Modern Buddy

Frustration is when the scoot ain't running right and my shop guy is confused as well.......

He (the scoot, Simon) was stalling a lot lately, wouldn't hold an idle, was hard starting. I took him in this morning, carb was cleaned, air/fuel mix was 'tinkered' with, still no improvement. Next, OK, we gotta check the valves, (whatever that means) OY.....! really? What next?
(Oil was changed, new fuel filter &etc)

Not that I'm dis-satisfied with my shop, those guys are great, it's just that I'm a mechanical moron and I really wish I knew how to do this myself!

KABarash wrote:gotta check the valves, (whatever that means)

Don't be so lazy . .
http://vimeo.com/5377019

did the shop inspect or replace the fuel filter? do you use any fuel system cleaners? do you use any fuel stabilizers to combat ethanol degradation? and unfortunately yes, valve clearances are adjustable and need to be checked at prescribed intervals because their linkages can open up over time...

I'm not at the point where valve clearances need to be checked, but I will have the fuel filter and spark plug replaced in the spring; as far as fuel goes, I store in gas cans and treat the fuel with ethanol stabilizers and use fuel system cleaners from time to time in my scoot to prevent/remove deposits;

hope you can get to the root of the problem...

KABarash wrote:Frustration is when the scoot ain't running right and my shop guy is confused as well.......

He (the scoot, Simon) was stalling a lot lately, wouldn't hold an idle, was hard starting. I took him in this morning, carb was cleaned, air/fuel mix was 'tinkered' with, still no improvement. Next, OK, we gotta check the valves, (whatever that means) OY.....! really? What next?
(Oil was changed, new fuel filter &etc)

Not that I'm dis-satisfied with my shop, those guys are great, it's just that I'm a mechanical moron and I really wish I knew how to do this myself!

I am with you. I wish I new how to do some of the routine things myself. Unfortunately I am a total moron when it comes to anything involving engines . I think if I changed oil, cleaned out carbs under supervision at least once I might be able to do it on my own afterwards. Even with great pictorials some folks posted I am too scared to damage my bike...

Fluid changes &etc I'm OK with, here I knew I was over my head.
Sure, I can look at a book with plenty of pictures and clean out a carb but I'd never do it in the 1/2 hour the mechanic did, nor get it together again.

kmrcstintn;
Fuel filter was changed, I knew it looked 'not right' even that I figured I could do. I have been using 'seafoam' that kept the carb OK-ish, I suppose I need to try something else.
Geeze, I hope Lyle gets it figured out today, it's been five days since I've ridden, I'm getting withdrawl symptoms!!

Stormswift;
Fluid changes &etc I'm OK with, here I knew I was over my head.
Sure, I can look at a book with plenty of pictures and clean out a carb but I'd never do it in the 1/2 hour the mechanic did, nor get it together again.

kmrcstintn;
Fuel filter was changed, I knew it looked 'not right' even that I figured I could do. I have been using 'seafoam' that kept the carb OK-ish, I suppose I need to try something else.
Geeze, I hope Lyle gets it figured out today, it's been five days since I've ridden, I'm getting withdrawl symptoms!!

Does doing any matainance like changing your oil yourself void the warranty?

next step would be checking the integrity of the stator, make sure it's drawing enough juice to make it fire. the symptoms sound a lot like what I dealt with at CBR, assuming all the same troubleshooting you already did, including replacing the fuel filter. I'll bet my bottom dollar it's an electrical component. how many miles you got?

I too at first thought there was something electrical going on as well, it would shut off like it just 'forgot' to spark.
I've got just shy of 16,000 miles on it.

Well bottom line, Wednesday after work I picked it up, it was in fact the valves, he said something about the exhaust valve being "all gunked up"
Whatever it was musta been like that for a while, there's 'new life' in 'Simon' when I rolled back on the throttle as I was pulling out of the shop it felt like it almost snapped my head back, I had to hold on......!!