Ok I take that back, bike not starting again, good thing it's still at Honda

They tell me there's evidence of a wannabe mechanic though, plug caps switched around and all sorts I hope they(wannabe mechanic) haven't done anything stupid

Did the bike work ok when you first got it?


Times were so much easier when elves just made shoes.

Matchlessman wrote:Did the bike work ok when you first got it?


Times were so much easier when elves just made shoes.

Yes and since then for the last 3 months yes, running great, choke was a bit stiff, put in garage till i ordered new one, tried starting it the very next day after putting in garage and nothing...no start

did you try lubing the choke cable, mine used to get tight and a bit of wd40 would sort it out.

If it has been running ok for 3 months its not that likely to be anything the previous owner has done. did you say that the reg/rec was on the way out? the colder weather and lack of choke may mean you are cranking it over more and thus the battery is having to work harder. That, combined with it not charging may be the problem.

A fully charged battery and fresh plugs should have the bike running. after that i would be looking at fueling. its not something daft like you havent turned the fuel on is it?

Matchlessman wrote:did you try lubing the choke cable, mine used to get tight and a bit of wd40 would sort it out.

If it has been running ok for 3 months its not that likely to be anything the previous owner has done. did you say that the reg/rec was on the way out? the colder weather and lack of choke may mean you are cranking it over more and thus the battery is having to work harder. That, combined with it not charging may be the problem.

A fully charged battery and fresh plugs should have the bike running. after that i would be looking at fueling. its not something daft like you havent turned the fuel on is it?

The choke cable is 24yrs old think it deserves a new one, its even rubbed right through at one point, you never know but yea i'm not expecting the previous owner messed it up too much if it's been running, as for charging, I've got a honda optimate 5 battery charger and only tried to start it with more than enough charge in the battery, bike hasn't been out riding since i put it in garage so it's never had to try start only on charge achieved from riding, it's come from the mains through the honda optimate, so it is a fully charged battery and fresh plugs now since honda changed the plugs for me, still no start, and no it wasn't something like turning the fuel on or the kill switch, plus it's at a honda dealer and i've used them before they're not going to miss something like that either thankfully, or i wouldn't be using them again LOL

and I only mentioned the reg/rec as an idea, I never said it was broken, but since they did get it started after new plugs before it went back to non start, I think it can't be reg/rec at fault by itself since its working

Just because they are a honda dealer doesnt mean they wont miss something obvious.

So, just to clarify.......

Bike ran fine. then choke cable seized, now bike doesnt start. the problem has nothing to do with the reg/rec as per your thread title.

I'd be looking at temporarily unsiezing choke cable with some wd40 and then getting a new one if its as bad as you say. Or manually operating the choke by pushing it with something long and hard - your landladys only tool would probably be ideal for this.

Since the bike is at the dealers, the are probably going to do a load of stuff to it and then replace the choke cable and it will work again. and its probably in the warm and dry so that will help with starting anyway.

Matchlessman wrote:Just because they are a honda dealer doesnt mean they wont miss something obvious.

So, just to clarify.......

Bike ran fine. then choke cable seized, now bike doesnt start. the problem has nothing to do with the reg/rec as per your thread title.

I'd be looking at temporarily unsiezing choke cable with some wd40 and then getting a new one if its as bad as you say. Or manually operating the choke by pushing it with something long and hard - your landladys only tool would probably be ideal for this.

Since the bike is at the dealers, the are probably going to do a load of stuff to it and then replace the choke cable and it will work again. and its probably in the warm and dry so that will help with starting anyway.

I had already tried manually operating the choke myself that never worked, i had it disconnected from the holder so i could stick my hand and operate it manually with the bike together, it seems they forgot i told them that because now they've been able to get bike started again manually operating choke, so i sent a reply to their email saying if the only problem is i need to manually operate the choke(like I was before) then thats fine just change the coolant and i'll take the bike back and i asked if they haven't thrown away the old plugs if I could have them so it can tell me more about the bike, so hopefully the new plugs have actually fixed the bike, just they were trying to cold start it with no choke...i hope that was just it anyway, ive got a new choke cable on the way regardless it's only like £10, as said mine has holes in it, so even if i get it slightly unseized it's in crap condition.

so fingers crossed... abra cadabra, WORK! :D

it's at a honda dealer and i've used them before they're not going to miss something like that either thankfully

it seems they forgot i told them that because now they've been able to get bike started again manually operating choke

lol

the guy i told wasnt the mechanic, i'll let them off on that one...they're testing it again tomorrow check it wasnt a fluke

Apparently test went fine, they also changed coolant(I asked), awaiting to get bike back