Has anyone here ever had to make a warranty claim on a motorcycle?
I have an 05 ninja 250 with 10k miles warrantied until July 2008.. It ran fine at the beginning of the season. I took the rear wheel off to get a new tire, so it sat for like a week, put the new tire on and it wouldn't start. It cranks but it doesn't start. I put in new OEM plugs and it is getting gas.
Now I think the solenoid died from cranking it so much. Do you think the dealer will fix this on the warranty?
Thanks for reading.
I forgot to mention for those who are not familiar with the Ninja 250 that there is really nothing in the back of the bike that could prevent it from starting up as far as changing the rear tire. There is a side stand switch, but that only kills the bike if the sidestand is down, the bike is in gear and the clutch is engaged. If those conditions are met, the bike dies not even crank.
Dealers around here might even pick it up for you. You have a claim. You shouldn't have touched the plugs, or anything, you have a claim. Any wrenching you do will just add to their possible excuse book. Best way to find out how they are going to act is to give them a call and find out. If one dealer isn't playing ball, call another. Your claim is with Kawisaki not any one dealer.
It had fuel, so.. No spark? And now it won't crank? I can only assume the battery is now dead. Get it on a charger before you have to get a new one, bike batteries are not cheap.
You did check the kill switch right? Do you have an alarm? They can interfere.
PAX
PS: This is what part of the alphabet would look like if Q and R were eliminated
- Mitch Hedberg (RIP)
I have spark and fuel, the only thing I can really think of left is BAD fuel, but I get it at the same place for 10k miles.
I'll charge up the battery and call a dealer in the meantime. I kind of doubt that they will pick it up, although that would be awesome. Thats the bad thing about warranties on motorcycles - if you dont have a truck, there is usually no way to get it there.
Thanks for the reply
Was it even trying to fire? Bad gas usually runs, just not well.
If you have fuel, and you have spark, it should at least stumble, or half run..
If it does nothing, I still suspect spark. You checked at the plug?
Last time it did run, did you nothice anything funny?
When you pulled the pugs, were they wet?
PAX
PS: This is what part of the alphabet would look like if Q and R were eliminated
- Mitch Hedberg (RIP)
Hahahaha wrote:Was it even trying to fire? Bad gas usually runs, just not well.
If you have fuel, and you have spark, it should at least stumble, or half run..
If it does nothing, I still suspect spark. You checked at the plug?
Last time it did run, did you nothice anything funny?
When you pulled the pugs, were they wet?
PAX
I checked the spark plugs, they were not wet, but they were a little on the whitish side. The electrode was a little worn although it was not bent or anything, so I just replaced them with the same brand and part number. No luck there either. I did get a nice shock when I hit the ignition with the spark plugs out - I was stupid and held the wire.
The engine was cranking, but it would not run. Its very confusing to me because it ran fine before I had the rear tire changed. It only sat for a week - and it started up and ran fine after sitting all winter.
I'll try double checking the spark after charging the battery and spraying a little ether in the combustion chamber while im in there to see if it will fire for a couple minutes, then I know its fuel right?
I never recommend ether. It's terrible on engines. That said, one little squirt might be OK.
If there fuel in the floats? You did check the petrcock right? That would suck
I don't know if that bike has a fuel pump (likely). I have seen a number of Kawis die due to broken pumps. Can you hear the pump run? You should be able to hear something when you turn the key to the on position. Someimes the pumps are screwed and sometimes they need a tap to get started.
Again, don't spend much time, you are on warranty and the more you mess with it, the harder it will be to get your claim.
PAX
PS: This is what part of the alphabet would look like if Q and R were eliminated
- Mitch Hedberg (RIP)
No ether necessary!! I got it running. I think i coincidentally had a bad tank of gas. I drained everything out and started over. Charged the batter (solenoid was fine - i guess thats the noise it makes when the battery is all but dead). It cranked strong and when the floats were full it fired up and ran fine.
Thanks for your advice, but I just couldn't leave it alone. I'm not an expert mechanic by any means, but when i can't get a damned four cycle carburated motorcycle to run that ran fine a week ago, it bugs the @!#$ outta me!
Good to hear it's running again. A bit suprised bad gas would kill it outright, usually they just run like crap.
Happy riding
PAX
PS: This is what part of the alphabet would look like if Q and R were eliminated
- Mitch Hedberg (RIP)
