i ad a tt600l [what a lemon] but they do have a low/high speed pick up on them that sometimes causes trouble, you could check the pick up to rotor air gap using plasterseen, as others have said check the flywheel key for being sheered or just take the whole system off and send it to steve at better bikes in adelaide to test on his test bench. as to your after market cdi it sounds like theres something wrong with the advance curved they have programmed into it if its kicking back sooo bad on your mates easy starting bike. good luck with it and let us all know the outcome when its sorted. the tt/xt600's base timing is non adjustable as well