CB500F Struggling to Start | GTAMotorcycle.com

CB500F Struggling to Start

Nabil_TO

Nabil_TO

Member
Hi All,

I've been having trouble starting my 2014 CB500F lately. This is what's been happening and I'm worried that one day soon it simply won't start.

I turn the ignition and all lights go on as usual. No signs of a weak battery.
I hit the ignition and the engine starts turning over but it doesn't start. I press down for a few seconds and then let go to give it a break. Then I try again and sometimes it turns over a few times and then starts, and sometimes I have to try for a third time before it starts. So far it always eventually starts it's just that this is something new that is happening and I'm worried the bike is not going to start one day and I'll be stuck somewhere.

Anyone have any idea what could be causing this? Is there anything I can try before taking it to a mechanic?

Thanks.
 
Is this a first start of the day thing,or does it always do this? Does it do that when it's hot?

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Did this appear overnight or has it been getting progressively worse? How long has it been happening (time and km)? Any other issues noted (lack of power, backfiring when you chop the throttle, etc)?

Have the valves been adjusted? What is the valve adjustment interval for that bike?
 
jeff96 said:
Is this a first start of the day thing,or does it always do this? Does it do that when it's hot?

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It's always doing this now. Last night I was parked for about 1 hour and when I went to start it, it still struggled to start.
 
GreyGhost said:
Did this appear overnight or has it been getting progressively worse? How long has it been happening (time and km)? Any other issues noted (lack of power, backfiring when you chop the throttle, etc)?

Have the valves been adjusted? What is the valve adjustment interval for that bike?
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no other issues at all. The bike runs fine. Valve inspection and spark plug replacement is due at 25.6K (16k miles)
 
Nabil_TO said:
and yes, it is getting worse. At first it would do this once out of the blue, now it's always the case.
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I would be checking compression/leakdown/valves (in that order as difficulty climbs a little at each step).

I don't know the layout of that bike, but look and listen for vacuum leaks when the bike is running. If a boot has split or seperated a little it could screw up starting but not grossly affect operation when more air is moving through the engine.
 
If you can totally rule out the battery, valve clearance adjustment makes sense.

Lately with my bike (not a Honda) when I turn on the key and I hear the fuel pump fire up, I have to start it right then, if I wait, it seems like it's not achieving sufficient fuel pressure and cranks more. Try that.
 
You should be able to store a bike like that in a snowbank with no maintenance and it should run fine.
Go over the basics to look for oopsies during the maintenance check. Misplaced air filter, something not plugged in securely, oil and fuel, loose battery... My next move would be to inspect the spark plugs for discoloration and do a compression test while the plugs are out. Also spark test

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Just because the lights go on, doesn't mean you don't have a weak battery. Take it out and get it load tested.

Edit, 6 years isn't a bad life for a battery.
 
Wingboy said:
Just because the lights go on, doesn't mean you don't have a weak battery. Take it out and get it load tested.
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Assuming it is spinning the motor over quickly, that should be sufficient. I've never had a situation where the motor spun quickly but I did not have enough power for the computer or spark. More free tests never hurt, but it would surprise me if that was the issue (especially since the battery has the snot to make multiple attempts when cranking the bike).
 
Yeah, I just took out the battery and plugged it into a smart charger. It's showing it's fully charged.

So that rules out battery issues.

I'll just take it to the dealer to have it looked at. Thanks all for your replies.
 
Nabil_TO said:
Yeah, I just took out the battery and plugged it into a smart charger. It's showing it's fully charged.

So that rules out battery issues.

I'll just take it to the dealer to have it looked at. Thanks all for your replies.
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depending on where you are/going to speak to Shelly @ Markham Power. She'll take care of you.
 
You might want to at least change the air filter before you start the :unsure: 100$ per hour meter running would you not? or see if it has a mouse nest in it and yes, if that is the original battery that is impressive longevity.
 
Nabil_TO said:
Yeah, I just took out the battery and plugged it into a smart charger. It's showing it's fully charged.

So that rules out battery issues.

I'll just take it to the dealer to have it looked at. Thanks all for your replies.
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Smart charger is not a load test.
 
Wingboy said:
Smart charger is not a load test.
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Probably the opposite if it is like my smart chargers. I have had some batteries that load test at <3V but the smart charger says are full and ready to go. It assumes not accepting charge means good when it can just as easily mean very very bad.
 
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