Hey I havent taken my bike for any proper rides yet but it has suddenly stopped idling properly. I left the fuel switch on for a couple of days (Ive since read not to!), so I guessed it had flooded. When I did get it to start though (after a few goes), it would be really sluggish and would die when I let go of the throttle. Whats with this? IIs there something I need to do to flush it out or anything?I heard Boz saying that when the bike is running rich you needed to get it going and hold the throttle just open enough to keep it going for a few mins, then as the bike warmed up it would be fine... The choke needed to be fully closed, it wouldnt start with it open and would die if I tried to open it to keep the bike idling. I suspect the bike is running a little rich, when its been going in the past the exhast has smelt rich with fuel.
Is it doing it all the time or have you only tried to start it up on one occasion when the tap was left on?
I have started it before and it has run really well. This is the first time its not started properly, although Ive only had the bike a two weeks. Previousy the tap was left on, but as I said the bike still started fine.
Check your plugs, if they are black give them a clean with some kero and a brush, reset the gap and put them back in the bike. How many km do you get from a tank?
oh yeah it dsounds like it is flooded... without taking it appart... If you can start it and keep the throttle upen for fiew minutes it should clear it self out... or get on top of a big hill and roll start it... just get some speed up stick it in second and slowly realise the cluch while keeping the throttle fully open... that will blow out all the extra fule in it... or blow up the engine if it is hydro locked...
Yeah I figured I was too much of a newbie, I started it and blasted it once or twice like you would do on a car... sounds like I should blast it for a minuite or so. Not sure about the K's per tank, havent even ridden it yet! I'll be sure to check the spark plugs though, is it indicative that its running rich if they are black? Thanks heaps for your replies, you'll be hearing from me again if this doesnt work!
Yes. If the petrol doesn’t burn properly (usually because the mixture is too rich or a poor spark) it produces black carbon buildup, this can foul the plugs and cause other problems over a long period of time. Try not to just start the bike up if you aren’t going to ride it, just like turning off the fuel tap. Turn the fuel tap off when you are trying to clear the petrol out and see how you go.
