Yesterday was a day of being told no. No you can't title the bike without this bit of paperwork, no you can't get that piece of paperwork in this county, and no your bike won't start. First things first, my problems with the DMV are somewhat my own doing. I tried to do as much research as I could online before I even reached the mainland, but I could have solved some of my problems today just by making some phone calls and asking questions. Mistake noted and catalogued for future situations.
Now to the bike not starting. The current diagnosis is electrical, as the engine doesn't turn but isn't stuck. The battery will take a charge, even though I probably should buy a new one just to be safe rather than sorry in the middle of nowhere. $80 is a decent price for peace of mind. Checked the fuse box, and those all look good. The starter solenoid is a possible problem, as is the starter motor. I'm hoping that it's the solenoid, as that's a $12 fix as opposed to the $180 to replace the starter motor. Today I get to pull all these pieces of the starting system apart and test them one by one to figure out how to make sad and rapid clicking sound turn into a wonderfully purring engine. This is what I get for trying to set up a huge motorcycle trip without actual access to the bike I'm going to be riding. I seem to have a habit of needing to do major fixes to my vehicle before a family reunion. Last time I had to replace a front end passenger side strut and tie rod on an old beater of a Toyota Paseo.
Now to the bike not starting. The current diagnosis is electrical, as the engine doesn't turn but isn't stuck. The battery will take a charge, even though I probably should buy a new one just to be safe rather than sorry in the middle of nowhere. $80 is a decent price for peace of mind. Checked the fuse box, and those all look good. The starter solenoid is a possible problem, as is the starter motor. I'm hoping that it's the solenoid, as that's a $12 fix as opposed to the $180 to replace the starter motor. Today I get to pull all these pieces of the starting system apart and test them one by one to figure out how to make sad and rapid clicking sound turn into a wonderfully purring engine. This is what I get for trying to set up a huge motorcycle trip without actual access to the bike I'm going to be riding. I seem to have a habit of needing to do major fixes to my vehicle before a family reunion. Last time I had to replace a front end passenger side strut and tie rod on an old beater of a Toyota Paseo.
What I will be listening to while my motorcycle teaches me patience.