Starting Problems. :(

[bullet5]

Hello there I've come in search of wisdom once again. My friends Motorbike, (Derbi GPR 50, 2010 plate) hasn't been starting easily recently. The problem started about 2 months ago, the bike was needing more and more electric starter to fire up (had to hold button in for longer before it caught and started). This wasnt too major issue untill about a month ago, when the bike was requiring so much starter button, that the battery went flat while he was at college and he had to put it in his parents car to get it and himself home. (yes its a big car ). Once I found out about the battery being flattened, i lent him a 12volt battery charger to throw on every night, so it at least had enough battery life to start up in the morning and once again at college to get home with.

However now the problems grown. The bike very rarely starts at all now on the motor, instead i've had to teach him how to push start it. (bike dosn't have a kick start) but it's a expensive bike, and the only way for him to get to college as lives too far away to walk and the car's never availiable. So he's rather nervous about running along side the bike, jumping abored and trying to get it going that way, so instead need's myself there to help push and gain momentum. (i dont blame him really).

Anyway after that short essay, the question is, what's gone wrong? and how can it be fixed? Many thanks.

[Fozzie]

Just sounds like cold has weakened the battery, the motor is therefore not running as well and draining it far faster

Simple test, wack it in a warm garage, let the bike warm up to about 15 degrees in the garage. Charge the battery and then try to start it. If in the warm environment it starts and runs well then we know

If not wack an iridium spark plug on it, makes 2-strokes start waayyyyy easier

[bullet5]

Alright then, i'll suggest that to him, but heating the bike to 15 degrees in a garage his size isn't going to be cheap easy :/ I was just wondering, as my trials bike has exactly the same engine (i believe) yet starts 1st press of the button, or kick of the pedal now even after its been left in heavy snow for 6 hours with temps below -6 - think the rider was more reluctant to start - Once his batterys charged it throws the motor over at its correct speed it just dosn't fire and go

[CamChain]

First check as previous poster says, spark plug. Whip it out, post a pic of the condition of it. If it is obviously fouled, replace or clean. Start with the easiest and most common first. Has it been serviced since purchased, and how many miles since owned. If it's been used just to and from college only plus short trips the plug will probably just need cleaning. Take out the filter and give it a wash/blow out. Sounds like it needs a minor service, that's all. A few quid and you're done....

[Danny-B-]

If the bike battery is that crap its not getting a decent enough spark whilst turning the engine over, its time to buy a new battery. Similar happend with my CBR and a new battery solved it.

[Ingah]

Battery.

Spark plug.

Spark plug is probably the easiest check if it's nice and accessible.

[cypek]

If its Derbi and just a year old, isn't it still under warranty?

[bullet5]

Yes the bike is still under warrenty. In the end I whipped out the plug, but that was fine, maybe a smudge on the dirty side, so i cleaned that, then tryed again but still nothing, it turned out that the air filter has a inlet from the exhaust so that some of the waste gasses can be reburnt, making the bike more 'enviromentaly friendly' but the thick engine oil had clogged it up. After cleaning that out, the bike started up 1st time, (with the filter out) and reved cleanly through the rev range. So replaced filter, and bike is now running fine. I'll take the filter out again in about another 50odd miles just to make sure its not starting to clog up again. The reason it clogged in the 1st place I believe, is the fact that the dealers replaced the normal engine oil with thicker stuff, as this is ment to be more preferable during running in. -- Any way, all is well now. Thankyou, and sorry for my slow reply time.

Edited December 20, 2010 by bullet5

[Stu]

have a good look at the gas recirculation system and see if you can blank it off problem solved and you will have a better running bike

[Stu]

have a good look at the gas recirculation system and see if you can blank it off problem solved and you will have a better running bike

 

hmmm actually forget that for now

are you sure its gas recirculation ?? you shouldnt have oil in it it should be soot! oil comes out the crank case breather not the exhaust

[bullet5]

I know, but the bike spits oil :/ The exhaust which is just underneath the seat, (and exits above the rear light) used to pour oil out of it, after this filter cleaning, its not spitting as much, but there is still some oil (or black liquid) coming out of it.