Sluggish and almost dies during 1st gear acceleration

[Sir Choice]

Hi everyone, Ive just bought a NC30 and done a few bits a pieces to it because it has been stood for nearly a year apparantly. I changed the oil, topped up the coolant, joined the downpipes back together underneath the bike and lubes up some bits.

I rode it the other day, which was all fine until on my way home i was sitting at some lights and the idle started to sound dodgy like it was getting ready to stall, so i pulled off and it felt like it didnt really want to move anymore, so i went down a sideroad where it conked out as i pulled over. I gave it a minute then started her up and she was fine again :S

Same happened today but this time it didnt sort out and i barely made it home.

Feels/sounds like its not firing on all cylinders or its too rich or something, Everytime i accelerate in first gear it just totally losses power and practically stalls in the middle of the road. Once you do get going it is really having trouble moving and sounds spluttery with slow rpm, even though the rev counter is on like 5k+.

I think this might be beyond me and be a garage job, but i dont know what to say is wrong with it :S

Could it be what i mentioned above about cylinders not firing or maybe its suffocating because of a air filter clog-up?

Any ideas? Thanks for your help

[Drunkn Munky]

check all the simple things first before handing it over to a garage, it could save you a fortune.

Plugs are tight and in good condition,
Plug lead are on tight,
Air filter isnt clogged up,
Check the carbs are sucured nice and tight,
Check the fuel lines are not kinked or have any crud in them,

Im sure others on here will have more sugestions

[CMSMJ1]

If it has been sat for a year then I would think you need to get the carbs off and clean them out. sounds fuelling as I bet you are rarely less than 5k revs in the other gears and so it shows up in 1st?

[Sir Choice]

I'll try the air filter and what i can, never done the carbs before though so i dont know how that will go, Dont i need to get them re-balanced after if i take them apart?

Once this happens the bike is messed up in all gears and hardly moves, not just first gear sorry, i didnt make that very clear in my first post.

The idle goes down and wants to cut out.

ill give some of those suggestions a go. Ive spent more time with it in pieces since i bought it that riding it

[Sligeach]

very good advice has been offered already but I'll just reiterate the fact that it sounds like fuel or air, most likely fuel.
standing up for that long will have left varnish-like deposits in the carbs.
is the fuel tap and fuel filter working ok? (and free of crap)

[tanuki]

If it has been sat for a year then I would think you need to get the carbs off and clean them out.

BINGO

[MickCheese]

When you start it after it has stood for a while does it start and go OK then after a few miles die again.

If so it may be the vacume fuel tap line that has perished.

Good luck

[Sir Choice]

Thanks for all the replies, i appreciate the help!

It starts great yeah and runs fine, then after a couple of miles this happens it seems yes! spot on! I'll see how it is in a minute or tomorrow, if it sounds fine again when i turn it on i bet it will happen again after a few miles.

So its most likely carbs or clogged up air filter/fuel filter?

I'll check them over first tomorrow, really unsure about the carbs though. Ive got my Haynes at the ready so should be ok lol.

[Malc]

Next time it does it, open the fuel filler cap, then close it again - see if it goes away. I had a GSXR GK76A with the exact same symptoms, and it turned out to be a blocked tank breather.

[Sir Choice]

If it WAS that the fuel isnt getting through quick enough, wouldn't that make the engine just conk out completely until the fuel line fills up again? Or could it be that theres just enough getting through to keep it ticking over roughly which is whats happening?

ill check the tank breather, Fuel filter, air filter, fuel pump (not sure how i will) and fuel line tomorrow, hopefully.

if not i'll dump it on the roadside lol.

thanks guys