Bike dying in wet weather

**Riding LockedDown** · 8th May 2009, 13:24

ok... Today I was cruising home, about 25km into my journey the bike started 'dying', I was going up a hill so was accelerating moderately and then the throttle just made a real labouring noise and I was getting hardly any throttle at all, but there was still a tiny tiny bit. Bike wasnt cutting out though.

It was raining, so maybe a carb issue? has happened once before on an old bike too...

Well I pulled over and turned it on then off, then drove off again, was still having problems, like just labouring, no power at all. So I stopped again, turned off turned on, then went on my way and it was going fine...

So was it water in the carbs? Is this a common wet weather problem? anything I should do now?

**DarkLord** · 8th May 2009, 20:38

Have you checked your fuel guage? How long since you last filled up?

I know that is a very Captain Obvious question but in all honesty it's not a stupid one. I know of riders who have found their bike spluttering and lacking power with no throttle response, dreaming up all kinds of theories as to what could be wrong when the problem was that they were simply out of gas.

**howdamnhard** · 8th May 2009, 20:45

If its not lack of fuel then it is probably water getting into the electrics.

**DarkLord** · 8th May 2009, 20:47

Originally Posted by howdamnhard

If its not lack of fuel then it is probably water getting into the electrics.

My Hyo is the same year as his, I've ridden mine in the rain many times and have never had a problem....

**howdamnhard** · 8th May 2009, 20:53

Originally Posted by DarkLord

My Hyo is the same year as his, I've ridden mine in the rain many times and have never had a problem....

Doesn't matter what bike it is or year.Wires and connections can be damaged,loosened during maintenance ,by weather etc. Check all your connections and give them a squirts of crc to protect them. Check your Ht leads and plug end caps etc for arcing when wet. Make sure all your earths are sound and corrosion free. My bike starting running rough in the wet. It turned out to be one of my spark plug caps shorting to ground when the weather was damp.Insulation had been damaged by previous owner.

**Riding LockedDown** · 9th May 2009, 11:36

cheers I'll take off the fairings and have a check today. and yep the tank was pretty much full to the top. So yeah think it is an electric problem then by the sounds.

**FJRider** · 9th May 2009, 11:49

Check plug gaps too... give them a damm good clean.
Check AIR filter (and its seals)... if it gets (has got) wet, may suck a little water in... it only takes a tiny amount to affect the performance of any bike. Let alone a 250.

**breakaway** · 9th May 2009, 12:13

My SV650 used to do this. It would feel absolutely gutless - turns out it was running on one cylinder.

Fixed it after I cleaned the spark plug leads and replaced the spark plugs.

**vifferman** · 9th May 2009, 13:57

It's kinda obvious, innit, when a v-twin's running on mostly only one cylinder? It was on the VTR1000. Mebbe it's less noticeable on a 250...
I found that using CRC made no difference at all (mostly because CRC products are useless).

**Riding LockedDown** · 10th May 2009, 11:28

K I'll take the spark plugs out tomorrow and give them a clean and I'll check the lines.

**Squiggles** · 10th May 2009, 17:34

If theres a drain hole from the spark plug area, check its not blocked. As has been said, most likely its loosing the front cylinder in the rain

**Riding LockedDown** · 10th May 2009, 23:09

First thing i'll check in the morning mate. You sound about right though I think. I hope so! but nothing ever goes smooth in simple haha... lifes a bitch

**Riding LockedDown** · 13th May 2009, 15:56

I've been riding the bike around for a bit, but it feels underpowered, particularly in the lower revs. But it still reaching 100km/h fine, just feels kind of funny like it just loses power for short bursts every now and again. any idea?

**FJRider** · 13th May 2009, 16:00

Originally Posted by Riding LockedDown

I've been riding the bike around for a bit, but it feels underpowered, particularly in the lower revs. But it still reaching 100km/h fine, just feels kind of funny like it just loses power for short bursts every now and again. any idea?

Plug leads shorting out ??? If you start it in the dark, you will see the sparks....