The inability to start a motorbike can happen at any time due to specific reasons. Recognizing the situation and its causes will help you quickly and cost-effectively resolve the issue.
Vehicles are similar to humans; there comes a time when they become ‘ill.’ In other words, long-used motorcycles may eventually face certain issues, specifically when trying to start the engine but encountering difficulties. In the following article, we’ll highlight the scenarios, occurrences, and methods to address this situation.
For common motorbikes with simple structures and operating principles, issues like failure to start can often be resolved by the bike’s owner quickly without needing to take the motorcycle to a repair shop. When the motorbike doesn’t start or has difficulty starting, the causes and remedies can be divided into three cases:
- Motorcycle failing to start due to power loss or weak electricity
Cause and Symptoms: In this scenario, you can easily determine whether the bike has power by observing the bike’s lighting system. The test is straightforward; you can turn the key and pay attention to the headlight, dashboard light, or taillight. If these lights don’t turn on when the key is turned, the bike has lost power. If these lights are dimmer than usual, the power is weak.
Another way to check is by turning on the key and using the horn; the horn sound will indicate whether the bike’s electricity is strong, weak, or absent.
If the lights are not working and the horn doesn’t sound, it means your bike has lost power entirely.
Resolution: The solution in this situation is to find another car battery or a battery from another motorcycle that has power. You can connect the two batteries by attaching the negative (-) and positive (+) terminals of the two batteries together (negative with negative, positive with positive). If the bike starts normally after this procedure, it means your bike’s battery is faulty and needs replacement.
Note that when replacing the battery, use a good-quality battery that matches the correct specifications and size of the original battery. The average cost for a typical motorcycle battery today is around 350,000 VND, depending on the type and size.
In the case where the bike has electricity but it’s weak, with a faint horn and dim lights, it’s more complex. This indicates that the power supplied to the bike is weak or intermittent. There are two possibilities for your bike at this point:
The bike’s battery is weak and can’t hold a charge like before. There’s an issue with the bike’s electrical system. In both cases, replace the battery temporarily and test the bike. If the bike’s electrical system remains weak after using it the next day, take the bike to a reputable motorcycle repair shop to check the entire wiring system and measure the voltage at different points.
- Pressing the starter button without any effect while the horn and lights are functioning normally
After testing the lights and horn, if these parts are working normally, we need to check the bike’s starter. In this case, pressing the starter button will give us an idea of the bike’s condition based on the sounds produced:
Pressing the starter button with no response: When pressing the starter button and there’s no sound or reaction, it’s highly likely that the start switch or brake switch is damaged or not making proper contact. These switches participate in the starting process, and if any part has a problem, the bike won’t start.
In some modern scooters, the brake switch and the side stand switch are integrated into the bike to ensure a safer starting process. These parts are often exposed to rain, dust, and dirt, so it’s essential to regularly clean and maintain them to ensure the bike operates correctly. For some bikes with these switches, if the engine doesn’t start, use a cleaning spray such as RP7 or WD40 to spray onto these switches, then switch them on and off, and then try to start the engine again.
Pressing the starter button repeatedly with a “clicking” sound inside the bike: When pressing the starter button and hearing a “clicking” sound inside the bike, this is a sign that your bike’s starter relay needs help. This situation indicates that the starter relay is alerting you that the starter motor isn’t turning, despite receiving electrical current. The starter motor not turning over can have various causes, such as worn-out brushes or an aged starter. In this case, you can try tapping the starter motor and attempt to start the bike, then take it to a repair shop to check, clean, and replace the starter motor brushes.
Pressing the starter, the engine cranks but doesn’t start
When encountering this scenario, pressing the starter and feeling the bike move as it does when starting, but the engine doesn’t fire up, it can be due to the following:
Motorcycle spark plug The starting of the bike mainly depends on two primary factors: fuel and air mixture and ignition (except in the case of engine failure). The air-fuel mixture is managed by the carburetor or electronic fuel injection system, depending on the bike type, while the ignition refers to the spark generated in the combustion chamber via the spark plug. If your bike behaves this way, first check the spark plug to see if it’s generating a spark. Replace or clean it as necessary. If the spark plug functions normally, then check the fuel-air mixture, either through the carburetor or electronic fuel injection system.
These are the three main situations when you cannot start your motorcycle. Pay attention to avoid spending money unnecessarily and, most importantly, take good care of your bike regularly to avoid troubles while using your precious vehicle.
