[toohot4thosenot]

My 01 RC has been acting up lately. One day I noticed when I was on the highway it bogged down and sounded hollow like a bike sounds when it runs out of gas. It stopped and didn't do it again until lately. Yesterday when I went to start the bike I could press the starter button over and over and it did nothing. No clicking from the relay, no turning over. Then out of the blue it started fine. While trying to ride it started bogging down again. I parked and went to restart and could not get it to go. Then it started up and ran fine. Every other time I go to start it, it will decide whether it wants to try or not, then I will get the no-gas feeling like I am missing a cylinder for short stints. Anyone have any thoughts?

 

[njracer]

My 01 RC has been acting up lately. One day I noticed when I was on the highway it bogged down and sounded hollow like a bike sounds when it runs out of gas. It stopped and didn't do it again until lately. Yesterday when I went to start the bike I could press the starter button over and over and it did nothing. No clicking from the relay, no turning over. Then out of the blue it started fine. While trying to ride it started bogging down again. I parked and went to restart and could not get it to go. Then it started up and ran fine. Every other time I go to start it, it will decide whether it wants to try or not, then I will get the no-gas feeling like I am missing a cylinder for short stints. Anyone have any thoughts?

????check the ground on your battery???

 

[toohot4thosenot]

Sidestand Switch

I was able to replicate the problem last night. It will start fine as long as it is in neutral. I'm thinking the sidestand switch may be acting up. If it vibrates itself on and off on the highway that would explain the bogging down as well.

 

[oldgeezer]

Sounds as if you've isolated the problem, but for what it's worth, I had a similar starting problem with my old VFR. At times it would start fine, then other times nothing. The headlights would come on when the ignition was turned on, they'd go out when you'd press the starter button (like they should) but the engine did nothing, not a peep, no clicking, no starter spinning over, just dead silence. I checked all the idiot-proof stuff, the sidestand switch, nuetral switch, etc., and could find nothing. The problem persisted. One day a buddy suggested maybe checking the kill switch on the right bar. We opened up the kill switch housing and discovered a tiny bit of corrosion on the contacts. Cleaned it up, added a dab of dielectric grease, closed everything up, and presto, never had another starting problem after that.

Seems just a tiny bit of corrosion was just enough to disable the starter circuit. I might add that the bike had been garaged from day one, so even with the bike indoors, electrical connections can still be prone to corrosion at times. Just my $0.02.

 

[SubSailor]

I love dielectric grease!!!

When I rebuilt my '02 RC51, I put a dab of dielectric grease on every electrical connector, battery post, and put a dab on the spark plug boots.

It waterproofs, inhibits corrosion, lubricates the connectors, and keeps the plug boots from sticking to the plug porcelain.

Great stuff!! Highly recommended.

 

[toohot4thosenot]

I removed the side stand switch and the connector back into itself. Then used a wiretap to trick the clutch switch into thinking I have the clutch pulled in at all times. Needless to say it hasn't been an issue since.