1150 GSA suddenly sounding like a lawnmower

travelman

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Hi Folks, having a weird problem with my bike. I was having alarm problems, it not switching off. I had it tracked down to the battery. I have now changed the battery for a new one but now the bike is sounding very rough indeed. Sounds more like a harley than a GS, no more like a lawnmower!! And it just came out of the blue.

The revs are low - its idling at circa 500-700 revs,
when starting theres no joy, it starts then cuts, I have to hold the throttle open to start it and keep it running. If I close the throttle at all it cuts out. When I ride in 1st or 2nd gear it surges, there is lots of splurttering sounds and a few small backfires.
When I go up the gears it smooths out but still sounds rough.
Riding all is normal, all dash and lights normal and the revs are spot on for the speeds I'm travelling at.

After riding for 20 mins I slowed down, came down to 3rd gear then second, spluttering and surging started again. When I stopped and closd the throttle it didnt cut out (cause engine was warm) but it was idling at low revs again.

Things that I noticed or did prior to problem appearing.

My old battery was low, I charged it in the bike over night with a trickle charger. Next morning I started bike it sounded fine. I left the engine run and idle for a while. The bike was on the sidestand and fuel was low, so bike cut out after a few minutes. When I started it the fuel pump power up sound went on for longer than usual. After that bike was spluttery but when I got i started it sounded okay.

Today I put in a new battery. WHen I started up it sounded very rough and the situation is as now.

I wonder could I have tweaked or pinched a fuel line as I was realigning the tank after putting in the new battery - hardly I feel.

Could it be the battery? If so how?

I cant figure it - bike was fine, this has started all of a sudden?????

Any ideas anyone???
 
Try checking your throttle cables and choke cables, I've seen similar to what you describe twice now and it was cables.
 
Start with the fuel pipes....too much of a coincidence that you lifted the tank to fit a battery.

Look at position of TPS...has it moved? (fairly easy to knock)

After you replaced the battery, did you start it with any throttle ? You may have confused the motronics as to what 'Zero ' is....pull fuse 3 (or is it 5, I can never remember :blast) then re-insert, turn Ign on, twist throttle from 0 to full twice, turn Ign off, reinsert fuse, start as normal without any throttle...


Symptoms before battery change could be fuel, maybe coil packs.
 
Try checking your throttle cables and choke cables, I've seen similar to what you describe twice now and it was cables.

:thumb2:thumb2

Photo seems to have gone off Whatton's sticky and I'm too tired to dig out, but check both throttle cables are seated totally at their bottom ends :cool:
 
Whaaaaaaa Heeeeeeyyyyyyyyyy i get to post the picture :bounce1
 

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Wahhhhh Heeeey my beloved bike is not destined for the scrap heap just yet.......

It was the right hand throttle cable - it was displaced. Just like steptoes picture.

Thanks a million guys, I'm a beginner at working on my own bike. That really helped and added to my diagnostic base.

Thanks a million.
 
Rough running

After disconnecting the battery shouldnt you do a tps reset as well? open and close the throttle fully 3 times with the ignition on but engine off.
 
After disconnecting the battery shouldnt you do a tps reset as well? open and close the throttle fully 3 times with the ignition on but engine off.

You can do it but there is no need. The bike will do it automatically as you ride it - It's not a magic function, it's just showing the motronic the full throttle range from midle to full throttle, which you go through as soon as you ride the bike for a short distance.
 
Thank you, thank you, thank you. Having just blown a wad on replacing my rear bearing I noticed a rattle on my front disk. Read this site and purchased the bots, collets and spring washers, problem solved. Now my battery became soft - after reading this site I checked the starter brushes - all good. Must be the batery right?

So I went to start the bike and for some reason it ran like a dog. I started to fret but after reading this very forum I went back and checked my throttle cable and right enough it had been dislodged when I moved the tank. Phew! One less disaster to worry about.

Now, I need to get the battery sorted....
 


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