I respect your opinion Matt. But, the flame is leaving a lot of people on the shore. Quite a few have yanked 'em to go back to MSD.
Maybe operator error, but if it's gonna take rocket science to get spark....give me what works.
The main complaint that I've heard/witnessed: Spark stops completely...without warning. Just stops working.
I have that issue too when my battery gets down too far. It would still be enough to fire other ignitions for hours, but not the Flame. That is the only complaint I have about my system. It's super-picky about battery voltage and the health of other components in the electrical system. It's very annoying at times.
But - it's sealed and never fusses with salt, and that makes up for it.
PS: When it stops completely, put a fresh battery on it.
Edit: A bit of an explanation - I got a very good deal on a slightly used second gen Flame a couple of years ago. In order to have the ignition work for more than half a tank, I've had to spend money on a new OEM starter, new battery and ground cables, and a second battery. I understand that the electrical system should be in good shape anyway, but it's annoying that the slightest flaw at all will cut down my ride time dramatically. An MSD TL will spark as long as the starter turns. My Flame quits LONG before that.
Aftermarket starter? Forget about it.
Lightweight battery? Forget about it.
Cold weather? Forget about it.
I've learned to live with it, and the saltwater performance is nice. But I probably wouldn't go that way again.