I am just wondering about something here.

Last week I had the joy of getting the flu. But I still had to go to work. Anyways, I did not ride to work for that entire week. This last Sunday when I felt better, I went to start my bike, and it wouldn't start. The starter just kept turning over and doing nothing. Ended up bump starting the thing in which it just fired right up. Haven't had any starting problems since.

But, about the only thing different was I filled it up with the cheap gas right before I got sick. Is this what may have caused the starting problem or is it because I never turned off the gas petcock while it sat in the garage for the week.

Just wanting to know if anyone else experienced this and what to possibly do to avoid this again. I am getting too old push start a bike again.

thanks

 

I had this happen when I first got the bike it sat for 2 weeks before i got the keys from my wife (christmas present) turned the fuel on pulled out the choke cranked and cranked I then walked away for a minute or so hit the sarter switch and away it went. Only thing i can think was the fuel bowl dried up..? In this warmer wheather I can see this but the end of december...? Have not had a problem since never let it sit idle long enough now

 

Same. If its been more than two weeks, it takes a bit to get running.

Ummm. is this a Pacific North West thing ?

 

I got my bike at the end of November and it was pretty cold here for the next couple of months. One of the little tricks I found was to pull the choke out, and then while hitting the starter button, and still holding the choke button, pull a little farther than the stop and it fires up every time. Also try holding the throttle half way open, that usually gets it to fire up even easier.

 

Mine is harder to start after a week or so.Make sure you turn the fuel off after you ride I think this helps.

 

I've never turned mine off, except to exercise the valve. Never had a problem with starting. I have noticed that with the new pipe and jetting the bike will idle as soon as you get it started. Very nice.

 

Hmm....guess I wasn't the only one. May have to try shutting off the petcock when I am done riding.

Then again, now I have another reason to tell the wife why I have to ride it.

 

I had similiar problem when I had to go off-island for a couple weeks. (I think three weeks of no riding) When I got back I fiddled with the new turn signal relay I had installed and used some battery juice while playing with the lights. Later that night when I went start it wouldn't turn over.
Some issues
- had filled up the tank before I left.
- Left petcock in the on position.
- Noticed a few drops of fuel on the ground. Not sure if from carb overflow or due to fuel expansion in the full fuel tank.
- I had used the choke
Things done:
- I pulled out the battery and let it sit on the charger overnight.
- Set petcock to off.
Next morning it started fine. As I was going down the road I then realized to put the fuel back to "on" as I began to stutter [&:]

So, not sure if was fuel or battery problem initially... For now I leave petcock off when not riding.

 

I never turn my fuel tap off. My bike regularly goes 1 to 2 weeks without being started. It ALWAYS starts straight away.

I would therefore assume that the fuel in the fuel bowl has slowly evaporated out.

This makes me think, that given the long times I don't ride my bike, it's probably using a reasonable amount of fuel through evaporation in that time.

One thing on fuel (we call it petrol, you gasoline), in Australia the Shell 'Optimax' fuel, which is their premium 98 RON fuel, is a different density than other fuels by a significant amount. It runs havoc with your jetting, so in Australia, no one uses Shell fuel in their bikes. It's not bad fuel, just makes your bike run like sh*t if it hasn't been tuned to run on it.

Drof

 

twice mine has been hard to start, the second time I turned off the fuel and it started up easy. Not conclusive but just a suggestion.