hood@lando.dec.com (slink) (09/12/86)
I've also got a starter problem. (And a flame!) On my '84 Nighthawk 700, when I press the starter button, the engine *almost* turns-over, then stops. It's exactly like just tapping the button, instead of keeping it depressed. This happened occasionally at the beginning of the season, but now happens almost every time I start the bike. It'll usually do this two or three times, then work ok to start the bike. Between this and a Mass State cop who brought new meaning to the word "pig", I've not been riding the bike too much over the past month or two. Police paranoia is finally fading away, and I wanna ride again. --------------------------------- BTW, what are people's experience with dealing with police while driving motorcycles vs dealing with them when driving cars? I was stopped for speeding on I-495 in Massachusetts at about 10:30 at night by a state cop who spent ten minutes yelling at me, calling me a moron, and threatening me with arrest. [I was doing about 68mph in a 55 zone. There was light traffic, only one other car on the stretch of road. I wasn't rude or anything -- (people with guns, sticks, and the ability to throw me in jail intimidate me.) I finally got him to go away by giving him my license, registration, and inspection sticker (he never asked for them). In short, the guy acted like Charles Bronson having a temper tantrum.] He added all sorts of bogus charges to the ticket, in addition to claiming 80mph, which I later appealed and got removed. I've had other not quite so unpleasant experiences with police while motorcycling, typically things like being closely followed thru small towns. I drive a Nighthawk, wear a Bell helmet, and am usually dressed in corduroys, sneakers, and a leather or denim jacket. I don't have any tattoes or swastikers, my muffler works, and do *not* give police the finger. I don't speed (ever) in cities and towns, and I always drive cautiously around traffic. I don't look like I'm gonna rape someone's grandma, rob a bank, or even litter!. I've been stopped in a car a few times, and the cop always, very politely, tells why I'm being stopped and asks for license and registration and walks away. He later comes back, gives the ticket and an optional quick lecture, then leaves. Is my bike experience typical? Tom Hood DEC, Littleton MA DISCLAIMER: My company has never been arrested by the Mass State Police (only the FBI, and they were very polite).
turner@imagen.UUCP (D'arc Angel) (09/17/86)
> I've also got a starter problem. (And a flame!) > > On my '84 Nighthawk 700, when I press the starter button, the engine *almost* > turns-over, then stops. It's exactly like just tapping the button, instead > of keeping it depressed. This happened occasionally at the beginning of the > season, but now happens almost every time I start the bike. It'll usually do > this two or three times, then work ok to start the bike. > --------------------------------- i've had simular problems (and oh so many more) with my guzzi, check the 12V wires going to the starter if they are frayed or loose you may not be getting enough current to the solinoid. check relays (if you got em) for the usual crap, when all else fails buy an europian bike (:+) > > BTW, what are people's experience with dealing with police while driving > motorcycles vs dealing with them when driving cars? I was stopped for > speeding on I-495 in Massachusetts at about 10:30 at night by a state cop who > spent ten minutes yelling at me, calling me a moron, and threatening me with > arrest. [I was doing about 68mph in a 55 zone. There was light traffic, only you never know the cop may have been an asshole or he may have just picked up the pieces of another biker who didn't have your luck and/or skill, the only time i've gotten pulled over (for VERY expired registration) the cop was concerned that i might dump the bike (like you im intimidated by ...) and was extremely polite. ive found bike or car doesnt matter, some people take jobs because they care and want to do a good job and others becuase they like the power or because they cant do anything else -- ---- It aint life that gets me down, it's gravity Name: James M. Turner Mail: Imagen Corp. 2650 San Tomas Expressway, P.O. Box 58101 Santa Clara, CA 95052-8101 AT&T: (408) 986-9400 UUCP: ...{decvax,ucbvax}!decwrl!imagen!turner CompuServe: 76327,1575 GEnie : D-ARCANGEL
donch@tekirl.UUCP (Don Chitwood) (09/19/86)
My Guzzi periodically has a similar set of symptoms. I discovered the cause and it's fairly easy to fix. The Guzzi's starter is a spittin' image of a standard car starter, except that it's about 1/2 the size. As such, it uses a standard type solenoid that functions both to engage the starter gear with the flywheel and to make connection with the battery directly to the starter motor. The contacts inside the solenoid were at fault. By taking out two screws that hold the end-cap onto the solenoid, then unsoldering the two wires that are fastened to the spade-lugs on the end-cap, the contacts inside the solenoid are revealed in all their ugliness. When the described problem arises, these contacts are invariably much blackened and making dubious contact. I take some sandpaper and clean them up real good, reassemble it, and have no more problems for another 20,000 miles or so. Sometimes, when my battery is low for various reasons, the solenoid will clatter--oscillate like a vibrator--because of too little juice. The only cure then is to trickle-charge the battery, get a jump-start from a car, or bump-start the bike. I've done all three, each at least once under adverse conditions (try bump-starting a 525-lb bike in a level parking lot in 95 degree heat!) Regarding treatment of me on my bike by cops, I've only had one really bad experience and it was not abusive but rather legalistically rigorous. Another cop stopped me for speeding once and spent a good 20 minutes talking computers and hi-tech stuff. He was very interesting, but I think he was also trying to slow me down by taking time to be casual. He also gave me a ticket! Several cops have stopped me to warn me against speeding even tho they admitted they hadn't gotten a reading on me (they were right; my most comfortable speed owing to a vibration minimum is 65-70 mph.)
lee@wang.UUCP (Lee Story x77155 ms 1989) (09/25/86)
> BTW, what are people's experience with dealing with police while driving > motorcycles vs dealing with them when driving cars? I was stopped for > speeding on I-495 in Massachusetts at about 10:30 at night by a state cop who > spent ten minutes yelling at me, calling me a moron, ... Amazingly, perhaps, my experience on I495 (round about the [in]famous Tewksbury speed trap) have been quite the opposite. I commute about 70% by Honda VT500, 30% by Toyota, and a year or two ago was stopped three days in a row for absent-mindedly letting the Camry glide down the long, gradual hill at 65 to 70 (probably 0.1 MPH faster than the average traffic?). I've NEVER been stopped while on a motorcycle in about 14000 miles of riding, and have often wondered why. Do the State Police want to avoid possible high-speed chases? Do bikes fail to show up clearly on their radar? Are there other less obscure reasons? Many policemen are riders, and all are trained to deal politely and professionally with us errant citizens; I'd bet that the one referred to in the posting was an extraordinary exception, at least in this state. Lee Story @ Wang Labs
pag00@amdahl.UUCP (Pria Graves) (09/29/86)
In article <865@wang.UUCP> lee@wang.UUCP (Lee Story x77155 ms 1989) writes: > Many policemen are riders, and all are trained to deal politely and > professionally with us errant citizens; I'd bet that the one referred to > in the posting was an extraordinary exception, at least in this state. > > Lee Story @ Wang Labs Three years ago on Superbowl Sunday my husband and I went out riding to take advantage of the light traffic. We were being inattentive and got pulled over. The patrol man (CHP) was a motorcyclist and I am quite sure he would have let us off EXCEPT that a local sheriff pulled in behind him... Of course they cannot let you go once another officer of the law is present.... I have been stopped much more often when on a bike - my car is a 61 volks that has a hard time speeding without a tailwind - but I usually get out of it. The only other time I didn't was on I5 north of Seattle. The trooper zoomed by, swung to the shoulder and then pulled out blocking both lanes. He then proceeded to flag over a semi from Kansas, a local car and little old me on the 550 honda I had then. Talk about an absolute absence of any favoritism! It was worth the $30 for admission. He was professional enough (no yelling) but utterly unsympathetic about the fact that I had to unpack my bike to get to my registration under the seat. -- Pria ...!{ihnp4,hplabs,amd,nsc}!amdahl!pag00 (408) 746 7539 (Disclaimer: even I don't necessarily agree!)