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The bike stopped. Now what?by Bill Andrews
Then all of the sudden, it's not. Maybe it popped or sputtered once, but the bottom line is: you're coasting to the side of the road. "What'll I do now," you think. Luckily that's where this story comes in. Here's a brief look at what you need to know. First and foremost, make sure you are safely off the side of the road. Hanging out on the pavement is usually a recipe for disaster. Then, it's time to take stock. "The real problem," says Rob King, national technical manager for AMA Pro Racing, "is the fact that most modern motorcycles are just so reliable. If something happens, you're more than likely not going to be able to do much, other than call someone on your cell phone." Still, there are a few things worth checking. Who knows? One of them might get you back on the road. Your motorcycle engine needs three basic things to run; fuel, electricity and air. Consider looking at each of these components individually to see if there is anything simple to fix. Fuel If your bike has a petcock, make sure it's switched to reserve. Folks have been known to accidentally switch the fuel supply off while trying to find reserve on the petcock, or even simply forgot they had that option.
If your motorcycle is equipped with an electronic fuel pump, or a vacuum type petcock, this trick unfortunately won't work for you.
There are instances where fuel can get trapped in the line by an air bubble, and it's usually caused by heat. Here's an instance where doing nothing is the solution. Wait a few minutes for the bike to cool down, and you should be able to fire up. You might also try opening your gas cap and closing it again, allowing fuel to flow through the lines. Electrical "First, look in the fuse box," King says, "and see if it's on fire." The fuse box is the electrical junction point for your entire motorcycle. If it is on fire, or melted, that's a disaster and you're on the cell phone. Of course, the likelihood of the fuse box literally being on fire is low, so check the fuses to see if any are blown or have come loose. "I've had a fuse blow and there was nothing wrong," King says. "Sometimes, the fuse just goes bad.
Remember that blown fuses can knock out all kinds of electronic components, not just ignition. Recently, for example, AMA staffer Lance Oliver had his electronic fuel pump stop working due to a blown fuse on his Triumph Speed Triple. "I knew the fuel pump was suspect," says Oliver, "because it didn't make that familiar whine when I turned the key on." After checking the fuse, Oliver borrowed a relay from his radiator fan. "You can do that in a pinch to get where you're going," says Oliver, "provided you're not at risk of overheating." (If you follow this advice, be extra careful to watch your engine temperature, or you could be in even greater trouble.) Also remember that following the recommended maintenance schedule for your motorcycle can help prevent one of the most common causes of electrical failure - a tired or neglected battery. Make sure your battery has the proper amount of electrolyte before heading out. There's a simple check for batteries. Does the engine crank when you hit the starter? "If the starter engages and turns the engine over," King says, "it's probably not the battery."
"I once stopped to help a guy whose ground wire came loose," King says. "It just snapped in half, so we used a piece of coat hanger to get him going again." If your battery is behaving properly, you could look to see if you're getting a spark. To do that, you'll need to know where your spark plugs are, and you'll need to have a tool to get one out. Most motorcycles come with a small tool kit that'll include a spark plug wrench.
Air This really isn't a situation, though, that is likely to occur all of the sudden, and can be readily avoided by following your bike's maintenance schedule. King says regular maintenance is the real key to avoiding unexpected stoppage of any kind. If you're noticing a recurring theme, here, it's regular maintenance. Nearly all of these problems can be avoided with regular check-ups. If nothing else works, your best alternative is the AMA's emergency towing service, MoTow. For just $25 a year, MoTow covers all your motorcycles, even if they're of the vintage variety. Interested? Click here. © 2002, American Motorcyclist Association |
If
you know you have fuel, but it's simply not getting to the engine, check
for a blocked line. Now this can get complicated, but if you're running a
gravity fed system, it may be as simple as removing whatever the
obstruction is. King says more than likely it's a blocked fuel filter.
