Modern Buddy

My Black Cat just quite on me today. This is the third time it has done it. The first time, I was going down the road and it quit, just as if I had hit the kill switch, so I coasted until the clutch disengaged and cranked it back up. I didn't even have to stop.

A day or 2 later, it does it again. This time I have to let it sit for about 5 minutes before I get it to start again.

A few weeks later (this AM on the way to work) it does it again. This time, so far, I have not been able to get it to crank.

It will turn over fine, just won't light off. I called the local Genuine dealer and they say they have not heard of any problems inherant like that. They can troubleshoot for $50 an hour though.

Anyone else have any type of problems like this?

Is it the vapor lock problem that's talked about a lot here?


Simple fix with a gas cap mod

yeah.. have you just filled it with gas?

I don't know about the first 2 times but this last time - I filled up last night. It stopped on me this morning - mid 60's ambient temp. It still won't start hours later.

OK - I have pulled the spark plug and see that it is getting a good spark. Checked the gap while I was at it. The bike is cooled of with the EGT gauge reading 87 F, I removed the gas cap and it still would not start. I took the air cleaner off and could see the lip of the intake was moist with gas, so it is getting gas. I even rejetted it while I was at it - 87 to an 85.

Could there be a timing issue?

One thing I found out. There is a small green and black wire running from the CPI to the battery box but it is not connected to anything in the battery box. I do not see any connectors missing any wires and it is not on the service manual's schematic. The schematic shows 5 wires. All those wires are there plus this mystery wire, filling up the 6 holes of the connector. It has been this way ever since I bought the bike. Anyone have an idea what the wire is for?

My Rattler is doing the same thing. My tank has new gas, 3/4 full. not many miles on it at all. Could it be the idle setting being set too low?

I set the idle higher - now let's see how that does on a nice long run.