Help reading Spark Plugs

I am trying to figure out why I am getting such a sooty carbon buildup on the plugs on the VX800. Anyone have any ideas?? Pic attached
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So many variables mate.
How long are most of the runs? How much idling does the bike do?
Are they the OEM spec? Have you tried hotter? Do you run different jetting?
From what I can see the electrode area doesn't look too bad.

this was after a 1hr run at highway speeds of 100kph. then just pulled of the freeway & checked plugs
1 hotter than OEM standard, I haven't touched jetting but bike cam with open pipes so perhaps PO did.

I agree electrode looks good but I was concerned about the carbon sooty build up in the well of the plug. I put new plugs in before the ride.

How many KM has it done?
 I started running 1 heat range hotter at about 90,000km on my VX800 when they started to carbon up after about 5000km, before that they came out looking like that after 20,000, I hadn't checked them again before selling it at just over 100,000

its hard to say how many km's, shows 24k on the clock but I think it's really 124km. but its not the original motor so I can only guess between 60 - 80k
The plug was in for less than 2 hrs running at highway speeds.
She still pulls well but is a little tired, at mostly highway speeds I am using 200ml of oil every 500km, can you recall how much oil yours used?

I am currently running Castrol 4T 15W50 mineral oil.
Do you have any other recommendation?

The only thing noticable on mine was a bit of gudgeon noise at 100K, I had heard of plenty with more than 120K and never had the heads off. 
I had switched to semi synthetic but only because I was having trouble finding mineral oil for bikes stocked in Adelaide, from memory I was still running 10w40

All this talk about the VX, when I sold it and got the Bandit I didn't think I's ever miss the old girl, staring to wish I had both now. If our historic reg was the same as yours I probably would still have it.

I went on a 400km ride with MadMax on Monday and took the VX.
I really love it through the twisties, so light and easy to throw around.
MM was accelerating away from me a little but I was keeping up in the bends, opened her up to 150kph to catch him after he overtook come cars.
The rear Avon came off 2nd best, now fitted a SHinko today.

That plug looks a bit lean to me .

spanna wrote:I went on a 400km ride with MadMax on Monday and took the VX.
I really love it through the twisties, so light and easy to throw around.
MM was accelerating away from me a little but I was keeping up in the bends, opened her up to 150kph to catch him after he overtook come cars.
The rear Avon came off 2nd best, now fitted a SHinko today.

The best I ever did was 210kph and I had to ring her neck for that. It was still only a couple of years old and I was heading out for a day ride in a mountain range that might have been in a state east of SA, after leaving a mates place I hit a straight stretch with no trees, no traffic and I could see clearly in all directions. I was laying on the tank and reckon I could have got another 5kmh out of her but when I saw the right angle corner coming I wasn't sure how much time I needed to slow down.
As for tyres, I got good wear and performance out of the original Metzlers and that was what was still on it the day I sold it. Within a few hundred km of 10,000km rear and 20,000 front for every set

Your plug looks pretty normal to me.

Here's a good chart

Your tyre looks like its picked up something, nothing to do with speed

I agree not sure what Ripped tyre

Thanks for that chart madmax.  One of the better ones

MM I've been told by some guys in the CCJMC that the chart you posted is for leaded fuels.
Apparently the attached pic is more accurate.... supposedly.
Trouble with all this free information exchange you don't know who to believe!

Your plug still looks normal to me

spanna wrote:MM I've been told by some guys in the CCJMC that the chart you posted is for leaded fuels.
Apparently the attached pic is more accurate.... supposedly.

You could be right there, I seem to recall the one madmax posted hanging on the wall of our workshop when I was a apprentice.

I agree with madmax though, there doesn't appear to be anything wrong with the way your plug is burning

Ok thanks for your opinions.

Easy! This one says "NGK"

Don't give up your day job...Unless your a motorcycle tuner

You notice that the one thing you can't read with ULP is mixture.

Did you check the float levels?

levels seem ok, I will try using 95 or 98 currently running 91 octane & someone has said plugs will soot with 91 ULP

spanna wrote:levels seem ok, I will try using 95 or 98 currently running 91 octane & someone has said plugs will soot with 91 ULP

My VX800 used to ping if I used 91, I only ever used a few litres to get me where I could get 95 or 98