My Motorcycle Won't Start!

Headed out for a Spring ride and your motorcycle wont start? Here's a checklist for you.

• Check for proper starter operation. With the key "on" and the starter button pressed, does the starter operate normally? A slow turning starter or one that does not turn at all signals a weak battery. Connect your motorcycle to a battery tender until the battery is fully charged and then try again.
• Check the fuel. Is there gas in the tank? How old is the gas? Was your motorcycle stored where water could get into the fuel tank? Old, bad gas smells really bad and won't burn properly. To check for water, drain some fuel from the tank into a clear container. Water and gas don't mix and water is heavier than gas. If there is water in your gas, you will easily see it in the bottom of your clear container.
• If your motorcycle still won't start, make sure you haven't forgotten the safety lock-outs. These are in place to prevent you from starting your motorcycle in gear and on some models even when the side stand is down.

If you still have no luck, consult your motorcycle repair manual for ignition and fuel system troubleshooting.

Charging a Motorcycle Battery.

Before charging the motorcycle battery, check the electrolyte level. If low, top off each battery cell with distilled water. Always wear safety glasses and keep baking soda and water close for neutralizing spills. Leave each cell cap loose for extra ventilation while charging

When charging your motorcycle battery, avoid creating sparks. Hydrogen gas is explosive and present when charging a battery. To prevent sparks, turn off your motorcycle battery charger when connecting it to your battery.

First, connect the red lead of your battery charger to the positive battery terminal. Connect the black lead to the negative battery terminal.

Select the proper battery voltage setting on your battery charger: 6v or 12v. Turn your battery charger on. To select the proper battery charging rate, determine the ampere-hour rating of your battery. Battery charge rate should not exceed one tenth of the battery ampere-hour rating.

i.e. : 16 amp-hr battery=1.6 amps charge rate.

When charging is complete, turn off battery charger. Remove the black lead from the negative battery terminal first. Remove the red lead form the positive battery terminal second.

Seasonal motorcycle storage

The majority of us live in a part of the country where motorcycling is affected by the seasons, and every year, when it gets colder and wetter, most motorcycles become full time residents of the garage or bike cover.

There is nothing wrong with storing your motorcycle, but before you do, take time to consider a few steps to insure that everything is ready when you are are.

• Motorcycle batteries will discharge over time. Keeping your motorcycle on a battery tender while in storage is essential to keeping your motorcycle ready to ride. It will also save you the expense and hassle of buying a new battery each Spring.

• Gasoline has a tendency to become 'stale'. Any time a motorcycle is stored for a period of time this should be considered. There are 'fuel stabilizers' available that you can add directly to the fuel in the tank to keep it fresh and ready to go.

• Tires will gradually loose air over time. You know you have a strong battery and a good tank of gas, but before you jump on for a ride, be sure that you check and adjust your tire pressures as needed!

• Remember, tires shouldn't be the only out-of-storage safety check you should perform. As always, before any ride, check your oil level as well as all lights and safety equipment.