QuestionI just bought this bike, I did hear it run before I bought it, but it staled out. it was sitting so we drained out the gas and put in new, the battery is run down, so you can't use the electric starter and when you try to Use the kick start it dosn't feal like its even catching It goes down real even and you can't feal any compression But when you jump it you can feel the compression.
Any suggestions? Thanks Art in NJ
AnswerArt, I would charge the battery completely or replace it as it is a battery operated ignition system, just like your car/truck. If you keep trying to start it with low voltage, you will probably just foul the spark plugs.
The kickstarter has a ratchet system of gears inside the case and they can give problems. Probably wear/damage to the k/s gearset. Get the electric starter going and go with that instead. You have to split the cases to do any kind of replacement of k/s shaft parts.
Give it a good tuneup before you get all excited about riding it around. Bikes that sit have stale, contaminated fuel in the carbs, tank and petcock that can cause all kinds of problems. Drain the carb bowls and see if water, dirt or debris comes out. If so, plan on rebuilding the carbs. Check for damaged diaphragms on the carb tops, which control the slides.
Be sure that the points are clean, gapped to .012-.014" and set to open at the F and LF marks on the flywheel alignment.
Valves should be set to .002" on the intakes and .004" on the exhausts, using the eccentric shaft adjusters. If none of this makes sense, get a book so you can study the design of this engine and adjust it properly.
Bill Silver
