Problem. Please Help!

[Dan 4RR]

Hello all.

If I haven't posted this in the correct section, Please feel free to change it.

The story - I've been watching the weather recently, they stated that we were going to have some snow. Well we were hit with the snow, don't know about anywhere else.

Got up this morning, mum told me there was possible snow coming our again. It had been snowing through the evening, still snow on pavement, grass, etc.

I so locked up the house, put helmet on and set off as usuall. I was about half way through my jounrey when the worst could happen... It started to snow!!! I shit myself (Not literally though) since I have never ridden in these conditions before.

For the next ten minutes I was blasted with head on snow, that completley covered my front in snow, I could barly see for the snow smothering my visor, Poor traction. I'm sure people know what I'm talking about. So I took it steady.

I managed to get to college alright, even though I looked like a snowman lol. The day had passed and it was time to come home. Walked over to scooter, put helmet on, glooves, etc. The weather was fine, well it was cloudy, but at least it wasn't raining or snowing.

I was riding home, when once again. I reach half way and it starts to bloody snow again. I knew what to expect now. But it still sucked big time.

I had travelled a few more miles and I was nearly home now. The next town away. When all of a sudden my scooter totally loses all power and the speed drops from 25mph to 10mph. It then totally died on me. So I pulled into a street to see if there was any noticable damage. There appeared to be none. But most of the back end of the scooter was steaming. Possible bad sign. I don't know.

I kicked it up again, revved it a bit. Sounded fine. (Remember it is still snowing heavily whilst this is all happening). I then sat on it and I revvved it up and it sound like the power was non excistent. I managed to set off at 10mph! I then travlled up a hill at almost 5mph whilst the accelerator was on full. Stupid people were overtaking me on a blind corner(Utter stupidaty). I was nearly home when it died on me again, So I pull into a street, did the same thing as last time and set off again.

I finally made it home quite annoyed, but I made a joke of it instead and laughed my ass off at the whole ordeal. I came inside had a bite to eat, went outside again and tryed my scooter and it was fine. I couldn't believe it.

Basically the question that I am asking the people upon BCF is that, Why did out of nowhere my scooter suddenly drop power, Whilst the acceleration was on full. Remember it was snowing like mad, etc.

Hopefully someone could help me since I don't know to much technical stuff about motorcycles.

Thanks and Bye. Daniel.

[JonB]

Carb icing? Unlikely though.

Actually just been having a think and this is probably a long shot but perhaps some snow got into the coolant, if your bike is air cooled then it could be likely that it actually got tooo cold, though I am just popping guesses here I have no bike mechanic knowledge.
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[Gazdaman]

My bike doesn't likely extremely wet conditions, it f*cks with the electrics and conducts most of my spark directly to the frame.

Gaz

[stinkwheel]

You most likley had snow on your HT leads (plug lead) which causes the spark to earth itself other than through the sparkplug.

When you stop the bike, the heat from the engine soon melts the snow (hence the steam) and they dry out at which point it is as if nothing had happened. It isn't just on your scoot this happens. I actually made a little plastic snow deflector out of a margarine tub lid for one of my old bikes and my modern 660cc single was doing the exact same thing the other weekend.

Carry a can of WD40 under the seat, if it does it again just wipe the snow off and scoosh WD40 all over the plug lead and ignition coil, it should then restart no problem. Do not be tempted to wipe the snow off the leads 'on the move' or you will find out exactly how much voltage it takes to push an electric arc accross a sparkplug...right through your arm (trust me on this one!)
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[zip70]

yer what stinker said!

used to happen to my mates gilera DNA, even in the wet too!

so he got a can of this sealent stuff and put it all round the ht lead and head. SORTED
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gixer 6

[Kickstart]

Hi

As above, but another suggestion (especially if it was quite small snow flakes) is that it had sucked the snow into the airbox and drenched the air filter. This would make the bike perform as though you had the choke pulled on.

The "wrong kind of snow" is actually a legitimate railway excuse!

All the best

Keith
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[simon1221]

The only thing i can think of is that the gradual build up of snow on your scoot went through the transmission casing and caused the belt to slip, that happened to me as well on the DNA at high speeds (for a scooter - 50mph ), after constant rain for about an hour.
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[divuk83]

Water in the carb/filter sounds likely, although It wouldn't normally keep running, it would stall. Stinkwheels sounds likey as well.

Rain/snow would not cause belt slip. I find that very hard to believe.

Dave

[Gazdaman]

I've personally experienced StinkWheel's problem, including the voltage down my arm .

I'd say that's most likely.

Gaz

[Johnny GSX-R]

[Johnny GSX-R]

It will be water on the electrics caused by the melting of driving snow.
It used to happen on one of my American cars with a hood scoop, the water would get onto the leads causing it to missfire, but with 8 cylinders it generally limped home unlike your single cylinder scoot which will eventually stop.
Soak the leads with water repellant spray and or silicone spray to try and form a barrier from the elements.