Hello, new biker having issues

[phlegmatical]

Hello,

Havent been on a bike in about 10 years and decided to get myself a cheap 125 (keeway superlight 125) so the mrs could have the car a bit more.

Loving being back on the bike but I have noticed when pulling off in 1st gear the bike starts to move then sort quickly jolts and stops then takes off again.

The only way i can get it to take off without this anoying jolt is to keep the clutch in for longer and really give it some revs (more than seems necessary).

Just wondered if this sounds like a problem with the bike or just a case of me being out of practice and ill find the right balance eventually? I have riden geared bikes before and never experianced this but dont want to go back to the shop to be told its my riding style!

thanks

p.s. It is a brand new bike...if that makes any difference

[Rogerborg]

Oh lordy...
https://www.bikez.com/pictures/keeway/2012/35543_0_1_2_superlight%20125_Image%20credits%20-%20Keeway.jpg

Could be a new engine just being a bit tight, could be that the fuelling is off.

What I found on my Chinese carbed 125 was that the idle mixture was set a bit lean, presumably as part of scamming Euro 3 emissions. Backing the idle screw out half a turn improved the response when pulling away.

If you have an obvious idle mixture screw (sorry, I'm not familiar with your carb) you could give it a go. Warm it up, tweak the mixture until you find where the revs are highest, it's just simple trial and error.

The dealer can probably do it, but they may just trot out the usual "Oh, they all do that, come back when it's out of warranty and we'll look at it then."
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[phlegmatical]

Thanks for you reply. Would you suggest giving it a few weeks see if it sorts itself out then before making adjustments? I'm going back for 300m oil change as it's only a tenner so could speak to the dealer then if its still not right

[Teflon-Mike]

It May be brand-New, but Chinese QC isn't exactly legendary.

I's start with the basics though. And first port of call would be to check the final drive chain tension; you'll never get a slick shift if between on-load and off, its running half a yard of slack from one side of the sprokets to the other.

Next; check your control cables; check the free-play in the clutch, & throttle; again, too much slack and you'll have 'lag' between you doing anything and bike responding.

Also, check the control possitions... just mentioned on another thread; bikes, unlike cars, dont SEEM to have anything you can adjust to suit the rider, other than the mirrors, where a car has a sliding tilting seat, possibly an angle-poise steering column!

BUT, gear lever and brake pedal can usually be adjusted on linkage adjustors, or moved around the splines on thier shaft, to place them where most effective. Handlebars can be twisted in the clamps to move them forwards or back; and the clutch and brake levers can be rotated around the handles on the end so they fall most readily to hand.

Small changes to these can dramatically change how 'easy' and comfy it is to ride the bike, and effect smooth control inputs, hence launch smoothly without so many jerks or wobbles.

And its all simple stuff.

A little more significantly; the chinky bikes are often shipped partially assembled and are often not well Pre-Delivery Inspected, if at all; some delivered with flat-pack instructions to your door.

I have been asked to look at brand new Chinky bikes and been horified by wheels with untensioned spokes; loose wheel spendles, chain adjustors hanging under the swing arm, not doing anything, swing arm spindles without nuts on them; head-stock bearings poking out of the headstock, and front forks at different levels in the yoke clamps... amongst other little niggles!

WOULD be worth while, going over the thing like a hyper picky MOT Man, with a box of spanners, checking everything over, making sure everything is tight and right, and as it ought to be.

COULD still merely be a bedding in niggle, or a simple set-up problem.... OR EVEN something as daft as you not using the choke, or using the choke too long, or petrol in the tank 'Summer' grade, when this time of year, what we should be getting at the pumps should be higher volatility 'Winter' grade, that evaporates at a our less clement winter temperatures!

Something that can catch 125's, that with three gallon tanks and 100mpg, can run for months between fill ups, if not used every day or only used for shorter journeys! And would tend to more effect a super-tweeked old tech Chink leaned out to get through latest emmissions.

Anyhow, plenty to go look at... though YES... is most likely to be something you are doing.... but cant hurt to eliminate a few variables first!
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