superhawk996

The blocked breather is something to try for sure, especially since it started having issues right after filling up. My suggestion: open the cap and start it, if it starts to die out let it. Try to restart. If it doesn't, let it sit a while and retry. Report back with how long it has to sit to start again. I'm gonna take a stab at tight valves. I'd ask if they were checked but that would be pointless since you stated it had a major service and the air filter was ignored so everything is suspect.

From my experience, any battery you have to fill you're supposed to charge; it's written on that piece of paper in the box (instruction manual) that you toss out of the way. If you buy factory filled batteries they're generally ready to run.

I use a relatively cheap ($300ish) Midtronics tester that shows CCA and most auto parts stores and battery vendors use a similar tester. It uses some inductive frequency technological shit that I can't explain to determine CCA. It can also detect a bad cell, system draw, and other stuff. It's almost always been accurate from my 10+ years using it. I've had two false 'good' readings and both were on Ford trucks with diesel engines, otherwise I think it's been accurate. I now have a more advanced Midronics tester I've been using for almost a year that gives more information and does actual load and charging tests along with the inductive tests but it's a $3000 machine-the extra 0 wasn't a typo. You could use a simple load tester from Harbor Freight, but on a bike battery it may not be accurate as they're designed for car sized batteries. It could actually be dangerous to use it on a small batt. so I'd check it's specs before trying. None of my testers have a lithium setting, but the newer one can test individual components of a charging system so I plan to try it on the bike to see what it does. It should be able to "see" the stator and individual components of the R/R, but since it's designed for cars I'm not sure what it'll do. On a car it can detect individual components that have failed or are marginal in performance.

Guessing he's referring to common lead acid batteries. You're supposed to fill them, wait for the acid to penetrate the cells (30 min. or more ), then slowly charge before use. If you don't wait and/or don't charge them before using it'll shorten it's life, but it has nothing to do with memory effect. The discharge to start and the fast charge from the alternator damages the plates some.

Yes, it should be in the collector where it'll see all 4 cylinders. Find some photos of a '01-up header, they have a factory O2 sensor in them and I assume Honda did the math on where to put it. In case you don't know, almost all 4 cyl. bikes have different jetting for the two inner and two outer cylinders so you wanna stay staggered like original and jet up from there. On one bike that I looked into way back the research led to moving the bigger jets to the carbs with smaller jets and buying just 2 bigger jets for the other carbs and that was generally enough to make it right for a muffler swap.

I just swapped the battery. The old one is an Everstart that's several years old and is the one for the earlier bird, ES12BS. Had I known they were the same size Ida bought the everstart when I was at Walmart, but I do like that I gave the bike some bling. With the new batt. it idles at about 13.6v and revved it's at 14.8. The manual for the battery states that it can be charged with a standard charger not exceeding 14.8v, I don't feel good about being right at their limit, but it is within the specs from the Honda manual. The new batt. is smaller and much lighter and it starts so quick it's hard to tell how much faster it's cranking, but it is faster. The fuel pump sounds to be spinning faster too. Things I dislike about the new battery: the terminal screw holes are smaller than the standard 6mm screws, I knew that from reading reviews so I was prepared to drill them. It came without hardware and it's supposed to have it. Probably wouldn't have worked anyway, but - points for their screw-up. Upsides other than size, weight, and power is it has two sets of terminals which is nice for those adding stuff.

When I said 'good ega' I meant a 4 gas, but since you have some practice with the one you're using and know what numbers to aim for you may be able to dial it in that way. Since they're jetted on the lean side for emissions plus you've opened up a little more airflow a re-jet will likely help it.

Tuning with a good EGA is more accurate and gives one more information than using an O2 sensor. It's expensive, requires more knowledge, and has slower response so most people tune to the O2 readings which beats the heck out of nothing.

I had to make a tool run today so I tried some of that leaning over shit you average riders do, now there's no space for the sauce

It measures 144CCA on my tester and the voltage at rest is 12.1 so it's got an issue. After charging it rapidly drops to that then seems to stay there, at least for two days that I've tested. Applying a charge it'll jump up in voltage quickly, another sign that it's bad. Don't know it's age; it was in the bike when I got it and it sat quite a bit. It usually cranks decently, not great, and a few times it's been obviously slow cranking. Must be luck, most of my fleet is running Everstarts. The one in my motorhome was finally sounding weak after 9 years so I replaced it. I continued using the 9 yr old for stuff around the house about another year. It measures 144CCA on my tester and the voltage at rest is 12.1 so it's got an issue. After charging it rapidly drops to that then seems to stay there, at least for two days that I've tested. Applying a charge it'll jump up in voltage quickly, another sign that it's bad. Don't know it's age; it was in the bike when I got it and it sat quite a bit. It usually cranks decently, not great, and a few times it's been obviously slow cranking. Must be luck, most of my fleet is running Everstarts. The one in my motorhome was finally sounding weak after 9 years so I replaced it, takes a lot of cranking to get the carb full to start it and being a 440 engine I'm guessing a few amps. I continued using the 9 yr old for stuff around the house about another year.

Buy a neverstart at Walmart. Charge overnight. Try it in the morning. Regardless of outcome, return the neverstart. I've never had a problem with any of the walmart batteries, cars, boats, pwcs, bikes, tractors. If my battery appeared good and I suspected something intermittent or untestable with it I might do that, but I know it's bad so there's no point regardless if it's what caused the stall. They stock the '97-'00 bird batt, but not the '01-up and I didn't have the dimensions to compare otherwise I'da bought the everstart.

+1 Working in a service department, I see most everyone that buys a new battery just installs the new battery without fully charging it first. Just buy it and drop it in and away they go. The memory is now set for the battery at a much lower level than it is capable of and will remain there for the life of the battery which will be considerable shorter. It is always best to trickle charge a brand new battery overnight before applying a load to it for the first time. I am currently trying my luck with the new lithium iron phosphate battery from BatteryStuff.com (Scorpion brand). After 4 months use it has been flawless and spins the engine over about twice as fast as my previous Yuasa. Much higher cranking amps and no battery tender needed. Only documented downside they have is the fact that they do not work well in cold environments. They say to turn the key and headlight on for a few seconds first to warm the battery up before hitting the starter button! Not a problem for me here in So Florida as we never experience a cold environment! The big difference is in weight or the lack there of. My new lithium weighs less than 2 lbs!!! You bastard! I was perfectly happy with the $35 battery on Amazon then I had to look at the lithiums. I went with a Battery Tender lithium for $119 with two day shipping. It's got a 3 year warrantee and it's a prime item so if it fails, getting warrantee is easy. The reviews on it are good, some of the negatives are dumb people "it's too small to fit my bike!!" "the screws come loose then it won't start and I gotta charge it" and several that complained about the screws being undersized and not covering the ring terminals well, easy fix. There were a few slightly cheaper lith batts. but some had no warrantee info and the others were 2 year through the vendor. The scorpion through batterystuff has a 2 year replacement warrantee and was more money.

Thanks guys, this gives me more hope that it's just the weak battery. I check the charge level and CCA on all batteries before installing and note the CCA after a few cycles then monitor from there. I have too many batteries in use to ignore them and get stuck with another avoidable expense.

I didn't do any tests other than verify charging voltage at the battery. It could be that the sudden drop to idle and subsequent voltage drop threw something off briefly. I know the battery is going so it may be nothing more than that. A strong battery wouldn't drop in voltage so sharply when the charge voltage drops off. It does maintain it's low 12.1-12.2 standing voltage for days and cranks ok most of the time, but it's going. I'm gonna try getting one today or asap.

It's had this issue since I got it, the neutral light rarely came on and when it did the moment I'd hit the start button it would usually shut off and then I'd have to lift the stand and pull the clutch to start it. It was a pain in the ass not being able to start it or let it run with the stand down. I pulled the neutral switch, which isn't a switch at all, and cleaned it & reinstalled. It got a hair better, but still not right. I suspected it wasn't reaching the shift drum, or whatever in the trans touches it when in neutral, with enough force to make a good contact so I took the sealing washer off to confirm. Even with the much extra depth it had without the washer there was no binding or any other issue. I then made a gasket from slightly thinner material so it would ride a little closer to the piece that activates it and now it's perfect. The "switch" isn't a switch, it's just a spring loaded contact. It grounds through a part in the trans that has a little bump that touches the spring loaded button on the 'switch' turning on the light and enabling a start without clutching. For those who don't know, it's located right below the shift shaft. It has a single wire connector that pulls off, with long skinny pliers, then a 14mm socket unscrews it. It's well above oil level, at least on the center stand it is, so no oil loss to worry about.

I went through it today and found nothing. I started out with the bike running and watching the light, wiggled all the wiring and connectors from the motor to the computer, nothing. Then opened the connectors and all looked good, sprayed with contact cleaner then contact lubricant/protectant. At this point I'm gonna wait and see if it happens again before I get further into it. I did fix my neutral light so something useful came out of working on it.

Doesn't have to, but a master rider can do it, don't wanna wear out that soft compound.

The carbon strip really works, my leathers have never clung to me. You'd think they would have also mentioned the compound transition ridge that'll form. Thanks for posting the photos and all your guys' input. My bird with a lifted rear and these tires is great, it's a completely different bike than my stocker with OE spec tires.

I really don't know how to post a picture. I took two and came in to post them and realized I'm clueless.

Good guess, it is backwards, but so is the sprocket so all should be fine. I did find some photos online of others with this tire and this ridge so I'm guessing it's normal. I'll try contacting Michelin about it just in case.

Thanks guys. Armed with the words 'test plug' I was able to do some useful searching. I always thought that only the 99&00 birds had this harness issue but just read that the 01 isn't immune. I guess I'll start digging.

Fuck you, you just wanna laugh at my strips. If I knew how I would so laugh at my ignorance instead. Suddenly nobody believes I'm related to Carlos?

No power commander. Charging was my first thought and I pushed the start button to turn the headlight off and the FI light went out, but it could have been coincidental cuz I wasn't able to stare at it while dodging traffic, I held the button just in case 'till I was in the open and the FI light was off. I rode another 20 minutes with one stop and after getting home I restarted to lube the chain, no signs of charge trouble. I just checked charging, I've been suspecting a weak battery since I got the bike, after being parked a couple hours it showed 12.1v so it is going. At idle I have 12.6 and the voltage rises as I rev it up. From 1500 RPM up I have a consistent 14.6. Seems high but it's the first time I've checked a bird's voltage. It seems to me it shouldn't be low voltage since it started right back up and started a few more times without a problem, but I also know that some vehicles have strange quirks. I should get one, I have a carb manual, but not FI.

This tire has few miles and only light twisty use with plenty of bitch strip for my hens to laugh about, can't say chicken strips around here without being looked at cock-eyed. Earlier today I discovered ridges on both sides about half way between the center line and the outer edge. I assume this is where the dual compounds meet; is it normal to have this ridge line? Anything to worry about?

Slowing to a red light splitting cars, about 8-10 MPH, pulled the clutch to down shift and it died as the light changed. It started right back up and off I went. The FI light was flickering dimly, but it's fairly dim anyway. Not a steady flash, random flickering of varying intensity. It stopped a couple blocks afterwards. It ran fine before and after the stall. It was the second short ride of the day, about 85 out, 210 engine temp. Stock motor other than a K&N recently serviced. Plugs were done recently as well as a new fuel pressure regulator. Tank close to full. Anyone know what it could be? I don't want to get blindsided down the road if there's something starting to fail that can be fixed now.