[lumace]

Hi and thanks for reading

4th time out on the bike after buying it second hand. After a stretch of driving 50-70mph for 20 mins it slowly died... As I slowed down so did the revs, no matter how much throttle I used no juice was getting to the engine. The problem isn't electrical, it just wasn't turning over. After several attempts (I only have an electric start). With a few minutes in between each attempt, each try sounded closer to getting it going. Until eventually it ran again and from then on I kept it under 50mph and got home ok.

Any idea what this could be down to?

Much appreciated

 

[HarleyJay]

Okay this is a classic bike yes?, you might need to check the carbs if your convinced its not an electrical problem, check the jets and the diaphragms. Check the whole lot.

I am going to assume that the bike has also spent a lot of time sat in a garage?, and taken for little rides?.

To be fair there is a hell of a lot of things that could cause this problem.

 

[Ray'ssporty1200]

HarleyJay's got a good point, with electronic ignition, a sensor could get heat sensitive an **** out,
not that I had the issue but I read the shop manual for my Harley's and it does say to spray liquid
refrigerant on module to see if bike starts again. This seems to be your issue, ride twenty minutes
an bike dies then starts after cooling.

You say the problem isn't electrical, just wasn't turning over, do you mean the starter?

You could be wrong about this, when it started the first time, b4 you rode it, how did it start? did the
starter seem sluggish or did itas I call it, 'Whip right over?" When it stalled out on you and you thumbed
the starter, how did it sound?

How old is the battery? Might just be you have a few issues but nothing real serious. I'd get a battery tender
and hook it up, then have it load tested. Did the PO tell you it was a fairly new battery? frankly without sales
slips for anything, it is all, to me anyways, 'Heresay'

It is usually a safe bet that even though she runs, the girl is gonna need a few things when you buy 2nd hand
and that includes from a dealer.Believe me I know. Harley makes a damn good bike but if they take a trade-in
they won't put anything into the bike if it starts. I bought the Sporty from New Port Richey H-D, in Florida. They
never even checked the battery, or if they did, said screw it, it starts, half the cells were half empty of electrolyte,
other three cells had about a third, how it even started, divine intervention? I did say, "God please let her start."

You say ,"no juice was getting to the engine." What exactly do you mean by that? I do call gasoline go-juice at
times or do you mean 'SPARK' which just happens to use electricity.

You might want to check your fuel filter and if you have a petcock under the tank, put it on reserve and see if it runs.
I and others have bought used bikes only to find out the at RESERVE setting does NOT work. When I put in a new
valve, I saw the old one really gunked up.

I just did a quick check on a Suzuki GS850 pretty much a damn good bike almost bullet-proof but heard charging
system could be trouble, either the R/R or stator, so yeah charge battery and have load tested and with a
good battery measure volts across it when bike is not running, THEN running to see how much volts charge system is
putting out.

 

[Critter]

Next time this happens open the gas cap, and see if it will start. You may have a clogged vent.