Engine died - ideas???

[Swoop]

Bugger!
Down the local shops on Fri afternoon. Pulled into a driveway (over a slight bump) and then a few metres later (about 20) the engine dies.
Kill switch in "run" position. Ignition "on". Press starter - engine turns over but refuses to fire.
Electrical??? I'm guessing "no"?
Fuel? Seems ok.

Push bike home - luckily not too far.

Bike given strong verbal warning over a few rums.

Battery checks out OK, put on charge to be sure though.
Lump of metal (engine thingamy) poked and prodded to check for anything loose or blatantly obviously wrong.

Try the starter again, she fires first time!!!

Fu*ked if I know what happened. I am now hesitant to go far on her for fear of crapping out again. If bikes were made of wood, I would be happier. Metal = tricky stuff!

Went for a few blasts around the neghbourhood today, just to see if anything was different. Not a problem.

Any possible causes/ideas anyone???

Do Hondas fix themselves?

[Disco Dan]

Do Hondas fix themselves?

looks like you got yaself a gostie...

[Swoop]

looks like you got yaself a gostie...

Nah, Friday it was a pushbike........
A sweaty pushbike... Thank fu*k it was on the flat though!!!

[Paddy Blake]

Go back over what you poked and prodded and let us know.
Keep up the verbal warnings and if you have to throw in some F and B words.It.usually scares them into firing up.

[James Deuce]

Reg/rec may be on the way out. Fine when it's cool, stops doing its thing when warm is a common trait shared by Hondas and FIATs.

[Swoop]

Reg/rec may be on the way out. Fine when it's cool, stops doing its thing when warm is a common trait shared by Hondas and FIATs.

The reg/rec was replaced a year ago with a larger unit, but that was second hand. I had thought this part would not be involved in the problem - but will be thinking about it a lot more!

[Madness]

I had a problem with my carb floats getting stuck in the open position when I went over bumps. Admittedly they tended to be larger bumps & it was obvious it was a fuel problem. Look for the appearance of excess fuel, I had raw fuel coming out my pipe when it happened to me.

I think this came about due to the degradation of my air filter, it had a bloody big hole in it & stones & shit in the airbox. Never been big on preventative maintenance myself.

[j_redley]

Had a problem with a motor a few years back that would be fine, then turn to crap and later be fine again. Turned out bumps were dislodging a whole lot of crap in the distriputor. Gave that a clean, and the points as well, and she was good as new.

[Swoop]

Go back over what you poked and prodded and let us know.
Keep up the verbal warnings and if you have to throw in some F and B words.It.usually scares them into firing up.

Pretty much anything that could be reached over the top of the engine. Plug leads, wiring, etc.

After 15 years of dealing with navy personnel, the lexicon is quite large when using cuss words... the honda should be quite nervous.............

[surfer]

Sounds like an intermittent fault (short for who knows what the f**k is wrong). You probably won't really know what's up with it until it happens again or happens on a regular basis so you get a chance to fault find it.

Take it for a longer blast and run it over the bumpy road again. Then be prepared to check everything out when it is not working. It may be as simple as a loose connection that has bounced out over the bumps or as Jim2 says or MAXIMUSDEMERITUS says.

Keep giving it the verbal, this may help you feel better and in control of the situation.

[Swoop]

I gave her a damn good ringing out around the block a few times, trying to shake something loose again. She was as good as gold. Not even a cough.
Just extremely nervous about breaking down again... with a much longer push to do next time!!!

[vifferman]

Just remember: 95% of the things we worry about never happen.
So think of all the things that it might be, and give them a good worrying about. Then so long as you've worried about all the important bits, it's unlikely to break down again.

[Swoop]

Just remember: 95% of the things we worry about never happen.
So think of all the things that it might be, and give them a good worrying about. Then so long as you've worried about all the important bits, it's unlikely to break down again.

I like this theory!!!

[avgas]

had the exact same thing for about 1 week - battery terminal was stuffed

[bistard]

I would be checking the wiring,sounds like you could have break in a wire,somewhere,moving things around could have made a connection again
The most common place for worn/chaffed wires,is up around the steering head,check around that area,by stripping back some of the insulation,or start the bike,wiggle the wires,turn the handle bars etc to reproduce the fault