More problems now! Similar symptoms as before, but cant be the same problem.

When riding the bike at around 30 - 40 mph in 3rd or 4th gear (there are only 5 gears so this seems about right speed for the gears right?) The bike will start to splutter, jerk back and forth as if the enging is stopping for a second, backfire and eventually cut out. When this occurs the electrics wont come on for a few minutes after the bike has stopped.

Annoying thing was, I was about 2 miles from home (uphill), or about 1 mile from my aunt's house downhill. So i start walking my bike to my aunts (on Easterly road for BD), looking like a right prune, sweating like a pig (common misconception but conveys my point) due to it being quite warm day yesterday. Checked the electrics half way there, looked fine and dandy, the bike started up first time.

I walked the bike the rest of the way just incase. Had a glass of coke. Then rode home without incident.

Riding to work first thing this morning and the same thing happened again ( at around 30 -  40 mph)but didnt actually cut out. It feels like there is no fuel in the engine. When i open the throttle there is no extra power, just coughing and spluttering and the odd backfire. When I ease off the throttle it calms down and is ok.

My manual has come today, so will take a look at her this afternoon.

Any suggestions as what to take a look at?

Any recommendations oil brands and types? Will probably do all the basic maintenance soon! Also what are the most common tools required? I have a few but not many.

Thanks Again!

Rich

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If everything works but the engine doesn't start and I was going to take a guess I'd look at the coil and CDI unit. Both of those will affect the spark and, if faulty, will tend to perform worse as they get hotter. You need a multimeter and your trusty Haynes: there's usually a comprehensive section on troubleshooting the electrics that'll tell you what resistances/voltages you should be seeing across the various components and it's quite an easy set of tests to run. Worth checking the spark plug and the HT lead as well, also easy. However, if it is just the engine not starting, it could still be a fuelling problem - duff carb, air leak or some sort of blockage in the fuel line (possibly sludge or rust from the tank). Which doesn't really narrow it down much at all!

If the electrics are deader than that, you're looking for an intermittent or loose connection or short. Again, depends on what level of electrical function you have (or haven't) when it's not working. If nothing, then battery's a good place to start, then work outwards. Definitely worth checking and cleaning the sidestand and clutch cut-out switches, if you have either, and the switchgear.

Third gear sounds about right, by the way. As a rule of thumb, aim to keep the revs over the emissions flat spot at about 5000rpm for a responsive ride. Bike engines don't mind being revved high, they're designed for it, but you should be able to tell where it feels sweetest.

Any decent brand oil should be OK. I pretty much always use Silkolene Pro 4, sometimes Plus (if I've got a newer sportsbike at the time), but that's possibly ott for the SR - Comp 4'd do the trick. But in all honesty, any cheaper 10/40 stuff'd be OK, just as long as you change it regularly enough.

Tools - a decent screwdriver set, socket set, torque wrench, multimeter, pliers/mole grip set and some Allen keys'll get you through most things. An impact driver's often useful. Oh, and a hammer - the bigger the better!

>> ex silens nox noctis <<

It doesn't occur untill the enging has been running for 15 mins +, it is quite warm when it happens. The exact symptoms are.

-Move up to about 30 MPH, kick it up a gear, then it starts losing power.

-I'll pull the throttle a bit more and it'll start buckin back and forth.

-Back firing occurs

-Total loss of power

-More coughing and bucking when throttle is opened

-Lights fade and come on again while coughing and bucking

-I change down gears and stop in neutral (light still on)

-Bike will idle for a short while but die

-No lights, no indicators, no neutral light.

-Dragging bike uphill to my house..

Nope nothing works (although it might now i have left it to stand over night (this has been the case when it happened previously seeing as i have ridden her shortly after it has happened before).

I will pull her to pieces tomorrow and have a look, hopefully it'll go back together!

This sounds possible, when The neutral light has come on again i have tried starting it and the starter begins to turn over for a fraction of a second, then all the light go off again and there is no electrics again.

I tried to check the oil level yesterday, but the little glass thing your look through was completely black, so i couldn't tell if there was too little/much in there. Would you recommend draining the oil and filling up with the specified amount? Could the problems be oil related?

Also before i start pulling her apart,s hould i ring the dealer and see if he's willing to get her fixed, seeing as he sold her in this state?

Thanks for the tips! i think i can buy most of the tools apart from the torque wrench. Very expensive!

Thats a large post! I might start a blog

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Yes, it probably is worth calling the dealer, unless you're very sure you want to troubleshoot the problem yourself! It can help to have an idea what it is/isn't, if you want to do some basic checks first - depends on how comfortable you are that the dealer is competent and honest. You should be entitled to have your purchase fit for use, even if you haven't got any sort of warranty (and I'd be a little suspicious that the previous battery was dead - was it explained why when you bought it?).

If you want a look yourself, first check needs to be battery voltage. If it's low (and I suspect it will be), next step is to ascertain whether the battery's shot or the charging system isn't working. Presuming it's a sealed battery, the only check you can do is voltage: fully charge it and see if you get a noticeable drop in a short time when it's just standing unconnected. If so, it's definitely knackered. Probably won't be that obvious, though!

As BD said earlier, charging system is basically alternator (generates the electricity) and regulator/rectifier (smooths and transforms the electricity). Reg/recs are pretty common failures, so run a resistance check across it as per the manual. If it's faulty, be aware that the failure may well have killed the battery as well. You can also check alternator output, again as per the manual. If none of those three produce an obvious solution, it's definitely dealer time.

It isn't an oil problem, by the way, but you should be able to get a reading from the window. The bike does have to be level and upright, though, for it to be a meaningful one, so you either need an extra pair of hands or some blocks under the sidestand and a flat bit of ground! If the sight glass is still over the max line, then it's overfilled...

Torque wrenches don't need to be that steep: I've got an old D****r 1/2" that does the job, they're around £20 new from Amazon. Better than overtightening - it'll cost more for a single helicoil after you've stripped a thread, found that one out the hard way myself many years ago!

>> ex silens nox noctis <<