[rdrcrmatt]

forgive me for I'm a little crabby right now about this bike.

It was raced, work might have been done to it I'm not sure. I must have been kicking on this thing for about an hour tonight and it would not start. Same thing the other day, I went to go ice riding and it took me an hour before she actually fired up. It is always VERY hard to start.. 100+ kicks.

I KNOW I'm not turning the throttle when kicking unless I mean to, I hold the throttle closed while gripping the brake. I try everything.

At first just choke it. that won't work..

Then use the decomp lever and turn it over a few times, and try again. nothing.

twist the throttle once..20 kicks, nothing.

one time in the cold garage I did 4 twists and she fired right up.. so I try that, nothing. 10 more kicks.

okay, maybe i flooded it.. let it sit for 5, decomp, no choke, kick it over 5 or so times..

choke it, kick away, nothing.

and more nothing.. and more nothing.


I checked the valves about "6 hours" ago (last summer) and they were in spec but I don't remember off the top of my head what that was.

I take apart the air box and spray starting fluid in it and it still wouldn't go tonight. Last week when I tried that it fired right up for 2 seconds then stalled before I went an hour of kicking.



I really wish I was exaggerating about how much I have to kick on this thing. ANY help would be much appreciated, I'm at wits end about it.

[sycraft]

Turn the idle up at least 1 full turn, make sure valves are in spec. I whack the throttle open 2-3 times and usually fires within 2-3 kicks.

[Aussiecrf230]

Compresion, fuel, spark.
Check the valves, make sure their is fresh fuel to the carb and make sure you have consistent spark.

That's a start.

Eliminate was is OK and what is left is the cause.

Continually kicking a bike that has a problem is a waste of energy. If it doesn't start in say 3 kicks start looking for the problem.

I have seen people kick for ages with low fuel in the tank and not get it to start until the reserve is switched on, ooppps.


When was the last time it had a service?
If it has been a while do that, you will be surprised when everything is fresh an adjusted properly how much easier they start.

How does it run when you have got it started?

Everyone loves to help here, but we need information to work with, and will need to know jetting etc and what you have done to try and fix it.

[rdrcrmatt]

Hey thanks for the replies!

I adjusted the valves recently, I know they're in spec. Once it is running it runs fantastic.

I picked up fatter main and slow jet for how cold it is right now. and I'll put some fresh fuel in it and see how she does tonight.

[Aussiecrf230]

If you haven't changed the plug for a while consider that too.

Only change one thing at a time and retry or you may never work out what the problem is.

Drain float bowl and try the fresh fuel first.
Try opening the idle mixture screw a turn like suggested, before swapping out jets and record what is in there before and after.

If it has sat for a while the idle jet could be clogged, either clean with compressed air or replace.

Good Luck.

[rdrcrmatt]

it didn't start. this bike makes me hate life.

The screw on the bottom of the carb on riders right.. is that the mixture screw? That should be about 2 1/2 turns out from full in right?

[Lieder245]

Check your valve clearences again.

I know you said you checked them recently (in your first post you said 6 hrs ago).

If your intake valves are shot, 6 hrs is about the time you will get out of them before needing to reshim and this will make your bike not start. Time in between re-shims will get more frequent if you do not get the head redone.

Believe me, just check you valves, I would almost put money on that being the problem.

Let us know what you find.

[Leardriver]

If you actually had to adjust the valves, you may only get another hour or two before they close up again.

The test is to bump start the bike. If it starts right up and runs fine, but is hard to kick start, you are ready for new valves.