Forum

[papasmurf]

Thack what is this "wash" you refer to? My wife and I usually just ride a couple of hundred miles in the pouring rain, no washing necessary. (The joys of going to motorcycle rallies.)

[Michael]

Don't power wash your bike? I assume you meant don't 'wash' your bike

[Thack]

I'm going to campaign for RE to make a chrome-less polished-alloy-less bike, like all the Japanese stuff.







Oh, and cast wheels, as well. Spokes! Pah!!

[Michael]

Or perhaps use better paint? Anyway, an update... might as well give continuous updates as its a continuous saga (much like Star Wars)... Ran like a bag of spanners again for the first half mile or so again this morning, coughing like a dying cat. However, this passed and the rest of the run was grand I am assuming that I either have 12 litres of water in my tank and a smidgen of petrol, someone is continually pouring many, mnay litres of water into my tank overnight without me knowing as a 'joke' or I just have to learn to live with a grumpy bike who doesn't like mornings (or other 'starts' of rides).

[papasmurf]

I suggest trying some water dispersant spray, on the electrics and see if that cures the problem.

[Hugh]

What I have done has caused a similar problem. Had to leave bike in a damp garage over winter due to building work at home and I started it occasionally. Covered it with a blanket but the cold in the garage would cause condensation on outside of tank (dripping). Started bike easily at first and ran till really warm on stand but gradually began to back fire on later starts (2) as if water in petrol. Now no sign of firing up at all. So it will be strip tank off and check/clean carb. Hopefully this will solve problem. Its a 1957 350 Bullet with SR2 Magnito and is normally the most reliable of bikes. I always used to joke it would run on water (obviously not as its proving) as it seemed to start so easily however long left but that was in a warm garage. Cheers, Hugh

[Michael]

You mean squirt WD40? Worth a try... most are coated in vaseline anyway, but it's been there a while

[papasmurf]

If you have to use WD40 but there are specific sprays for electrical components. In my experience they last a few months after use. I used to have a Yamaha Radian that had cough and splutter issues, which were "character building," when the engine suddenly went from close to death, to taking off like a jet fighter from the steam catapult on an aircraft carrier.
I cured it by using the spray on everything electrical including taking the seat off to do so.

[Michael]

Bum. Back to the same old problem again. Backfiring like a machine gun when cold, runs fine when warm

[Norm]

Michael, I seem to remember a few years ago Trecor CH had the same problem from fairly new, problem is I forget what the outcome was. I doubt it is water, I think it was the O2 sensor or something like that, and the problem with that is it is expensive to replace and may not solve the problem