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418 Posts
Hi all, seeking your expertise (again)...
5 weeks ago I rode from NYC to Harrisburg, PA - and back - no issues at all bike ran great.
Then the bike sat for 5 weeks in garage with 1/3rd tank gas, not run/started, until yesterday. I went out for a short ride. About 15 minutes into the ride, whilst in town at about 40mph, engine temp 205ish (normal for my bike; also it was about 90 degrees out), the motor started "sputtering" with power reduced to almost 0. :jsm: This occurred for a few blocks, then the sputtering ceased and the motor ran fine. Then it started again, and stopped again. Did this a few times as I quickly headed back to base. At no point did the engine quit although at stop lights it sounded as if it might (during the sputtering events).
The sputtering reminded me of when I was a kid and we rode 80cc two-stroke dirt bikes, occassionally the lone spark plug would become "fouled" with a bit of grit or sand. Remove plug, clean, replace, issue solved. The symptom yesterday had the exact same feel and sound to it - as if one cylinder was kicking in and out or misfiring (?).
As I headed back I decided to fill up with gas since the tank had been sitting for a while at 1/3 full. I wondered if water had condensed into the tank over the last 5 weeks. I topped off with 3 gallons fresh gas, and the sputtering did not appear to return during another 15 mile ride to test it out. Although it idled a bit rough.
Do any of you have and experience with such a symptom, or have possible ideas? Bad gas? Bad plug? ECU? other?
I'd appreciate any possible thoughts/diagnoses you might have as most of you are far more mechanically inclined than I am. Thanks in advance!
5 weeks ago I rode from NYC to Harrisburg, PA - and back - no issues at all bike ran great.
Then the bike sat for 5 weeks in garage with 1/3rd tank gas, not run/started, until yesterday. I went out for a short ride. About 15 minutes into the ride, whilst in town at about 40mph, engine temp 205ish (normal for my bike; also it was about 90 degrees out), the motor started "sputtering" with power reduced to almost 0. :jsm: This occurred for a few blocks, then the sputtering ceased and the motor ran fine. Then it started again, and stopped again. Did this a few times as I quickly headed back to base. At no point did the engine quit although at stop lights it sounded as if it might (during the sputtering events).
The sputtering reminded me of when I was a kid and we rode 80cc two-stroke dirt bikes, occassionally the lone spark plug would become "fouled" with a bit of grit or sand. Remove plug, clean, replace, issue solved. The symptom yesterday had the exact same feel and sound to it - as if one cylinder was kicking in and out or misfiring (?).
As I headed back I decided to fill up with gas since the tank had been sitting for a while at 1/3 full. I wondered if water had condensed into the tank over the last 5 weeks. I topped off with 3 gallons fresh gas, and the sputtering did not appear to return during another 15 mile ride to test it out. Although it idled a bit rough.
Do any of you have and experience with such a symptom, or have possible ideas? Bad gas? Bad plug? ECU? other?
I'd appreciate any possible thoughts/diagnoses you might have as most of you are far more mechanically inclined than I am. Thanks in advance!