Quote:
Originally Posted by psykbutch
Well the shadow works sometimes and then doesnt in the next moment. I've actually come to hate that bike  The thing makes me feel like I'm crazy when it breaks down and then my bike mechanic rides it to his shop.
Currently, I just got it out of the shop for lose battery connection and some new spark plugs, then a day after I got it home, it would warm up then die when I pulled the throttle. I got a ride to work that night, yet the next morning it started and I rode it 12 miles and back. Next time I tired it...pulled the throttle after it warmed up, it died. Right this second if I went out there it would work though. I hope.
It has done phantom stuff like that for the year I've had it. One time I told my mechanic it was leaking gas, so the mechanic has it in his shop all day...no problems. It was late though so he decided he would just call me in the morning to come get it. When he opened shop the next day, there was gas all over the floor. I got lucky, but most of the time it makes me look crazy. I got "honeyed" the other day about a conversation about how to start the bike...I'm ready to sell it. If I did, I would get another honda shadow though, hopefully normal one. This shadow only has 1 down three up instead of normal bikes with 1 down four up, you have to take the gas tank off and then some to get to the battery. What else....the petcock has the shittiest design ever and if you turn it too much, it leaks. That's actually the biggest problem, everything else is whatever, but I sure do miss that rebel even though its smaller.
On the otherside, I am a new rider. I didn't realize you we're supposed to warm a bike up with the choke even during the summer, thought that was a winter thing. And I also prefer to park and start my bike from first gear, which I've learned that its hard on the starter and battery. When I got the bike it warmed up just fine- no choke, in first gear with the kickstand up, now it ONLY starts in neutral...and sometimes only starts without the choke (warm weather?)
This was probably a lot of information but I guess I needed the rant, so thanks for asking |
Wow. You're right that your Shadow sounds like a lemon. Intermittent problems are sooo annoying, but you didn't need me to tell you that.
When a bike mysteriously cuts in and out one of the first places I look is at the battery and starter motor terminals. It's an easy fix, and those fasteners do like to walk out. It sounds like you did have that problem, but it should have been corrected by your mechanic. The next place I look is the sidestand interlock. That's the switch that keeps your bike from starting when the sidestand is down. It's in a position to invite failure because it's close to the ground, so it can get coated with road gorp and rust, etc. It would be something to ask your mechanic to check if you aren't confident about finding it yourself.
If the bike is dying when you throttle up, then it's likely there's a problem with the carbeuration/fuel injection. I always check the easiest thing first, so I look at the air filter to make sure small animals haven't been nesting in there. If your air filter is unobstructed, you may have some crap in the gas that's clogging something. Try running Gumout through your fuel system.
As you probably already know, a bike can have multiple problems, and that can be confusing because you can't be certain which symptom belongs to which problem. It's great when you can identify and solve at least one problem so you can start picking them off separately. I hope this helps.