Why wont my bike work!!??

[ant_vaz]

I have a Kawasaki GPZ 500S and its being really strange at the moment. It'll idle fine and ride fine for about 5 minutes, then lose throttle response and try to stall. I can get it home, but it runs really sluggishly and doesnt respond well to the choke.

It has:

Enough clean oil
New spark plugs
Clear air intake and filter
Supply of fuel to the carbs
Perfect compression

My work colleague said there may be water stuck in the carbs, if this sounds correct is there an easy way to clear them??

Thanks,

Ant

[kasandrich]

Don't know the GPZ specifically but they may have drain screws on the float chambers, this may be enough, but the only sure way is to remove the carbs and strip them down, using compressed air to clear all the jets through.

[ant_vaz]

Excellent...cheers for the amazingly quick repsonse!! I'll go try that in the morning...no rush atm though with the weather as it is lol

[troutslayer]

I have a Kawasaki GPZ 500S and its being really strange at the moment. It'll idle fine and ride fine for about 5 minutes, then lose throttle response and try to stall.

Blocked fuel tank breather hose??

Easy test: Open fuel cap then go for a ride. If the problem doesnt occur then its a breather hose issue.

[Gixxer-TeZ]

Yeah. I agree it sounds like a breather hose blocked or possibly trapped if you have had the tank off.
I don't the same thing on my old 1200 bandit a few years ago after getting it dyno jetted. The garage ( total traction ) didn't check the breathers and I broke down on the A12

:shooter

[DoodleBug]

Failing that, has the bike stood for ages without being ridden? Had a bike earlier in the year exhibit exactly the same behaviour. Fresh fuel was all it needed.

[harriebird]

I don't the same thing on my old 1200 bandit a few years ago after getting it dyno jetted. The garage ( total traction ) didn't check the breathers and I broke down on the A12

:shooter

ahhhhhh you gotta love total traction...... :shooter :shooter :shooter

[Gixxer-TeZ]

Yes. I wasn't best pleased sat on the A12 taking the tank off in the ****ing rain to undo their cock up.
And they got a right verbal down the phone off me.

Lesson learnt and another dyno center gained a new customer.

[DJMCJERICO]

Check the plugs again to see if it's running rich and check that it's not been topped up with to much oil.

[v8-powered]

Yes. I wasn't best pleased sat on the A12 taking the tank off in the ****ing rain to undo their cock up.
And they got a right verbal down the phone off me.

Lesson learnt and another dyno center gained a new customer.

Hhhmmm - Both of my bikes were due for a visit to T.T. in the very near future.
Any other Dynojet / P.C. centres local that are worthy of my funds?

[Lateshift]

Hhhmmm - Both of my bikes were due for a visit to T.T. in the very near future.
Any other Dynojet / P.C. centres local that are worthy of my funds?

First off what would you want a rolling road tune on an early RSV for?

The reason i ask that is because on any RSV prior to 2002 it wasnt worth the effort of spending the cash on putting a power commander on because the engine restricts the power you can output due to it having smaller inlet valves, the only gain you get from a power commander then is a slightly crisper throttle and slightly improved fuel consumption.

Southern Cross should be where you would want to take an Aprilia for a tune or any work for that matter, not only do they specialise in Aprilias but they also race them themselves and know everything there is to know about the Rotax engines, oh and they dont charge silly money either (and i can guarantee are probably the cheapest Aprilia garage you will find in London or the South East).

Failing that Dynospeed Developments in Chigwell, Paul Watson knows his stuff alright and most of his experience comes from tuning up drag strip Hyabusas, he certainly knows his engines :)


But seriously on the power commander front, if you havent got one, i wouldnt bother if its pre 2002 ;) (Southern Cross will tell you the same rather than take your cash for fitting and setting one up).

Total Traction i had heard good things about, but only so far as the dyno tuning went, i heard nothing but bad things about them as far as their suspension goes :)

[v8-powered]

First off what would you want a rolling road tune on an early RSV for?

The reason i ask that is because on any RSV prior to 2002 it wasnt worth the effort of spending the cash on putting a power commander on because the engine restricts the power you can output due to it having smaller inlet valves, the only gain you get from a power commander then is a slightly crisper throttle and slightly improved fuel consumption.

Southern Cross should be where you would want to take an Aprilia for a tune or any work for that matter, not only do they specialise in Aprilias but they also race them themselves and know everything there is to know about the Rotax engines, oh and they dont charge silly money either (and i can guarantee are probably the cheapest Aprilia garage you will find in London or the South East).

Failing that Dynospeed Developments in Chigwell, Paul Watson knows his stuff alright and most of his experience comes from tuning up drag strip Hyabusas, he certainly knows his engines :)


But seriously on the power commander front, if you havent got one, i wouldnt bother if its pre 2002 ;) (Southern Cross will tell you the same rather than take your cash for fitting and setting one up).

Total Traction i had heard good things about, but only so far as the dyno tuning went, i heard nothing but bad things about them as far as their suspension goes :)

Heading a bit off topic now but.....

The RSV is currently running a Repoe/Firebolter air kit (Similar to the Rene), open Leo Vince system and the RSV Ti chip. Bike runs rich and not partically clean low down, but pulls like a train higher up. Only got the PCIII to clean up the low and mid range a bit.
Already makes around 116 RWHP but just want it all a little cleaner and crisper.

May give Southern Cross a call.

[Lateshift]

The most they tend to throw out even with a PCIII and a full system is 120bhp ;)

Mine was running a renegade kit, TI chip and MHP slips ons and it was just touching 118rwhp, the fueling was fine and torque at around 77ft/lbs :)

Sounds more like you need the fueling trimmed because airkits make these bikes run on the lean side even with a TI chip fitted :)


I am assuming its all derestricted correctly, the figures seem low for all them mods (if its a full system especially).

That being said, you can lose as much as 5hp per spark plug (bearing in mind they have 4 of them) and up to 8bhp is the packing in the can is knackered, which all produces a poor low down performance, almost like throttle lag ;)

Anyway back on topic :D