10 things to check when your motorcycle won't start
Mechanics and Diagnostics
Checks to be performed
And damn it! She refuses to start! Dirty bike. In an instant, the product of your passion and the fruit of your savings refuse to come to life. You are there, like a clown next to her, stationed in this soulless parking lot, may have missed an exam, interview, or even a dive with a beautiful blonde with whom we wish you charming, not too characteristic and quite easy in life. As for whether she will be a good passenger, a mystery! This damn bike would have to start already for that.
Before you set it on fire or throw it into a canal, which in both cases, remember, is not very good for the environment and does not really solve the problem, here are 10 things to do or check to try to get it back on the road (yes , with a capital letter, The road is sacred), and you, in the best position. Some of these 10 measures are simple common sense, but we've already seen beginners and seasoned bikers stumble across, but the brain is boiling with frustration and frustration ... So this will serve as a little reminder.
1. Is the battery still alive?
Modern batteries have made tremendous progress and we tend to forget that they can let you go. Signs of weakness are that the starter wheel is spinning much slower and sluggish than normal, if not at all. In this case, we then hear a small dry latch when the start button is pressed, emitted by the relay: the British call it the "click of death". In this case, some solutions: start the car with a sidecar (some take it lightly and not others), and if you go on a long journey, hope that the generator can then recharge the battery. But the damage is done, and a real night of charging on an adequate charger can only do him the most good; but the battery has an expected life and the number of charges cannot be infinite. In the case of a more moody car, using a starter will get you on the road. Some of them are now quite small and compact, such as the Minibat or the Otonoma Accelerator ...
2. Is the petrol going well?
This reason only applies to older cars equipped with a gas valve (something that many young bikers should ignore!). It so happens that on these old motorcycles, these metal parts can corrode and begin to leave the mine in the channels, which restricts the passage of gasoline. This is all the more likely that this will happen, since the car is old and remains without rolling for a long time, and the gasoline contained in the tank starts to deteriorate. Today, some experts believe that from 3 weeks, remaining motionless, modern species change. Then the bike does not work properly or even does not work anymore and therefore does not start anymore. Only one solution: dismantling and cleaning or even replacing a new valve and vacuum diaphragm.
3. How about a clutch contactor?
On some motorcycles, the clutch serves as a starting safety. When the lever is activated, the contactor (its noise is often heard if you are listening) records the signal and allows starting. But now the contactors are breaking down. It can also be supported with silicone. In the worst case, you can make your MacGyver and jam it with a paper clip or a small piece of plastic to make it believe the clutch is activated.
4. Witness to the impasse?
The same register as the previous one. Some cars only start at a dead end for safety reasons. Here too, either you are not at a dead end or the contactor is a little moody and it also deserves its little maintenance moment ...
5. crutch
Welcome to the Security Trilogy! Clutch, dead end, crutch! The same reasons, the same consequences. The contactor or maneuver must be serviced (but in this case, be careful with safety). It can also be a sign that the crutch has not been lifted in its body and that its axle is caught. A small snapshot of the WD-40 and it's off again.
6. Something that blocks the exhaust ...
This is rare, but it happens: Imagine that your child is a fan of Mr. Potato, and that he believed that leaving your magnificent Yoshimura in chrome titanium would create a great cozy nest and that, in addition, it would serve as a rocket for Mr. Potato to colonize the planet. Manor II By the way, let's praise the excellent abstraction ability of children. The only problem is that it blocks the exhaust pipe. Your motorcycle cannot edit gases so clean that they usually send them into the atmosphere. She spits like an asthmatic who smokes a pack of corn gypsies at the same time. Delays and does not start anymore.
7. Drying
By the way, do you still have gas? Are your little autonomy calculations good? Shaking the motorcycle allows you to hear the sound of fuel moving in the tank. If you only have about twenty drops left, tilt the bike to the side where the fuel supply is to optimize those last resources.
8. Defective antiparasite
The starter motor turns, but the motorcycle does not start. If you have checked all of the above, it is because there is energy, fuel and contactors in good condition. Maybe then a loss of ignition occurs: a split pest or even deboit (this can happen with time and vibration). If the candles are easy to reach, they can be easily checked, and a little silicone bump can make this pest tight again. Some motorcycle models are known to be very sensitive to moisture and rain. It was enough to check that the water did not penetrate into the parasite and dry out for the motorcycle to go away.
9. It's silly, but the circuit breaker ...
There is such clear evidence that they are forgotten. A circuit breaker is one of them. Don't laugh, we've seen not only beginners bikers, but we've also confirmed they've fallen into a trap. False movements, a glove that presses when we were not aware of it. The advantage is that it is easy to solve.
10. In fact, the more motorcycles, the better it rides ...
All the motorcycle and vintage car experts will tell you, the more they ride, the better they ride. Leaving a car for 6 months at the bottom of a hangar and hoping it will perform like new the first time is frustrating, especially if the bike starts to age and if we haven't taken the usual precautions for wintering or storage. And since there are many good reasons to ride a motorcycle, do not hesitate to always leave the first time!
