Hey all,
I've found that there's a lot of questions going around with members unable to start their bikes and unsure where to start. Being a naturally lazy person, I figure it'd make things easier all around if I put the basics on one page for easy reference. I'm not a mechanic, but I've had a lot of really badly-running motorcycles, so using various manuals I've built a little flow chart. That way, instead of vagueposting something like 'Help my bike won't start! Don't know what to do!' you'll be able to work down the list to find the specific cause more easily, and can post things like 'Neutral switch bad, need help replacing!'

(Spoiler alert, it's usually the battery. Voltage means nothing if it can't hold a charge)

This is the carbureted version, cause frankly, that's what I know best. I imagine there's a lot of commonality on the non-fuel side for fuel-injected bikes, but the steps can (and will) vary, and they'll ahve other diagnostic options through the data port, and other potential faults with the ECM and other sensors etc. Not all bikes have neutral switches, sidestand switches, fuel pumps etc. Also some bikes will crank with the killswitch off, and others won't. It's as close as I could come up with for a one-size-fits all. Also, you'll note that the first step is always to check the battery and fuses. If you've had as many terrible motorcycles as I have, you'll understand why that's the case

Let me know if anyone notices any inconsistencies/inaccuracies/typos, or have ideas for improvement. Thanks!



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