I decided to get a platinum NGK for my Kinlon today, thinking everything helps and that a few blokes here have mentioned they use them and get better performance. I have to go to the local bike shop and they flatly and coldly refuse to discuss, look at or do any work on China bikes - but today the bloke at the counter was a newbie who hadn't experienced my cursing at him yet.
"What's it for?" he asked when I requested the plug. "Um, Honda 200cc" I lied. (trying to remember what Humanbeing told me about the Klingon engine), "CJ163 something or other dirtbike," I rambled, "an old one, but only done a few thousand though, " I continued, making it up as I went along. "Been in the shed and just used odd weekends."
He nodded, one eyebrow raised ...
"Look mate. Save yourself twenty bucks and get an ordinary NGK. Those Pplatinum and Irridium ones make absolutely no difference in a bike under 1000cc. Ok in a big cruiser or a car but useless in a 'bike, spend the difference in petrol and enjoy the old Honda, bewt bikes, they go on for ever!"

"Yeah, especially when they are cloned and renamed Klingons", I thought.
So I bought the ordinary NGK and will try it against the existing 'Torch' brand that Kinlons supply - which to be honest I have had no problems with. Actually that is not surprising, when I went out to change it, I found it was a NGK DR8EA already!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Was he right about plugs? He is a middle-aged experienced bike mechanic that had never met me before after all! Do we get anything from spending cash on 'high-tech' extras for what is basically a standard bike even after we add exhausts and make carby changes? It's never gonna be a racer is it?

Talking of which he showed me a Honda 750 cruiser for only $55 a week - "seeing as how you like Hondas mate." Lies always get you further toward Hell. I very, very nearly signed up, they make it so easy for you, it was just the sight of reality - my twenty-three year old rusting car with the exhaust dropping off outside the showroom window that stopped me.