Motorcycle won't start?

Question

My motorcycle has been in a shed for the winter. i did everything that I needed to do to winterize it. Yesterday I tried to start it. The lights are working, but when I tried to start it, at first it sounded like it wanted to start, then it just started making a weird noise, my girlfriens bike did the same thing. Someone told me that the battery is just weak and needs to be charged. Any thoughts?

Answer 1

May need to be charged. Although try this unscrew the spark plug and poor just a little and i mean a little bit of gas down in the hole. Screw the plug back in. Then try to start it whith the choke. Hope this helps.

Answer 2

First thing you have to do is make sure the battery is good, you can check it as suggested in your first answer, but, no doubt about it, if its been sitting its going to need a charge. The best way to charge a battery is to trickle charge it (IE 1or 2 amps for at least 10 hours). If it doesn't start after you get the battery up to par the next thing to do will be to drain the float bowls (if carbed) and/or some fresh sparkplugs.

Answer 3

I bought a bike that sat for seven years. Stopped by Wal-Mart on the way home and bought a new battery. Put in new gas and tried to start it. No luck. Was told my many that the plugs were no good, that the carbs were dried out and needed rebuilding, etc. I ran into one old biker who told me the bike would not let gas from the tank with out enough vacuum. The vacuum would not be enough unless the engine would run. He said to put a small squirt of starting fluid in the air intake and try again. I did and the bike started and ran good for the next three years till a little old lady cut in front of me and totaled it.

Answer 4

Here is what I'd try. Replace the sparkplug(s), clean the airfilter, put in new gas, charge the battery on 1-2 amps for 12 hours. With the battery charger still hooked up, set the choke and turn it over. If it does not start up, take it to a tech. Please, don't say "it makes a weird noise!" A weird noise could mean anything.

Answer 5

Check these items:
Battery (this is the probable culprit),
Plugs (including spark check),
Fuel flow to carb (float bowl drain is a good way to check),
Fuel mixture flow from carb to inlets (you can tell if gas is entering the cylinders by pulling the spark plugs and seeing if they are wetted with gas).
If no gas is reaching the cylinders, you may need to do a carb job as the jets may be clogged.
If gas is reaching the cylinders, then you may have an ignition problem...or possibly a timing issue. Since you mentioned a weird noise, perhaps your cam chain is loose or damaged.

Hopefully this is a battery problem, since carb jobs and cam chain jobs are a pain if you're itching to ride.

Answer 6

Could be. If you put the multimeter on the battery and you have less than 10 it prob won't have enough left to jump the gap on the plugs. Once it starts your multi should read at least 14.