General
Warning: The Troubleshooting section of this manual is a guide to diagnose problems. Read the appropriate sections of this manual before performing any work. Improper repair and/or maintenance could result in death or serious injury.
Use the symptoms listed for general troubleshooting. More than one condition may be present at a time. Check all possible items to keep motorcycle in good operating condition.
Note: See the electrical diagnostic manual for additional information.
Engine
Starter Motor Does Not Operate or Does Not Turn Engine Over
1. Ignition switch not in ON position.
2. Engine run switch in OFF position.
3. Main fuse not in place.
4. Discharged battery, loose or corroded connections (solenoid chatters).
5. Starter control circuit, relay, or solenoid faulty.
6. Electric starter shaft pinion gear not engaging or overrunning clutch slipping.
7. Starter limiter gear seized.
8. TSM/TSSM/HFSM Bank Angle Sensor tripped and ignition switch not cycled OFF then ON.
Engine Turns Over but Does Not Start
1. Engine run switch in OFF position.
2. Fuel tank empty.
3. Fuel filter clogged.
4. Fouled spark plugs.
5. Sticking or damaged valve.
6. Discharged battery, loose or inoperative battery terminal connections.
7. Engine lubricant too heavy (winter operation).
Note: For cold weather starts, always disengage clutch.
8. Loose wire connection at coil(s), battery or ECM connector.
9. Ignition timing incorrect due to faulty coil(s), ECM or sensors (MAP, CKP and/or TSM/TSSM/HFSM).
10. Bank Angle Sensor tripped and ignition switch not cycled OFF then ON.
Starts Hard
1. Spark plugs in bad condition or have improper gap or are partially fouled.
2. Battery nearly discharged.
3. Loose wire connection at one of the battery terminals, coil(s) or ECM connector.
4. Water or dirt in fuel system.
5. Intake air leak.
6. Fuel tank vent hose and vapor valve plugged, or fuel line closed off, restricting fuel flow.
7. Engine lubricant too heavy (winter operation).
Note: For cold weather starts, always disengage clutch.
8. Ignition not functioning properly (possible sensor failure).
9. Faulty ignition coil(s).
10. Valves sticking or valves too tight.
11. Rotor key sheared.
Starts But Runs Irregularly or Misses
1. Spark plugs in bad condition or partially fouled.
2. Spark plug gap too close or too wide.
3. Faulty ignition coil(s), ECM, or sensor.
4. Battery nearly discharged.
5. Damaged wire or loose connection at battery terminals, coil(s) or ECM connector.
6. Intermittent short circuit due to damaged wire insulation.
7. Water or dirt in fuel system.
8. Fuel tank vent system plugged.
9. Air leak at intake manifold or air filter.
10. Loose or dirty ECM connector.
11. Faulty Sensor(s): Manifold Absolute Pressure (MAP) or Crank Position (CKP).
12. Incorrect valve timing.
13. Weak or inoperative valve springs.
14. Damaged intake or exhaust valve.
Spark Plug Fouls Repeatedly
1. Fuel mixture too rich.
2. Incorrect spark plug for the kind of service.
3. Piston rings badly worn or inoperative.
4. Valve guides or seals badly worn.
Pre-lgnition or Detonation (Knocks or Pings)
1. Fuel octane rating too low.
2. Faulty spark plugs.
3. Incorrect spark plug.
4. Excessive carbon deposit on piston head or in combustion chamber.
5. Ignition timing advanced due to faulty sensors (MAP and/or CKP).
6. Air leak.
Overheating
1. Insufficient oil supply or oil not circulating.
2. Insufficient air flow over engine.
3. Heavy carbon deposit.
4. Ignition timing retarded due to faulty sensor(s): Manifold Absolute Pressure (MAP) and/or Crank Position (CKP).
5. Leaking valve.
6. Radiator dirty, plugged.
7. Insufficient coolant supply.
8. Vent hose crimped.
9. Air in cooling system.
Valve Train Noise
1. Low oil pressure caused by oil feed pump not functioning properly or oil passages obstructed.
2. Valve sticking in guide.
3. Chain tensioning spring or shoe worn.
4. Cam timing incorrect.
5. Secondary cam tensioner out of range.
Excessive Vibration
1. Wheels and/or tires worn or damaged.
2. Engine/transmission/rear wheel not aligned properly.
3. Upper engine mounting bracket loose/inoperative or mounting bracket pre-loaded.
4. Ignition timing advanced due to faulty sensor inputs (MAP and/or CKP)/poorly tuned engine.
5. Internal engine problem.
6. Inoperative frame.
7. Engine counterbalancer out of time or bearing failed.
8. Exhaust system binding or hitting frame.
Check Engine Light Illuminates During Operation
Fault detected. See the electrical diagnostic manual.
Lubrication system
Engine Uses Too Much Oil or Smokes Excessively
1. Restricted breather operation.
2. Restricted oil filter.
3. Piston rings badly worn or broken.
4. Valve guides or seals worn.
5. Oil diluted with gas.
Engine Leaks Oil from Cases, Hoses, etc.
1. Loose parts.
2. Imperfect seal at gaskets, washers, etc.
3. Restricted breather hose to air filter.
4. Restricted oil filter.
5. Porosity.
Low Oil Pressure
1. Oil sump underfilled.
2. Faulty low oil pressure switch.
3. Oil pump O-ring damaged or missing.
4. Bypass valve stuck in open position.
5. Oil diluted with gas.
6. Open in oiling circuit.
High Oil Pressure
1. Oil sump overfilled.
2. Bypass valve stuck in closed position.
Electrical system
Note: For diagnostic information see the electrical diagnostic manual.
Alternator Does Not Charge
1. Voltage regulator module not grounded.
2. Engine ground wire loose or damaged.
3. Faulty voltage regulator module.
4. Loose or damaged wires in charging circuit.
5. Faulty stator and/or rotor.
Alternator Charge Rate is Below Normal
1. Weak or damaged battery.
2. Loose connections.
3. Faulty voltage regulator module.
4. Faulty stator and/or rotor.
Speedometer Operates Erratically
1. Contaminated vehicle speed sensor (remove sensor and clean off metal particles).
2. Loose connections.
Transmission
Shifts Hard
1. Clutch dragging slightly.
2. Shifter return spring (inside transmission) bent or inoperative.
3. Bent shifter rod.
4. Shifter forks (inside transmission) sprung.
5. Corners worn off shifter clutch dogs (inside transmission).
6. Hydraulic clutch circuit not bled correctly.
Jumps Out of Gear
1. Shifter rod improperly adjusted.
2. Shifter drum (inside transmission) damaged.
3. Shifter engaging parts (inside transmission) badly worn and rounded.
4. Shifter forks bent.
5. Damaged gears.
Clutch Slips
1. Insufficient clutch spring tension.
2. Worn friction discs.
Clutch Drags or Does Not Release
1. Clutch spring tension.
2. Clutch discs warped.
3. Clutch spacer missing or installed backwards.
Clutch Chatters
Friction discs or steel discs worn or warped.
Handling
Irregularities
1. Improperly loaded motorcycle. Non-standard equipment on the front end such as heavy radio receivers, extra lighting equipment or luggage tends to cause unstable handling.
2. Damaged tire(s) or improper front-rear tire combination.
3. Irregular or peaked front tire tread wear.
4. Incorrect tire pressure. See Removing and installing tires.
5. Shock absorber not functioning normally.
6. Loose wheel axle nuts. Tighten to recommended torque specification.
7. Excessive wheel hub bearing play.
8. Rear wheel out of alignment with frame and front wheel.
9. Steering head bearings improperly adjusted. Correct adjustment and replace pitted or worn bearings and races. See Adjust steering head bearings.
10. Tire and wheel unbalanced.
11. Rims and tires out-of-round or eccentric with hub.
12. Rims and tires out-of-true sideways.
13. Rear fork loose on pivot shaft.
Brakes
Brake Does Not Hold Normally
1. Brake fluid reservoir low, system leaking or pads worn.
2. Brake system contains air bubbles.
3. Master cylinder/caliper piston seals worn or parts damaged.
4. Brake pads contaminated with grease or oil.
5. Brake pads worn.
6. Brake disc worn or warped.
7. Brake drags - insufficient brake pedal or hand lever free play, caliper piston worn or damaged, or excessive brake fluid in reservoir.
8. Brake fades due to heat build up - brake pads dragging or excessive braking.
9. Brake fluid leak when under pressure.