You can use a hosepipe to wash a bike :D , but you can not use it to wash a private car or anything towed by a car, like a trailer or caravan. You may not water private land either, but you can use a hosepipe to fill a bucket or even a swimming pool if you want.

sounds like you flooded the engine but not with water and you done right to hold the throttle open fully and keep firing the engine till you burn off all the extra juice. the only bit to watch out for is the clutch switch underneath the clutch leaver too much water in this will damage it and then the bike will not start unless you bypass it or replace it. plugs and so on have a little more protection to them so washing even with a power hose shouldn't effect them too much and a little bit of grease arround the front plug cap will stop any water that may get in there

I agree with mart, sounds like you flooded it. However as you first thought and others have said, you probably got the front plug wet. This in turn meant it wouldn’t fire, hence the flooding.

Suggestions have been made to try and avoid the front plug issue, but even easyer way is to spray lashings of WD40 around the plug cap/lead area. And to warm the bike up before you clean it. You don’t want to be putting cold water on a red-ers engine, so obviously not talking straight after a long ride or anything!! But the heat in the engine will help evaporate the water off better/quicker.

That and the WD40 helping prevent it getting a hold in the first place should see you right :)

I took mine down the jetwash the other week, I left the bike running as I knew I’d get too keen with the lance :) It did start to run a bit lumpy, but soon sorted itself out!! :)

For goodness sake don’t let this experience put you off cleaning it (him?!?! :D).

interesting thread. never had a problem with washing bike then starting it (running rough), like suggested, possibly flooded. i keep the front plug sprayed in wd40 all time/fenda ex-fitted...does job :wink:

Thanks for all the advice guys. I reckon I was a little over generous on the rinsing.

I doubt it'll have much impact on my frequency of bike washing - about once every six months at best :oops:

And yes, when my bike behaves itself, it's an 'it', when it's got a strop on, it's a 'he'. :lol:

Ta
Jo

Help needed
 

Hi guys, got a serious problem, started my 2001 sv650s up normally, choke on because engine was cold. Noticed also that i was low on petrol, all of a sudden the engine was warming up i revved it because it sounded like it was going to cut out, i did this and it cut out. I tried to restart it choke off and i could hear the starter turning but no engine start, i did the same choke on same result, my instinct was the battery is flat as the lights were very dim aswell, i thought also lack of petrol mybe the problem. Went to grab some fuel but was 5 hours and had forgot to turn the choke off :cry:. Filled the tank back up 5 hours later realising my stupidness then, i go to start the bike no starter turning on full or off choke.


My instincts tell me that the tit i am i have flattened the battery and in my ****ishness have flooded the engine. I would be grateful for sugestions. Even if it is top myself cos it will be cheaper.

Thanks guys

Stu

Idea... Put the battery on charge for an hour and start her, after that it should charge itself. Unless the battery is sha**ed!!! You shouldn't be able to flood the engine, turn the petrol off untill you start if you are worried!

Also a good call to check the rectifier......!

The only way to turn the petrol off on an SV is to lift the tank and pull the vacuum pipe off the pet ****!!

thanks for the help was the battery :D

Don't forget... at the front is a drain hole for the front plug, if this is blocked any water that did get in to the plug won't drain out. As it can get filled up with dirt and other such things, so give a check... push something long a thin up it.