The Best of Times, the Worst of Times

[jaypro55]

Today should have been my dream day. Me and my dad went bike shopping and came home with a 2001 CR125. It's awesome and I couldn't wait to ride it so I got it home and hopped on. Everything was great and like I expected, at first, then I was on a straight and all of a sudden she just died, just like that. I couldn't keep it running after that. It just would not stay started. I don't know what I did. So I took it home and first tried the plug. For one it's not the plug listed in the manual and for two, the gap was way off. So I had another plug of the same mode, an NGK, and I reset the gap on it and put it in but it didn't fire up right after that either. So maybe the plug isn't hot enough. Could that be it? The bike is bone stock and looks like it's never been ridden. The dealership said it was bought there and only gone for a week. What in the world do you think could have happened, and has it ever happened to anyone else?

 

[yzeater]

First of all...congratulations, you've got a very good bike. Second, what plug was it? Is the filter clean? How new is the premix? What brand / ratio are you running? MAKE SURE THE GAS IS ON!!!

 

[jaypro55]

Well I got the basics down. At the shop they said the mix was too rich so they recommended draining it and we did. We mixed up two gallons at 32:1 and filled her up. I'm using Maxima Super M synthetic 2 stroke mix oil. The plug in it now is a NGK B8ES I believe which is not what the manual recommended, which was an NGK BR9EG. I haven't checked the filter yet but I have a hunch it would be the spark plug. The thing is so new how could it just do that. It's killing me right now and if it becomes a pattern I don't know what I'll do.

 

[crkid]

how long did you ride it before it cut out?

 

[MikeT]

Relax. Make sure when you do get it running that you only run it for a few minutes and then check the plug. If the fuel was really old, then the gas in the carb float bowl also needs to be drained. If after you do that, the thing still doesn't start. Take the carb off, remove the float bowl and clean out the carb. Make sure what ever plug you use it's a resistor plug. BR9ES. That's what the R is for. Clean air filter, new plug, fresh fuel, compression, spark, and reeds in good condition and you should have it running. I assume your timing is probably correct.

 

[jaypro55]

Unbelievable. I had to go leave for a while tonight and when I got home I heard the sad story. My dad and my uncle, both of whom are pretty mechanically inclined tinkered with it for hours to no avail. The only way it would start was if it were run down a steep hill and bump started and even then it only ran for a few minutes. The stupid bike will not stay running, it just wants to die. We just got in from taking off the carb and seeing if anything could have been awry there. Not only was it one hell of a job to take it off and put it back on because of how tight the spacing was, but nothing was wrong. We tried a new plug that is recommended and nothing at all. The damn thing still will not turn over. This is absolute total bull, and I'm doing the best I can not to freakin go totally nuts right now. It will not run and doesn't even sound like it wants to. If I kick without full throttle, it just sounds like it's not even sparking. It shouldn't do that. We called the dealership and are hoping they can do something for free of course, otherwise they're taking the bike back and I'm done with riding for good.

 

[Adrenaline]

Three things to do

Run a compression test and see that the reading is where it should be. one hundred and forty PSI is a good pressure, higher is better

Take plug out and connect your coil, push the plug against the cylinder head and have someone kick it over. Spark? good no spark? bad.
Check your kill switch first and maybe since the right plug wasn't in the bike that may have damaged other more expensive ignition parts.

Pull the float bowl off (one screw and a big nut) dump the fuel out and then take a screw driver and take the pilot jet out. (brass,the one that doesn't say 380 on it and tucked away pretty good.) Clean that out and while your at it pull the main jet (the one with the 380 on it) and clean that as well.

I have the same bike and I have only had minor problems with my bike. Not too bad though.
Good luck!
Adrenaline

 

[jaypro55]

We've done everything but the compression test just because we don't have the tools needed to take that measurement. I'm just so frustrated. I could hardly wait the whole way home, it was like Christmas morning all over again a thousand times and when I rode it it was amazing, but now I feel like total garbage. I mean I'd understand if it had done this to me 6 or 7 months down the road but why now and why today on such a new bike. It's bone stock and doesn't have one scratch at all, like it's never been ridden. I really like that bike, but this is just too much. I mean what else could I have done?

 

[mx547]

Originally posted by jaypro55
It's bone stock and doesn't have one scratch at all, like it's never been ridden

i bet the previous owner had the same problem and that's why it was only gone a week.

 

[silentDan]

I know working on a bike you just bought sucks, but hang in there. One thing I would try, if you haven't already, is pulling the gas line off the carb and making sure fuel is flowing freely from the gas tank thru the hose. I realize this is pretty basic but give it a shot.

 

[jaypro55]

Yeah well I know it is flowing freely because that's how we drained the old fuel out. We pulled the fuel line and drained it to a bucket. After doing some thinking we've came to a conclusion that makes the most sense. Something electrical seems to be causing the problem. When it died on me, it was instant, not a bogging down or anything. I was at decently high revs and it just kicked out, like I hit a kill switch. Also when we kick it now, it's like it doesn't even get a spark to get it running. When they had it started, my dad and uncle said it missed and backfired like crazy so a faulty coil or wiring problem makes sense. I don't think we'll mess with that since we should be able to have the dealer fix this one, for free really. I love that bike so much, it looks so awesome and it rips, but it needs to run.

 

[jaypro55]

Update: Tomorrow morning my dad is going to take the bike back to Andrew's Cycle, where we bought it. We are thinking that they are going to amend whatever problem the bike has free of charge, simply because they stand by their service and it happened so soon. We are kinda thinking it is an electrical problem simply because it does not sound like we're getting a good spark, it will backfire after some kicks and it just does not seem right from that standpoint. Whatever it is, hopefully the bike will be back in my hands by the weekend so I can rip some dirt. I'm banking that everything will be fine :)

 

[MikeT]

Keep us updated and tell us what they say is wrong. We are all interested to know.

 

[jaypro55]

Sure will, it's probably just something minor and stupid and I'm hoping it will be back for a big weekend of riding.

 

[jaypro55]

More crap I guess. My father said the mechanic there told him that I seized a piston. Now I'm not an expert on it but to me it wouldn't make sense. The bike was not brand new and probably had been through its break in period and I didn't run it hard at all, no where near how hard it would be run in a race. I don't know what is going to happen right now but what I do know is things might not work out. I surely hope this isn't what I'd be in for with a two-stroke bike. I thought I was paranoid with my old four-strokes, everytime I heard a backfire or something I would worry and I was deathly afraid of overrevving. I didn't want a bike like this to baby, I want something that will run reliably if maintained well. I sure hope things work out here.

 

[jaypro55]

Final Update everyone: Here's the word. Apparently the piston was cold seized as they put it and it's going to need a total overhaul. I'm not sure if it's just the top end or if it's the piston, sleeve, and everything but I would imagine it's everything. What my father and I feel happened was that whomever owned the bike before they traded it back obviously was clueless and may have even ran it without oil in the mixture or way too little. There is no way possible I could have blown this thing, unless these bikes really are as delicate as newborn babies, which from friends' bikes and TV surely don't seem that way. So they are going to rebuild this engine for us no charge and everything should be fine. It even works out better, I end up with a brand new engine on a practically brand new bike. It should be back still for the weekend.

 

[motometal]

make sure you ask to have your old piston...this will help keep them honest. If it really seized, the piston will show it.

When you first rode it, did you warm it up a bit first, or just take off and haul ash? What was the temperature out?

 

[jaypro55]

I'm not sure if they'll give it to me and we really don't want to bother them about it since they're doing it for free anyway. The temperature was about 70 or warmer and I had the bike running around for a good 20 minutes before the disaster happened. I could kick it right after it stalled, but after 30 or so kicks, the kick starter it got stuck up and when I broke it free it made a weird sound and I could feel friction and my immediate reaction was a seized piston, but I don't know enough to really know. It couldn't have been from me because I rode it like I was breaking it in, never at full throttle and basically taking it smooth learning to ride it. Either way I now need to know how to handle and ride this thing to keep it running great for a long time.