Hey everyone, I just bought a 2002 S40 with about 2000 miles on it. I bought it, rode it home about 60 miles without it skipping a beat, and then changed the oil and filter the next day. I didnt like the pull back handlebars, so I got a set of the tracker bars from Ryca. I took the old bars off and put my cover on it and there it sat for a week before I got my new bars.

Yesterday I got the new bars on and went to start it up and it just wont. I checked all the obvious things first, and then went and then drained the float bowl, checked the petcock (Raptor) and still had nothing. It cranks just fine, catches, and then dies after about a second. Nothing I do can keep it going. Or it just cranks and does nothing.

I took the battery out for the night and charged it up. Still the same thing this morning. Put a new spark plug in it, as I didn't have any spark, but I attributed that to having tinkered for an hour or so.

I am at a loss...It ran beautifully a week ago. Any tips?

I had a fuel filter on there, but took it off thinking it was causing insufficient flow. I have put the petcock to both on and res with the tube off the carb and it flows readily. I also backed out the drain screw and turned in on then, it flows through the carb as well.

I have tried to start it with the choke in all positions, always the same. It only catches if the choke is all the way on. Otherwise it just cranks.

I have the oil level right at the F line (maybe just a hair higher) when standing upright.

The oil filter, there is a side with a hole and one with a dimple. I installed the side with the hole towards the engine, on the nipple with the o-ring.

I pulled the spark plug before I gave up this morning and tested both the new and old plug and got no spark. Maybe I did it incorrectly, but I took the plug out, plugged it back into the cable and hit the starter. I brought the battery back in to charge at that point, I figured I had worn it down to much trying.

The plug was a little loose, but even after being plugged in securely there is no change.

Maybe the battery itself is just bad? The guy I bought it from said it sat for a while, but he kept the battery on a tender.

I have checked and re-checked everything. Everything is as it should be, especially in the areas I did work...

You have only started and driven it once.  You can do all you want to it but if you don't have spark, it's never going to run.  This may sound dumb but is the big red kill switch on the right side handle bar in the run position?

This is probably going to be a stupid question, but I dont care. Do I just take a multimeter reading across the terminals of the battery? Or is there somewhere else I am supposed to do it from?

I have been telling myself to get a multimeter for forever. Today is the day I guess. I'll grab some starter fluid as well.

I got 12.5 just sitting there, 12.1 with the key turned, and 10.2-10.3 when cranking it.

My roommate and I tried bump starting it a few timed as well. It sputtered some the first time but just locked up the second and third.

I am starting to think gas. I am 99% sure i hooked the throttle cable up correctly. The throttle on the carb does exactly what it is supposed to. I guess is it just time to drop the carb and clean it up? It always need a pump or two of the throttle to start before.

My roommate remided me that i had put some seafoam in the tank when i got it. Maybe that knocked some gunk loose and plugged something up?

Well it isnt the battery. I got a new one and still the same thing. I drained the float bowl again and the gas is perfect. Clear as can be and nice color.

Whatever. I'm just mad now. I don't understand how it could crank and catch if it is missing spark or gas. I can drop the carb and clean it I guess...

The bike does have a nice blue spark.

I (embarrassingly) wasn't grounding the plug before. I'm glad my roommate knows more about wrenching than I do.