out, it asks to check the resistance between the red/black and red/white wires (the ones that lead to the windings). It supposed to read 18 to 28 ohms. Mine reads infinity ohms. That sounds like a broken wire somewhere, and assume this is my problem. The connection terminal and wiring to the windings look fine. Everything around the windings is covered with epoxy, so you can't see anything if anything is wrong down at the stator. The unit was not dropped or mishandled during the overhaul.
Is this a normal thing to happen? I have never heard of a stator failing like this before. Is there something more to check or try? Do I have any choice other than buying a new one? (They are REALLY spendy!) Can they be re-wound? If so, by whom?
Thanks
Willy T

 

[oldfrt613]

200 RM ??? Sorry - just feeling slap happy. Did you pinch a wire puting the cover on? If your sure you haven't pinched any wires, take your stator to the dealers and have it checked - lot cheaper than replacing to see if its bad. I'm not sure, but I'll bet there is a ground lug connection too - make sure its not bolted to a painted surface.

Good Luck

 

[overthebars]

Yeah, they made pretty wicked RM's back in 200 AD. The wooden chariot wheels they used then never go flat.
I have checked the wiring pretty close, I dont see any crimps or breaks in the wire. The ground has never been removed. The connectors look OK.
I called Shuppe motorcycle electrics in Grand Junction Colorado this morning, (I got there name from a Google search). He said whenever you pull a stator and handle it at all, you are taking a slight chance of ruining it. Some bikes can have them removed hundreds of times without a problem, others will break the first time you pull them. They even occasionally break when you dont touch them. There is a mile of really thin wire in a stator, and all it takes is one little strand to break. He says it is not that uncommon, and as near as he can tell, it is not brand specific (except I have read elsewhere that Ducati's are really bad for this). He charges $140 to rewind it. He guarantees his work. That is a far cry better than $250 from Bike Bandit. He says new ones have been known to be bad right out of the box too, and being electrical stuff, the guarantee isn't always too good.
The whole thing just ticks me off. Why me! But I guess that is life, and I just have to send it off to Shuppe and get over it.