blue ridge parkway ride report (1 of several parts)

[oldrider25]

I've had car batteries, both old and new, suffer catastrophic failure. Both instances were likely caused by opens internal to the battery (cracked plates?). I shut down the vehicle, go to restart, and nothing. I'd hook up the charger and notice the battery would not take a charge. One more reason I wish I could find a kick starter kit for my A10. John

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Andrus Chesley" wrote: > > > Years back on my '92 KLR I was riding a levee down here in S. > Louisiana and stopped to take a break. Bike running fine and had just > went about 125 miles since last gas stop / break. Went to restart > after a break and nothing. Checked Batt connections, solenoid > connections and everything else I could think of. Then got the idea to > short out the batt and see if it had life. Nothing. Not even a spark. > Good thing I was able to push start it and run the next 100 miles back > home. Replaced it with a batt from Wal Mart which stayed in there till > I sold the bike a year later. > > Andy in La. >

[Reverend]

Naw, get a good vibration resistant battery. The Odyssey PC545 mounts sideways (ground terminal down) and all you have to do is lengthen the little 'pigtail' from the ground terminal. I just put one in my bike two weeks ago. They're only $130 locally, so on the web they should be cheaper. (I commute on my bike and needed it ASAP, every day I drive my car to work is another 4 gallons wasted or something like that - the extra $20 for the battery was cheap). //Reverend

> -----Original Message----- > Behalf Of oldrider25 > nothing. I'd hook up the charger and notice the battery would not > take a charge. One more reason I wish I could find a kick starter kit > for my A10.

[Rick Linson]

I have been adding several additions to a new KLR. Had to take the tank off to run electric lines for additional lighting and an electric plug I mound on the hanlde bar bracket. Put everything back together and started the bike. It ran for about 2 minutes and then stopped. I thought I ran out of gas knowing that I had run the tank low, not on reserve yet, but low prior to the electrical additions. I turned the petcock to reserve, still no luck. I have the battery charging now but the damn thing won't start. Any ideas? [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[RobertWichert]

When this happened to me, I had forgotten to reattach the gas and vacuum lines. If you switch them, that's bad. If you exchange the hoses at the back of the tank, it might do something, I don't know. What else did you work on? My suggestion - add a gallon of gas, recheck all the lines, try again. If you aren't sure about where the lines go, make sure or switch them and stand back. Robert Wichert P.Eng. LEED AP BD&C +1 916 966 9060 FAX +1 916 966 9068 ===============================================

On 9/16/2012 2:02 PM, Rick Linson wrote: > > I have been adding several additions to a new KLR. Had to take the > tank off to run electric lines for additional lighting and an electric > plug I mound on the hanlde bar bracket. Put everything back together > and started the bike. It ran for about 2 minutes and then stopped. I > thought I ran out of gas knowing that I had run the tank low, not on > reserve yet, but low prior to the electrical additions. I turned the > petcock to reserve, still no luck. I have the battery charging now > but the damn thing won't start. Any ideas? > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Jeff Saline]

On Sun, 16 Sep 2012 14:02:56 -0700 (PDT) Rick Linson writes:

> I have been adding several additions to a new KLR. Had to take the > tank off to run electric lines for additional lighting and an > electric plug I mound on the hanlde bar bracket. Put everything > back together and started the bike. It ran for about 2 minutes and > then stopped. I thought I ran out of gas knowing that I had run the > tank low, not on reserve yet, but low prior to the electrical > additions. I turned the petcock to reserve, still no luck. I have > the battery charging now but the damn thing won't start. Any > ideas?

<><><><> <><><><> Sounds like the petcock isn't working. Two minutes sounds like about the amount of time it might take to run the carb bowl dry. As Robert suggested, maybe check and see if the vacuum line is on the back of the petcock. The vacuum line comes from the top, front of the carb between the carb and the engine. The fuel line is a different size so hopefully they didn't get mixed up. If they did get mixed up, switch them back. : ) It will probably take about 15-30 seconds of cranking to get fuel back in the carb. My suggestion is to crank for no more than 15 seconds. Then rest the starter for two minutes and then crank again for no more than 15 seconds. The two minute rest allows the starter to cool a little. Best, Jeff Saline ABC # 4412 South Dakota Airmarshal Airheads Beemer Club www.airheads.org The Beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota 75 R90/6, 03 KLR650 . . ____________________________________________________________ Woman is 53 But Looks 25 Mom reveals 1 simple wrinkle trick that has angered doctors... http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3141/5056636bc87a3636b6601st01vuc

[Tam a'Rack]

Is it not turning over, or just not firing up? If it is not turning over, check your clutch lever switch and the kill switch (and related wires and plugs) If it is turning over but not catching fire, first make sure there really is gas in it (or put some in) Check to make sure you have the hoses in the right places, and of course that the petcock is ON (I um, heard that happen before) And check the wires to the ignition module and the coil. Could have bumped one loose and it has now fallen off... If that fails, look again... Tam ________________________________ From: Rick Linson To: "DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com" DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Sunday, September 16, 2012 4:02 PM Subject: [DSN_KLR650] BIKE WON'T START I have been adding several additions to a new KLR. Had to take the tank off to run electric lines for additional lighting and an electric plug I mound on the hanlde bar bracket. Put everything back together and started the bike. It ran for about 2 minutes and then stopped. I thought I ran out of gas knowing that I had run the tank low, not on reserve yet, but low prior to the electrical additions. I turned the petcock to reserve, still no luck. I have the battery charging now but the damn thing won't start. Any ideas? [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Jeff Saline]

On Sun, 16 Sep 2012 16:03:31 -0500 "John Biccum" writes:

> My long-anticipated Blue Ridge trip was off to inauspicious start. >

<><><><><> John, Great ride report. Please keep them coming. You are a very good writer/story teller. Best, Jeff Jeff Saline ABC # 4412 South Dakota Airmarshal Airheads Beemer Club www.airheads.org The Beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota 75 R90/6, 03 KLR650 . . ____________________________________________________________ Woman is 53 But Looks 25 Mom reveals 1 simple wrinkle trick that has angered doctors... http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3141/505673878c8f573876264st03vuc

[Bogdan Swider]

Is it not turning over, or just not firing up? If it is not turning over, check your clutch lever switch and the kill switch (and related wires and plugs) Also the side stand switch.Clutch lever switch or side stand switch failure can happen at any time with absolutely no warning. The bike was loaded for a trip to Mexico and there were some people seeing me off. I said goodbye and tried to start the bike nothing. I correctly guessed side stand and I quickly defeated the side stand switch not an elegant job, wrapped wires together but the fix has lasted many years. The clutch switch failed on the same trip on a 100 degree day in front of a Mexican store. Bogdan, who's switch musing [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]