YBR Cafe Racer Project - now won't start!

[saltylimey]

Hello Everyone,

I had a perfectly good 2010 Yamaha YBR which I was learning on and thought it was a great idea to dismantle somewhat and turn into a cafe racer (yes I know it's just a YBR!).

After much grinding, welding, spraying etc. it's now being cobbled back together. However, a preliminary check to see if it will fire up has proven disappointing! Goodness knows what I've done but here's a bit more detail for anyone interested:

I had a problem wiring up some custom gauges - wasn't the same layout as the stock ones and no wiring diagram with the new ones. So far I only have indicators and backlights on the dials working.

When I turn the key, lights fire up, dials light up and I can hear the fuel pump whirring. Press the "go" button - nothing. No clicks, not a sausage. More worryingly, I've tried kickstarting it and that has failed - just a sort of "glug" sound from the, erm, glugger?

I suppose any number of things may have gone wrong at my hands but does anyone have any thoughts where to try first? I thought it was just electrical but if I can't even kickstart it, is this a bit more serious?

Thank you,

Christian

[rennie]

killswitch?

side stand switch?

clutch switch?

[saltylimey]

killswitch?

side stand switch?

clutch switch?

Hi Ian,

Thanks for the reply. I have no idea about any of those switches and how they work so I will look into each of them and report back. Would these also stop me from kickstarting it?

[rennie]

yes!

I don't know which if any yours has though!

[saltylimey]

yes!

I don't know which if any yours has though!

 

definitely has a sidestand switch and neutral switch

[rennie]

ok if it has a kill switch it will be red and probably on right hand handle bar

do you have to pull clutch in to start it normally?

Some bikes won't start with side stand down

all these are switches which may be wired wrong or not working

[saltylimey]

ok if it has a kill switch it will be red and probably on right hand handle bar

do you have to pull clutch in to start it normally?

Some bikes won't start with side stand down

all these are switches which may be wired wrong or not working

 

No kill switch. But I'll check the stand thing. You don't have to pull the clutch in to start. Thanks!

[rennie]

I'm thinking out loud here!

you've changed the gauges, does it need to see the neutral light to start?

[saltylimey]

I'm thinking out loud here!

you've changed the gauges, does it need to see the neutral light to start?

 

Beginning to get a nasty feeling it does as the neutral light isn't working. I'll give this closer scrutiny tomorrow!

[iangaryprice]

Have you checked for a spark, remove the plug, push it into the plug cap rest he metal part against he cylinder head, then kickstart.

Watch for a spark. Make sure ignition turned on.

If no spark its electrical.

If you got a spark, make sure fuel is on, choke on and try again.

This cold weather doesn't help getting them started.

My daughter is picking her YBR125 up tomorrow, I have just been put to make sure it will run.

Took a long time to get it started, had to use kickstart.

Even when it started it kept stalling, had to let it tickover for several minutes beofre it would rev.

Seems OK now,

[saltylimey]

Have you checked for a spark, remove the plug, push it into the plug cap rest he metal part against he cylinder head, then kickstart.

Watch for a spark. Make sure ignition turned on.

If no spark its electrical.

If you got a spark, make sure fuel is on, choke on and try again.

This cold weather doesn't help getting them started.

My daughter is picking her YBR125 up tomorrow, I have just been put to make sure it will run.

Took a long time to get it started, had to use kickstart.

Even when it started it kept stalling, had to let it tickover for several minutes beofre it would rev.

Seems OK now,

 

I'll do this now and report back. Glad your daughter's bike is running - it's a great little bike and I feel really bad that I deconstructed it only for it to not work!

[saltylimey]

Checked the spark plug - there are sparks when I kickstart it. Next port of call anyone? I put fuel in but I'll stick some more in just in case.

[Stu]

Checked the spark plug - there are sparks when I kickstart it. Next port of call anyone? I put fuel in but I'll stick some more in just in case.

 

If you are getting spark then you need to check if fuel is actually getting through

If the bike is carbed make sure fuel is getting in to the carb

[saltylimey]

Checked the spark plug - there are sparks when I kickstart it. Next port of call anyone? I put fuel in but I'll stick some more in just in case.

 

If you are getting spark then you need to check if fuel is actually getting through

If the bike is carbed make sure fuel is getting in to the carb

 

I kick started her for about 10 minutes and eventually she turned over! Sounded a bit ropey at first once fired up but seems to have smoother out now. Thank you for your advice everyone. Once I have finished her, I can post some pics if anyone's interested. Quite fun seeing what you can turn a humble 125 into!

[Reiver]

Checked the spark plug - there are sparks when I kickstart it. Next port of call anyone? I put fuel in but I'll stick some more in just in case.

 

If you are getting spark then you need to check if fuel is actually getting through

If the bike is carbed make sure fuel is getting in to the carb

 

I kick started her for about 10 minutes and eventually she turned over! Sounded a bit ropey at first once fired up but seems to have smoother out now. Thank you for your advice everyone. Once I have finished her, I can post some pics if anyone's interested. Quite fun seeing what you can turn a humble 125 into!

 

I'd love to see pictures of it as you progress doing it up. I have YBR as I am still on L plates but once I have got my full licence I still plan to keep the YBR for a cheap commuter.

[Westbeef]

Yes progress pics are always good . Would be nice to see it coming together/coming apart