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Mr. Steve may be in Mississippi which is a long way from home when I need his mechanical talents. The weather in Ohio was beautiful this weekend and I wanted to ride my bike. I planned on riding my bike to church Saturday morning and then riding to meet my sister, with her bike, where we would then enjoy the local Fall festivals happening in her home town.
Saturday morning I found the battery to be low so I placed the battery tender on it and continued to church in my car. After church I went to lunch then home to get the bike out and go for a ride on a warm, sunny Fall day. I backed the bike out of the garage, set the choke, press the starter button-nothing! After a few tries, I call Steve in Mississippi and asked for help, I wanted to ride.
He has me set the petcock to prime as the bike has not been ran for a while and try again, nothing! The bike is not even trying to start, no chug, no sputter, nothing. Next I am instructed to go to the tool box and get out one of the older larger flat screwdrivers. He then instructs me to remove the left side cover, locate the starter solenoid and how to short across the two terminals to see if the bike will start. After a few sparks as I make and keep a good contact on the two terminals the bike is trying to start but not catching. It does not take long for the small charge the battery had from the trickle charger to be depleted. Now what?
I know where the regular battery charger is, but not how to connect it to the bike. I really want to ride, so I am ready for the next step to getting this bike to start. Steve instructs me to how to connect the charger on the starter solenoid so I do not have to remove the seat to get to the battery. It works, the charger is working and I go in to get a drink, sit on the patio and chat with my long distance hubby while the battery is charging. After 15 minutes, the battery charger shows the battery is healthier and I am ready to try starting the bike.
The choke is set and I try the starter button, nothing, the button is just not working. I go back to using the screwdriver and the bike cranks, strong but does not start. I am stumped, what is wrong with my bike that always starts easily? I ask my mechanic who is in Mississppi giving me instructions over the phone. What else could it be, why is it not starting? The smart man on the other end of the phone tells me to check my kill switch and guess what, it was in the OFF position!!! All this work for a button I rarely use in the wrong position, great now I can get going. I put the switch in the RUN position, push the button and.......NOTHING!!! The starter button is still not working but the screwdriver does, the bike starts and I am ready to ride.
I pack the screwdriver in the trunk, replace the side cover and go for a great ride. I did have to use the screwdriver everytime I turned off the bike which caused a few looks and comments, but that was OK. I was able to ride with my sister and I had a great day, all thanks to my out-of-town hubby who knows my bike so well that he can give great instructions over the phone.
Of course I would of rather had him here to do the work himself. I am capable of being very mechanical but most of the time I have the option of just supervising Steve when he works. This time I had to get my hands dirty but it was worth it as the day was too good to pass up the chance to ride and spend time with family.
Thanks to my personal mechanic!
.
Saturday morning I found the battery to be low so I placed the battery tender on it and continued to church in my car. After church I went to lunch then home to get the bike out and go for a ride on a warm, sunny Fall day. I backed the bike out of the garage, set the choke, press the starter button-nothing! After a few tries, I call Steve in Mississippi and asked for help, I wanted to ride.
He has me set the petcock to prime as the bike has not been ran for a while and try again, nothing! The bike is not even trying to start, no chug, no sputter, nothing. Next I am instructed to go to the tool box and get out one of the older larger flat screwdrivers. He then instructs me to remove the left side cover, locate the starter solenoid and how to short across the two terminals to see if the bike will start. After a few sparks as I make and keep a good contact on the two terminals the bike is trying to start but not catching. It does not take long for the small charge the battery had from the trickle charger to be depleted. Now what?
I know where the regular battery charger is, but not how to connect it to the bike. I really want to ride, so I am ready for the next step to getting this bike to start. Steve instructs me to how to connect the charger on the starter solenoid so I do not have to remove the seat to get to the battery. It works, the charger is working and I go in to get a drink, sit on the patio and chat with my long distance hubby while the battery is charging. After 15 minutes, the battery charger shows the battery is healthier and I am ready to try starting the bike.
The choke is set and I try the starter button, nothing, the button is just not working. I go back to using the screwdriver and the bike cranks, strong but does not start. I am stumped, what is wrong with my bike that always starts easily? I ask my mechanic who is in Mississppi giving me instructions over the phone. What else could it be, why is it not starting? The smart man on the other end of the phone tells me to check my kill switch and guess what, it was in the OFF position!!! All this work for a button I rarely use in the wrong position, great now I can get going. I put the switch in the RUN position, push the button and.......NOTHING!!! The starter button is still not working but the screwdriver does, the bike starts and I am ready to ride.
I pack the screwdriver in the trunk, replace the side cover and go for a great ride. I did have to use the screwdriver everytime I turned off the bike which caused a few looks and comments, but that was OK. I was able to ride with my sister and I had a great day, all thanks to my out-of-town hubby who knows my bike so well that he can give great instructions over the phone.
Of course I would of rather had him here to do the work himself. I am capable of being very mechanical but most of the time I have the option of just supervising Steve when he works. This time I had to get my hands dirty but it was worth it as the day was too good to pass up the chance to ride and spend time with family.
Thanks to my personal mechanic!
.
Well, shucks, it's nothing that I won't do for other members of the forum, too. 
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