Starting after a stall

[hiroshikang]

Hi all,

New '09 FZ6. Lots of stalling. My question(s):
After stalling, do I need to turn the key and engine stop switch from their ON to OFF positions and then back to ON again in order to start the engine? Also, must the transmission be in neutral?

Many thanks!

 

[The Dude]

No. Engage the clutch. Hit the starter.

 

[Motogiro]

No. Engage the clutch. Hit the starter.

Disengage clutch. Pull the clutch lever in.

Also..:welcome:hiroshikang to the forum!

 

[Esra]

Also why are you stalling so much?

 

[Motogiro]

Also why are you stalling so much?

Probably the famous FZ6 short friction zone with added inexperience?

 

[hiroshikang]

Thanks Dude, Motogiro, Ezra!.

I'm a newbie. This is my first bike. So yes, it's inexperience that's making me stall so much.

That said, I may be experiencing a problem here then as pulling in the clutch and hitting the starter isn't doing the trick. I was taught the clutch/starter procedure in my MSF class and definitely panicked on a few occasions early on when it wasn't working for me. Now I've been turning off the ignition and engine stop switch and then back on again to get the motor started. Is this something I should have investigated?

 

[FloppyRunner]

I've been driving standard transmission cars for years, but it took me...well I don't know, but it took me quite a while to get to where I rarely stalled the FZ6. The nice thing (or so I'm told) is that everything else seems super easy after you do get used to it!

 

[Motogiro]

Thanks Dude, Motogiro, Ezra!.

I'm a newbie. This is my first bike. So yes, it's inexperience that's making me stall so much.

That said, I may be experiencing a problem here then as pulling in the clutch and hitting the starter isn't doing the trick. I was taught the clutch/starter procedure in my MSF class and definitely panicked on a few occasions early on when it wasn't working for me. Now I've been turning off the ignition and engine stop switch and then back on again to get the motor started. Is this something I should have investigated?

If I remember correctly the FZ6 should start right back up by pulling the clutch lever in and hitting the starter button. My Suzuki won't start even in neutral if I have the kickstand down.

If the kill switch is in the stop mode nothing will run. You won't hear the fuel pump prime. So you have to have the kill switch in the on position. If someone has taught you to flip it off all the time and you develop that automatic response you have to develop the automatic response to turn it on.
Go practice in a parking lot in a straight line and get used to your clutch. If you are in a situation where you stall it and you're in motion with the wheel turned, you'll probably drop your bike. That's why I suggest you hit a spot and you practice in a straight line.

Good luck! and enjoy that great bike!

 

[hiroshikang]

I'll get out there and practice a bit then. Thank you, Motogiro. I'm already enjoying the bike immensely!

 

[VEGASRIDER]

I'll get out there and practice a bit then. Thank you, Motogiro. I'm already enjoying the bike immensely!

Practice the friction zone, like the second exercise in your BRC. Just rock the bike back and forth using your clutch, keeping your feet in one place but only going from the back of your heel to your toes. Use minimal throttle as you ease out the clutch,squeeze In the clutch by disengaging power to the rear wheel to stop yourself from going any further.

new riders always under estimate this basic exercise and it always comes back to haunt them. Yes, you have to get use to your bike, they will not behave the same. You should also consider practicing your quick stops, as brakes will behave differently from bike to bike. Develop that muscle memory all over again!

 

[Nelly]

:welcome: to the Forum,

You might need to adjust your engine idle speed a little? I was stalling all over the place until another member advised me to have a look at the engine idle speed.
Engine idle should be between 1250 ~ 1350 rpm.
You can locate the idle screw on the left hand side of the bike.
It's in the gap between the petrol tank and the frame. The engine should be running at operational temperature before making the adjustment.



Good luck
Nelly:thumbup:

 

[agf]

new riders always under estimate this basic exercise and it always comes back to haunt them. Yes, you have to get use to your bike, they will not behave the same. You should also consider practicing your quick stops, as brakes will behave differently from bike to bike. Develop that muscle memory all over again!

this is a really timely reminder, I got back on my old vtr250 the other morning to check it was ok for ny son to ride after he nosedived his bike. What a different bike to the fz. It took a couple of starts and stops to get used to the bike again after not riding it since late Feb. I too, used to stall the fz a bit, but now it is rare. My control has improved so much. I only realised this getting back on the Honda and just how long the clutch take up is.
The other big improvement is my ability to lay the bike over further in turns, and I didnt know until Monday how much my riding on that bike had changed, and I can attribute that to the FZ being such a good bike to ride.
Talking about practicing quick stops, thats how my son lost it on a wet greasy road trying to avoid going thru an intersection on the amber light.
He was in the middle of the lane and the front went from under him.
Tonight we were coming out of the city its dry and we take off, I can hear my old bike revving out in first as I hit the brake when the trafficlight changed to red. Cal pulled it up in plenty of time, he can do it fine in the dry, thats not when I worry. He has to practice more in the wet.

I hope you get as much enjoyment from your "new" bike as I am from mine!

 

[SirIsaac]

...I may be experiencing a problem here then as pulling in the clutch and hitting the starter isn't doing the trick... Now I've been turning off the ignition and engine stop switch and then back on again to get the motor started. Is this something I should have investigated?

The bike should start in gear with the clutch pulled in as long as the kickstand is up. Sounds to me like your clutch switch connector is unplugged, in which case it will only start in neutral. When you turned off the ignition and engine stop switch and then back on again to restart, did you also put it in neutral? My clutch switch connector was unplugged when I picked it up from the dealer. I stalled it within a block and had to put it in neutral to get it started. Being unfamiliar with the bike, I thought I must have done something wrong, so I went on home. Pretty sure I read about the possibility of the clutch switch connector being unplugged here, checked it, found it unplugged, and fixed it.

 

[Crax]

I actually killed it at a stoplight on an offramp the other day. First time in quite a while I had done that. I believe when I was downshifting coming down the ramp I left in it second. When I first started riding my fz6 last year, starting from second got me multiple times.

 

[texcollect]

That said, I may be experiencing a problem here then as pulling in the clutch and hitting the starter isn't doing the trick. I was taught the clutch/starter procedure in my MSF class and definitely panicked on a few occasions early on when it wasn't working for me. Now I've been turning off the ignition and engine stop switch and then back on again to get the motor started. Is this something I should have investigated?

I had the same problem when my bike was new. Dealer forgot to plug in the clutch switch :thumbup::thumbup:

 

[MHS]

I was having a lot of stalling problems when I first got the bike (new to a bike and new to manual transmission period). It was brutal because I was also not technically inclined -- the dealer had forgotten to plug in the clutch switch and I knew nothing about it, so I had to keep shifting to neutral to start.

Now I don't stall as much, and have plugged in the switch -- things are much better.