Help - Bike won't start

Alvito

Well-known member
Help - Bike won't start - PROBLEM SOLVED

EDIT - Battery didn't have a strong enough charge!

Hi,

I haven't gone riding in about 2 weeks. There is gas in the tank, albeit very little, but more than enough to get her going. The lights turns on fine when I turn the key to the on position. I was fiddling with the clutch before, so I double checked to make sure I put everything back in the right place. Should I invest in a batter tender and try charging the battery?

I hear something similar to this:

[video=youtube;SOPeGfj-gug]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOPeGfj-gug&feature=related[/video]

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I believe the above is just excess chain lube that has made a mess on my plastics, what would be the quickest way to clean it off?

photo4ox.jpg


I was worried about this hose that seemed to go no where, according to the manual, its a drain hose?? Someone please confirm!

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I saw this hose come from the coolant resevoir and it wasn't connected to anything. Or it was and I yanked it out. The manual just says its a hose thats connected to the coolant, but what does it do???
 
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If your bike is cranking that hard seems unlikely its a battery issue. I'm curious how old the gas is, although if its only been 2 weeks that's unlikely to be an issue. Not sure what you were doing when you were "messing with the clutch" But a thought that comes to mind is... is there spark?
 
If your bike is cranking that hard seems unlikely its a battery issue. I'm curious how old the gas is, although if its only been 2 weeks that's unlikely to be an issue. Not sure what you were doing when you were "messing with the clutch" But a thought that comes to mind is... is there spark?

My clutch lever was bent in a tip over, I had a thread about that earlier. Anyway, i just removed the clutch lever from the handle bars, and I put it back on. If the clutch isn't engaged, could I see this problem happen in the future?

How would I be able to tell if there is a spark?
 
My clutch lever was bent in a tip over, I had a thread about that earlier. Anyway, i just removed the clutch lever from the handle bars, and I put it back on. If the clutch isn't engaged, could I see this problem happen in the future?

How would I be able to tell if there is a spark?

Clutch shouldn't be an issue unless your bike requires clutch in to start, or if you're trying to start the bike in gear. And if its in gear and the clutch in engaged, then the bike should start moving as you crank the engine.

Here's a video about finding spark. Although it doesn't specifically show your engine.

Hope this helps. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drSep-Bp7wE
 
In neutral?
Kill switch?
Petcock on? Try switch to reserve, since you said there is little gas in the tank.
 
In neutral?
Kill switch?
Petcock on? Try switch to reserve, since you said there is little gas in the tank.

Yes in neutral.
Kill switch was off.
I need to check and see how to do that on my bike. Not sure how thats done!
 
There is no reserve on my bike. I am going to put more gas in it and give it a go. will report back in 15.

I put a tad bit more gas in the tank, I didn't have a whole lot in my jerry can, but she still won't start.

A few seconds after I put some gas into the tank, a big blob of gas sputtered out from this hose:

photo4ox.jpg


Remember, this is the one I had noticed from before and I looked it up in the manual and apparent it was a drain hose. But why would it be draining perfectly good gas!?
 
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Check to see it it has two wires coming out of the clutch housing.
If there is a switch, and it's broken, it could be the issue.
 
Check to see it it has two wires coming out of the clutch housing.
If there is a switch, and it's broken, it could be the issue.

Two wires coming from the clutch housing that is located on the handlebars?
 
Yes. There should be a wire up very close to the clutch lever.
If there are wires there, you have a clutch switch.
If the switch is broken, the bike may turn over, but not start.
Check the switch. If broken. Cut the wires and cross them and see if the bike starts. If not, disconnect them and try again. Or just pull the wires off and short them out with a paperclip.
 
When you replaced the clutch lever, did you reinstall everything back as it was? Plug in the switch (top)? Reinstall the spring?

photo2ngv.jpg
 
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The clutch switch is the part which has the screws you could not get out. Make sure it is plugged it correctly as it was before removing.

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There is no reserve on my bike. I am going to put more gas in it and give it a go. will report back in 15.

I put a tad bit more gas in the tank, I didn't have a whole lot in my jerry can, but she still won't start.

A few seconds after I put some gas into the tank, a big blob of gas sputtered out from this hose:


Remember, this is the one I had noticed from before and I looked it up in the manual and apparent it was a drain hose. But why would it be draining perfectly good gas!?

Overflow hoses... There will be a bunch of hoses that hang off the bike, in case you over fill something they overflow into those pipes- gas, coolant, battery.
 
Yes. There should be a wire up very close to the clutch lever.
If there are wires there, you have a clutch switch.
If the switch is broken, the bike may turn over, but not start.
Check the switch. If broken. Cut the wires and cross them and see if the bike starts. If not, disconnect them and try again. Or just pull the wires off and short them out with a paperclip.

Okay, I will check again.

When you replaced the clutch lever, did you reinstall everything back as it was? Plug in the switch (top)? Reinstall the spring?

Yes, I will disassemble it again and make sure the spring is in the right spot.

The clutch switch is the part which has the screws you could not get out. Make sure it is plugged it correctly as it was before removing.

Thanks for the picture, now I know exactly what the switch looks like!

Overflow hoses... There will be a bunch of hoses that hang off the bike, in case you over fill something they overflow into those pipes- gas, coolant, battery.

Ah, gotcha! Thanks!
 
It's not the clutch switch... the bike won't turn over if the clutch isn't fully in.
 
PROBLEM SOLVED!

Mechanic friend of mine came over, looked over the bike, said we should try boosting it. I pulled my car up next to the bike, connected the cables. She had a little bit of trouble starting, but eventually she did! Went for a quick ride to get a good charge. Happy we were able to figure it out. Battery is probably a little bit lame and will need to be replaced soon.

Thanks for all the support!
 
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PROBLEM SOLVED!

Mechanic friend of mine came over, looked over the bike, said we should try boosting it. I pulled my car up next to the bike, connected the cables. She had a little bit of trouble starting, but eventually she did! Went for a quick ride to get a good charge. Happy we were able to figure it out. Battery is probably a little bit lame and will need to be replaced soon.

Thanks for all the support!


I'd hate to burst your bubble, but a quick ride doesn't equal a good charge for a battery.
 
PROBLEM SOLVED!

Mechanic friend of mine came over, looked over the bike, said we should try boosting it. I pulled my car up next to the bike, connected the cables. She had a little bit of trouble starting, but eventually she did! Went for a quick ride to get a good charge. Happy we were able to figure it out. Battery is probably a little bit lame and will need to be replaced soon.

Thanks for all the support!

If your bike was like the r6 in the video- would have had enough to start up. Anyhow, trickle charge it, if I leave my bike for more than a week without starting the battery tends to drain itself.
 
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