To add to what others have suggested it sounds like the sidestand switch may be a possible culprit. A test is to bypass it.
To do this locate the G/W & BK/Y wires near the left side of the radiator. Disconnect them then connect the ones coming from the top together. (Yes, the G/W & the BK/Y wires will connect into each other.) If this solves the problem then the sidestand switch is definitively the culprit.
And the battery could still be part of the problem. At idle speed the alternator can't keep up with the electrical demands of the bike. (headlight, ignition, etc.) Revving the engine will get the alternator past the 'break even' point. Since the battery was dead for an undetermined amount of time I'd also spring for a new battery.
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'Biker' Bill
'97 EN500LTD 'Hidalgo'
157,000+ miles so far
VROC #3833
IronButt #6024
Levelland, TX
SlipStreamer Enterprise II, Vista Cruise,
Fiamm air horns, Cobra Spots, Drifter solo seat,
Pro-Tac backrest, 17/42 sprockets, Darkside rear,
ScottOiler, F&S luggage rack ,Throttle Rocker,
Willie & Max bags, 800A saddlebag supports,
Victory Vegas handlebars, Kuryakyn grips,
LED & HID lighting, 4-gal AUX fuel tank
Thank you everyone for all your help. This is my first bike and all very new to me so I appreciate all the replies and help. For those worried about me taking offense don't apologize. Again I'm new to this so I am ignorant to all this. Id rather ask and sound stupid and get help from experience riders than to continue in my ignorance and end up messing up my bike even more. Oorah Semper Fi. Thanks again. Will give update once I get it up and running.
I know this old man who has raced pretty much anything his entire life and I always used to hear him say: The first rule of any motorsports is check the battery's connections/cleanliness/ground and then you check your battery. Then you start from there and work your way out from ignition to firing system to charging system to engine to carb and then start all over again if you still can't figure it out.
Of course, anyone does what they want to do with their machines but you are all on point.
That is good advice. I always like to try the simple things first. You never want to spend hundreds of $$$ and find out it was s $15 switch, your kill switch was off, or you are out of gas. We all get bit by them at one point but after you are bit you will start to tend to check the simple things.
*EDIT* That reminds me of a story. My wife grand mother was at Walmart trying to get her car to start. It was not doing anything and the battery had good contact. So she called a wrecker to come get her. My wife and I was on our way to check it out and she called before we got there. The guy with the wrecker was trying to get it to start too and could not. I walked up and asked what was wrong and I hopped down it the seat pulled it in to neutral and guess what it started. The park safety switch was out.
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2008 V2K Classic
Who would have thought I would grow up to become "Spatially Educated" and play Connect-the-Dots for a living.
Last edited by SWVA_08V2k; 11-30-2012 at 08:38 AM.
Reason: Add Story
... i can tell when its about to cut off because the engine sounds get softer and then just cuts out. Thats when i try to leave it running. when i try to release clutch it just automatically cuts out.
On point however, I'm concerned about the comment that the engine sounds get softer and then the engine cuts out. As I'm not familiar with this specific bike, I can only generalize, but that causes me to wonder about the control module. For instance, start cold bike - run at higher rpm to warm - bike warming, decrease rpm - bad code, bike dies. Engine is now warm (same place in code) so it can't start. Wait until engine cools off, starts now. Rinse, repeat. And as always, I could be so far off base that I'm not even on the playing field!
On point however, I'm concerned about the comment that the engine sounds get softer and then the engine cuts out. As I'm not familiar with this specific bike, I can only generalize, but that causes me to wonder about the control module. For instance, start cold bike - run at higher rpm to warm - bike warming, decrease rpm - bad code, bike dies. Engine is now warm (same place in code) so it can't start. Wait until engine cools off, starts now. Rinse, repeat. And as always, I could be so far off base that I'm not even on the playing field!
Its hard to figure out some ones problems over the net isn't it. But all in all it sounds like we have popcorned several ideas out there.
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2008 V2K Classic
Who would have thought I would grow up to become "Spatially Educated" and play Connect-the-Dots for a living.
Check fuel filter. Then check nutural switch on gear box and kickstand switch.If it will stay running with clutch pulled in sounds like safety switch some were bad. Hope this helps and you can get out and ride.
Sounds like it could be a fuel flow problem. If the fuel filter is partially blocked, say with rust particles that have built up while the bike was sitting for a long time, then there would not be enough fuel flow volume to keep the carb bowls topped up while the engine is running. Then if it sits for a while, the bowls would slowly fill back up, the bike would start, but would only run for a short time before quitting because once again the fuel level in the bowls would fall too low.
One way to check this is to remove the fuel feed hose from the gas tank petcock. If the petcock is in the on position, no fuel should run out. If the petcock is then turned to the prime position, "PRI", fuel should flow easily (have something to catch in in). If it's only a trickle, the there's some blockage and the petcock will have to be removed and the fine-mesh screen filter cleaned.
If someone has added an in-line fuel filter, then the flow rate will have to be checked on the carburetor side of that filter.
May not be the problem, but it's relatively easy to check.
Several have alluded to it talking about the kickstand switch, but I'll just come out and ask - is the kickstand up? It is designed to kill the engine if you try to start off with it down.
Gary W, As I was reading this post my mind travelled to the same idea as yours. Is the Kicksatand still down whenever putting the bike in gear? You would not belive how many times I tried to get started with the kicksatnd still down and stalled the bike while at motorcycle saftey class. THe instructor got a little tired of yelling over to me to put my kickstand up to get moving. I felt really dumb about the third time he yelled at me. I'm just glad it happend there and not out in traffic.
Vulcan 500
Linear Mode
