SuzukiSavage.com - Bike dies at lights or won't shift into 1st.

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Bike dies at lights or won't shift into 1st.
01/29/17 at 16:54:04

I had my bike serviced a couple months back and everything seemed to be fine. I go to ride it today after its been sitting for a couple weeks.

It starts up pretty much fine but once I start riding at every intersection when I'm slowed down around ten mph or stopped the engine dies. I then have to turn it on again and it struggles to start, I have to crank the throttle a lot to get it on. It happened at about ten lights and stop signs. Not fun at all having to restart in traffic.

After about half an hour this problem seemed to go away. But I was also having problems simultaneously with getting it out of neutral and into first gear. Sometimes when I push my foot down it won't shift. A few times I had to stand up and kick really hard to get into first. I assume these problems aren't related entirely but both are causing me a lot of stress at intersections. I was wondering if anyone knows what could be causing either of these issues?

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Re: Bike dies at lights or won't shift into 1st.
Reply #1 - 01/29/17 at 18:04:26

savagebruh wrote on 01/29/17 at 16:54:04:

It starts up pretty much fine but once I start riding at every intersection when I'm slowed down around ten mph or stopped the engine dies.

idle speed too low?
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I then have to turn it on again and it struggles to start, I have to crank the throttle a lot to get it on.

That tells me it's flooded, normally you can't touch the throttle when starting or it won't
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After about half an hour this problem seemed to go away.

And normally when warm it idles a little faster. up the idle speed and if you upped the idle jet, consider going back down, or clean your filter or lean out your idle mixture
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But I was also having problems simultaneously with getting it out of neutral and into first gear.

Try letting the clutch out a little and pushing down on the shifter.
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Sometimes when I push my foot down it won't shift. A few times I had to stand up and kick really hard to get into first.

Never do this you'll bend the dogs and it'll only get worse.
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I assume these problems aren't related entirely but both are causing me a lot of stress at intersections. I was wondering if anyone knows what could be causing either of these issues?

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Re: Bike dies at lights or won't shift into 1st.
Reply #2 - 01/29/17 at 18:06:55

Don't kick your bike into gear.....you will bend the shaft between the shift lever and the connection at the shaft that goes into the transmission.

If you have trouble getting the bike into gear - rock the bike forward/back a bit......or let the clutch out and then when you pull the clutch lever back, try putting it into gear right after you pull the lever in (don't wait long).

Do you still have the stock vacuum petcock on the bike? They can go bad, and they can cause all kinks of weird running/stalling problems.

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Re: Bike dies at lights or won't shift into 1st.
Reply #3 - 01/29/17 at 18:21:45

Don't shift into neutral at a light ! Just hold the clutch in ,if it starts to stall you can give it a little throttle to keep it running. If it continues to stall after you increase the idle,you may want to test your petcock ,and /or adjust the air screw,READ about these in the technical section.You can set the idle speed on a level road bike in 1st gear throttle closed,the bike should do 8-10 mph ,if not your idle screw is set to low. If you do a little research on the site you would learn about everything we have stated above,plus you would know that the more info you give us the more pointed and helpful our answers. things like year ,mileage,stock,mods ,etc.

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justin_o_guy2 Serious Thumper Offline What happened? Posts: 55279 East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.	Re: Bike dies at lights or won't shift into 1st. Reply #4 - 01/29/17 at 19:05:05 When it warmed up,it was okay. Try using your choke After it's started. I adjust the idle speed when I'm taking the first ride of the day.
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Re: Bike dies at lights or won't shift into 1st.
Reply #5 - 01/29/17 at 19:10:34

Thanks for the great advice, I'm pretty poor at mechanical knowledge. I've tried searching for this problem but hadn't found anything so I just asked directly. It's a 2004 with about 27,000 miles. The exhaust was a Supertrapp but I switched it back to the stock one.

I didn't know I could be damaging the bike by kicking it. Good to know.

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savagebruh YaBB Newbies Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 8	Re: Bike dies at lights or won't shift into 1st. Reply #6 - 01/29/17 at 19:11:49 So once running, ride with the choke out for a bit?
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justin_o_guy2 Serious Thumper Offline What happened? Posts: 55279 East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.	Re: Bike dies at lights or won't shift into 1st. Reply #7 - 01/29/17 at 19:30:54 Try that, if it is still running too low RPM, adjust the idle. Low idle equals a dead cam.
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batman Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 3806 osceola new york Gender:	Re: Bike dies at lights or won't shift into 1st. Reply #8 - 01/29/17 at 19:50:42 Do you have a stock petcock? If you do you need to test it! check your oil/air filter for the smell of gas.
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Re: Bike dies at lights or won't shift into 1st.
Reply #9 - 01/30/17 at 05:32:46

Dave wrote on 01/29/17 at 18:06:55:

Don't kick your bike into gear.....you will bend the shaft between the shift lever and the connection at the shaft that goes into the transmission.

---------------------------
This!

I found out that my shaft was bent after it BROKE when I went to put it into gear at a light. I had to use a wrench from my tool kit to pop it into second gear and ride it all the home in 2nd gear. No fun.

My bike was shifting perfectly fine until it broke. Then it got really spongy and broke right away. I guess the previous owner had done something mean to the lever at some point. Since yours has been abused, I would make sure the rod isn't bent. If it is, replace it before it breaks. I got mine for $6-$7 from Partzilla.

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« Last Edit: 01/30/17 at 08:34:34 by ohiomoto »

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stewmills Serious Thumper Offline Imagination is more important than knowledge Posts: 2641 Auburn, AL Gender:	Re: Bike dies at lights or won't shift into 1st. Reply #10 - 01/30/17 at 07:34:12 While ordering other parts, I went ahead and ordered an extra shifting rod and keep it in my bike's breakdown kit. H ope to never need it, but it's a nice $7 insurance policy if I am ever out in the sticks and that is all I need to get home.
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Kenny G Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiSavage.com The Singles Club...LOL Posts: 1754 Robson Ranch, Denton, Texas Gender:	Re: Bike dies at lights or won't shift into 1st. Reply #11 - 01/30/17 at 07:46:28 Somewhere I have seen that someone reinforced the shifting rod with a piece of steel tubing the was slipped over the rod and held in place with epoxy. If I ever have to take the shifting rod off I will probably do this. Kenny G
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savagebruh YaBB Newbies Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 8	Re: Bike dies at lights or won't shift into 1st. Reply #12 - 01/30/17 at 11:51:21 darn well I hope I haven't kicked that thing too hard to break it. I'll check it out. It seems like I should check the petcock for sure and or adjust the idle speed. I have zero tools and know how so we'll see how it goes. 😅
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Re: Bike dies at lights or won't shift into 1st.
Reply #13 - 01/30/17 at 14:24:11

One thing about the stock petcock is that it has a rubber? diaphragm in it which turns on the fuel when the engine is running. I have had trouble with these diaphragms on all sorts of vehicles, they definitely do NOT like ethanol. When you change over to the raptor petcock you will never look back, except when you fall off the bike. Grin

I'm surprised that the enrichment valve doesn't give trouble as well?

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batman Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 3806 osceola new york Gender:	Re: Bike dies at lights or won't shift into 1st. Reply #14 - 01/30/17 at 20:03:03 savagebruh, When you switched back to the stock muffler did you rejet the carb? you could be running very rich. If you didn't you should check jet sizes stock are, 52.5 idle ,145 main .
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