What are the odds?... a bad brand new spark plug?

[sc00ter]

Note that spark plugs are manufactured like anything else and there is a accepted failure rate. My work uses around 8000 spark plugs a day, and I know a few will get tossed in the scrap bins. Another side note is they are now made in China. Now, that does not mean quality went down. China can, and does, make good quality products. It depends on how much the manufacturer invest in training and quality control, and NGK is a major player who cares about quality. So dud plugs are a fact of life, and you happened to get one. At least you figured it out and got you bike running!