Hornet's a bit sick.
Discussion
Went to start the Hornet after two weeks in the garage (the bike, not me) left stupidly with a near empty tank. It's turning over and not catching. Is it bad fuel?
Stupidly, i put some good fuel in on top. Is 2 weeks enough for this to happen. It has been damp, but surely the tank is sealed to some extent?
Whatcha reckon, keep trying to turn it over?
Stupidly, i put some good fuel in on top. Is 2 weeks enough for this to happen. It has been damp, but surely the tank is sealed to some extent?
Whatcha reckon, keep trying to turn it over?
It won't be bad fuel after just 2 weeks. Is there enough in the tank anyway? Try switching to reserve?
Also, SWMBO's Hornet will only start with a reasonably well charged battery. If yours is a bit flat, then maybe a couple of hours on charge would help?
ETA just noticed you'd put more fuel in.
If none of the above, then the usual quick electrical checks, plus emergency stop switch and other idiot checks, I guess?
Also, SWMBO's Hornet will only start with a reasonably well charged battery. If yours is a bit flat, then maybe a couple of hours on charge would help?
ETA just noticed you'd put more fuel in.
If none of the above, then the usual quick electrical checks, plus emergency stop switch and other idiot checks, I guess?
Edited by N Dentressangle on Tuesday 8th July 17:09
I was thinking the battery as well, in which case you don't want to be turning it over again. Stick a multimeter on the battery to measure the voltage - if it's had it, you'll know from that reading.
If you're not going to use the bike for a couple of weeks, an Accumate or Optimate is a good purchase.
If you're not going to use the bike for a couple of weeks, an Accumate or Optimate is a good purchase.
Almost definitely not the fuel, more likely to be the battery – although, the battery should last more than 18 months. Does it sound like it’s turning over a little slower than it used to? If the battery is low then the amount of power taken by the starter can often mean that there is not enough left to get a good spark.
Unless you have an imobiliser which could have gone wrong, I suggest the following process of elimination:
Is the kill switch in the right position?
Is there a sidestand or clutch interlock that could be playing up (a good scoosh of WD40 and work it back and forth might help)?
Does the exhasut smell of petrol? It will if there is no spark.
Get a plug out; is it wet (engine flooded)?
If the engine is flooded, take all the plugs out and spin the starter with the throttle wide open (no choke if the bike has one) then leave it half an hour before putting the plugs back in.
If the first plug is dry, clean it up a bit and earth it on the head while you spin the starter; do you have a spark?
If no spark it's ignition problems (worth checking another plug too, just in case it's only one).
Most "no starts" are normally identified by one of the above, but other stupid things I've seen which aren't immediately obvious are;
Mouse crawled into airbox and made nest in air filter, thus blocking it completely.
Mouse again (probably a cousin of the first) crwaled in under the tank, chewed through insulation of wires leading to coils causing them to earth to frame.
Little brother had been "borrowing" older brothers bike, run out of fuel and filled the tank with parafin.
Practical joker had gently lifted all the plug caps off the plugs so, although they looked to be in place, they was an air gap between the cap and the plug terminal.
Similar joker had swapped the plug caps onto different cylinders; cue major misfiring.
Worn carb had allowed fuel to leak in past the open inlet valve to fill up the cylinder so when the owner tried to start the bike the piston was pushing against a hydraulic lock and wouldn't turn over.
Is the kill switch in the right position?
Is there a sidestand or clutch interlock that could be playing up (a good scoosh of WD40 and work it back and forth might help)?
Does the exhasut smell of petrol? It will if there is no spark.
Get a plug out; is it wet (engine flooded)?
If the engine is flooded, take all the plugs out and spin the starter with the throttle wide open (no choke if the bike has one) then leave it half an hour before putting the plugs back in.
If the first plug is dry, clean it up a bit and earth it on the head while you spin the starter; do you have a spark?
If no spark it's ignition problems (worth checking another plug too, just in case it's only one).
Most "no starts" are normally identified by one of the above, but other stupid things I've seen which aren't immediately obvious are;
Mouse crawled into airbox and made nest in air filter, thus blocking it completely.
Mouse again (probably a cousin of the first) crwaled in under the tank, chewed through insulation of wires leading to coils causing them to earth to frame.
Little brother had been "borrowing" older brothers bike, run out of fuel and filled the tank with parafin.
Practical joker had gently lifted all the plug caps off the plugs so, although they looked to be in place, they was an air gap between the cap and the plug terminal.
Similar joker had swapped the plug caps onto different cylinders; cue major misfiring.
Worn carb had allowed fuel to leak in past the open inlet valve to fill up the cylinder so when the owner tried to start the bike the piston was pushing against a hydraulic lock and wouldn't turn over.
Well, Rubin, thanks for all that. These are all filed for the future.
Now, my trusty steed fired up first thing last night. I've noticed before that if it's a bit damp, and i forget to use the choke, if the bike does not fire first time, then it needs to sit awhile before it will. I don't know the cause, but someone here will, I'm sure. Flooding?
Anyone else feel cheated that having ridden all through winter, we have to put up with this s
t for a summer?
Now, my trusty steed fired up first thing last night. I've noticed before that if it's a bit damp, and i forget to use the choke, if the bike does not fire first time, then it needs to sit awhile before it will. I don't know the cause, but someone here will, I'm sure. Flooding?
Anyone else feel cheated that having ridden all through winter, we have to put up with this s
t for a summer?robstvr said:
Well, Rubin, thanks for all that. These are all filed for the future.
Now, my trusty steed fired up first thing last night. I've noticed before that if it's a bit damp, and i forget to use the choke, if the bike does not fire first time, then it needs to sit awhile before it will. I don't know the cause, but someone here will, I'm sure. Flooding?
Anyone else feel cheated that having ridden all through winter, we have to put up with this st for a summer?
Yep, it sucks. I had nicer rides a few months ago than I've had recently, when the weather was dry and cold.Now, my trusty steed fired up first thing last night. I've noticed before that if it's a bit damp, and i forget to use the choke, if the bike does not fire first time, then it needs to sit awhile before it will. I don't know the cause, but someone here will, I'm sure. Flooding?
Anyone else feel cheated that having ridden all through winter, we have to put up with this s
t for a summer?All very dull.
Is it possible you tried starting it initally with no choke and flooded it?
My starting procedures are:
Cold Hornet = choke and no throttle
Cold Hornet stood in the sun so lovely and warm = no choke, tweak of throttle and some small revs after starting
Warm Hornet = no choke and maybe a tweak of throttle
Hot Hornet = no choke or throttle
For info, I left mine standing in a garage for over 6 months when I went travelling and it started on the 2nd thumb of the starter when I got back, I was well impressed. I didn't do anything special to it either, just parked her up.
Its on a SORN at the moment under a cover in the garden, has been that way since Christmas. I went to turn it over after about 3 months standing under the cover and it started on the first thumb of the switch.
Not bad for a '98S plate with 20k on the clock!
I'm going to miss her when she goes
My starting procedures are:
Cold Hornet = choke and no throttle
Cold Hornet stood in the sun so lovely and warm = no choke, tweak of throttle and some small revs after starting
Warm Hornet = no choke and maybe a tweak of throttle
Hot Hornet = no choke or throttle
For info, I left mine standing in a garage for over 6 months when I went travelling and it started on the 2nd thumb of the starter when I got back, I was well impressed. I didn't do anything special to it either, just parked her up.
Its on a SORN at the moment under a cover in the garden, has been that way since Christmas. I went to turn it over after about 3 months standing under the cover and it started on the first thumb of the switch.
Not bad for a '98S plate with 20k on the clock!
I'm going to miss her when she goes
robstvr said:
Well, Rubin, thanks for all that. These are all filed for the future.
Now, my trusty steed fired up first thing last night. I've noticed before that if it's a bit damp, and i forget to use the choke, if the bike does not fire first time, then it needs to sit awhile before it will. I don't know the cause, but someone here will, I'm sure. Flooding?
Anyone else feel cheated that having ridden all through winter, we have to put up with this st for a summer?
Clean all plug caps thoroughly inside and out so they are like new. As the spark WILL track along the dirt/damp on the cap, taking the path of least resistance. The spark has an easier time passing across a rich mixture, i.e. choke applied so is less likely to track out.Now, my trusty steed fired up first thing last night. I've noticed before that if it's a bit damp, and i forget to use the choke, if the bike does not fire first time, then it needs to sit awhile before it will. I don't know the cause, but someone here will, I'm sure. Flooding?
Anyone else feel cheated that having ridden all through winter, we have to put up with this s
t for a summer?Sossige said:
Rubin215 said:
Practical joker had gently lifted all the plug caps off the plugs so, although they looked to be in place, they was an air gap between the cap and the plug terminal.
Similar joker had swapped the plug caps onto different cylinders; cue major misfiring.
Barsteward joker Similar joker had swapped the plug caps onto different cylinders; cue major misfiring.
I remember many many moons ago on a tour of the lake district one summer. There were six of us in the group, 500s, 600s and a 750.
I was two up on a GPZ500s, the lad (alone) on the only 750 had been ribbing me about how we (myself and Mrs) on the 500 weren't keeping up (rubbish really as most of the time we'd been trying to keep our knees and the peg blobs off the ground) - we were just lacking a bit of power to get going.
So we arrived at a set of lights and I pulled up close along side him on right hand side. Just before the lights changed to green, I reached over and flipped his kill switch, then whilst he was flustering trying to find neutral I grabbed his keys, turned his ingition off, removed the keys, dropped them into my lap and set off across the juction.
Half way over I got the keys back into my hand and dangling them at arms length dropped them on the pavement at the other side of the junction.
Needless to say he didn't see the funny side, though everyone else did.
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