Went on a ride, say 80 miles of country roads and urban areas, got her home and chucked a blanket over her, on the stands and left her at the side of the garage. This was 8-10 weeks ago.

Today I've come back home from University, tried to fire her up but got nothing. Adjusted choke and kept trying but nothing and the battery died. Put the battery on charge for half hour and tried again, it turns over strongly but it just won't fire up. It almost catches, I got it to run for about 2 seconds but it just won't carry on. Tried 1/2 choke, 3/4 choke and full choke.

I've never taken a plug out, but took the rear left out, thread was pretty wet the head was a bit wet, dried it on a flame, replaced. Couldn't get to the rear right, so I left it for a long while and came back. Same.

I've also never bump started, I tried it on my own. Run with bike in 2nd and clutch in, dump clutch, it burbles but again won't catch. Got a mate to give me a push, same thing.

Something I've noticed - I'm shit with electrics so idk - I took the battery off (I use a lead from the battery under the pilion seat to charge. Stuck the multimeter on the terminals in the wire to battery, it reads 12.78, 5 seconds later, 12.77, 5 seconds later, 12.76 and so on.

Is my battery fucked? But even if so bumping should start it, unless I'm just not running fast enough.

Fed up, so I've left it on charge, will either try early evening or tomorrow morning.

Any help?

P.S. Can I start it whilst it trickle charges?

Rear left plug; (First pic with my new SLR + new 50mm lens, yay!)



I forgot to mention, twice when I've tried to fire her up on the starter, just before the battery has given up the ghost I've had a backfire.

I just had another attempt at starting up and the strangest thing happened again.

After the second backfire before, it made the most peculiar noise, I thought it was my garage door blowing in the wind. Any way I just tried again to start her up, no backfire, almost caught as usual, then after it had almost caught and it died, it made that really weird noise again which I thought was the garage door before. I can't describe it in words. It seemed to come from my exhaust and was a sort of "hommm" noise. Weirdest noise ever.

FINALLY. I think it must of been maybe my 30th attempt at a bump? I charged her, FULL THROTTLE and NO CHOKE with cranking, to unflood. Then had a massive massive run up as fast as I could, let the clutch out, gargling for 5 seconds then she came to life. I VERY NEARLY lost her as in my excitement I left the clutch out and when I finally pulled it in I completely forgot I had a front brake.

Now the bad bit, she ran for 5 seconds, I got on and started to turn her in the road (by physical pushing, not the engine) but whilst pushing, my hand blipped the throttle a weeny bit. The revs went up for a split second then she stalled.

I simply have no more energy to bump start, I need one of those bump start rollers they have in MotoGP!

I had a similar thing. Replaced the plugs, battery, reg rec and genny and shes been fine since.

If it has been standing for 8-10 weeks I would try draining the carbs, fuel will go off with time. Are you bump starting because the battery is flat from trying to start the engine? Battery voltage of 12.8 is fully charged, probably the point where the charger went to trickle mode. How low did the battery voltage fall after it came of the charger?

What your experiencing by taking the voltage right after a charge is normal.. the battery has to 'settle'

Put the headlamps on for 30 seconds, leave the battery for 5 mins after switching them off and take the battery voltage, it should be fairly stable then. If it continues to drop rapidly battery could well have an internal short and be knackered.

As magg said.. your carbs could be gummed up.

you should use full choke no thorttle at all until it's running.

Check the power connections where the bike gets its power near the battery. They might be corroded. See if they are heating up (sure sign of a bad connection).
You can also check your coils have a good power connection, and you should get your carbs serviced & syncronized and valve clearances done. Also check your spark plug gaps are not too wide.
Maybe your fuel tap diaphragm is not opening. If your tap is unmodified there will be a thin tube going from it to the side of the motor. You can search about that online.

Thanks for the helpful replies all.

I took the rear plugs out and dried them and left the plugs out for a short while to air out the cylinders a bit. Put them back in and after a quick charge I did the full throttle, no choke to make sure the engine wasn't flooded (this is right, yes?) then gave her a massive run up the road and bumped her in to life! It was a bit weird, had to adjust the idle and it wouldn't settle for a while. I think the carbs were just gummed up.

Rode her both days of the weekend and now she's back away until December 20th, when I'll be doing this all over again haha. Think after xmas she's getting a full service of oil, air, plugs, coolant, carb clean out and maybe valve clearances if I dare - going to need some big cajones!

iDemonix wrote:Thanks for the helpful replies all.

I took the rear plugs out and dried them and left the plugs out for a short while to air out the cylinders a bit. Put them back in and after a quick charge I did the full throttle, no choke to make sure the engine wasn't flooded (this is right, yes?) then gave her a massive run up the road and bumped her in to life! It was a bit weird, had to adjust the idle and it wouldn't settle for a while. I think the carbs were just gummed up.

Rode her both days of the weekend and now she's back away until December 20th, when I'll be doing this all over again haha. Think after xmas she's getting a full service of oil, air, plugs, coolant, carb clean out and maybe valve clearances if I dare - going to need some big cajones!

I hope that was a typo because it's the wrong way round.
You want full choke, no throttle.

Buy some Redex and make sure it's the one for carb engines.
If you always make sure you have a small mixture in your tank then you won't have half the problem starting the bike after it's stood for a few months.

iDemonix wrote:Thanks for the helpful replies all.

I took the rear plugs out and dried them and left the plugs out for a short while to air out the cylinders a bit. Put them back in and after a quick charge I did the full throttle, no choke to make sure the engine wasn't flooded (this is right, yes?) then gave her a massive run up the road and bumped her in to life! It was a bit weird, had to adjust the idle and it wouldn't settle for a while. I think the carbs were just gummed up.

Rode her both days of the weekend and now she's back away until December 20th, when I'll be doing this all over again haha. Think after xmas she's getting a full service of oil, air, plugs, coolant, carb clean out and maybe valve clearances if I dare - going to need some big cajones!

The carbs won't have gummed up in 10 weeks, the fuel may be off a bit, in the short time that I have had my NC, it seemed to take a bit to get started when it was left for a while when it's normally instant. Time will telkl whether it happens again!

Glad you got sorted though.

Phil