Hello all, After I take my bike out for a spin and push it a bit, and then happen to turn it off, it won't start again for a few hours. This has happened to me 4 times and it has always been after a long hooligan ride. When I turn the key on, I can hear what it sounds to be the fuel priming. When I switch the ignition, I hear the same priming accompanied with a "knock". It sounds like it is coming from under the back of the seat. There is no check engine light. There is no immobiliser error on display, or any change in the display. I've attached a video. What do you guys think it might be?
Try unplugging and reconnecting the fuel pump connector a few times, I have a similar issue on my 796 however it occurs when I wash my bike. For some reasons the terminals on that connector like to get corroded (despite being "waterproof"), after reconnecting the connector a few times the corrosion seems to wear off and it works fine. I'm not sure why spirited riding would have an effect on this but it's worth a shot
It might be worth checking the battery terminals too, mine were loose on Saturday and the bike behaved the same manner as yours in the video, after moving the bike a little it started fine. I rode about 150m along the road, on of the cylinders dropped out and then the bike totally cut off. I took the seat off and noticed the battery terminals were quite loose, they were still attached however they could rotate and there must have been a big enough gap that they weren't making contact and this was hidden by the rubber caps. I've now tightened the terminals and the bike is fine.
I couldn’t see what you were doing with the key/starter at the same time to correspond with sounds but of the three (lengthy) sounds, the first and third sounded similar but the second sounded a lower tone which made me think of a stepper motor/ exhaust valve check or reset possibly ( and I couldn’t make out the “knock” that you spoke off) I don’t know your bike but loose battery terminals/starter lead terminals does sound like a good place to start plus also all starter/ignition related connectors as suggested.
It's happening again! I took it to my mechanic when I posted the video above. He replaced the solenoid and the bike was asymptomatic for over a week. Today I went out for a ride, and just like last time, after one wheelie I stalled her and she wouldn't turn on. Cue this video from the side of the road -> I let her rest a bit, and then as I pressed the ignition I gave it a bit of throttle and it started. I rode her home, stalled her on purpose and it started fine, but then I did it again and it wouldn't start. It started one last time when I fast tapped the ignition button a few times in quick succession. I haven't been able to turn her on again.
If battery and starter solenoid are ok/replaced recently and you have replaced starter leads with better cables plus checked all connectors and junctions are in good condition/making good contact then it sounds like the starter sprag and/or the starter motor are drawing too much power and need investigating.
If intermittent then looks like a fault - sure my cables will help it start better generally but they won't fix an underlying problem...
Oh well. I'm going to take the bike to my mechanic soon. I showed him the video and he thinks it's the starter motor. ImIa bit hesitant about ordering an expensive starter motor when it might not fix the issue.
Alrighty, so today I went out for a 2hr ride. When I got back, I turned the bike off and on again and the same problem persisted, but the bike started fine in the morning. I managed to start her now by keeping the ignition button pressed, and I could hear that initial whirring of the starter motor cycling more and more frequently whilst I kept the ignition button pressed until... It started. Yesterday if I kept the ignition button pressed the dash display would turn itself off and on again, but not today.
