Running problems with RF900RR 1995

[LittleAngel]

Hi.New to this forum. I was riding my RF900RR today when it started to loose power then within 10kms it had stop and now cant get it running again.Did start breifly while choke was on, then nothing.Bike has done just under 30000k's and dont know any of it history as only just brought this great bike. can anyone point me in the right direction as to what the problem might be??cheers.

[Warr]

Hi.New to this forum. I was riding my RF900RR today when it started to loose power then within 10kms it had stop and now cant get it running again.Did start breifly while choke was on, then nothing.Bike has done just under 30000k's and dont know any of it history as only just brought this great bike. can anyone point me in the right direction as to what the problem might be??cheers.

Give the search button a nudge, you will find plenty of good info in existing threads. Never owned on but from my reading I would be looking closely at the carbs. Broken needles are not uncommon for the RF.

[MSTRS:Me]

Gotta be lack of fuel to the carbs. The 'ran briefly with choke on' is a clue to that...the extra suck created, scoured the last of the fuel in the bowls. If the RF has a vacuum fuel tap, I'd start with that. The tap should have 2 thick hoses coming from it - they carry the fuel to carbs 1/2 and 3/4. Then there may be a smaller gauge hose...that's the one that operates the vacuum diaphram. You will probably need to remove the tank for this next bit but take note...It can be a real mission to replace the hoses at the carb end, so pull them off the tap, get yourself a couple of short lengths of the same hoses and use them on the tap. With the small one fitted, suck hard on the free end...fuel should flow out of the 2 larger hoses. If not, there's your problem. The diaphram is probably perished. Replace.
Or you simply ran out of gas in the tank. You have checked that??

[MSTRS:Me]

... I would be looking closely at the carbs. Broken needles are not uncommon for the RF.

Usually it is the emulsion tubes that wear oval. They make the bike run poorly, but it won't just stop running all of a sudden. Unless they all totally crapped out at the same time. Unlikely.
Is the OP certain that the mileage is right? Seems very low for an RF. 130,000 or a replacement guage?

[cowboyz]

battery got any go in it? Our friend Yod just had this trouble and turns out a bush on the alternator crapped out.
pm yod for some more info if it seems the battery is dead.

[The Pastor]

Might want to check the tyre pressures first tho.

[riffer]

Geez RM you can be a wanker sometimes.

RR doesn't have the alternator problem that the 96 and later had, so it's unlikely. However, a stuffed battery could be the problem.

First things first. Turn on the bike. Try and turn it over. Turns over? Yes - its not likely the battery. If it doesn't it could be either the battery dead or on one of the fuses next to the solenoid has blown.

Next. Check your fuel level. If there's a heap of gas in it you could have the fuel tap set to off. Turn it to ON or Reserve and try again. It will take a little while to get the fuel through though...

Next. Check your fuses. My RF does have a bit of a habit of blowing the main fuse when the temperature gets a bit hot. the day of Flyin's funeral we spent bloody ages outside Whenua Tapu trying to diagnose that as the fuse had a hairline crack in it.

Next. If the bike's cold it won't start with no choke. The way that the choke works on this bike it can work loose. The tension in the choke cable is held by a screwed on clip at the carb - if this comes loose the choke won't work at all and the bike won't start.

Yes. The RF can snap jet needles. But it will start and will idle just fine. It's the bit between 1/4 and 3/4 throttle that's rooted. Idle and full throttle are perfect so it's not likely to be that.

My money is on you running out of gas though.

Let me know if you need to know more about the RF.

[LittleAngel]

Ahh thanks heaps for all the responses!!

I had been riding for nearly 30 mins on the motorway, stopped and started no problem, traveled probably about 10 mins before it lost power and eventually died. I initally thought fuel but knew that I filled yesterday and not many ks travelled - so didn't think it was that. When the bike finally did die (on the motorway!!) I tried starting on reserve just incase - although could see petrol in the tank so thought not the problem. Tried starting with Choke on and it did fire and but didn't last a minute before it died again. Got towed home (how embarrassing!!) and still wont start even now.

We assume the ks are the right amount and is first time around. The previous owner did say he serviced regularly. I thought it was odd for the bike to just die like that!?

I know very little about engines and have read (as of today) lots about RF's and it appears this may not be uncommon.

Any further ideas?

[LittleAngel]

Ahh meant to say... the bike does tick over but doesn't fire.. so thinking its not the battery (well might be now after numerous times to get it to go!!!) haha!

This morning I had no problem starting it.. but did notice it was dropping in and out of power on the motorway but thought it was me! (only got this bike 5 days ago so assumed was rider fault not bike)..

[LittleAngel]

Could it possibly be as simple as a dirty fuel filter??

[riffer]

Any further ideas?

Main Fuse.

Check the connections to the ECU. It's the little black box under the seat behind the fuses and battery.

It's possible the fuel filter is clogged. Probably more likely that the fuel pump is rooted though.

Other possibilities - take the fuel tank off and check that the low tension leads aren't loose where they plug into the coil. Also, if it rains you can get water in that wire block which leads to the coils and the bike won't run properly. Best to put some vaseline into that wire block and you won't get that problem any more.

The signal generator could have come loose - on the side of the engine at the bottom (back brake side) at the front is a cover which has the signal generator in it - if the bolt that holds this undone comes loose it could spin around I guess.

The RF is a very reliable bike - good luck with it.

[DinnMuzz]

HI ,
Hows the problem going, I am interested to hear how you get on as I also have one of these awesome machines, but have had no problems at all with mine so not much help to you. All the reading I have done,( to many hours lol) suggest the only thing that goes that might cause it is the needle valves as has been mentioned in here already. But you fuel filter idea sounds interesting, I hope it works out ok and don't be put off these are a great bike. Lots of people rave about them. Safe riding and don't get to close to the seal, it bites.

[LittleAngel]

Hi people.. had my RF in at the doctors and it turns out that someone has had the tank off at some point and have not put the hoses back in the right order !!!! So on was off and off was reserve and reserve was on ...... or was it...you get the idea. To look at the the tap and hoses, they looked like it was all but back togeather the right way but that was not the case ..... so what it means is im back on the road !!!!! Thank you to everyone who tryed to help me with this problem ....... LETS RIDE