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Starting problem

exavid

exavid

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Feb 15, 2014
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759
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Medford, Oregon
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I wonder if anyone else has had a similar problem. Twice now I've had a difficulty with my GT starting. It will crank a bit slowly and start only with a slight advancement of the throttle. Once started it runs roughly with some missing. If I shut it down and try later it often will start and run normally. Today I took it to my dealer. They checked the computer which had no faults and uploaded a new software update. We couldn't reproduce the problem at the dealers so I rode it home and it performed perfectly. I parked in my garage and tried starting after it had cooled down a bit and it started normally but seemed to be idling a bit slowly. A couple hours later I started it again and it started and ran smoothly but still seemed to be idling slowly. When running normally its idle was probably 200-300rpm faster. It might be a temperature related thing but I haven't been able to pin it down. I called the dealer and he wants me to bring it back and leave it a few days with them so they can check it out more and see if they could make it repeat the problem. I sure hope they find something solid, I hate intermittents. In my 30 year career as an electronic tech with the FAA intermittent failures of equipment were the bane of the job.

Other than this problem I've had no problems with this scooter since I bought it a year ago last February. The bike is a delight and about the handiest thing I've ridden in town. Not bad on the highway either. Our local dealer is one of the best I've ever dealt with as well. I guess I'll take it back to them and ride the K1100 for a few days.
 
Sounds like it' starting a little rich,but, you need an exhaust gas analyzer to tell. Maybe an injector is sticking a little, hard to tell over the internet. Get some "STARTRON" and run it through. Mine does it occasionally, I don't worry about it.
 
back in october my 600 would'nt start after i had left it at work for a week or so when i repaired it after the back end was smashed in. when it was cranking it almost sounded like the throttle was wide open, never heard this before. tried for about 3 minutes to start it, was trying with throttle open and closed. then, with the throttle open it slowly started to fire whilst cranking, very much like if it was a carburated bike and it had flooded. i then plugged it into the computer and like yours, no faults.
i do know that a c650 i stripped down after the cam chain tensioner failed had an eye opening amount of carbon build up on the piston crowns and cylinder head so yes, they do run stinking rich.
mine sinse has started every time without fault and i have no real explanation as to whyit took so long to start and why it did this in the first place.
hope you get to the bottom of your problem but it does sound very similar.
 
my car did it in January, I have been driving a company car, so didn't drive my car for about a month. When I tried to start it, it acted like it was flooded and wouldn't start. I cranked it with WOT for about 5 to 10 seconds, and let it sit for about half an hour, then it started right up.
My Silverwing would flood occasionally, and there was a procedure in the owners manual to clear it. Basically it was the same as what I did with my car. Even EFI will flood.
 
Startron very good stuff I use it in all 4 bikes that we have also in the gas generator and the snow blower, keeps the gas from breaking down, keeps the carps or injectors clean. Well worth the $6.00 to treat 48 gallons of gas.
 
I've been using the stuff in my scooter since the problem started and it seems to be doing better now. Looking at the tailpipe it does appear the scooter is running pretty rich lots of carbon. Not nearly as much in the exhaust of my K1100LT using the same fuel. Should be the other way 'round since the 1100 is 22 years older. It does act as if flooded when it does its act, doesn't want to start at all with the throttle closed. I wish my dealer knew more about the update they loaded into the bike's computer but I don't think it related to this problem. Seems a bit of remapping might raise the mileage a good bit judging by the soot. It doesn't look like the problem will be too bad to deal with for the time being, adding miracle in a bottle and using lots of throttle when it doesn't want to start normally will keep me from getting stranded. Hope BMW comes out with a cure though.
 
FWIW, I have always found the scooter starts faster with the throttle cracked a bit. I've just gotten into the habit of twisting the throttle each time, hot or cold...
 
I've noticed my bike seems hard to start after sitting in the cold garage for a few weeks. At first I thought it might be some parasitic drain on the battery, but I think it is something else. It seems like it is struggling to start and the pistons almost seem stuck or something like they are firing really slow. I crack the throttle and she turns over and then after a few seconds you can hear the RPMs pick up and it sounds like it always does.
 
Edumakated said:
I've noticed my bike seems hard to start after sitting in the cold garage for a few weeks. At first I thought it might be some parasitic drain on the battery, but I think it is something else. It seems like it is struggling to start and the pistons almost seem stuck or something like they are firing really slow. I crack the throttle and she turns over and then after a few seconds you can hear the RPMs pick up and it sounds like it always does.
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I have used Lucas Oil since day one. I have no idea if it makes a startup difference but I'd like to think so. Lubrication. Course it's not too cold here.
 
Hall of fame is going to be a trip for me this year from Toronto. Sometime after tackling at least part of route 66! Would do it all but that's a 5 or 6 week exercise. Probably 6 anyway if I did it all and then ride back to Toronto. Vegas and Death Valley on the way back.
 
TwoPort said:
On the GT? Wow.
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On the Sport actually. I have been on a Honda forum for a while and quite a few have done coast to coast on a Rukus, PCX 150 and Forza. Sure would all be better on a bigger bike but should not be a problem on a scooter and of course missing a few of the overgrown stretches. I have talked to some experts and they say about 90% of old 66 is possible on a scoot and 95% on an adventure bike. If your absolutely insane 100% on an adventure!!
 
Met a young woman in Daytona Beach who's been on the road since November. She's been traveling all over the continent, stopping to take quick part-time jobs when she runs out of money. She started her journey from Toronto and has been using the "Couch Surfers" network to find inexpensive lodging on her journey. And get this: She's riding a 250cc Ninja!!

Here she is in front of my friend's house (he hosts "Couch Surfers"): http://tinyurl.com/klbjvhv

So don't be afraid to take long trips on your 650cc scooters! If she can, so can you!
 
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