KLX wont start now..
 

Hey guys, im hoping I can get some advice on my bike. Yesterday it ran and it got really cold last night. Im still a newbie to motorcycles and pulled the choke out to try to get it to start, Now its not even kicking over at all.Im wondering if maybe it could be my battery that is dead. Its not making an noise. is there a way to test the battery? Can I pop start it?? DOC??Please help I just got it and want to get it fired up and I vam ride with my new knobbies. Thank u all for our help..

Do you have a multimeter? If not, you need one. Get a cheap digital multimeter at Harbor Freight; they're often free with a $10 purchase.

Set the meter to DC volts and measure the battery. I suspect that it's dead.

You might be able to bump start the bike. Turn on the key and the kill switch, get it rolling at a good pace, hop on and kick it up into second and dump the clutch. It should fire up if there is any power in the battery at all.

Thank you, so far i found one of those multimeter at advance auto for $20. Harbor frieght is 1 hour away. I might even check out Napa to see what they got. It did the noise it does when the battery is dead and hopefully thats all it if.That ticking sound Now i go to turn it over and nothing happens , no not ticking noise . My lights come on my dash though. I just got my new tires for the bike and cant wait to test them.

It's very possible that your battery is going south... That's when it makes itself known, when it get's cold out. If it's more than a few years old it's probably due for replacement. I've never gotten more than 3 or 4 years tops out of a battery, but my bikes only get seasonal usage and if I forget to bring them in for the winter they don't live long :).

Kicking over? Your KLX has a kick start? What year is it?

Do you have a battery tender type device? Is the bike stored inside or out? How cold is it where you live now (I'll guess pretty cold)?

Have you tried a jump start?

Without a battery tender, in your environment, I'd not expect more than 2-3 years out of a battery on a bike not kept in a (preferably) heated harage. My 2009 is on it's original battery still, but 5 years is on the long side of it's predicted lifespan.

+1 but to add you'll have to be in 3rd or 4th gear as the compression will be too high to allow the rear wheel to turn in the lower gears.

Ya the bike is a 09 and im guessing the battery has not been changed. So i just went back out side after 20 mins. and the bike i turned the key and hit the starter button and it made that noise like errrr or whatever it is,, almost like its trying to kick over. So frustrating lol Does that sound like a a battery to you guys?

Doc its a 2009 and its electric start. It has and opinionwhere I could put a kick start on it. But i dont need that. Just got those sweet tired and want to ride ughh lol

Ya its 35 out today here doc and just wanted to do a few trail rides. its stired in a shed which is outside but like I said lol. Whats a battery tender? is that the same thing as a miulyimeter?

It is totally the battery nothing more or less.

When you buy a new battery get a Battery Tender or similar and keep it hooked up all the time you are not using the bike especially in the cold weather and it will last you 5 years.

You'll need a plug out in the shed.

As a bonus you can use the connector for the BT to run heated gloves or a vest. If you are on a tight budget the best bang for the buck on keeping warms is snomobile type mittens ($20 for a decent pair) and chemical hand warmers (about $1/pair).

A multimeter is an instrument for checking voltage and impedence. A battery tender is a self controlled trickle battery charger/maintainer.

ALSO VERY IMPORTANT for a bike kept more or less outside in a cold moist climate run STABIL or similar ALL WINTER especially if you are not riding a lot or you'll gum up the carb from sitting. This is especially true with alcohol containing crap-gas.

Read up on www.dansmc.com about winter motorcycle storage for more info :-)

ALSO VERY IMPORTANT for a bike kept more or less outside in a cold moist climate run STABIL or similar ALL WINTER especially if you are not riding a lot or you'll gum up the carb from sitting. This is especially true with alcohol containing crap-gas.[/QUOTE]


Is this like GUMOUT?? Never heared of Stabil, but im writting this all down and going to myadvance auto parts to get most of it i hope

Thanks Doc, Im so glad there are such great people like yourself on this board i have learned so much so far and im still a newbie but its exciting... :)

Happy to help.

Stabil is a fuel additive that will help keep stale fuel from clogging your carb through winter moisture and lack of use. It also helps reduce some of the misery that government mandated kickback rich alcohol causes to your fuel system.

It's regular use will save a lot of grief. About 30-60/ml per tankful and you'll be safe.

If the prior owner of Roger's WR used Stabil he's be riding his bike this week rather than spending a couple hundred dollars having the mechanic removing and ultrasound-bathing the carb, flushing the tank and replacing the fuel lines. It also would have saved me a few hours working on it as well.

Coming to the show late.

One question, what happens with the lights on when you punch the starter? Dim, go out, nothing?

Caveat, my CX500 has a light circuit cut out when I start the bike. If yours does, disregard the above.

So i brought my bike to a local machinice and he quoted me 35buks for each tire and 30 for the battery tender. Sounded like a fair price..

Cant you get that at Walmart or mostly likely a bike shop

Plus i have brand new street tired that are road worth.. :) Anyone want to make me an offer??

Any bike or autopart store or Wally World.

$35 to mount and balance a tire is fair, good if that includes taking the wheel on and off the bike vs. you bringing the wheels to him.

You don't need a mechanic to hook up a battery tender. If I were the mechanic I'd do it for no extra chage to the mounting and balancing of the tires.

Do you have jumper leads and a car battery? Just connect them to the correct leads on the motor bike battery and it should turn over, just like jump starting a car. As long as you attach the leads red to red and black to black, you wont do any damage. (I'm assuming the bike is 12v). For safety, turn everything off and remove the key while connecting the leads.

Back on the topic of a multimeter, check out Walmart. They're probably cheap there.

So guys, I did some research and it was a battery that was bad. I also got that thing Doc recommended. Im pretty stoke its going toi be 40 today and im going to take a ride through the Adirondack Mountains.

what does a multimeter do? I bought on but not sure what to do with it being a rookie and all.

Measures voltage, impedence, and continuity.

Show us a pic of the multimeter, and we can give you some guidance.

I returned the multimeter. I got one of those chargers Doc was saying. Works awesome. Do I need to keep it charged every night? Or an is just let it sit and the next day it will crank up?

Leave it plugged in all the time you are not riding.

So I went to start my bike it's been about 2 weeks. Pulled the choke and had the bike charging, it won't start. Frustrating to say the least. Doc you ever have problems with it starting after sitting in the cold for a few weeks?

Some KLX's are too lean as delivered from the factory. Andy's was, for some reason mine was spot on.

In any event most get rejetted. Check out the KLX forums and you'll see what you need.

A shop can likley do it for you for about $100 including parts and labor. Then you'll also be set for a high performance exhaust. The power, and rideability gain, is significant.

Didn't you guys get snow up there?

Thanks for your help guys. It's running strong now, just have to get some pics up soon