NGK Motorcycle Spark Plugs

NGK Motorcycle Spark Plugs

It's a funny fact that petrol doesn't actually burn very well. Diesel engines rely on compression ignition; the pressure inside the cylinder is high enough to set off the fuel-air charge. Petrol engines don't work that way; they need a spark to ignite the charge. NGK motorcycle spark plugs give you the reliability you need every time you get on your motorbike.

Motorcycle spark plugs are fundamentally very simple devices. An insulated electrode runs down the centre of the plug, while a second electrode curves over the end inside the cylinder. The ignition system sends a high voltage pulse down the center electrode, and it jumps the gap between the two electrodes. This spark ignites the fuel-air charge.

Spark plugs aren't the only NGK motorcycle electrical and ignition parts that can improve your motorcycle's performance. The company also produces ignition coils and leads. Coils generate the ignition pulse, while the leads transfer them to the plugs.

Motorcycle spark plugs have to fire as often as twenty times a second at 5,000 RPM, and they have to do so reliably in a very hot and high pressure environment. That's one reason why all plugs have the secondary function of drawing heat out of the combustion chamber so that the engine doesn't melt in operation. High performance spark plugs can both handle higher temperatures and dissipate heat faster.

One of the major concerns with spark plugs is fouling. If the charge doesn't burn cleanly, it can leave deposits on the electrodes that reduce the intensity of the spark. Electrodes can also erode with use as the spark generation burns away the metal. You can clean and adjust plugs, but eventually it's time to install new NGK spark plugs to bring your ride back to life. That's also a good time to check your coils and plug leads.