Motorcycles

got it dragged inside (although I broke one of the cheapo mirrors that was on it...even though I took the bars off)

Everyone online says this bike (79 kawasaki kz400) has trouble starting when it is cold...and I just couldn't get it started after I cleaned the carbs (although the first time I cleaned the carbs I also had a lot of trouble getting it started--started up fine after that first time).

I drained the float bowls and let them fill back up with stabilized fuel but I realize that anything up in the jets might still be bad. Maybe sitting inside will warm it up enough to help (and be warm enough that I can put a couple 100W light bulbs on it to get it warm)...I'll try to start it again before unhooking the battery although won't be able to run it for more than a few seconds since it is in a poorly ventilated basement room.

Hope my landlord doesn't mind/notice

Wait wait wait wait wait

Don't start it up indoors. Even if the monoxide doesn't get you, with that choke on full, your house will smell like the inside-of-a-gas-can mixed with outboard-motor-exhaust forever. And letting it run a few seconds won't do the trick, anyway. Warm it up, move it outside, get it running for ten minutes or so at least. An engine will run a surprisingly long time just sipping the gas from the carb bowls.

I have a KZ550 that is also known for being cold-blooded, but that doesn't mean it won't start in the cold. It means it takes it a while to warm up. If it won't start, you have other problems. Easy things first. You might just be flooded. Take the plugs out and clean them off. Ether works good for this. Put 'em back in, give it full choke, and it should start up, even if it's 0 outside. If it doesn't, you probably have worse carb problems, which means stabilizing the fuel is the least of your worries. Check it for spark, try to get a feel for if it's making compression by cranking it over by hand somehow.

It sounds like it is completely dead. Even a really screwed up engine will sputter and try to catch, usually. Unless you have no spark.

Oh, and make sure your battery is fully charged. It seems like sometimes the battery will crank the engine over OK, but if it's low on juice, it doesn't seem to want to make decent spark at the same time.

Take your time and try to figure out what is going on. It's not rocket science. Just process of elimination.

I'm no expert, but I've fiddled with a lot of sick engines over the years. Let me know if I can try to help further.

David

Any RD enthusiasts here?



hayzum said:

Any RD enthusiasts here?

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I just saw this



hayzum said:

Any RD enthusiasts here?

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I used to have an RD350 in high school; I wish I still had it.

Here's my 04 Multistrada that I'm really starting to love...

Man, I need to buy a bike - never should have sold my MTS1200.

So is anyone with cash going to buy a new Panigale? It may not be as good looking at the 1198, but it definitely still looks pretty hot.

With weather in the upper 50s today, took my Sportie out for a 45 minute ride. NIce gift, had expected the season to be over..



gnatty8 said:

With weather in the upper 50s today, took my Sportie out for a 45 minute ride. NIce gift, had expected the season to be over..

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Bastard!

Actually, our November/December has been surprisingly warm -- guess I stored the bike too early ...

hayzum said:

Any RD enthusiasts here?

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RD fan right here. I'm done with all the mechanics on a '78 RD400. It looks ok but I need some $ to make the aesthetic mods I want. Replaced basically every bolt on it. Runs great. Right now, rebuilt motor, drag bars, gold DG heads, Bassanni chambers, old school rearsets, braided brake lines, etc. I'd like a Laguna seat, alum swingarm and some new paint. I'll dig around for some pics.



konadog said:

Here's my 04 Multistrada that I'm really starting to love...

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Nice bike Konadog, I like the color. What displacement engine does it have? Have you taken it on any sweet jumps?



Salad said:

RD fan right here. I'm done with all the mechanics on a '78 RD400. It looks ok but I need some $ to make the aesthetic mods I want. Replaced basically every bolt on it. Runs great. Right now, rebuilt motor, drag bars, gold DG heads, Bassanni chambers, old school rearsets, braided brake lines, etc. I'd like a Laguna seat, alum swingarm and some new paint. I'll dig around for some pics.

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Ok, here's a bad pic from my phone:
The funny thing is that I just got back from dinner w/ my bro and he gave me a "voucher" for the Laguna seat I've been wanting! How cool is that? Anyway, aesthetic work needs to be done but I need a spare tank and side cover and oil tank because I don't want to paint over my originals which are in decent shape.



Took this pic on Grizzly Peak in Berkeley, CA.



eg1 said:

Bastard!
Actually, our November/December has been surprisingly warm -- guess I stored the bike too early ...

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Now that's why storage sucks.. haha.. not to rub it in, but here's my Christmas eve fit:

Nice bike Konadog, I like the color. What displacement engine does it have? Have you taken it on any sweet jumps?[/quote]

It's a 1000. I have not taken it on any sweet jumps yet. Took it on PCH to Malibu yesterday, sure beats the Chicago weather I grew up with.



gnatty8 said:

Now that's why storage sucks.. haha.. not to rub it in, but here's my Christmas eve fit:

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Truth. No choice at my end, what with no garage.