Motorcycle Repair: Honda wont start after storage, honda vtx 1300c, starter fluid

Question
QUESTION: I have a 06 Honda VTX 1300c and I can't get it to start after a long Minnesota winter. I put oil in the cylinders and I treated the gas before I stored it. Thanks for your help.

ANSWER: It's very hard to diagnose problems over the internet without having all the info, but...

Does the motor crank over but not fire up? You may have put too much oil in the cylinders and the spark plugs need cleaning.

Does the motor crank over very slowly or not at all? The battery needs to be charged.

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QUESTION: Hi Mike, My motor does crank over fast but it won't fire unless I put starter fluid in the air cleaner. It will only run a couple of seconds and then die. I also cleaned all of the spark plugs and I did see a little gas on them. Thank you.

Answer
If it fires up with the starter fluid, than that means the ignition system is working. You have a problem with the fuel system and I would suspect the fuel itself. Sometimes even the use of fuel stabiliser won't prevent moisture from getting into the gas, especially if the bike is stored in an unheated garage. Because water is heavier than gasoline it will collect at the lowest point in the fuel system - the bottom of the gas tank and the float bowls in the carb. Try draining the tank and the carb, fill it with fresh fuel and see if that gets your motor running.