How to Troubleshoot a Motorcycle That Will Not Start

Bike won't start? Ask these questions?

1. Will the bike crank - turn over?

Yes, If the bike cranks but won't start, we can rule out a dead battery
No, if you hear clicking when the starter button is pressed, the battery is most likely dead.

Get a voltmeter, if it reads below 12.5 volts, charge the battery

2. Do you have the kickstand up and the start switch in the on/start position?

Some bikes wont's start if the kick stand is down.

Motorcycle Riding Tips - Limited-Space Maneuvers

With Spring fast approaching I thought it would be a good idea to start publishing a few motorcycle riding tips that you can practice once you dust off your bike and get it ready for Daytona Bike week or your first spring ride. One thing I hear from a lot of motorcyclists is that they have been riding for some many years and do not need to practice any riding skills. This is just an ignorant statement to make and often fueled by ego and pride. I have seen veteran riders of twenty years; do the stupidest things on a motorcycle. Sure they have been riding for twenty years, but have they truly ever learned to really ride correctly with skill and confidence. Sure some have the natural motor skills to perform well on a motorcycle but these refresher tips are there to make you more competent on your motorcycle while also boosting your ego since others will be impressed by your riding skills. Honest, you will be amazed how people notice a good competent rider.

Choosing The Correct Type Of New Motorcycle

Are you in the market for a new motorcycle? About 500,000 people each year are in the United States alone. If you are new to the sport and are looking for some advice, perhaps I can help you narrow your focus a bit.

The first question to ask yourself is what is your planned use for this bike? At a very high level, motorcycles are grouped into some pretty broad categories. Are you looking for a bike to be ridden off-road, or are you in the market for an on road (street) bike? For this article, I'll focus my guidance on those of you who seek some form of street legal road motorcycle.

On road motorcycles are typically grouped into various classes based on the general style. Then within that style they are often sub-classed based on the size of the engine. For this discussion, we'll classify on road bikes as follows:

• Touring
• Sport
• Sport Touring
• On/Off Road (often referred to as dual sport)
• Cruiser

Essential Gear Required In Motorcycling

There are some essential things that you cannot do without, while you are riding a motorcycle. A helmet is very essential and is a must in motorcycling. Most riders do not want to wear helmets because they feel uncomfortable and they think that they look weird. But you will look weirder if you have had an accident on the street and were lying in a hospital, your head bandaged. Bikers dislike the enforcement and the existence of helmet laws. The law enforcement authorities may not be wrong all the time.

Buy a helmet that fits well. With advanced material and helmet designing, helmets today are a manufacturer's wonder. The strong material used not only gives protection to the head but also makes you look cool. There are different types of helmets available, the full-face, the flip-up and the open-face, all having their advantages and disadvantages depending on how you ride.
A good pair of boots, pants and a jacket is a must. Your head alone is not prone to risks while you are riding - other parts of the body are equally vulnerable. A leather jacket can be humid and hot, so look for a jacket that is made from material that offers good ventilation and is smartly designed. Jackets are not just made from thick leather; they are made out of different materials. The fit of the jacket is very important, to ensure agility to maneuver the bike.

Turbotec Drive Sprocket Pulley Installation for Victory Motorcycles

The Victory motorcycles with the 5-speed transmission has gearing that is a little short. First gear is almost not usable and high gear is not high enough. This two teeth larger pulley makes your bike more user friendly.

The Victory 32 Tooth Overdrive Pulley. Fits All 03-05 Victor motorcycles and 99-01 Victory's with Upgraded Transmission. This pulley will decrease RPM by 7% and uses All Factory Parts. I decided to install this pulley on my 2004 Victory Kingpin and write up step-by-step installation instructions along with photos of the install. Below are my working notes for doing the installation.

I was doing other maintenance and decided to put the bike on a jack.
You do not need to remove the wheel. In fact you want to leave it on to help in the removal of the sprocket.
I removed the slip-on part of the exhaust first to lighten the exhaust.
Remove the belt guard.
Remove the right-side drive floor board so you can pull the exhaust off.

Prior to removing the exhaust.
Note the condition of the exhaust flange nuts.
The exhaust flange bolts may be rusted. Spray with WD-40 and let stand overnight to loosen them up.
After you get these flange nuts off, remove the exhaust.

Victory Motorcycle Shift Ratchet Replacement

The Victory Motorcycle is a very well built piece of machinery. I have owned a Victory Kingpin since 2004. I have had no problems with the motorcycles and am very pleased with my motorcycle. This article will address the one issue I did have that is related to a failed shifter part. The dreaded Victory Shift ratchet.

One day while riding, I began experiencing downshifting problems my kingpin. It only happens from time to time and it feels like it is hanging up when i am trying to downshift. I have adjusted the clutch cable and changed the oil with no resolve. I am running full synthetic AMSOIL 20W50 motorcycle oil in the transmission and was thinking the oils was too thick for the clutch plates. After changing the oil to the Victory OEM multi-blend synthetic, the problem with shifting still existed.

I decided to take a few more test rides to diagnose the problem. I did notice that if i push the shift ratchet shaft in (has about 1/8 inch movement in and out) it seems to temporarily stop the problem. I went to the Victory Motorcycle Solutions community site and have read people talk about shift ratchet as being the culprit. after reading several posts on this information, I contacted my favorite Victory motorcycle dealership, Santa Rosa VeeTwin. They confirmed that I need to replace the shift ratchet. The reason being the rest spring fails over time.

The Victory dealership explained that Victory changed the ratchet somehow after 2000 due to hard shifting complaints. They also stated that they have seen more issues like this with those Victory riders with driver floorboards. The drivers with floor boards will typically do a lazy shift. Anyhow the ratchet will be worn on both ends, thus allowing the shifting to continue down and not engaging.