[R.C.inOhio]

I'm wondering WTF is going on with my Kawi Vulcan 750 , an 05 with 4300 miles on it. I'm not sure what is causing the problem, so I didn't know which forum below to use.

It has died twice on me so far this year....the first back in May----the hottest day it seems so far here in Southeast Ohio. I got off work that day at 6, and started the bike about 6:30pm. In hindsight, I did choke it, but let off the choke within the first 1/10th of a mile. I managed to get roughly 1/'2 mile before the bike began to sputter and die!!!! On that day in particular.....I messed with the petcock and the starter for a minute or so before it began to run again....no problems till.....................

....Yesterday!!!!...I was well over 15 miles from home with the bike honing along in the 60-70 range when all of a sudden I lost major compression! The bike was going to die bigtime, and sure as hell.....as soon as I ventured to the right and squeezed in on the [email protected]!!!!!!!


......5 minutes later....after cursing myself for forgetting my cell phone, and trying to switch between the primary and reserve fuel.......the bike suddenly came to life.

WTF?? Any advice appreciated!!

Someone on motorcycle usa told me that sometimes opening the gas cap will allow the bike to be restarted when this happens.





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[RepairmanSki]

The carbs draw fuel via engine vacuum and when your tank won't vent air IN as fast as you pull fuel out....stall. That's why opening the cap "fixes" it. I would look to your tank vent and verify every bit of it is free-flowing.

 

[fergy]

I believe that if your tank vent was clogged, it would do it every time you got to a certain rpm. It's a little hard following your story.
Did you lose lights when the bike died or did you think to check?
When you said you lost compression, I assume you meant you lost power.

"I messed with the fuel switch and ther starter for a minute or so before it began to run again" again I assume you mean you turned the valve on your petcock back and forth and it fired up when you hit the start button?? Same as yesterday? You also said that in May it was the hottest day so far and you drove nearly all the way home with the choke on??? Why?

I think we're gona need more info to understand what's going on, and maybe some clarification on what you mean.

 

[Loran in Npvl IL]

Do you have a maintence free battery? If not look around and under the battery box to see if there has been any spills. If you removed your battery to service it, double check the terminals to make sure they are tight... you need to tighten them down with a wrench/socket because a regular screwdriver does not get them tight enough.

 

[R.C.inOhio]

Fergy,
I see why you are confused. I didn't ride the bike home from work on that May day. When I got home and started out, I choked the bike for about the first .1 mile. I didn't think to check and see if I had lights when it died.

Loran,
No...my battery is not maintenance free.

 

[Loran in Npvl IL]

I would still check your grounds and major cables. When my bike was acting up, it was shortly after I replaced the battery. It would start and run great but it would just cut out for no reason. It turned out the cables worked their way loose. Before it got too loose were it wouldn't run anymore, a person riding in front of me had said the my headlight would occosionaly flicker.

If you have 2 keys you can try the gas cap trick (just put a key in the tank before you take off) and if that doesn't help it wouldn't be the tank vent but still could be the petcock or it could be electrical.

 

[R.C.inOhio]

thanks

Thanks Loran,
I did have the battery out back in April tinkering with it.....and I don't believe I used a socket to tighten it back down. I'll get at it first thing tomorrow!!