Bike will not start!

[SkooterG]

Guess what! Bike did not start again this morning. And again it is -2, -3 deg C below zero. So ... I suspect it is temperature related. I also suspect you are right and that it is related to the bike being in storage for 5 months and hasn't had a good shaking out! Hopefully when I get home after work, I can take it out for 30 minutes or so ...

Rheal

How long did you run it for yesterday when it started?

 

[ahchiu]

I'll chime in here with a SWAG (silly wild ass guess) and suggest the battery. Check the battery connections and make sure both are tight and verify all of the connections near the battery.

+1 for the Battery check

 

[MartyA]

Suddenly got the same problem - no start. The bike has been parked for 11 months, battery on a tender. I changed the plugs last week, then I tested it and it started right up, as it always does, and idled fine. I was in the shed so I let it run for only a moment or two.

This week I had the forks out for a rebuild, I put them back in this morning and as I was buttoning up the plastic, thought I'd give it a test start. I wanted to get the bike out of the shed to change the oils front and rear, so I thought I'd warm it up a bit. It cranks like crazy but no go. I held the throttle WFO, SOP for flooded engine, but I don't smell fuel, and that didn't work. Fuel pump starts, gages do their startup dance, starter motor sounds like it wants to spin right off the motor.

What should I look for?

 

[wfooshee]

I'd suggest waiting a while (couple hours) and trying again. Sometimes that's all it needs.

But the start and quick shutoff is something you know not to do, if you know about the WOT fix for flooding.

 

[Rheal]

My W.A.G is water in the fuel. Maybe even condensation over the long storage period. I bet the temp is dropping and either the ice cube that has formed is blocking fuel delivery, or the ice cube that has formed in inhibiting fuel pump operation. I am basing my W.A.G. on my experiences with old Honda cars. Good luck finding a solution. I have used 90+% rubbing alcohol to remove water from fuel systems. I am pretty sure most of the guys on this site would not recommend doing this.

Thanks everyone ... I also suspect it is a water in fuel problem: Both mornings when it would not start, the temperature was a few degrees below freezing. Engine would turn over just fine but would never catch! Every afternoon after work, it would start right up easy as you please. So on the third day:

--> I added gas line anti freeze when I got back from work;

--> I took a 1 to 1 1/2 hour ride. No hiccups, no problems.

The bike has been working fine since ... buts its also been above freezing since then ... although not by much! I suspect that the anti-freeze should take care of the little bit of humidity in there. And a top up with fresh fuel should finish tthe problem completely. At least I hope!

Many thanks! Rheal (alias Kermit)

 

[RadioHowie]

 

[Rheal]

That is a perfect recent shot of my brother! ... but people tell us we look very similar!

It ain't easy being green!

 

[Fred W]

Thanks everyone ... I also suspect it is a water in fuel problem: Both mornings when it would not start, the temperature was a few degrees below freezing. Engine would turn over just fine but would never catch! Every afternoon after work, it would start right up easy as you please. So on the third day:

--> I added gas line anti freeze when I got back from work;

--> I took a 1 to 1 1/2 hour ride. No hiccups, no problems.

The bike has been working fine since ... buts its also been above freezing since then ... although not by much! I suspect that the anti-freeze should take care of the little bit of humidity in there. And a top up with fresh fuel should finish tthe problem completely. At least I hope!

Many thanks! Rheal (alias Kermit)

Kermit,

Aren't you Kweebeckies blessed with the same 10 percent ethanol goodness we south of the border folks are? If so, I would have expected that alcohol to perform the same thing as the dry gas. But if you aren't so blessed, then yeah... it could definitely have been a little water in the lines somewhere. That used to happen to us all the time before the advent of corn fuel.

 

[MartyA]

Suddenly got the same problem - no start. The bike has been parked for 11 months, battery on a tender. I changed the plugs last week, then I tested it and it started right up, as it always does, and idled fine. I was in the shed so I let it run for only a moment or two.

This week I had the forks out for a rebuild, I put them back in this morning and as I was buttoning up the plastic, thought I'd give it a test start. I wanted to get the bike out of the shed to change the oils front and rear, so I thought I'd warm it up a bit. It cranks like crazy but no go. I held the throttle WFO, SOP for flooded engine, but I don't smell fuel, and that didn't work. Fuel pump starts, gages do their startup dance, starter motor sounds like it wants to spin right off the motor.

What should I look for?

Due to lots of other commitments it took until today to try it again today. I went over every wire / connector / plug to see if I disconnected something; I pulled 2 of the spark plugs to see spark. Lastly, I pulled the K&N out, saw a little oil in the box. Could it be that simple? Yep, I had too much oil on the filter. (this is my 6th K&N on my 6th bike, so I am not a noob with them). I held the throttle wide open, cranked for a long while, heard a bit of a pop, cranked a little more, then a sudden explosion (the open air box is REALLY LOUD!!!!) and it ran!! I blew some excess oil off the filter, replaced it, and it started again!

A bit surprising, and a bit embarrassing; I would never guess you could put too much oil on a K&N. But now I can put all the plastic back on, wait for the snow to quit, then go riding.... Life is better today.

 

[road runner]

If you both continue to have trouble starting you may want to empty the tank and put some fresh gas in. Then you can put some quality fuel system cleaner in the tank. By quality I mean it's meant for Ethanol, and does not have more alcohol in it. Like Fred said you already have 10% alcohol so you don't want more. Then take it out and ride it like you stole it. I'm just thinking the gas is old and you may have some injector issues that may be fixed with the fresh gas and a cleaning.

 

[MartyA]

...you may want to empty the tank and put some fresh gas in.

Been waiting to do just that since last June!!!! Couple more days, I figure around 200 miles ought to do it.....

 

[wfooshee]

"Snow."

It is to laugh!