Wouldn't Start

[MIKE R]

Just returned yesterday from the 600 mile service....a journey of 120 miles....and the bike was white with salt. Gave the bike a good washing and it wouldn't start today. Well it would start for about 10 seconds and then it spluttered and died.

Luckily (!!!!) I had a similar problem some tIme ago with a Yamaha and it proved to be water in the petrol (took me a week to find it!).

SO

I shook the bike around a bit to disperse any water that might have got in the tank...tried again and it fired up first time. The fuel was low when I parked up, on 'reserve' and I left it on the side stand for about an hour after washing. I suppose the water got near the fuel outlet. Looking carefully at the petrol filler it is on a slight slop downwards and a natural water trap.

Hope this helps if any one has a similar problem in the future.

Mike R

 

[Mr K]

Could be water shorting the fuel pump thingy under the left hand side tank panel.
See thread "Fuel pump failure"?

 

[Mouse]

Or it could be water in the gear position sensor. This is at the back of the engine, quite low down, and if it gets wet it can cause the bike to think it's in gear when it's not. Therefore if the sidestand is down, the engine will be cut.

As the bike is only 600 miles old, I think it would have been manufactured with the corrected fuel pump controller seal.

 

[wilddog]

bingo!

it takes a lot to get me tapping away with my 2 fingers on this site but after the last entry i felt compelled to react.... i also have had cut out problems after washing the gs and quite by chance discovered the problem was solved by raising the side stand. i didn't realise why but now the mystery is solved, thanks. this site is so required reading for all Gs1200 owners, my list of things to mention to the service man grows ever longer. still the best bike i have ever owned over the last 25 years.

 

[andy1200]

I found the same excellent advice here when mine wouldn't start easily once the weather started getting cold.

The problem is not so much the sidestand as the sidestand being down when it is on centrestand. You can either flick up the sidestand or push it off centre before starting. Either works. I prefer the latter.

Apart from the headlight not having a LHD/RHD adjustment, my only gripe.

One of the very happy customers for this bike.

Cheers

Andy

 

[MIKE R]

Spot on Andy. Rainbow explained the situation to me.

After washing the bike, it was on the centre stand with the side stand down. When the bike starts the engine inertia turns the back wheel which confuses the computer. The rear wheel is moving whilst the front isn't (and that shouldn't happen with the side stand down) so the computer cuts the engine. Clever eh?

So I started the bike on the centre stand with the side stand down and the rear brake on. Started first time. Release the rear brake and the back wheel begins to turn and the engine cuts out.

'They all do that sir!'

Mike R

 

[zxrcy]

Sidestand Issue

Just picked up my new bike today and had the same issue Mike R refers to. Bike on centrestand with sidestand down & bike would start then die. I was showing a friend the new bike and it wouldn't start. . . felt like an idiot with a brand new bike! Then I put the sidestand up on a guess and voila! fired right up. . . I guess this should be covered in the manual. . . but it isn't even under starting problems. Thanks for the explanation Mike!!!

 

[GSmonkey]

I've noticed this characteristic of the bike and have been caught out on one occaision myself.

It is obviously more prevalent in this weather when the low temps make the oil more viscous an hence make the rear wheel turn in the first place.

I always like to have the sidestand out when bringing the bike off the main stand, as you're less likely to drop it. I also prefer to start the bike when on the main stand. So this morning I came up with a good idea, start the bike on the main stand, pull the clutch in the stop the wheel rotating, put the sidestand down, then pull off the main stand. Good plan, so I thought.

As soon as the sidestand went down (no rear wheel rotation) the engine ran rough, then died. Strange. I suppose "They all do that as well sir"

 

[kiwiAdventure]

Do not blast water around the speedo, My 1200 would only show 20kph until it dried out.

 

[Rich]

I found the same excellent advice here when mine wouldn't start easily once the weather started getting cold.

The problem is not so much the sidestand as the sidestand being down when it is on centrestand. You can either flick up the sidestand or push it off centre before starting. Either works. I prefer the latter.

Apart from the headlight not having a LHD/RHD adjustment, my only gripe.

One of the very happy customers for this bike.

Cheers

Andy

I found that out last night when playing in the garage, starts then stops. Put up sidestand, starts.
I wasa hoping that maybe they just all do that and its only the inquisitive who have noticed? Seems a bit wierd, but at least now I think I understand.