Motorcycle Training Forum

[Lady P]

Thanks Spitfire and St/M D for the warm welcome, it is much appreciated.

[shortfletch11]

hi and welcome to our world!

[Lady P]

Thank you Shortfletch11. One month on and still having fun! Up at 6am today to take the bike out, but had to call the AA . Fab guy turned up and sorted me out in a flash, so still managed to get out, albeit later than planned. My new bike now has exactly 100 on the clock - am hoping to do nearly that much tomorrow on a big ride-out!!

[rjh_786Bn]

AA?

[Lady P]

You must have seen them on your travels, big yellow van, tools in the back, driven by a very nice man, a very very nice man.......... (as they say in the Ads).

[rjh_786Bn]

Yes of course

But why?

[Lady P]

As soon as I put the bike into gear (clutch lever still in) the engine cut out. Happened several times. Managed to push the bike back into our garden (uphill!), put it on it's centre stand and tried it - absolutely fine through the full gear range. Took it off the centre stand, put it into first, engine cuts out. Tried again, this time kicking it up into second (in case it was a problem with first), but same issue. Looked in Haynes but couldn't seem to find anything about a centre stand sensor, but seemed to have all the symptoms of the bike thinking the stand wasn't fully retracted. Rang the dealer as soon as they opened, explained the issue and what I'd tried etc - best recommendation to call the AA. Bike man confirmed it was that problem - there is a mechanism on the right hand side of the bike, the guy said it appeared to have 'unwound' itself probably through vibration. As soon as he adjusted it the bike was fine. He put some threadlock on it (medium strength!) to stop it 'working loose' again. I will get the garage to have a look at it when it goes in for it's first service (600m) in case there should be some sort of additional clip/pin. Think it was just very unfortunate.

[rjh_786Bn]

Glad it was not too serious, and you sorted it out! Not had that problem with any of mine, so a one off possibly!

[Lady P]

Thanks. Yeah... hopefully it is .

[Lady P]

Sadly it wasn't a one-off, rather like groundhog day again this morning - I am gutted . Have called in at the dealer who has said to speak with service dept when they are open tomorrow and they will pick it up. I'm hoping it will be straight forward as I need to feel confident about the bike.

[rjh_786Bn]

They will sort it, Honda should be ok! Fab today

[Lady P]

Yeah... consoled myself with a pillion ride on Mike's Thruxton out to Alderley Edge and Disley. Got to use the built-in sun visor in my helmet too .

[yorkie 1200]

Sounds to me to be more of a not properly adjusted clutch cable.
was it ok when you went out after the AA man had gone
it could be that with it been a new bike the clutch plates could be sticking do you start bike up then let it warm up a bit before trying to put it in gear
try pulling the clutch lever in a few times to free plates up before putting into gear

a side/main stand sensor prevents you from starting bike when they are down

And i am not sure on this but i don,t think your bike is even fitted with one

[St/M D]

put it on it's centre stand and tried it - absolutely fine through the full gear range. .

If it has a sensor which cuts the engine out if you put the bike into gear whilst the stand is down, why didnt it cut out when you got it back home and tried the gears out. I dont know much about bikes but it seems a bit odd

[Lady P]

Yeah, the whole thing is really odd and very frustrating to say the least. We've now drawn the same conclusion Yorkie. The engine was sufficiently warm enough not to need the choke on, but the bike does pull forward slightly as you kick it down into first, even with the clutch lever fully pulled in (a bit like stalling it in first, but with less pull if you know what I mean). Tried it on the centre stand again and now as it changes down the engine note drops (like when you are starting to feed the clutch lever out) then cuts out. I bought a new bike so that I didn't have to spend my weekends fixing it. Whilst I could adjust it I'm reluctant to do so as I don't want to inadvertently invalidate my 2yr warranty. I'm also now concerned about the mechanism the AA guy adjusted and threadlocked (cannot seem to find any reference to or pictures of it in my Haynes manual), so am going to let the dealer have a look at it, just in case there is something even more serious going on..... I just need to regain my confidence about the bike, after all I'm relying on it to be perfect in order to forgive any indiscretions I may make!