[kem]

Hey Guys,

I tried to take my bike out to ride today, after a week of not riding it, and my bike won't start! This bike is brand new...I've only had it for two months and put only around 260 miles on it. I have a full tank of gas and my battery is fine. Everything is fine up until after I turn on my engine cut-off switch. After the engine cut-off switch is on, and I press my starter button, the bike starts making this horrible sound (imagine nails constant scratching a chalkboard). Thats the only way I know how to explain it. It makes this sound everytime I press the starter button. As of now, my guess is that there is an ignition problem of some sort. But I'm not that familiar with motorcycles to pin-point that exact cause of it. Please help me! :cursin:

 

[No Worries]

First of all, you should use the ignition key to turn the engine off, not the emergency switch. Secondly, you may have a faulty starter button switch, a faulty starter solenoid, a wiring problem, or a faulty starter motor or clutch. The worst case scenario is a seized engine or hydro-lock.

If it was my bike, the first thing for my peace of mind would be to take out all the spark plugs and try to crank it. If gas overflowed your carbs and got into the cylinder, the piston could not compress it (hydro-lock). With the plugs out, the excess gas would be forced out the plug hole. If it still won't crank, I would check the oil level. Then I would try and turn the engine over by the rear wheel or a socket on the crank. Hopefully, the engine turns over by hand and you just have to troubleshoot the starter or electric system.

 

[Tokyolow81]

I'd take it back to the shop since its brand new and i'm assuming under warranty. Make it their problem and not yours. Sorry I can't give you any mechanical explanation. I'd go with the above quote. I was thinking it was a starter problem-gears grinding, bendix not engaging or something of the sort. But yeah, definitely take it back to the dealer before tearing into it. You don't want to void your warranty by making it worse. Good luck though.

 

[Gas Man]

What bike? Make and Model?

Second... break it down... you say its all fine till you hit engine switch to ON. Then how do you know its all good?

Put the bike in neutral, with the side stand down, with the engine switch to OFF, turn the ignition on, then the engine switch to ON... and what does it do? Shouldn't do anything till you hit the START button.

Then if you hit the START button, what does it do?


Off the subject... NW... I always used my engine switch to kill my bikes.... why do you say that CHECK THIS THREAD HERE!!

 

[ne1469]

I'd take it back to the shop since its brand new and i'm assuming under warranty. Make it their problem and not yours. Sorry I can't give you any mechanical explanation. I'd go with the above quote. I was thinking it was a starter problem-gears grinding, bendix not engaging or something of the sort. But yeah, definitely take it back to the dealer before tearing into it. You don't want to void your warranty by making it worse. Good luck though.

:iagree:

 

[No Worries]

I haven't had a bike warranty in over 25 years, so I forget about that. But Kem wanted to know what the problem could be. Anyway, would a warranty cover a bike with no oil in the engine?

 

[SpeedWerks.com]

The other thing...depending on the bike make and model, if you have your kickstand down, the bike won't start regardless of what you try to do.

Just a simple mistake a lot of newbies tend to make. Let us know what you find out!

Laura

 

[Gas Man]

Well that is true SW... so have the kickstand up and do what I said...let us know.. we need more details!!

 

[twisty]

Does it have gas?Is it getting spark?

 

[2FURYUS]

Does it have gas?Is it getting spark?

Exactly start with the basics...fuel, spark, air, and then maybe the kickstand?

 

[jeeps84]

From the little info given.
My best guess would be a stuck solenoid, Starter clutch or starter. That's the only thing that could make any screeching noises while pressing the start button.
This is just speculation.

If the bike is new. It should have a manufacture warranty for at least 12 months.
You may even have a limited 90 day warranty on a used bike if bought from a dealer.

 

[kem]

I have a 2005 Yamaha R6. Forgive me for sounding rude...but it's not the kickstand or anything else simple (besides, the R6 will start with the kickstand down). It's probably something more serious. Like I said, it has a full tank of gas, the battery is fine, the spark is also fine. My friends' guesses is that it has something to do with what No Worries and Jeeps84 was saying, maybe my engine locking up (maybe because of cold weather?) or some starter/ignition problem. Yes, my bike is normal up until I hit the ignition button. After the engine cut-off switch is on, then I hit the starter button, the engine sounds like it is grinding and screaching and struggling to fire up. I will take it to the dealer since it is under warranty (though now I have to spend money to tow my bike there!), but I like to get an idea of what the problem could be and see if my friends and I could fix it before I take it to the dealer, since I'm pretty sure that the warranty doesn't help me to pay for getting my bike to the dealer.

 

[jeeps84]

Don't you have a friend with a truck? You may even get the shop to pick it up for you.
If it does turn out to be a warranty claim. Have the shop massage to tow bill into their bill. It may or may not work. :luck:

 

[Gas Man]

Well, if its fine until you hit the starter.. then maybe its just the starter.

Have you tried to push start it?

That might be a option if you want to just ride it to the dealer. If it starts with the push start then that also tells you somin else about the problem!

 

[GixxerNHemi]

first off...its not the kickstand....

as long as he is in neutral (only time the bike could/would start) the kickstand position doesnt matter.

if you are in gear and the bike is running..putting the kickstand down kills the motor as a safety precaution.


NOW...you said it sounds like nails fumbling about??? It could very well be your battery....if your bike is brand new (and you let it sit for a week or so) Do you have a battery tender on it???

**this used to happen to me when i would get to my house upstate....my banshee and ds-650 would never start. the lights would go on, the neutral indicator would light up...but when i tried to start the quads...it would just jump around and screetch like you are mentioning. Then i started keeping battery tenders on them since I only go upstate about twice a month....in the winter months...i would do the same with the snowmobiles.

 

[bumblebee]

I would tell you to take it to the dealer, toss them the keys and tell them their bike won't start...:lol: Because I don't own/pay for a brand new bike that won't start...

 

[R1up0n1]

I would tell you to take it to the dealer, toss them the keys and tell them their bike won't start...:lol: Because I don't own/pay for a brand new bike that won't start...

:iagree: if it's under warrenty, then it's their problem.

 

[jeeps84]

Did the bike ever start?:scratch:

 

[Back _Marker]

I have a 2005 Yamaha R6. Forgive me for sounding rude...but it's not the kickstand or anything else simple (besides, the R6 will start with the kickstand down).

when the engine starts, is the starter engaging? (engine turning over) or the starter just spinning with a grinding sound?

a few hard taps on the starter with a plastic/rubber mallet while starting may losen it. If it's a stuck starter. another way to test if it is the starter, put it in firsta gear and bump start it. hold clutch in and push it. when you have enough momentum, jump on the seat and release clutch.

note: it is fine to kill the engine with the kill switch instead of the keys.
That's what it's for.

-a|ex