SSA Sierra Sportbike Association | Reno Nevada Motorcycle Trackday Weekend Riding Club

General Chat - Weekly Rides, Bike Discussion, & More . . . => General Discussion => Topic started by: Vegasrider on September 29, 2015, 05:42:50 PM

Title: Help! Broken down at the Nugget
Post by: Vegasrider on September 29, 2015, 05:42:50 PM
Can't get my bike started, wonder if someone could assist with a trailer. Would rather pay a forum member than a tow. Only live 2 miles from Nugget in sparks.
Kenny
702-858-6959
Title: Re: Help! Broken down at the Nugget
Post by: Vegasrider on September 29, 2015, 06:40:17 PM
Thanks GM for offering to help.  After getting it started through the push start, once I got home, the bike would not turn over again.  You mentioned some kind of clutch plunger? Obviously, by passing the start switch did the trick from the push start.
Title: Re: Help! Broken down at the Nugget
Post by: A DRAGON on September 29, 2015, 07:30:56 PM
If you need help in the future you can always call me aswell
775-560-6998. Man that sucks breaking down
Title: Re: Help! Broken down at the Nugget
Post by: Vegasrider on September 29, 2015, 08:02:50 PM
Thank you Dragon.  I've been having starting issues for over a month now.  It's been intermittent and I am having a hard time trouble shooting my problems.  This is the reason why I haven't been going on the weekend rides, I don't trust my bike and I don't want to have bike issues outside of Reno. 

What I do know that the bike will not crank after riding, on an intermittent basis.  It never dies when riding so it's not a electrical connection issue.  I hear the fuel pump come on, but when I hit the starter, it just clicks.   I thought it had something to do with my crankshaft position sensor since it did give me that error code once or twice.  I usually roll the bike, get the gears repositioned and I usually can get the bike started.  Sometimes, it does turn over with a struggling sound, like it's a very weak battery. 

Weak battery? Well everytime I come home, I plug it to the charger and it turns green after a few minutes. 

I found out that the bike jump started, bypassing the starter switch.  Could it be a starter relay or starter solenoid? After all, the bike has 104k miles worth of starts. 

I really need a new bike.
Title: Re: Help! Broken down at the Nugget
Post by: Sub-Sonic on September 29, 2015, 08:23:00 PM
Glad you were able to get home.  Breaking down is no fun.


Quote from: Vegasrider on September 29, 2015, 08:02:50 PM

I really need a new bike.

Here's a nice Yamaha with only 16k on the clock.

http://www.sierrasportbike.com/smf/index.php?topic=4273.0
Title: Re: Help! Broken down at the Nugget
Post by: GreenMachine on September 30, 2015, 07:55:12 AM
SS, that would be one solution to address the problem.  :D

VR, you might want to simply replace the neutral switch with another one.  It may be faulty.  Although, I'm not familiar with that bike.  I do know that it has a diagnostics mode you can switch it into.  Great way to eliminate certain items or to see if any codes are thrown.

An FZ6 that doesn't start and that has had the dual headlight mod, seems to have issues charging the battery.  So I'm guessing it's either the battery getting run down or the neutral switch ($16) giving you grief.

(http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/OTYwWDEyODA=/z/H0QAAOSwiLdV9DwQ/$_35.JPG)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/262045905658?ul_noapp=true&chn=ps&lpid=82
Title: Re: Help! Broken down at the Nugget
Post by: Vegasrider on September 30, 2015, 05:22:12 PM
Had to push start the bike this morning and after work.  I took the bike over to Motosource to get the battery load tested, battery is fine.  They think it might be the starter motor, or whatever makes the starter crank.  They don't think it's the switch.  Anyways, I left the bike their and took a cab home.  They are going to do some more trouble shooting and go from there.  In the meantime, looks like it's the RTC Ride Bus for me.
Title: Re: Help! Broken down at the Nugget
Post by: dub on September 30, 2015, 07:30:41 PM
You need a back-up bike. The Tiger was down for about a month while I replaced the destroyed front wheel. I rode the SV650 to work during that time. (of course, I also have a car).
Title: Re: Help! Broken down at the Nugget
Post by: Vegasrider on September 30, 2015, 08:45:51 PM
Dub you are absolutely correct, I need a cheap back up bike.  I had one back in Idaho, a Yamaha XT225 Enduro that I equipped with studded tires for those snowy and icy days.  But like an idiot, I sold it thinking I was moving back to a warmer climate like Phoenix or Vegas.  I never thought that I would land my ass back in a similar climate as Boise.

(http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd290/swaghound/20131209_071033_zps73dcb9df.jpg)

(http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd290/swaghound/G0070248_zpsbe6511ae.jpg)


(http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd290/swaghound/Front.jpg)

Ice, Ice baby..........

(http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd290/swaghound/Ice.jpg)

(http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd290/swaghound/Helmet-1.jpg)
Title: Re: Help! Broken down at the Nugget
Post by: GreenMachine on September 30, 2015, 11:06:37 PM
Damn!

There's a limit to how far I'll go to ride. 

Just ask Dub.   :D
Title: Re: Help! Broken down at the Nugget
Post by: slmoto on October 01, 2015, 06:49:51 AM
Quote from: GreenMachine on September 30, 2015, 11:06:37 PM
Damn!

There's a limit to how far I'll go to ride. 

Just ask Dub.   :D

And here is that limit...

(http://i570.photobucket.com/albums/ss141/jepfrk/Pinus_taeda_a_naaldbundels.jpg) (http://s570.photobucket.com/user/jepfrk/media/Pinus_taeda_a_naaldbundels.jpg.html)

I shouldn't joke though, the closest I've come to dropping my bike is when I stepped down on some pine needles but luckily I was able to keep everything upright.
Title: Re: Help! Broken down at the Nugget
Post by: slmoto on October 01, 2015, 06:51:45 AM
Vegasrider, are the studs that effective where you can ride semi normal or are you white knuckling it everywhere you go?
Title: Re: Help! Broken down at the Nugget
Post by: dub on October 01, 2015, 10:58:54 AM
Quote from: slmoto on October 01, 2015, 06:49:51 AM
And here is that limit...

omg dude, lmao for real.  :rotflmao
Title: Re: Help! Broken down at the Nugget
Post by: Vegasrider on October 01, 2015, 04:32:28 PM
Quote from: slmoto on October 01, 2015, 06:51:45 AM
Vegasrider, are the studs that effective where you can ride semi normal or are you white knuckling it everywhere you go?

I never felt white knuckled when I was out riding in those conditions when I was with my XT.  As long as I didn't lean the bike over when turning, and just kept the braking down to a point where it was a gradual stop, the bike handled great.  On the FZ with my Pilot Powers, yes, at times I felt white knuckled and probably endured one of my most challenging rides.

Picture taken about an hour before I left from work on my FZ6, as long as I stayed on the tire tracks I thought I would be fine.  For the most part yes, but the snow was so deep between the tire tracks I was restricted to one line so no lane changes.  I could only take right hand turns, no lefts, and I needed to make one left to make it home.

(http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd290/swaghound/IMG_0073_zps4e341696.jpg)

Once off the highway and onto the surface streets, this is what I was faced with. 

(http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd290/swaghound/IMG_0076.jpg)


(http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd290/swaghound/P1020215_zps8cd98caf.jpg)

Made it home though without dumping my bike.  Problem was that my FZ is equipped with heated gear, the XT was not.  So I have to give up heat for traction, and I choose heat over traction most of the time and it has bit me in the ass at times.

Title: Re: Help! Broken down at the Nugget
Post by: RichVee4 on October 01, 2015, 07:08:55 PM
I remember reading a comparison test of car tires snow, all season and summer tires.  Cars of course, but would guestimate mc tires would be somewhat similar to a summer tire.   For the acceleration test to 30mph, on snow,  I thought it was noteworthy the car with summer tires couldnt complete the test, wasn't able to reach 30mph.    When you add the challenges of stopping and lean angle on a mc, no winter riding for me.

Title: Re: Help! Broken down at the Nugget
Post by: RichVee4 on October 01, 2015, 07:23:40 PM
Forgot to ask if you figured out your electrical issues yet?  Since you hear the starter clicking when this happens it could be a battery issue.   Battery issues tend to show up when the temps begin to drop.   Easy enough to test, the charger turning green is not a valid test you need to apply a load to the battery and measure the voltage.   With the bike off, turn the headlights on, the voltage should stay around 11- 12v for some time.  If the voltage drops off quickly battery is suspect.   Also, start the bike and while its running measure the voltage you should have >13.5V, if less RR is suspect and not charging the battery properly.
Title: Re: Help! Broken down at the Nugget
Post by: Vegasrider on October 01, 2015, 07:34:36 PM
Wasn't the battery as I had suspected, it tested well.   Motosource called me this morning and they said it was the starter, due to worn out brushes.  They said they should have replacement brushes in tomorrow afternoon and the bike ready by the time I get off work. which is about a mile from where I work.   I hope it's just the brushes.  With 104k miles worth of starts, II can understand the starter going bad.
Title: Re: Help! Broken down at the Nugget
Post by: GreenMachine on October 01, 2015, 07:54:20 PM
Never heard of the ability to replace bushings.  That's amazing!
Title: Re: Help! Broken down at the Nugget
Post by: dub on October 01, 2015, 08:05:44 PM
Not bushings, brushes.
Title: Re: Help! Broken down at the Nugget
Post by: GreenMachine on October 01, 2015, 09:20:23 PM
What's that?  Never heard of a starter motor brush.
Title: Re: Help! Broken down at the Nugget
Post by: dub on October 02, 2015, 09:15:31 AM
Quote from: GreenMachine on October 01, 2015, 09:20:23 PM
What's that?  Never heard of a starter motor brush.

All DC motors have brushes. (well, there are brush-less motors, too, but it's a different design). They are necessary to complete the circuit. Since the commutator ring rotates inside the brushes, eventually they wear out. This video explains it very well https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAtPHANEfQo
Title: Re: Help! Broken down at the Nugget
Post by: A DRAGON on October 04, 2015, 10:10:28 AM
You guys are nuts. Man I get THE  E B GEE BEES. Just looking at snow through a face shield.  ABSOLUTELY NOT.  :biatch
Title: Re: Help! Broken down at the Nugget
Post by: Vegasrider on October 04, 2015, 02:31:18 PM
Riding year round regardless of conditions has its consequences, all three times I have been down were because of poor surface conditions. 2x in the rain, once due to fog freezing up on the roadway. 100% preventable but it's the risk I decide to take.