• Required reading for all forum users!!!

    Welcome!
    Register to access the full functionality of the GSResources forum. Until you register and activate your account you will not have full forum access, nor will you be able to post or reply to messages.

    A note to new registrants...
    All new forum registrations must be activated via email before you have full access to the forum.

    A Special Note about Email accounts!
    DO NOT SIGN UP USING hotmail, outlook, gmx, sbcglobal, att, bellsouth or email.com. They delete our forum signup emails.

    A note to old forum members...
    I receive numerous requests from people who can no longer log in because their accounts were deleted. As mentioned in the forum FAQ, user accounts are deleted if you haven't logged in for the past 6 months. If you can't log in, then create a new forum account. If you don't get an error message, then check your email account for an activation message. If you get a message stating that the email address is already in use, then your account still exists so follow the instructions in the forum FAQ for resetting your password.

    Have you forgotten your password or have a new email address? Then read the forum FAQ for details on how to reset it.

    Any email requests for "can't log in anymore" problems or "lost my password" problems will be deleted. Read the forum FAQ and follow the instructions there - that's what we have one for...

  • Returning Visitors

    If you are a returning visitor who never received your confirmation email, then odds are your email provider is blockinig emails from our server. The only thing that can be done to get around this is you will have to try creating another forum account using an email address from another domain.

    If you are a returning visitor to the forum and can't log in using your old forum name and password but used to be able to then chances are your account is deleted. Purges of the databases are done regularly. You will have to create a new forum account and you should be all set.

Can't start the bike up at all!

  • Thread starter Thread starter Pianoman33
  • Start date Start date
P

Pianoman33

Guest
Hi there. I am completely new to motorcycles and just got my license. I bought a 1978 GS550 and it was running perfectly. I made the mistake of not letting the bike run after I started it up with the electric starter... I did that twice of starting up and then shutting off... Like I said I'm new. Except now I can't start the bike at all even with the kick starter. It did kick start a few times but now it won't turn over at all. There is gas in it and I thought the oil was low which is was so I filled it with out and it did kick start and turn over however, the bike died a few seconds after... This happened a second time and now the bike won't even kick start. The battery appears to be completely dead but from what I've read I should be able to still kick start it. Please let me know if you can help at all or have any ideas. I'm stuck! :mad:
 
I can lead to some of the answer if you are willing to follow and read.....

Greetings and Salutations,

Every once in a while I will miss a new member or two and they may not receive their proper greeting. If you are here you probably have a 30 year old motorcycle that needs about 20 years worth of maintenance. In the links below you'll find maintenance lists, documentation, wiring diagrams, "how to" guides, vendor links, tips, tricks, and a whole lot of GS goodness. This is your "mega-welcome". Let's get started. :)

Let me dump a TON of information on you and share some GS lovin'. :D

I just stopped by to welcome you to the forum in my own, special way.
big_hi.gif


If there's anything you'd like to know about the Suzuki GS model bikes, and most others actually, you've come to the right place. There's a lot of knowledge and experience here in the community. Come on in and let me say "HOoooowwwDY!"....
hat1.gif


Here is your very own magical, mystical, mythical, mind-expanding "mega-welcome". Please take notice of the "Top 10 Common Issues", "Top 15 Tips For GS Happiness", the Carb Cleanup Series, and the Stator Papers. All of these tasks must be addressed in order to have a safe, reliable machine. This is what NOT to do: Top 10 Newbie Mistakes. Now let me roll out the welcome mat for you...

carpet.jpg


Please Click Here For Your Mega-Welcome, chock full of tips, suggestions, links to vendors, and other information. Then feel free to visit my little BikeCliff website where I've been collecting the wisdom of this generous community. Don't forget, we like pictures! Not you, your bike! :D

More links to helpful threads in the forum:
Help! Your Bike Won't Start
DON'T DO THESE THINGS
Help! Your Bike Won't Run Well
Oh God! Pods!


Thanks for joining us. Keep us informed.

Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff
Click to expand...
 
If you are completely new to motorcycles you really need one that works correctly.

It sounds like you have a LOT of work to do. Bikes made thrty five years ago needed quite a bit of maintenance compared to a modern bike, but even new bikes need some work. With most of them the maintenance is about thirty years behind by now.

No it won't kick start with a completely dead battery, it needs a little bit of power to make a spark.
 
Put the battery on a trickle charger for a few hours. Turn the kill switch to ON. Fuel switch to ON or PRI. Dump some FRESH gas in it (a gallon just to be sure). Try it again.
 
Have a multi meter handy and have the battery exposed so when it starts you can check for charging voltage. Use the DC voltage setting.

Heres how..Put the leads on the respective battery terminals and see what the reading is at idle. Then rev it up to around 4500 and see what he meter reads then...and note what it does as the RPMS increase as well.


IF it is charging, youll see the voltage go up and should peak around 13.9 to 14.2 volts. If it doesnt show around those numbers..OR it doesnt change at all, you have a charging system issue that needs to be sorted out. Theres no sense in recharging the battery a hundred times just to find the charging system is crappped out. resolve the charging issue and then worry abiout the battery. I would suggest you go withan AGM sealed battery...no acid leaks to get on the battery box, swing arm, and frame.
 
Thanks so much for the replies. You guys are giving me good stuff to try out that will hopefully work! This is going to be a stupid question but... How do I take the seat off? I can't seem to find anywhere for specifically a 78 GS550 and I don't have a manual even though yes I know i should invest in one but from the sound of it I might just have to get rid of this one and get a newer bike that will be easier to maintain so I haven't bought a manual but I'd like to get this running to sell.;)
 
Remove the cotter pins and pull the hinge pins out. Do you have the seat unlocked yet, or not? If not there's a key lock under the right side of the seat about half way back.
Post a location, there is probably someone on this forum in your local area that might at least help you figure out what you need to do to it.
 
Sounds like he wants a ride it till I ruin it bike..so why would he even bother himself with reading the mega welcome?? Just sayin.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top