I thought two strokes were easy to start???

[sammyj18]

Hey All,

Sorry if this is a stupid question. I just bought a 03 EC 200. Its my first two stroke bike. I rode it last weekend without any trouble, took it home cleaned it up and put it away.

Today I just got done repaking the silencer and now I can't get the bike to start. Is there any special method to starting a 2 stroke? Right now Im just setting the choke, opening the throttle slightly and kicking away. Ive been trying for about 20 minutes and I just CAN NOT get it to fire.

Thanks,
Sam

 

[bergerhag]

Keep the throttle shut, or else the choke circuit won't work.

 

[eff]

Yup should be easy to start.

Put it in second gear and rack it back and forth a few times. Put it in nuetral and try kicking it again.

 

[sammyj18]

OK tried again still won't start..pulled the spark plug had some black oil on it...assume this is normal when using mixed gas? Cleaned it reinstalled it...and still not starting. Again im a total NOOB

Thanks,
Sam

 

[rpduc]

Gas On?

Is this a model with the full lights and the road bike looking handlebar switchgear? Road bike guys get bit by the kill switch once in a while...

Did you check for spark when you had the plug out? If no spark maybe you got some water in by the stator when you washed it?. Easy to pull the cover to check that out. They are notorious for that, or so I hear, I'm pretty much a noob to these GG bikes too.

It should start very easily. I bought three rode hard put away wet GG 2t bikes that had been sitting for a couple years with stale old gas, sinfully dirty aircleaners, blah blah, and they fired up with minimal effort. Now after some TLC they always start in a couple kicks.

 

[kim]

You might want to consider re-jetting the bike. Do a search on this site and you will find more info than you thought possible.

Put a new spark plug in first though and see.

As mentioned above I also have had some trouble with the kill switch or so I thought until I got the jetting right.

K

 

[skid jackson]

heres a trick you can try. one time I could not get my 300 to fire. another rider said to kick it over very slowly a bunch of times then give it a good kick. And by slowly he ment the absolute slowest you could go through the stroke. Just enough to get the piston to move .... creep down throught the stroke. like feeble 90 yr old can barely move the kicker throught the stroke slow. i did what he said for a few minutes and damned if it did not fire on the first real kick afterward.

2 months later some poor dude is kicking and cursing his kdx. So I walk over and give him the low down on the slow kick method. dude is too wound up to kick slow enough so I throw him off his own bike show him what a slow kick is. do it for a few minutes and give it one real kick and the kdx fires right up!! the dude thought I was jesus or something!!!

My guess is that in both cases the bike was flooded an the plug was fouled. The slow kick thing probably clears a lot of fuel out of the cylinder which then allows the bike to fire. you might give that try. If it fires it sure puts a smile on your face!!

 

[steve]

Fouled plug, maybe and the jetting seems fat!

 

[goody]

I've never claimed to be a jetting guru but being able to diagnose "fat" jetting from an engine that's not running is amazing how do you do that!

Here's a combination of what I've been told and what I've found to help.
Get a Spare Air filter, next time you jet wash your bike put a clean air filter on it take off the flywheel cover and thoroughly warm up the bike. Let it tickover on the stand and turn off the fuel and let the carb run dry.

Before starting it again give it a good shake to make sure the oil/petrol is mixed then open the fuel tap wait for the carb to fill and then kick it over with the choke on and no throttle.

Not saying that's the only routine that works but it works for me!

 

[gasIdaho]

Once you know your fuel is turned on, lay the bike on it's side to induce fuel out the drain hose. Now stand her back up and proceed with the slow kick method. Possible your float is hung up?

 

[sammyj18]

Hey All,

Thanks for the tips so far. I was getting frustrated last night and kicking away in my tennis shoes like a fool, and I ended up gashing my leg. So I ordered a new spark plug and Im gonna let it sit for a few days before I try again. Just a few other questions...a fouled plug is a sign of bad jetting? Also when I got done riding last weekend I shut the fuel off and let the carb run itself dry. Is it possible my float is still hung up after doing that? Im going to try again when my new spark plug comes Ill let you know how it goes.

Thanks again!
Sam

 

[mike989]

Before you get carried away with "fixes". Check for spark first, as someone suggested, then check for fuel, see if the new plug shows any sign of being wet. If the answer is yes to all three, and still dosen't try to fire, then get crazy with all the things stated above.

 

[c-152]

Before you get carried away with "fixes". Check for spark first, as someone suggested, then check for fuel, see if the new plug shows any sign of being wet. If the answer is yes to all three, and still dosen't try to fire, then get crazy with all the things stated above.

+1 for this

Start with the easiest and most common first. Gas on - lean the bike over to make sure fuel is getting to the carb - air filter clean (nothing in the airbox like the rag you stuffed in to clean the filter...been there) - rock the bike in gear (or slow kick it) then kick away. If it doesnt fire I start with the plug - take a look at it then make sure it has spark and a good one. If all of that checks out I usually drain the fuel out of the tank and carb to rule out water in the tank. If that fails then it is time to move to other problems like jetting etc.
just my 2cents

 

[sammyj18]

Hey Guys,

Just wanted to let you know I installed a new spark plug today and the bike fired right up. It died out shortly after and I pulled the plug it was fouled. I cleaned if off reinstalled, and it fired right up again. This time it ran great. I think the cylinder was probably just full of oil from all the kicking I was doing with the bad plug in there. Thanks again for all the help. One other question... I am running knobbies and just do easy trail riding, no racing. What tire pressure is normal?

Sam

 

[eff]

I run about 12-13 lbs in mine.