I've been messing with this darn thing all spring. Can't get it running, took the carb apaprt twice, rebuild, rejet, took the complete wiring system apart last year and it still isn't correct, now it just plain don't run. I believe I know when I'm mechanically in too deep, at 60+ years old. And this may be it. Thank god I've got my Honda, or I wouldn't be riding at all. Bought this one in 2019, it is a 2005, and I believe it's been rode hard before me. This might be what happens when a bike is just ridden like an Army jeep and run into the ground. Too bad I just got the new tires on it last year. Rode it for a few decent years, but each year in the past 3, it's been giving me nuts causing me to work and toil to where it ain't no fun. Wiring took me darn near a year, wheel issues better part of last year then end of year this, rough runnin and choking. Cleaned the tank, lines, carb, like I said and now it doesn't even fire.

So when do you all call it quits? I believe maybe when it gets to be no fun anymore. I believe I am there.

This is too bad.  It seems like you are close.  I would have been at "hell with it" when you were doing the wiring.

ThumperPaul wrote on 05/05/25 at 17:07:18:


I actually was but just kept going....lol

quasimogo wrote on 05/06/25 at 10:04:22:


It’s a bit far to go for a parts bike.
Sorry

I read once that most motorcycle problems are electrical. If you haven't already done it, I would start by bypassing ALL the "safety" switches with jumpers or grounding where needed.  Once the wiring is functional, you just go back to the "spark, gas, timing."  I'd also look at any mods that have been done. I assume you've checked the battery voltage when trying to start it--- if it drops below 11 volts or so, it won't fire the ignition module. If that's ok, then look at the usual suspects: petcock, jetting, if the exhaust has been changed, etc. Mine has an oversize lithium battery that I got on sale. That works fine. The one drawback is, when one of my stator wires rubbed in two, that battery let me get a long way from home before I got stranded. Now I check charging voltages regularly.

Maybe $700-$800 assuming you have clean title in your name.

As Needles noted, check and bypass the safety switches.  I’m not sure if you already did that with the rewire job.  I had an electrical issue I chased my tail on.  It was the clutch safety switch.  Cleaned it up and problem solved.

When you rewired it, what prompted you to do that?  How extensive a rewire job did you do?  I subscribe to “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it”.  I personally would never attempt a complete rewire and would only address what was broke.  I’m also cheap, lazy, and like immediate gratification if I’m honest with myself.