2014 Requires Throttle/Extra Fuel to Start

Bike is running great. But lately, as often as not, it doesn't start instantly like it normally does. Cranks a couple of times, often requiring a little twist of the right grip, then it starts and runs fine. This has been damned near a norm for other bikes I've had, so I'm not alarmed by it. Is this normal for an FJR approaching 40K, or should I check something, like plugs, or do a TBS? No codes, cranks as fast as ever. Thanks in advance.

AFAIK this is abnormal for an FJR. My '07 with ~95K miles requires no such thing to start. I turn on key, put in neutral, push start button, no throttle action. I suspect there's something going wrong. Again. I'd start with as you mention + battery and ground connections. And seriously consider researching lemon laws.

Is anything resetting, like trip meters or the clock? Slow cranking? Any indications of dying battery?

No other symptoms. Cranks great. Runs great. No electrical anomalies. Wouldn't figure a 2014 battery would be a problem on a daily driver. This is a change rather than an obstacle. Just looking to find the cause for the change so it doesn't evolve into an issue. Other than this, the bike runs normally- like a jet engine on two wheels.

Well, FWIW, my 2013 at 50,000 miles still starts quickly with no throttle, even after it's sat a while.

You asked about plugs but didn't say if you'd ever replaced them. I replaced mine at about 30,000 miles and did a TBS at that time.

If your plugs are original, they are way past due for changing. TBS possibly but not likely. Check vacuum caps and lines.

Keep an eye on it. I assume you aren't seeing any codes?

Don't know if this is even a "thing" with Gen III, but:

https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php/topic/170314-fault-code-14-gen-ii-solved/

Might be worth checking the hose to the sensor, even if there is no fault code. When it was fully plugged, it was a bitch to start.

Thank you. Plugs were replaced around 24K. No codes, no slow starter.

Hi Bill, What ever happened with the overheating problem?

Definitely not a normal situation. When you turn on the power, do you hear the fuel pump "whine" and does it seem to last a couple of seconds? May be possible that it is not pressurizing normally? That is all I can think of based on your troubleshooting thus far.

Bike still under warranty?

Good luck.

I'd be tempted to replace the battery with a known good one. My DL650 had same exact symptoms. Cranking brought the battery down below ignition threshold to fire coils, momentarily. New battery = problem gone.

Jammess- it either bled the air out or temps have just gone down enough outside that it's not happening any more. Batteries are so often the cause of ghosts. I had one bike that would blow the horn at low volume, when switched on, until you started the bike. Replaced battery, problem gone. Two years for a daily driver? I just ordered an equivalent battery form batteriesplus. We shall see.

Try to fill your tank from another gas station,or try premium gasoline and tell us if you see any difference..

I had the same issue when once i used regular gas.Usually i use premium gas without any problem at start.

Is this the bike that they replaced the whole throttle body manifold in? If that's the case may be the fuel rail isn't holding pressure (not tight, bad o'ring etc). Good luck ..........ff

Same bike. First things first. As someone posted a reminder about a while back, for Yankees, it's battery failure season. Well, it just now got cold here, but what the heck. I'd expect the stock GT14B-4 to last longer, but I just replaced it anyway. That was an experience/PITA. We shall see.

Just a thought. With all the work they've done on it who knows how many times they left the key on and ran it flat...bad juju for longevity....ff

Bill Lumberg said:

Same bike. First things first. As someone posted a reminder about a while back, for Yankees, it's battery failure season. Well, it just now got cold here, but what the heck. I'd expect the stock GT14B-4 to last longer, but I just replaced it anyway. That was an experience/PITA. We shall see.

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Keep us posted, Bill. You're bike n' KrZy8 appear to be two cranky bitches.

The stock GT14B-4 will last over of 6-7+ years.I don't think that your problem comes from the battery..

Yeah, I've never seen a problem this soon out of one either. It did appear when it got cold though. We shall see.

To me if you put both issues together (overheat and extra fuel to start) it seems to point to a vacuum leak.

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That would make perfect sense if they'd occurred at the same time. But I haven't seen overheat in a while, and I'm in stop and go every day. The starting problem just showed up recently. It's subtle and inconsistent and hasn't appeared today, mit der fresh battery....