Bike won't start up

[Rych]

OK lately I have been having some interesting problems with my bike. Seems to only be when it hasn't been ridden for awhile, like a week. Sometimes it just doesn't start, it will turn over but not start. I can't even push start it. But then I will try it again the next day or a few hours later and it will start.

Then when it is started, when I let out the clutch it just instantly cuts, not stalls just turns off. I turn it off back on etc a few times and eventually letting out the clutch it will engage and take off as normal.

Would these be related and what could be the cause of this? It doesn't seem to do it when it has been ridden lately though, only if not ridden in awhile.

Thanks a lot.

[MyGSXF:Me]

Seems to only be when it hasn't been ridden for awhile, like a week. Sometimes it just doesn't start, it will turn over but not start. I can't even push start it. But then I will try it again the next day or a few hours later and it will start.

Possible the battery is getting flat.. have you checked the liquid levels in it lately? put it on charge overnight.. & see if it is any better..

Then when it is started, when I let out the clutch it just instantly cuts, not stalls just turns off.

Is the side stand down when this happens?? some bikes have an instant cut off, as a safety precaution

[CookMySock]

Are you using full choke ?

Steve

[Rych]

Possible the battery is getting flat.. have you checked the liquid levels in it lately? put it on charge overnight.. & see if it is any better..
Is the side stand down when this happens?? some bikes have an instant cut off, as a safety precaution

It's a pretty new battery and it still turns over like its a full battery. And it doesn't slowly die it keep turning over strong but just won't start. But then will start perfectly later on.

Pretty sure it was up.

Are you using full choke ?

Steve

What do you mean by that, fully pulled out? I pull the choke till it sits at about 4,000rpm to warm up then let it idle for a bit. Will it cut out if its not warmed up enough?

I have had it just once before in the middle of a long ride where it was only off for about 10min started up fine but then cut out every time i let the clutch out. Turned it off then back on and was fine.

I'm thinking these are two separate problems? The clutch problem seems just random but the starting problem is when its not ridden in awhile, just strange it will work the next day after being tried the day before.

[CookMySock]

I have had it just once before in the middle of a long ride where it was only off for about 10min started up fine but then cut out every time i let the clutch out. Turned it off then back on and was fine.

I'm thinking these are two separate problems? The clutch problem seems just random but the starting problem is when its not ridden in awhile, just strange it will work the next day after being tried the day before.

Ok its not a cold-starting or a battery problem. When it won't start, try push starting it and see if it starts perfectly ok.

You COULD bypass the clutch switch for a while and see if the problem goes away, but you would want to be very careful doing that. Or when it does fault, wriggle the wiring around the clutch switch and see if it starts (easier said than done - you need three hands.)

Steve

[MSTRS:Me]

...the clutch switch ...

On a 1991 250? I doubt it has one. Sidestand switch yes, perhaps. But that only comes into play if a gear is selected when the stand is down, nothing to do with the clutch being released.

Rych, do you have to pull in the clutch lever to start the engine?

[Rych]

It starts without the clutch pulled in. It's when I'm in gear and trying to take off it just cuts when the clutch is slightly let out. The clutch issue is the only thing that seems to be completely random and has only done it 2-3 times in the 4 months that I have had it.

When I have had touble starting it, I have also had trouble push starting it, just goes rumble rumble skid stall sorta thing, wont push start. But it never does it when its been ridden in the previous few days, so its some sort of cold start thing.

I started it up today first time and let it warm up for about 3min then took it for a short ride and everything went perfectly after letting it run for a bit last night.

[MSTRS:Me]

Hmmm, I suspect that this is a little idiosyncracy of your particular bike. Something to do with 'correct' use of the choke?

[Ixion]

OK lately I have been having some interesting problems with my bike. Seems to only be when it hasn't been ridden for awhile, like a week. Sometimes it just doesn't start, it will turn over but not start. I can't even push start it. But then I will try it again the next day or a few hours later and it will start.

Turn fuel tap to 'Prime' five minutes before trying to start

[Rych]

Turn fuel tap to 'Prime' five minutes before trying to start

Yea I will try that, I was thinking about the fuel options, I tried changing it at the time, but I will try 5 minutes before. Cheers.

[Max Preload]

Turn fuel tap to 'Prime' five minutes before trying to start

Presuming it's gravity fed, not pumped. If there's no 'prime' position on the fuel tap it'll most likely be a pump, which usually operates only while the engine is being cranked or is running. In this scenario, when the float bowls dry out, it takes a lot of cranking time to refill them to the point it will start the bike - a pain in the ass if you're in traffic and hit reserve. I was going to put a momentary switch on mine that I could hold with just the ignition on and prime the carbs with the pump. But then I threw it down the road!

The engine cutting out when you try to move off has all the hallmarks of a faulty sidestand switch.

[gwigs]

Gotta agree with Max sounds like sidestand switch

[Rych]

Hey thanks for the further info. Yea I got a prime switch and I think I got it to work with that, I did have to push start it though. The cut out problem I haven't had again, but yea guess it could be the side stand switch, I didn't know it had one though..

Haven't been riding the bike so much lately due to the winter weather, and that's when the starting problem has started so seems pretty logical its just cause its been sitting for longer periods of time than normal.

[hayd3n]

look for any switch near the side stand and remove it maybe bypass the switch by make a continuous loop see if it stalls when take off

[hayd3n]

when my yammi has been sitting a while ,i turn the key to on, twice, first to start the pump,
i wait till the pump stops, and then i turn again ,to pump fuel into the carbs before i push the start button

alas with half choke on
warm for 3 minutes and im away vroom vroom vrooooooooooommmmm
ohh and my smilies arnt working ;< mad