Okay, so i let my bike sit for about 1 month without starting it (just kinda forgot i guess). it had fuel stabilizer in it so that wasn't going to be a problem, along with some sea foam. the bike starts up as it always has, i took it out to go for a ride just to run the fuel through the carbs and what not. first gear is okay, i notice something a little odd at the higher end of the RPM range, then in second.... i can't get it higher than 45 mph, shift to third, and i lose even more power and can't go above 45.... it kind of sputters like suddenly it will buck forward a little but then stop and just won't go any faster. if i pull in the clutch and coast at that speed, the engine will cut out in about 15 seconds. takes a couple of times to start up again but it will start but same goes for 4th 5th and 6th, i can't touch them.

only noticeable problem was that my throttle wasn't snapping back, i lubed the throttle cable today (been trying to solve this for a month or so now) its snapping back now, but same problem.

any suggestions?

(as you can tell i'm not extremely automotive savvy)

 

Look and see if your ram air ducts, and hoses are obstructed.

 

just took a look (luckily i have a roommate who has a 97 cbr to compare to). funny story... it appears as though i don't have any ram air ducts (i guess thats what they are called). i've owned the bike for a year (almost)... i've been fixing the things that the previous owner did to it as they arise... the only thing is i've never had this problem before. roommate comes home at 5 so i'll have him help me rip this thing apart. any other suggestions?

thanks for the help so far jalen its much appreciated as this has got me extremely frustrated.

 

no obstruction anywhere in the air flow....

 

Could possibly be the CDI, don't know if your buddy's 97 would work, check the part numbers at your local Honda shop. Mine was doing something similar and thats what it turned out to be.

 

hi mump,
how does it idle? Is it a bit high? just thinking... if the throttle cable is a bit sticky, due to rust or such... then maybe your choke cable is actually broken or stretched, leaving the choke stuck slightly closed. kinda sounds like riding with the choke closed or slightly closed. i had similar symptoms with one of my dirtbikes and it took me a bit to find, cause the grime in the cable sleeve made it feel like it was still attached to the choke plate.

trying to help. good luck!

 

Sounds to me like the fuel pump isn't pushing fuel in when riding at higher RPMs. How much gas is in the tank? Can you listen to the fuel pump priming at startup and elminate that as a problem-

It is possible to start and ride the bike at low speeds via gravity feed from the tank, but I think that the pump woud act as an abstruction so this may not be the case.

 

if you have a clear fuel filter, i would try to see if the pump is still pulling fuel. if you haven't changed the filter for a while, its possible you might have passed some trash through it. then i'd make sure all the hoses are working that hook up to the solenoid valve. (the exact thing that you described happened to me, and it was because every time i would put the tank on, the fuel line from the petcock disconnected one of the hoses from the solenoid valve.)

it's probably something pretty simple. especially if the bike wasn't touched in that month. a line or hose probably is loose or disconnected.

 

hey i just want to say thank you to all of you who have replied, i stopped receiving e-mail notifications so i thought there were no more replies. i have some time tonight and will be looking through all of these options. thanks!!


oh and the throttle sticking was due to the grip flexing and rubbing against the bar end. thats fixed and lubed.

the idle is fine, there has been no change there.

the gas tank is full, or very close to it. i'm not sure what to listen for as far as the fuel pump priming. but i'll try...

 

air flow clear, fuel filter bypassed, swapped out fuel pump, swapped out battery, no luck at all. it goes to the shop on the 30th... i give up.