Aerodynamic wrote on 04/14/21 at 12:42:09:I'm a complete amateur at repair and not much better at riding, so I'll do my best to describe the issues as accurately and detailed as possible. Hoping to get help on diagnosis before moving on to repair. It's a 2002 model, bought it in May 2019.
Engine Issues:
- Will lose power during operation. Engine/thrust will start sputtering unevenly before the bike dies and I'm free rolling down the road/highway.
- Difficulty starting the bike at times, even in relatively warm weather. Need to give it some throttle but it'll die back down once throttle is off.
- Bad gas mileage, and needs to be refilled before the tank is even half empty. Switching between PRI, Reserve, and ON does nothing to alleviate the problem.
- Lots of backfiring, especially when I turn off the engine. Tends to be one loud bang.
- Apparently 5th gear doesn't work anymore
I've been told it's most likely the carbs that need cleaning or even syncing, potentially the spark plugs and air filter as well.
Other problems:
- Gear shifter gets stuck sometimes. Like you need to stomp it before it changes, usually from 2nd down to 1st.
- Speedometer & odometer stopped working. I noticed the cable got disconnected from the front axle. Reattaching it did nothing.
Thanks in advance veteran riders.
Welcome to this forum att first and congratulations to your bike!
The bike looks great, but it seams to have needed some more love and maintace from former owners, probably the last one?
Its a carburator bike.. and there is a vacum petkock, if you leave it for some days, the carburator is dried out, evaporating moste of the gas.
Its how it should operate, perticuly in warmer climates, use the choke, take three short burst of starting.
One need to fill the carburator at first.
" Will lose power during operation. Engine/thrust will start sputtering unevenly before the bike dies and I'm free rolling down the road/highway."
Bad petrol, long time staying, dryed out carburator that left some residues in there, rust in the tank, clogged petcock, cracks in the vacum tube.
In any way, thats is exactualy how my bike peformed ones I had to drive home, after buying it, and even at the first trip to my local MC-shop to let them put on new tires and new oil and filter.
" Apparently 5th gear doesn't work anymore"
In the begining I altso had problems to get to the 5th gear!
Soo.. welcome to the biker world.. its not at al like automatic transmissions!
Its about to learn how to use clutch, gashandel and the gear shift!
One need to get use to ones bike and to get the right revs of the engin before one could put in the 5th gear!
I still do a double extra long stroke to be sure, for the 5th gear.
And to all other gear shifting issue, one have to be a biker at first, used to do it manualy, using the gas handel/clutch to have the appropriate revs for shifting to another gear.
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