Thanks Dennis and Graham. It stayed on after 2 tries this morning
with minimal and no throttle - full choke. I let her warm up a
couple minutes and she ran fine.
After about 6 mins I had my second red light and with no choke or
throttle she stalled. The idle just kept going lower and lower....
As usual the warm restart was just one push of the button and I
made sure to give a little gas at idle for the rest of my commute.
Perhaps this Seafoam everyone talks about will help.
Charles
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device
From: Dennis Hammerl <[email protected]>
Date: Tue, 16 Feb 2010 22:59:37 -0800 (PST)
To: <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [Nighthawk Lovers] starting problems
They have an accelerator pump. Every time you do, you spray gas
in. Not a great idea. Choke is better. Unless I knew they were
done recently, I'd clean the carbs just for piece of mind. Maybe
run some Seafoam through it instead.
From: "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
To: [email protected]
Sent: Wed, February 17, 2010 12:54:36 AM
Subject: Re: [Nighthawk Lovers] starting problems
Thanks for your help. Do you have any ideas why I'd need to
repeatedly and quickly roll throttle on and off?
Charles
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device
From: Dennis Hammerl <[email protected]>
Date: Tue, 16 Feb 2010 21:36:52 -0800 (PST)
To: <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [Nighthawk Lovers] starting problems
Other than a warm restart, you don't have a problem. Change in
light output ? yes, they do.
I will not ride a bike out into the street that's engine is not
hot to the touch. I don't need a stall when an SUV with some
dimwit talking on a cell phone is bearing down on me. Each bike is
different, you'll have to find out what yours likes to start every
time. Above 60 degrees, mine start without choke or throttle, hot
or cold. Try some choke, no choke, light throttle, whatever. Pose
this question to AHM and they would answer that starting is an
individual situation and give suggestions (as I did) and disregard
any transitional conditions. They will address only problems that
occur at full operating temperature. In other words, warm-up takes
how long ? Deal with it, it's a temporary situation. EFI
eliminates this sort of thing, shame that the Nighthawk family
didn't have it.
From: "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
To: [email protected]
Sent: Tue, February 16, 2010 11:22:50 PM
Subject: Re: [Nighthawk Lovers] starting problems
The bike runs grrrreat - after about 4 or 5 minutes - no problems
at all. Great pick up nice power all through the revs, good brakes
and handling. My only problem is the start. It starts fine after
only a few minutes off, but an hour or longer and I've had
problems. It takes about three to four tries - I've tried full
choke with no throttle too. It seems to need just a bit of extra
gas at the beginning to fire up.
By the way the lights DO get brighter with throttle. ;). But they
always dim with no throttle even at the end of a half hour ride
and I was wondering if they are supposed to - I don't recall my
450 doing that.
Thanks for your patience. This is only my second bike and I'm no
mechanic but can try to learn.
Charles
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device
From: Dennis Hammerl <[email protected]>
Date: Tue, 16 Feb 2010 20:09:35 -0800 (PST)
To: <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [Nighthawk Lovers] starting problems
A lot of unrelated symptoms without parameters. First off, your
lights dim at idle... how about saying they get brighter when you
increase the engine speed ? gee, that means the charging system
works. Surprising after beating up the battery to get it started.
The 450 had choke butterflies and the 550 has enricheners. Both
start better with full choke and NO throttle. Now, is all this
difficulty only at start up or all the time ? The brake light is a
huge drain on the battery and after giving the battery a good
thrashing to get it started, applying the brake might be just
enough to drop the voltage below what it takes to run. Again, all
the time or just after starting ?
IN OTHER WORDS, does this bike ever run right ?
From: Charles <[email protected]>
To: Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers! <[email protected]>
Sent: Tue, February 16, 2010 10:18:19 PM
Subject: [Nighthawk Lovers] starting problems
Hi,
my 83 550nh doesn't start as easily as my first bike - an 83 450.
The
battery seems fine, although the lights dim when not on throttle, the
starter definitely is working, but I seem to have to try a couple
times with choke, then without choke, then with choke etc.. I
have to
give quick roll on/off throttle or it will stall (either with no
throttle, or steady throttle). I can ride within a minute but
then it
stalls as soon as I use front brake (ie. no throttle) which is
obviously unsafe.
Do I need to keep babying this bike, or is there a better way? I'm
guessing idle needs to be adjusted higher (it idles nicely at 1000
when warmed up)?
If this is the case, as a newbie can I do this myself or make a
mechanic call?
Bye the way I ride in Vancouver (rain) year round about twice a week
if that makes a difference. Bike is garaged but I have the same
problem each time I start it after only an hour of sitting after a 15
minute ride or even longer ride or whether it is in the garage
after 5
days.
Thanks
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