A funny thing happened...

Yesterday I stopped off at Tesco, to get a couple of bits and bobs, on the
way home. Parked the bike (Trident 900) on its side stand, on a slight
slope, so that it was leaning *slightly* more than usual. Returned to the
bike about 10 mins later, and when I hit the start button, it sounded
laboured and didn't fire. Tried again and it hardly turned at all. Again
and there was nothing, though the dashboard lights were on, but dimmed
while the starter button was being pushed. It was as if the battery had
just died, and this is a nearly-new sealed battery, fitted no more than a
couple of months ago.

Began to think how the bloody hell I was going to get home (9 miles away),
and this being in a river flood plain, there were no slopes on which to
attempt a bump-start. I then put the bike on its centre stand while I
considered my options and who to phone for help.

About a minute later I thought I'd give the starter one more go. This
time it turned fairly healthily and fired, and *phew* I was able to make
the homeward journey without further incident.

I'm *really* puzzled what caused this non-start incident. Is it possible
that the slight over-lean on the side-stand might have led to a fuel
problem, but then why the apparently dead starter? It's been starting
perfectly well on the first push of the button up till now, with no signs of
tiredness. There were about 140 miles on the trip meter and I normally
refuel between 170 and 180 miles, just before reserve is needed but when the
low fuel light is on.

Comments welcome.

 

Thus spake Oily () unto the assembled multitudes:

My Trident (1993 model) is a carburated engine, not injection, but I do
still wonder if it might have been some kind of hyraulic lock situation.
The starter has been working fine other than this incident.

 

Starter motor bearings

 

Thus spake Jim ([email protected]) unto the assembled multitudes:

Can't be that; the switch isn't in the starter circuitry. The side-stand
switch kills the engine only if I engage gear, which is fine by me ;-)

 

How's your oil level? If this is an 885, the crank vent pipe exits on
the right side, goes across the back of the cylinders then into the
airbox. If that's got some oil in it, leaning the bike further than
normal would make it run into the airbox, causing a mild hydraulic lock.

I know of a few 885s that have exploded after a left side drop for
precisely this reason.

 

Thus spake Mike Civil () unto the assembled multitudes:

No alarm. Never had one.

As I implied earlier, I don't actually think it was a 'leccy problem, and
I've rather warmed to Krusty's oil-induced mild hydraulic lock theory.

 

Thus spake Krusty () unto the assembled multitudes:

*gulp*

I haven't checked the oil level for a little while, but it almost certainly
won't be *higher* than it should be, if that's what you were implying.

 

No, is it lower than it should be, & if so, would the reason be because
the missing oil's swilling around in the airbox[1]. You should have a
drain tube on the bottom of the airbox with a plug in the end - open
that up & see what comes out.

[1] If the rings are getting a bit tired, you could be getting some
pressure build-up in the cases, which is forcing a bit of oil into the
vent pipe. Normally it would just drain back into the engine again, but
if the bike was leaning far enough on the stand, it could drain t'other
way into the airbox.

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, Champ

Well, we know for sure that it's not starter motor bearings.

--
Wicked Uncle Nigel - "He's hopeless, but he's honest"

I have already made the greatest contribution to the fight against climate
change that I can make: I have decided not to breed. Now quit bugging me and
go and talk to the Catholics.

 

Possible intermittent bad earth from battery or loose battery terminal
connection (not fully tightened when battery was replaced)? Check for
corrosion, tighten etc.

 

Thus spake Champ () unto the assembled multitudes:

I did wonder myself that this might have been the case. It's just odd that
this has happened only once before (about 2 or 3 years ago, and at that
time I thought it was the battery was dying, and went out and bought a new
one) and I've parked the bike on its sidestand loads of times. In fact I
use the sidestand when it's in my garage, but the stand rests on a lump of
wood so that the bike is only leaning slightly.

 

Thus spake Krusty () unto the assembled multitudes:

I'll give that a go when I get a bit of time. Probably next week.

Well, regarding the rings, even though the bike is now 16 years old, it's
still on what I consider to be a pretty low mileage, about 39,000 miles (I
keep thinking about a guy who had an identical model and covered 250,000
miles in 3 years without any need for major surgery). The story was in MCN
(so it must be true ;-) and was also on a Trident publicity leaflet (which
I still have).

Thanks to all for your thoughts and suggestions. Muchly appreciatedlode
all overly, oh yes.

 

[snup]

My Daytona (T595) does this. Fail to start it "properly" and you need to
walk away for a few mins. Seems to be a small battery and large starter
current drain.

 

If it was enough oil to cause a mild hydraulic lock then it'd be
chucking out some serious smoke when it started and for a minute or so
afterwards. I have seen similar symptoms caused by excessive oil in
the cylinder, though not on a bike.

 

Thus spake Tim () unto the assembled multitudes:

I used the bike today, tempting fate with another stopover in Lewes -
though this time to buy a gallon of Harvey's Best Sussex Bitter from their
excellent brewery shop - and the bike behaved impeccably throughout; no
sign of the trouble I had at Tesco the other day, though in all fairness I
did park it on its centre stand this time (didn't want to tempt fate too
far).

It's true however that if ever I do have trouble starting (more than two
jabs, say, perhaps after a couple of weeks being parked up) the battery
runs out of juice very quickly. But in 'normal' use it usually starts
first jab.