Alternate spark plugs

I was talking to Hogfiddles he asked me to post this so here it goes. Our bikes run NGK BPES7 plugs they work fine , recently I went to Autozone by my house to obtain another set , I had a bad plug confirmed by swapping position and cold cylinder ( plug looked fine ) Well they were out and the usual can have them here on Tuesday well that was not what I wanted. An Alternate was an Iridium plug ( no thanks had some bad luck using them in cars and $$$$) Or Autolight AP63 plugs , when I had my virago 750 this was recommended plug by members of the forum . So I have been running these for 2 months with good results , when I used them in my virago it seemed to burn a little better than the NGK . Once I tried the E3 plug in my PT Cruiser and Neon when I first put them in was impressed but after a year of use did not seem to have same power , pulled them out the electrode was worn on one cylinder. They do show a cross reference for our bikes , I'm not sure how they would run they are not cheap as I recall 8$ a plug .

 

Do you change them all or every other one?

 

Allways change all your plugs.

Just to note, many power sports vehicles use BP plugs, not many cars, sometimes you may have better luck trying an ATV , Outboard or Snowmobile shop for them.

 

Also, just as a thought, with NGK plugs a higher number plug runs colder and can be substituted (ex. BP7ES. Sub BP8ES) this will not harm anything, however may foul on cold starts or with extended idling.
! Never !! Sub a hotter plug (BP6). This can melt a piston or cause detonation!
Also, NGK plugs with R (BPR7ES) have a resistor to both suppress radio interference and put "back pressure " on the electrical system. You can sub in an R plug for non R, again is may foul easier, but ! Never ! Put a not R plug in when the it calls for it, it can damage your coils or worse the C.D.I.
Hope this info helps

 

Actually the NGK chart says the 1100 Maxim use the BP6es plug but I'm still not convinced .

 

Ya, even though NGK is OE for most jap bikes, 6 sounds hot to me, mind you in air cooled atvs many run a 5, in 4x4 hauling logs at 2mph, they never burn up.
If a 7 doesnt foul, it sounds safer to me @ high rpm. That's what my XJ runs

 

Except for the YICS, my XS1100 is the same engine as your XJ1100 Maxim. NGK BP6ES is what I'm running for about 90,000 miles. I do it by the book.