Distant TCers have urgent need for advice

[guest7]

Simon Morgan has texted to say that his brand new Tenere is refusing to start. He's currently at 1700 metres in Austria, with temps down to -15. The bike turns over no problem, but refuses to catch. It took an hour to start it the other day at the Elefant rally.

Any thoughts and/or advice?

It's got fuel injection if that makes a difference.

I could only suggest my last resort option, namely slapping a stove or lantern under the sump for half an hour or so to heat the oil. I know it sounds mad, but it's worked really well in the past in starting bikes that refused to go otherwise.

For example, I had a VX once that didn't have a working choke and hadn't been started for two years. I wasn't able to get it to start so I put a paraffin lantern under the sump for two hours and it started third prod. It seems fairly obvious to me that if you warm the environment that the petrol vapour is being squirted into then it has a better chance of going boom.

GC

[bullet350]

 ice in sidestand or clutch switch? check plug for spark.

after that get the stove around it, if possible where the air box sucks its air in.

 good luck, i was effin' cold this morning at -2!

gut fahrt!

 bullet350

[guest7]

Cheers for that, forwarded to Simon.

We'll know the outcome late tomorrow or on Monday, here's hoping eh?

GC

[guest7]

Simon just got in touch... he pulled a wire from the sidestand switch and it started, hurrah!

He's developed some cunning plan to sort it out so it looks like the TC factor worked wonders again  

I reckon he owes Bullet350 a pint or ten.

GC

[guest868]

I was going to suggest maybe water in the fuel had frozen around the pump or lines, but if it's an electrical problem, then good luck to him.

[guest7]

To be honest they are all (apparently) having a tough time of it. Jules is on a Bandit 1200, Tim is on a Boxer and Simon is on a single. All have had trouble starting their bikes on this trip.

GC

[002]

To be honest they are all (apparently) having a tough time of it. Jules is on a Bandit 1200, Tim is on a Boxer and Simon is on a single. All have had trouble starting their bikes on this trip.

GC

Thought Jules had taken his Tiger/ETH outfit ?

Jethro

[guest7]

Of course you're right, I did know that but forgot in the heat of typing. The point still stands of course, despite the engine configuration they have all had problems.

GC

[guest24]

At -15C I think everyone will have problems. Brrrr. The only thing that would keep me warm at that temp would be thinking of Wendy Hurrell  telling me its -15 

[guest18]

Well it was -18 and lower during the 50th... and the XBR's started no problems 
Of course all the electrical pixies were busy supplying the spark not trying to turn the motor over....

Joking aside I don't think it's co-incidental that electric start bikes often struggle to start in very cold weather, you're asking the absolute most of the battery at the point it is least able to provide.
That and the machines are built for the leisure market and therefore it doesn't matter if they wont start on an icy day, after all who on earth would ride a bike for fun in icy weather... (where's the smiley for "walks away whistling"?)

[guest7]

The only thing that would keep me warm at that temp would be thinking of Wendy Hurrell 

I was wondering who she was, it turns out she's a London TV weather girl... so the majority of the population have never heard of her, which is a shame because she looks like this:



GC

[guest18]

Ahh not a patch on the dark haired girl who does the Scottish weather, fair brightens my mornings!



It has to be said this pic doesn't do her justice 

Edited to add: Judith Ralston is her name that I couldn't remember...

[guest7]

Typical... here in the enlightened Welsh hillsides our weather is read by a perma-tanned queen called Derek.



GC

[guest24]

The only thing that would keep me warm at that temp would be thinking of Wendy Hurrell 

I was wondering who she was, it turns out she's a London TV weather girl... so the majority of the population have never heard of her, which is a shame because she looks like this:



GC

Sorry about her being London based. Wendy does have her own website, www.wendyhurrell.com if you are interested in what she is upto.

However, my all-time favourite weather girl at the moment is Elizabeth Saary, and she is a national one too. Fantastic. Apparently Ms Saary said we are having some snow at the moment, so my wife tells me...

[KirriePete]

Ahhh, Judith Ralston aka 'Wonder Woman' (don't ask - little pervy dream of my very own...), but I still miss Heather Reid OBE aka "Heather with the Weather":



This one's even better:



Enjoy!