Bike Doesn't start.

[ScottRNelson]

After cranking 3x for 5-seconds, if it doesn't start, STOP!

Some carbureted bikes need more than that.

My 1997 Ducati M900 Monster, if it had sat for a few weeks, sometimes needed six or eight 5-second hits on the starter before it would finally run if I tried starting it when it was still the cold time of day. But my XR650L generally starts within three. The fuel injected bikes just start regardless of temperature or time sitting.

 

[skaveri]

I'm still at the crossroads. I'm switching gears from Spark plugs to fuses since I did that jump start(with car engine running). Here is the picture(attached) of my fuse box. I guess I need to test "E : Ignitions1 & Starter". But how do I test the fuse. Need to see some youtube videos. Please keep pouring your thoughts, I desperately need them until I fix this bike.

 

[Busy Little Shop]

How to properly jump your small MC battery with an larger Car battery...

youtu.be/idFOwb_3iBY

 

[DannoXYZ]

I'm still at the crossroads. I'm switching gears from Spark plugs to fuses since I did that jump start(with car engine running). Here is the picture(attached) of my fuse box. I guess I need to test "E : Ignitions1 & Starter". But how do I test the fuse. Need to see some youtube videos. Please keep pouring your thoughts, I desperately need them until I fix this bike.

There's only one way to determine if fuse is OK or not. If I had nickel for every time I heard, "fuse looks OK", but actually doesn't conduct any electricity. I actually had to fire a mechanic over that... because he didn't have Superman X-ray vision to see electrons flowing...

1. Pull all fuses
2. toss in bag/box and shake around gently
3. pull one out at time and measure resistance across legs
4. If zero ohms, re-install in fuse-box
5. If infinite ohms/open-circuit, toss fuse

Don't even look at fuse, just measure it.

 

[ScottRNelson]

But how do I test the fuse.

Anything that tests continuity is enough to verify that a fuse is still good. You can get a cheap voltmeter from Harbor Freight that will do the job. Go there at the right time and they're free.

https://www.harborfreight.com/7-fun...C7Ae2k7neaEPKSxAGCfLqCxreHqndQLYaAh_zEALw_wcB

 

[skaveri]

Thank you, Dannon and Scott. I already have a multimeter and will start testing fuses according to what Dannon suggested. Let's see where we go with this.

 

[buellistic]

You dont have too pull the fuses to test.
That's what the tiny metal tabs are for on top.

 

[skaveri]

Fuses Tested and Okay.

Hi Dannon & Scott, I took off all fuses and tested them All of them showed zero ohms and they are okay. Moving on to relays and I took all three of them. Any ideas how to test these relay switches (using multimeter ??). Attached here are the pictures of fuses(which are okay) and relays(yet to test and need any help.

Thanks,
-Srini.

 

[scootergmc]

Do you have fuel?

 

[DannoXYZ]

You dont have too pull the fuses to test.
That's what the tiny metal tabs are for on top.

That may work most of time. But if circuit connecting to fuse-legs is continuous (key ON). It would register low-ohms on fuse, even though fuse, is broken. The electrons would just flow through wires, headlight-bulb, to chassis ground and back up other side of fuse. Would also light up LED test-light as well. It prefer 100% solution that can't be bypassed ever. When you've got fuse by itself on desk, very little chance anything is gonna interfere with resistance reading.

Also reason I have them shake fuse around and randomise is people have testing-bias. If they know where fuse came from, they can subconciously alter their testing-methodology because they can't believe fuse is either good or bad because it "looked OK".

 

[DannoXYZ]

Hi Dannon & Scott, I took off all fuses and tested them All of them showed zero ohms and they are okay. Moving on to relays and I took all three of them. Any ideas how to test these relay switches (using multimeter ??). Attached here are the pictures of fuses(which are okay) and relays(yet to test and need any help.

Thanks,
-Srini.

Connect power+ground to relay-terminals 30 & 86. Then measure for voltage out terminal 87. Easier to trace flow-path through wiring and measure for voltage at various junctions. For example, if you have power downstream of relay with key ON, you can assume that upstream relay is OK.

At some point, you may have no-voltage in flow-path. Then problem is previous junction/wire upstream.

Also measure resistance between each ground-point and chassis ground. This is difficult one because corrosion between terminals may yield varying resistance and in process of testing, you wiggle it and end up measuring good continuity. But it may fail again in couple days.

That's why I like to go through harness to clean up all bare-brass terminals or just replace them with tinned/zinc-plated ones before they fail. Usually at worse time; in total darkness on side of road in pouring rain!!!

 

[dravnx]

Auto's charging system typically puts out 14.5-15.5v. When you connect that to bike, RR will try to regulate car's output as well. It'll dump all 65-75amps car's alternator is capable of generating to ground on bike. Will end up frying RR and even some wiring.

When jumping bike from car, you're just borrowing car's battery. So safest scenario is to remove battery from auto and place it on ground next to bike. Then connect jumper cables and start bike.

Bike starter only draws 40-60amps, so no worries about draining auto battery. You also don't need all that capacity anyway. After cranking 3x for 5-seconds, if it doesn't start, STOP! Something's broken like wiring, sensors, coils, injectors, ECU, etc. Cranking more isn't gonna fix it. Pull out manual and go through process of measuring and testing.

Every auto alternator I've ever seen outputs 13.8-14.5 VDC.
A motorcycle shunt type RR shunts the stator output, typically 60 VAC, to ground to control output voltage. A series type RR turns off each leg of the stator to control the voltage. The RR will not try to control the voltage of the donor source. It can't. It doesn't work that way.

 

[DannoXYZ]

Every auto alternator I've ever seen outputs 13.8-14.5 VDC.
A motorcycle shunt type RR shunts the stator output, typically 60 VAC, to ground to control output voltage. A series type RR turns off each leg of the stator to control the voltage. The RR will not try to control the voltage of the donor source. It can't. It doesn't work that way.

yeah, I should stop regurgitating Internet rumours without thinking. Both sets of terminals at batteries are at output stages of regulators. So nothing is going back up.

 

[Darkness!]

Skaveri, did you ever figure out why your bike isn't starting? Check your 30 amp main fuse on the starter relay. You may have royally fried part or all of your charging system by starting it from a running car.

Automotive alternators have to run a helluva lot more loads like fans and heating and air conditioning condensers and way more lights and relays and safety systems. They have to have enough capacity to run fog lights and sunroofs and audio systems and what not.

They generally put out way more amperage than a motorcycle Regulator/Recitifier can handle all at once.

 

[duczilla]

The electrics on those old Mille's are very robust. Question, did he ever say he had the spark plugs grounded to see if he had spark? My vote is that he has spark and that the supply hose from the fuelpump to the filter rotted/blew off. Way more common scenario than the no spark situation.

 

[duczilla]

The electrics on those old Mille's are very robust. Question, did he ever say he had the spark plugs grounded to see if he had spark? My vote is that he has spark and that the supply hose from the fuelpump to the filter rotted/blew off. Way more common scenario than the no spark situation. Open the fuel cap , shine a light into the tank, turn on the key and if you see waves while the pump cycles, Bob's your Unkle.

 

[scootergmc]

That was my thought as well.

 

[skaveri]

Hi All, I checked all relays and fuses and they are all looking okay and working. Now, I'm back to where I started. Can anyone please recommend someone who can fix bikes at my place ?. Your help will be greatly appreciated in this regard.

Thanks,
-Srini.

 

[ScottRNelson]

Hi All, I checked all relays and fuses and they are all looking okay and working. Now, I'm back to where I started. Can anyone please recommend someone who can fix bikes at my place ?. Your help will be greatly appreciated in this regard.

The local Aprilia dealer, California Speed Sports, has supposedly moved into the Arlen Ness building there in Dublin. Would that work?

 

[skaveri]

The local Aprilia dealer, California Speed Sports, has supposedly moved into the Arlen Ness building there in Dublin. Would that work?

Thanks, Scott. I know Arlen Ness building. I'll give a call and check with them. Really appreciate it.

Thanks,
-Srini.