Back with more questions....
Problem #1
New bike to me (and first bike), 1991 Katana 600. Today was ride #3 (Ride #1 prompted an oil change and new oil filter, and Ride #2 cleaning and lubing the chain). Today for the first time the bike did not want to click into neutral when I started riding... I pulled into the gas station, and it took 10 minutes of fussing and yanking up and down on the shifter, rolling it forward and backward, etc. to get it to finally go into neutral.. The gas station attendant was extra helpful and snuck up behind me, and deciding(wrongly) that I must have been having trouble putting the kickstand down, stuck his foot out and lowered it thus killing the engine.. And then the bike wouldn't start for several minutes...(I wanted to strangle him) I've only ridden a couple times now, and am already in the mindset of "Don't touch my bike!" lol. I must disclose that I did wash the bike before riding, but didn't really blast it with much water, and it doesn't seem like that should have anything to do with the bike going into neutral.... What could be causing this, and how to diagnose? It was shifting perfectly yesterday....
Problem #2
After these several rides, there is now a clear pattern of the bike not wanting to start while cold... I can push the ignition button several times, and nothing... Complete silence.Then a weak start that will die, then it will eventually fire up with the choke on for several minutes, then run strong when warmed up for several minutes and I can turn the choke off.... ??? Once I've been riding for a little while, it usually starts better, but sometimes it doesn't....
Problem #3
After 30 minutes or so of easy neighborhood riding, it is definitely burning oil... No longer seems to be running really hot after the oil change, but definitely some smoke and oil burning smell... I do not see an obvious leak... But don't know exactly where I should be looking. How serious is this? Worth diagnosing? Or should I just live with it, considering this is my first bike, and is 18 years old... It seems to run strong/pretty good otherwise (except other above mentioned issues ;p)
At this rate... by ride #50 I will have pieced together an entirely new bike... Well, hopefully not, but I really just want to ride the darn thing!
Thaks in advance,
Lauren
Problem #1
New bike to me (and first bike), 1991 Katana 600. Today was ride #3 (Ride #1 prompted an oil change and new oil filter, and Ride #2 cleaning and lubing the chain). Today for the first time the bike did not want to click into neutral when I started riding... I pulled into the gas station, and it took 10 minutes of fussing and yanking up and down on the shifter, rolling it forward and backward, etc. to get it to finally go into neutral.. The gas station attendant was extra helpful and snuck up behind me, and deciding(wrongly) that I must have been having trouble putting the kickstand down, stuck his foot out and lowered it thus killing the engine.. And then the bike wouldn't start for several minutes...(I wanted to strangle him) I've only ridden a couple times now, and am already in the mindset of "Don't touch my bike!" lol. I must disclose that I did wash the bike before riding, but didn't really blast it with much water, and it doesn't seem like that should have anything to do with the bike going into neutral.... What could be causing this, and how to diagnose? It was shifting perfectly yesterday....
Problem #2
After these several rides, there is now a clear pattern of the bike not wanting to start while cold... I can push the ignition button several times, and nothing... Complete silence.Then a weak start that will die, then it will eventually fire up with the choke on for several minutes, then run strong when warmed up for several minutes and I can turn the choke off.... ??? Once I've been riding for a little while, it usually starts better, but sometimes it doesn't....
Problem #3
After 30 minutes or so of easy neighborhood riding, it is definitely burning oil... No longer seems to be running really hot after the oil change, but definitely some smoke and oil burning smell... I do not see an obvious leak... But don't know exactly where I should be looking. How serious is this? Worth diagnosing? Or should I just live with it, considering this is my first bike, and is 18 years old... It seems to run strong/pretty good otherwise (except other above mentioned issues ;p)
At this rate... by ride #50 I will have pieced together an entirely new bike... Well, hopefully not, but I really just want to ride the darn thing!
Thaks in advance,
Lauren
Comment