Motorcycle won’t Start After Sitting For A Long Time!

Motorized bikes offer a great way to travel but they may be hard to use without knowing how to start a motorcycle after sitting.

If you are concerned that the motorcycle wont start after sitting then this guide will help you with ways of how you can go about it.

In a scenario where a bike sits still for some time you may need some help before starting up. Some factors cause a motorcycle to stop working. Several of them can be easily fixed and others require extensive repairs.

A motorcycle can fail to start due to a low battery or fuel tank, bad spark plug, or electrical issues. When starting an old motorcycle the first thing that must be considered is a battery.

The next thing you need to check is whether the vehicle is filled with gas or if the engine is functioning properly. It’s the ideal chance to find out what is going on with the water system. It is important to check spark plugs for any electrical problems that may still occur.

If you have trouble starting a bike you need to check these reasons first. Often the repair will take place at an auto shop instead of home.

Find Out Why A Motorcycle Won’t Start After Sitting For Months

It is common for many to experience the frustration of bringing a bike back to life after the cold, unrecoverable winter.

The vehicle might have been kept in the garage during bad winter months if you just took the bike out of storage, but this one just won’t start!

We will show you the most obvious causes that motorbikes do not start after months of use.

1. Your Battery Might Be Dead

During a lengthy storage period, a motorcycle battery can lose its life. This is particularly problematic at high temperatures including warm as well as cold. Freezing temperature causes extreme battery drain because the extreme cold freezes the cell.

You might have the bike equipped with an electrical starter, instead of the old kick starter on it. The only disadvantage of electric motorcycles is the lack of juice on their batteries so they can’t charge their starting engine.

• How Can I Replace My Motorcycle Battery?

Motorbike batteries are mainly used for starter & engine batteries on the engines. Motorcycle batteries are generally smaller than car batteries and they offer many different types of dimensions.

You can purchase a new battery from Amazon. Product prices and availability are true as of the day/hour specified and may change without prior notification. All prices and availability data are shown on relevant Amazon sites, as applicable.

• How Can I Start A Motorcycle With A Low Battery?

The easiest way to start the motorbike is to get the power from batteries and use the battery chargers. Unless you have a charger you could use a jumper cable for charging the device. You can even jump start your bike with a car!

You could try to charge your batteries by using 12-volt lamps if there are not enough power sources available. If there is a 12-volt battery and jumper cable, you should use this option as a first option.

2. Bad Fuses Can Keep Your Bike From Starting

Motorcycle wiring has as many fuses as other vehicles. The fuses serve as failsafe devices and can protect any electrical component that has been overloading other parts of the network.

• How Can I Fix A Bad Fuse?

Find the fuse box on the bike. Remove the fuse and ensure it remains intact. Usually, you can always find spare fuses on hand. When your fuse fails, remove that fuse and restart the motorcycle.

When a fuse is blown, the motorcyclist must identify where the electrical components are located on the bike.

3. Fouled Spark Plugs

Even when you started the motorbike a couple of months back you’re unlikely to see any spark plugs. Fortunately, there’s an easy and fast test that checks for corrosion and rust in your spark plugs.

Remove the spark plug and tighten it. If they have black, white, powder detritus from the running lean then it’s time for a replacement. Spark plugs are installed in the engine head which produces cycling power components that generate heat in combustion.

• How Can I Fix A Spark Plug Problem?

If your motorcycle does not start then check for the spark plug. Spark plugs ignite the fuel and air mixtures inside an engine. When the brakes haven’t worked, you don’t have time to get on.

You can replace your spark plug if it’s rusted. Prices and availability details are available on the relevant Amazon site when purchasing this product.

4. Check For Loose Or Damaged Wires

The longer the storage is, it could damage the electrical wiring. Moisture may be used to accelerate oxidation on steels that weren’t so badly damaged that the corrosion would be more noticeable in an unreliable condition as they sat in humid environments.

• How To Fix Damaged Wires?

When a wire has corroded it has been replaced by rodents. Sadly, mice, rodents, or squirrels can chew through wiring which had lasted well at the time. You may need to change seats for it but take some time to check the tethers.

5. Motorcycles Won’t Start With Old Gasoline

In some respects, fuel could sit around 6-12 months without problems. Today ethanol has contaminated gasoline a great deal. The chemical bonds between ethanol and the cleaner gas in our past are more likely to break down than in any other cleaner gas.

Having bad gases circulating through your engine can cause several issues in the long run. Adding enough fuel into the tank can sometimes make the mix so acceptable it can burn through the bad particles. Always drain your fuel system thoroughly when you store your bike.

• Are Your Fuel Valve or Fuel Lines Clogged?

Over time a fuel line can accumulate dirt and debris that build up in an ethanol fuel line. In such situations, fuel may not be allowed to enter the car’s fuel pump or fuel injector to deliver fuel to the engine.

If your fuel line seems clogged, open the valve to remove all gas lines leading to the carburetor or injector. Even if the line has accumulated bad fuels, sediments, corrosion, and debris the fuel lines should always be repaired.

• Drain Your Gas Tank Before Storing Your Motorcycle

During the storage of motorcycles, you can drain out the oil from your motor vehicle’s tank.

This is because gasoline is going to deteriorate. The bonding in fuels breaks down when they remain inside the tanks or fuel systems for years. In addition, moisture accumulates in the fuel which could result in various issues.

Open your container and check if your gasoline was there before. It is best to drain your fuel and replace the fuel with good fuel to avoid any damages to the motorcycle when it sits.

• Is There Water In Your Fuel System?

One problem that occurs on motorcycles is water leaking into fuel. These problems could include low-performance stalls and even engine malfunctions.

You should be taking action immediately when you notice stains or other problems with your vehicle’s water system. Water in your fuel system can cause a serious problem on your bike.

6. Electric Starters Can Go Bad

A common problem for motorcycles is electricity. These are sometimes due to a range of reasons, such as broken or worn connections or defective circuits. If there are electrical problems on your bike it should always be checked properly.

Electric starters will eventually get damaged. If your battery runs at 12.6 volts and your battery doesn’t even get into your vehicle before starting it, that could be faulty.

• Tell Me The Best Way To Diagnose Motorcycle Electrical Problems.

You might also try using the handy voltmeter for a quick and easy check on the voltage. The starter needs replacing after sitting for months.

7. Check The Exhaust Pipe For Debris

Check your hoses to remove any obstructions that could prevent the exhaust gas from escaping your bike.

A bike that was left in storage at a storage site for months could have had some material buried inside the exhaust system that prevented any airflow from slapping into the engine from the exhaust side.

8. Choke Of Your Bike!

The choke of motorcycles blocks the air from the air-fuel mixture, increasing the quantity of fuel available. You can use your throttle lever/piston for proper braking when your bike starts to start.

A choke system on bikes is particularly important on cold days where starting up a bicycle that was parked for some months becomes a hassle.

If your choke function is working for your bike to start, then you should leave the motor parked for some seconds and then remove your throttle and release the correct volume of air into the mix.

• How Can I Warm Up My Motorcycle?

Like car engines, motorcycles require warm-up before riding. The cold motorcycle can have problems during the ride. It’s best if you warm your bicycle before taking off. The easiest way to warm your motorbike is to do it on an outdoor space.

It is easy to start a motor, then let it idle. You’re able to also ride the bike with the first gear and 2nd gears for a couple of moments. This helps heat engines as well as transmissions. You can also cool the bike off with a quick walk. It will take about 4-5 minutes to warm your bike.

9. How Do I Start A Motorcycle That Has Problems With Fuel Injection?

If a bike is getting fuel injection problems then it may be necessary to replace it. Clean injector fuel tanks are easy if you use compressed air.

• How Can I Clean Fuel Injectors?

Fuel injectors in motorbikes are critical to achieving optimum power. It helps in transporting fuel for a motor. This mix will eventually build up in injector tubes. This causes several problems, including lower performance and higher emission levels.

Fuel injectors must be cleaned regularly to prevent any damage to the motor. It can be done in several methods by using the motorcycle’s fuel pump.

It’s easier using carburetors cleaners. Put some clean water into the container then cover the injector inside of the container. Let them soak for a minute, and rinse them with hot water.

How Can I Winterize My Motorcycle?

In cold climates, winterizing is important for your bicycle. This protects it against cold weather and will keep it functioning properly. Winterizing a motorcycle is a good idea to protect them against cold. Lets see how can we go about winterizing a motorcycle.

Disconnect The Spark Plugs On A Motorcycle

The disconnect of spark plugs on motorcycles can be easy.

How should I clean my spark plug? It can be accomplished by using wire brushes or spark plugs. Remove the spark plug wire and tack the wire to its correct location.

It helps ensure the ignition of the spark plug is properly connected. If you are looking at starting a motorcycle, reconnect the spark plug wires to their previous location.

Put Antifreeze In The Motorcycle

It is strongly recommended that you keep antifreeze at a safe level when riding a motorcycle that has been in the cold for a long time.

You can use diluted or undiluted anti-foam powder in a blender. Keep your bottle clean and follow the directions on this bottle. Too many amounts may cause harm.

Fuel Stabilizer?

Add fuel stabilizations to your motorcycle for winterizing. You can use fuel stabilizers in many different ways. Adding too many or too few things could have harmful results.

What’s The Best Way To Start A Motorcycle That Sits?

If your bike sits still for some time it’s important to take steps to start up the bike. Check your batteries first. When the battery is dead it’s hard for a bike can start. Test batteries are carried out through a multimeter.

If your batteries are working, check fuel consumption. The bike cannot start without fuel. You can use fuel pumps or siphon them from a different container. Check oil levels to see how far the dipstick can go. If they don’t it’s worth adding the oil too!

Starting Your Bike With A Starter Spray?

If the bike does not start then you can start by spraying it with starter fluid. Starter sprays are chemicals used for engine start.

Suitable for cars, motorbikes, boats, etc. If you’re still struggling to start a motorbike, you can take that bike to a mechanic for a thorough diagnostic.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Long Can A Motorcycle Sit Without Starting?

After one month of sitting, you can move on with some of the big issues mentioned earlier. Some say their bike was parked longer and was fine, although I saw problems after only a month of dormancy.

Why Does My Motorcycle Sometimes Not Start?

If you can’t start your car then you can usually do something simple such as ensuring the valves are not blocked with dirt and make sure there is no corrosive material inside them that causes drying out.

Why Is My Bike Turning Over But Not Starting?

Typically your problem may be the battery. If a crank is not starting, it can have trouble producing sparks or fuels, causing a compression problem.

The Final Word

If you are facing problems regarding your motorcycle engine which is causing problems while ignition. There can be numerous problems that can cause this issue.

Once you have figured out the root cause of the problem there are relevant measures that can be taken to eradicate the problem properly. Although it is better to take precautionary measures beforehand such as;

If you are storing away your bike for the long term you can take steps to winterize your bike and prepare it for the cold weather. You can empty your fuel tank consisting of any old gas before storage to avoid blockage in the fuel system later on.

You can unplug the battery by disconnecting wires to the battery terminals. Regularly clean your bike’s engine and carburetor to ensure there are no dirt particles present in these parts, especially for older motorcycles. For more information, please refer here to find out why your motorcycle wont start after sitting for a long time.