Colin the Bear

Make sure the throttle is returning. Something may be snagging. Try pushing it back by hand at the carb end. Cable or twist grip may need lubrication or cable internal may be damaged. Nearly there

I refer the honorable gentleman to the answer I gave previously

Bike on centre stand. Engine stopped. Adjust lever so that you have a little free play at the lever before it starts pulling the clutch mechanism. Engine still stopped. Select 1st. Try to spin the back wheel by hand. It should just rock back and forth on the backlash. (the play in the drive). Engine still stopped. Pull in the lever and spin the wheel by hand. Should be free. If all is ok , Start the engine, select first and feel for the bite point. Fine adjust to suit your preference.

If the battery is dead then you need a new battery. Simple as that. No way round it. All symptoms described will be caused by a duff battery. Electricals are useless without electricity. Replace the battery, with a new one.

My suggestion would be................. Stop watching makeover programmes on daytime TV.

It sounds like the regulator has gone and boiled the battery dry. I'd replace replace both with new. I wouldn't trust 2H electricals. Be a shame to cook another battery .

Not the exhaust baffle is it?

And somebody might nick the bike

So "a bit" would be 15 mins then

Get yourself a manual

So what have you checked? You've not hit the kill switch have you. Petrol on and present

It just charges the battery and keeps it charged.

Start it up and let it run for a bit each week. It'll top the battery and dry the exhaust.

New plugs is always a good start for winter. Usual routine then. Check condition of old plugs for diagnosis. Check for fuel and spark. Perhaps a different starting routine. It's very easy to flood the engine on a cold morning. The fuel air mix condenses in the combustion chamber and on the plug and wets it. At lower temperatures it's difficult to dry this out. Using no choke and no throttle, spin the engine with the button for 2 to 3 seconds. If it fires , catch it with the throttle but it probably won't at this stage. This has the advantage of freeing things up and throwing some oil round the engine. Move the choke about a third of the way and repeat. Still no throttle. If it fires catch it with the throttle. If not. Move the choke half way and repeat. If its not trying or firing up increase the choke in small increments and repeat. Even a new battery won't be giving its best at low temperatures. So the best spark comes as you let go of the start button. This split second as the engine is spinning under its own momentum and the battery is giving its full effort to the spark is when the engine is most likely to start. Therefore it's best to use the button in short bursts rather than hanging on and hoping. If you smell petrol, it's flooded. Go and put the kettle on. The only way to start it quickly is to remove the plugs, clean them and warm them on the gas cooker. Otherwise give it half an hour before you try again. It's a bit of a knack but you soon get used to the personality of the bike once you have some success.

Could be your problem right there. Don't use full revs on a cold and frosty morning. The water is in the air. The faster you rev the engine the faster the air flows through the intake, cooling the intake, to the point where ice starts to build up and chokes off the air. Take it easy and let the heat build up from the engine. Make sure you thoroughly warm up the bike before setting off. As the temperature drops below freezing, the water will have been freeze dried out of the air. Dry air = no ice

The first part of the choke opens the throttle to increase revs. After that it chokes off the air. If your choke is a lever on the carb there will be no cable. A pull on the bars will be connected by cable to the carb. Check the throttle is returning and the choke isn't sticking. If that checks out, warm the bike up and adjust the revs with the throttle stop screw.

So a chinese pushrod engine that rattles. ? Bit like a cryptic crossword clue really. No make, no model. Bent push rod. Worn push rod guide/bushing. Could be the clutch basket. Con rod bearings big or little end. Might even be piston slap. Could be an engine mounting come loose or broken away from the frame or in fact anything come unfastened. Chinese are famous for bits dropping off for one reason or another.

Lack of maintenance. You're lucky it only came off.

Cam chain / tensioner?

Because led indicators have a different resistance to standard bulb indicators they flash at too fast a rate. This problem used to be solved by fitting an in series resistor. Nowadays they recommend fitting a different flasher relay. The relay is a direct swap and is bike specific. So you need the right one. It should be an easy swap over. Explained and examples here. http://www.toolparts.co.uk/acatalog/LED_Indicators.html

Was that you? I thought it was the four minute warning. I'll come out of the bunker now then

A mechanic Dad with tools. Sorted. So why you asking here?

Not extracting the urine (this time). A meter is a very handy tool and very simple to use , if the principles are explained.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=37279 http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=787

Single cylinder 125 like the CG is a very straight forward machine with spares readily available. An old one will have had lots of different learner owners , so may have surprises in store apart from the usual wear and tear. You'll need tools and a place to work on it. So budget accordingly. Being skint and ambitious is a good teacher.