WTF? This bike is getting on my nerves. It ran great, rode all over SoCal on october 7-8-9 and got fresh gas then too. I stopped riding because I needed a new chain and it took awhile to find time to install it. Did that yesterday and also flushed the nasty clutch fluid.

Battery is fine. Turns over and over and over. But won't fire under any combination of throttle, choke, etc. Tried also with new gas. The cranking doesn't sound like what I'm used to though, almost as if it's not making compression or something. Wait 1/2 hour, try again, no luck.

Is there something stupid I'm missing here? I'm in withdrawal and need to ride!

Can I get starting fluid sprayed into there somehow without removing the tank and top of the airbox?

I stuck some papertowels in the pipes and it didn't seem too blow them out too easily. I don't know how much air should be blasting out of there during cranking though. Tried push starting it also, no go.

I guess next millenium when I have time to mess with it I'll check for spark and compression on the easy cylinder (front) and see what's up. But I really don't see what could possibly break while the bike is sitting in the garage for 3 weeks.

 

Kill switch?

 

Step back, take a deep breath. Like drew_c14 says, start with the simple things first. Good luck. Keep us posted. ~mike

 

It could be the side stand switch.

 

CC wouldn't be the first or the last who fell victim to the diabolical kill switch trick. Do you think he'll tell us if that is the culprit?

 

+1 on all the above.

Check for spark first as it's the easiest. Also if you're not getting spark, or if the plugs are fouled, you should smell gas at the exhaust.

By the way, I did the kill switch thing for almost 10 minutes after unloading my bike from my truck up in Idylwild (6,000 feet). Smelled a lot of gas and thought it was too rich to start.

 

Man the kill switch thing has gotten me a few times now. Couple times in traffic and once while riding it flipped somehow and bumped it and wouldn't start and stuff. And I tried and couldn't get her to go.

Now with that being said. My honda quad is notorious for fouling plugs if I let it sit. A fresh plug and she fires right up. I noticed my hawk is the same. She sat for 2 weeks and was hard to start. Wouldn't start with the choke in or out and forget about touching thre throttle. What I found worked best was to crank her over while slowly pulling out the choke. Its worked a few times now while not wanting to start after sitting. Also check the plugs and see how they look. When mine finally fired it idled like crap. Coulda been partially flooded or the plug could have been fouled up a bit.

 

Geez dudes, thanks, but my IQ is higher than 40. I know how to turn the ignition on.

I'll take a look at the plugs on my way to checking compression. Maybe I fouled them trying to start it on bad gas or something.

 

Hey, if you've never been fooled by the kill switch, you haven't been riding long.

In 28 years of motorcycle ownership, I've been fooled by it 3 times on 3 different bikes going back to the mid '80s. The main reason for this is that I, like most riders, NEVER USE the kill switch, therefore it doesn't instantly come to mind to check it.

A good story about overlooking the obvious...An Auto Body student at my school couldn't get his Maxima started for 2 days after painting it in the spray booth. He finally asked me if my Tune-up class could check it out. It took us 5 minutes to find out his tank was empty, even though the gauge read 1/4 tank.

Good luck, and I hope it's not compression.

 

I've been fooled by a kill switch once or twice, but not 30 times in a row!

I'll get a look tomorrow. My head is killing me after tailgating today at the Charger's game, and my right arm has been useless after crashing a go kart a few days ago. For godssake, I had to drink left handed!

 

That's the problem then. You're suffering from weak starter thumb, due to your injury.

 

bump....any updates?

 

Kill switch got me once on my Super Hawk too.. Traded bikes with a buddy for a short ride to the beach. Got back on my hawk to ride home and started cranking. I was so embarrassed thinking my bike was FUBAR that I started giving it a little throttle while I cranked. I realized what happened and got a nice litle back fire on a crowded beach. Great way to get attention.. Bump as well for curiousity.

 

Any of you ever tried to start your bike after reinstalling the tank and forgetten to plug that tank sensor wire (or whatever that 2 or 3 wire is) back in? Kill switch is a good one, I've been had by it!

 

The compression test showed 40psi on one cylinder and 90 on the other. It has spark and fuel.
I guess I'll pull the valve covers on Sunday and check the valve timing and hope the valves aren't bent.

I had adjusted my CCTs about 1,000 miles before all this, if something failed, it didn't happen while the bike was running.

 

That's just the fuel level sensor, the bike will run fine with out it just no reserve light or fuel level gauge.

 

Did you try a couple of squirts of oil in the cylinders after the compression test. Could save you a lot of trouble if the compression comes up and it starts.
Mark

 

what size adapter did you use for the compression tester? I have a 14mm and a 18mm and they are both to big...


Edit: Answer 12mm

 

One possible cause that you need to investigate is a dying battery.
On two occasions I have had this problem. The battery seems OK because it will crank the engine over as normal but doesn't have anything left for a big fat spark. Charging the battery did not make any difference. I bought the new battery and the problem was gone.

 

Pull the connector off the starter relay.
I'v had the condacts get wet and corroded and it killed everything.

 

Low compression. IIRC Autoteach had a soft carbon valve issue not too long ago - similar situation.

On some cars we used to remove the valve covers and tap on the rockers with a plastic hammer and it would knock enough of the carbon off to get the engine started. Might be worth a try.