Motorcycle Starting Problems

• Tweet
• Pin It

Perhaps most motorists have experienced problems in starting their motorcycles. At such times, your initial reaction may be annoyance especially if you are in a hurry to go somewhere. Before you head for motorcycle repairs with your mechanic or call someone to fix the problem for you. If you have some basic knowledge about troubleshooting a motorcycle that would not start, you may be able to solve the the issue on your own.

A motorcycle driver does not necessarily need to know how to troubleshoot, repair a motorcycle and motorcycle parts, but knowing how to can be a big plus factor when driving out on the road. One needs the proper tools such as a volt-ohm meter for checking if there is any drop in the voltage and different hand tools. Motorcycle troubleshooting tools will cost about $50 that may seem a dent in the budget but will be worth it considering you need to take care of the motorcycle. It is also necessary that you have read and understood all that’s written in your service manuals so you know what to do. If possible, read about related literature on common problems with motorcycles to help you deal with should they occur.

There are three main things that make a motorcycle engine start and run. First is it should have a fuel with good quality. Second is the compression and third is the spark that must reach the air and fuel mix in appropriate time. When any of these factors are absent of malfunctions, problems occur.  Some of the common starting problems in motorcycles are:

• when engine slowly turns. This may be caused by a discharged battery, a battery cell that has gone weak, a drop in the voltage of the starting system or a worn starter brush.
• when you hear a click yet the engine would not turn. This may be brought about by the same causes when the engine slowly turns, with the addition of seized engine and hydrostatic lock.
• when not even a click is heard. This problem by various reasons including an absolutely dead battery, blown main fuse, defective clutch, ignition and neutral switch.  The transmission may also not be in neutral position, the solenoid wire or battery cable is disconnected, the handlebar switch is defective, there are wires that are broken or the ignition switch may be off.
• when the engine turns over normally but still would not start. This may be caused by an engaged kill switch, the engine is flooded, there is no more fuel or there is no spark at all.