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+--- Thread: had bike for a week, then someone hit it in the parking lot (/showthread.php?tid=7351)
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had bike for a week, then someone hit it in the parking lot - bluhayz - 06-03-2008
I hope someone hit it, and it wasn't just some kids or nasty people in the neighborhood that tipped it but I came out of my neighbors house and found my bike laying on the ground, with gas spilling out of the tank. It was a very very sad sight to see.
Now unfortunately, the bad news. So - the throttle doesn't spring back into place anymore. Based on my little assumption this is because when it fell on the handlebar it bent the bar downward and now there is friction where the throttle disc is rotating inside the ignition/engine cutoff switch housing.
The second problem is (as if the first thing wasn't enough).... it doesn't start. When you push the ignition, you can hear the multiple clicks, and the dash and the dash lights up so it appears that it has electricity and that the starter is working?
Other than that, I'm really not sure what to do. I'm assuming that maybe buying a new right side handle bar might fix the throttle sticking problem (any ideas about that?), and as far as the starting problem goes, I'm a blank slate.
Thanks for any help you guys can give.
- Ginger - 06-03-2008
Sorry about your luck.
Charge your battery to get it to start. I don't think F3's have a bank/tipover sensor, so that shouldn't be the problem (RJ crashed one a few times, he should be able to verify :-D). Most likely you petered out the battery trying to crank it over when it had flooded carbs from the tipover.
Your throttle cables are binding; check the metal terminations for bending. The bend in the handlebar could also put the cables at a poor enough angle to cause binding. Also, check for rotation of the handlebar; it is more likely that the bar got pushed around the fork leg than actually bending - those things are usually cast out of molten brick shithouse (unless it's aftermarket). Check their routing, as well. It is unlikely that the throttle tube (turning assembly) is bent, as it's plastic.
Re: had bike for a week, then someone hit it in the parking - Sijray21 - 06-03-2008
bluhayz Wrote:Based on my little assumption this is because when it fell on the handlebar it bent the bar downward and now there is friction where the throttle disc is rotating inside the ignition/engine cutoff switch housing.
The second problem is (as if the first thing wasn't enough).... it doesn't start. When you push the ignition, you can hear the multiple clicks, and the dash and the dash lights up so it appears that it has electricity and that the starter is working?
Other than that, I'm really not sure what to do. I'm assuming that maybe buying a new right side handle bar might fix the throttle sticking problem (any ideas about that?), and as far as the starting problem goes, I'm a blank slate.
i think you're right on about the first issue. try and find the source of friction and try to eliminate it. i say buying another throttle handle should be a last resort.
i'm assuming this is carb'd so could it just be that the carbs are flooded or and electrical issue (check the connections).
good luck with it though
not sure if you had high winds in the area lately, but i've seen my bike move with high winds when parked. fortunately at the time it had a cut side-stand since it used to be lowered so it leaned over more than usual.
- bluhayz - 06-03-2008
I was thinking it may be high winds, but I put the bike up on the stand, and tried to push and it just seemed like the wind would have to produce a lot more force than I've ever noticed to push it over. It had a full tank of gas in it, and it was leaning on the side stand. The push knocked it from the lean, all the way over its vertical. It just seems hard to believe that the wind could do that.
If it's flooded, how do I go about correcting that sort of issue? I also heard that if the engine floods you basically need to buy a new set of spark plugs. How often does that happen?
Thanks,
Drew
- BLINGMW - 06-03-2008
mine was super hard to start when I dumped it. Hook it up to a charger, open the throttle all the way, and crank it 'till it starts. That's the easiest way to clear a flooded engine (allows in lots of air). Fouled plugs will unfoul themselves with some runtime, assuming the engine is not running rich.
- bluhayz - 06-03-2008
Is this the sort of thing you're talking about hooking up to the battery?
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I've heard a lot about battery tenders being pretty necessary for motorcycles.
- BLINGMW - 06-03-2008
well, you don't HAVE to buy anything if you can find a set of jumper cables and a car, that'll work too. That battery tender isn't going to provide enough juice to keep up.
- Ginger - 06-03-2008
The carbs will un-flood themselves. It's unlikely that your sparkplugs are fouled.
Charge your battery.
Check for cable binding; plastic throttle tubes don't bend.
I think you're also jumping to conclusions about someone pushing over your bike. I've seen several bikes pushed over by the wind, and even had it happen to mine. I ride like a jackass, and I park like one.. I'm sure I offend a lot of people. But nobody's ever flat out pushed my shit over.
- bluhayz - 06-03-2008
I don't really mean "pushed" when I say knocked over. I really more meant someone pulling into the parking spot not seeing the bike and hitting it over.
I bought some jumper cables tonight, but got hit by an isolated thunderstorm so I have closed up shop for the evening. I will see what connecting it to my car and starting the bike does tomorrow.
The binding inside the ignition box looks ok. I can't determine if there are any malfunctions there. Aside from the friction, I can definitely tell that the white plastic throttle ring edge is rubbing against the inside of the ignition box. Not really sure how I can reduce that though. would wd-40 be a solution?
Thanks,
Drew
- Ginger - 06-03-2008
It's all very closely toleranced. Plastic doesn't bend. Check the cable binding; not in the switchgear, but the cables themselves. They have angles and tensions that they work at, and ones they don't. Heck, if the metal ends got twisted or bent where they exit the box, you would have a non-returning throttle.
If you want to confirm whether or not the bend in the handlebar is casuing the problem, take the switchgear/throttle tube off it, and see if they work, that way.
- .RJ - 06-03-2008
If the handlebar is bent, the throttle will bind. Or if the throttle tube is cracked, it'll bind (and usually the bar is bent too).
Also, loosen up the adjuster nuts on the throttle cables at the switch and twist the throttle a few times,then re tighten.
- bluhayz - 06-03-2008
asteele2 Wrote:If you want to confirm whether or not the bend in the handlebar is casuing the problem, take the switchgear/throttle tube off it, and see if they work, that way.
This is how I determined that there was friction preventing the throttle from springing back. I unscrewed the ignition box and took off the top to see that when the throttle was twisted it rubbed up against the inside wall of the box. When I totally removed the top of the box, the throttle returned to springing back (relatively slowly - looks like friction with the bottom portion of the box). I can see the white plastic ring make contact with the inside of the ignition box. When I re-screw the box back together, throttle stops springing back.
that's why it leads me to believe that it's probably a problem with the angle of the metal handlebar bending. it's a totally stock handlebar so I would think it would be pretty sturdy, but I imagine that the bike hit with a fair amount of force. I'll look into checking out the wire bindings tomorrow if the weather holds out.
Thanks for all the help, I'm hoping that I can get this stuff squared away without having to take it to a pricey mechanic.
- Ginger - 06-03-2008
You can buy a new cip on on ebay for next to nothing. You can reassemble the throttle tube and switchgear off of the handlbebar to be positive, but I'd just go ahead, get a new bar, and be done.
- .RJ - 06-03-2008
bluhayz Wrote:When I re-screw the box back together, throttle stops springing back
Handlebar is bent - ebay is your friend here.
- bluhayz - 06-04-2008
Ya'll rock... the starting issue turns out to be the battery. I hooked it up to my car and it started like a beauty.
Throttle grip still sticks but I have already ordered a handlebar off ebay (cost 55 bucks shipped). So hopefully I will swap it out this weekend and have a totally working nice bike.
It also appears that the dull battery has been causing an issue with forcing me to keep a higher than normal idle. With it hooked up to the car, I can set the idle to around 2k rpm and it does fine where previously it would sputter at that range. Does this sound like it may be time for a new battery?
Thanks for your help!
Drew
- Ginger - 06-04-2008
Yep, sure does
If the bike will sit for any length of time in the future, you'll also want to invest in a battery tender (you may need a charger for the new battery, anyway)
- bluhayz - 06-04-2008
lol, I now know the true meaning of the phrase money pit :-)
I can't wait to get it set back up again and running.
- Ginger - 06-04-2008
Where are you located? I have a trickle charger that we can charge your battery with if your new one comes empty.
- bluhayz - 06-04-2008
I'm up in NOVA... In the springfield/kingstowne area.
What's the difference between a trickle charger and a regular charger and a battery tender? It's kinda a pain to have to get to the battery. On my bike I have to take off the fairings, then unbolt the seat to get access to the battery heads. I would've thought there'd be an easier way to just lift up the seat but it doesn't look like it.
- CaptainHenreh - 06-04-2008
bluhayz Wrote:On my bike I have to take off the fairings, then unbolt the seat to get access to the battery heads. I would've thought there'd be an easier way to just lift up the seat but it doesn't look like it.
There was a mod someone did to run a "cigarette lighter plug" up from the battery and stored under the seat for easy access to charge the battery. You might want to look into that maybe?