New bike doesn't work! :(

[thehairysmite...]

Tell me if I have been stupid, I know nothing about motorbikes. I bought a new Kymco Pulsar s 125 as a first bike. Yes because it was cheap, I know it's not a Honda or Yamaha...

So I received the bike by courier and put 5 litres of fuel in it. The electric starter doesn't work, no noise or anything. So I kick started it and got it going. I probably should have kept it going for longer to charge the battery (is that problem?), but I only had it going for 10 mins or so.

Now it will only kick start occasionally, normally at first attempt but the engine wont keep ticking.

The bike has been unused for quite a while I guess, so is it likely just a flat battery? Shouldn't a bike with a flat battery still kickstart though? Should I try and kick start it again and then just make sure I ride it for a solid half hour or an hour to charge it?

Please, any advice or comments I would love to hear them!

Thanks

[Aff]

[baldy]

Did you check the engine oil? Some couriers won't ship bikes with fluids in.
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One day i will rule the world, just not today.

[thehairysmite...]

It's brand new. Perhaps. I had a look at the dipstick and it was about half way up the gauge bit on the end. I am a bit pissed off because it didn't even come with a user manual, so I'm also scared to tweak to much in case I do something wrong as I don't really know what I'm doing... I am dealing with the supplier but they have been useless...

[Rogerborg]

I'd hazard a guess that it's been shipped with no acid in the battery. My bike-in-a-box came with a dry battery and the acid in a separate bottle.

Seat or panels off, find the battery.

If it's a sealed gel battery, fair enough, stick it on a charger.

If it's a wet cell battery like this...

https://www.countybattery.co.uk/uploads/product/zoom_12N7-4A_12V_7Ah_Yuasa_Battery_Acid_Sold_Separately.jpg

... then there should be acid visibly sloshing around between the level markers in every cell. That picture is of a dry battery. That's what you don't want it to look like.

If it's dry, you'll need acid. You can chase up the stealer that sold it to you, buy on eBay or pop down to the local motor factor and see if they'll flog you some.
____________________
Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[thehairysmite...]

Update:

OK, literally 10 mins after writing this I went out and got it started!! Rode it around for about 30 mins or so and have the engine running now for a little while.

Do you still think its still the battery acid? I think the engine oil is fine, but not 100% sure.


Thanks all so much for advice!!

[serlant]

May sound silly but are you putting the choke on before trying to kick start it, that might be the reason you could only get it to start occasionally, as for the electric starter, follow rogerborgs advice and check the battery.
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04 CBR1000RR, 1995 Husqvarna TE410, 1998 VTR1000(Sold), 1990 XJ600(sold), 1996 KH125(dead and sold)

[thehairysmite...]

Strange, so after riding for that first time.. I was able to get it to start again but only with the choke off. That was only about an hour after the first ride so maybe the engine still had fuel in it?

I don't understand, will get on to the dealer to ask about the battery acid.

Cheers

[WD Forte]

We've got a 2009 Pulsar here, very simple bike and so far a reliable little runabout.
Remove the side panels by moderately pulling at them.
so the pins come out of the rubber grommets highlighted in yellow.

The battery is behind the RH one and easy to access.
You can remove both the 12mm headed seat bolts too if you want
(red arrow)
Under the seat is the main fuse, starter solenoid, CDI box, flasher relay and rectumfrier

Your problem may well be just the stated flat/uncharged or dry battery
and probably is.
It should start via the kick starter though as its an AC CDI bike, but ours had a vac
fuel tap which can be a PITA at the relatively slow kick over speed
and I swapped it out for a manual one.

Once you start to clock up miles don't forget to keep an eye on the cam chain adjustment
(adjuster at white arrow) we got ours cheap as it had worked loose and caused the chain to jump
and bend the valves.

Checking oil:
There is a sight glass on the front lower right of the engine you know
On the mainstand on level ground and at rest, oil should be 3/4 of the way up the window.
If you use the dip stick, don't screw it in to get the level, just push it down until it stops
then when you're happy its ok, screw it in

Choke Lever:
left for on and right for off
dont over do it and don't keep winding the throttle when starting


https://oi58.tinypic.com/2q866nm.jpg
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bikers smell of wee

[Rogerborg]

The bike will (probably) kick and run without the battery being functional.

As it didn't show any signs of life initially on the electric starter, I'd check the electrolyte levels in battery anyway, to rule it out.

Even if looks good then I'd charge it up anyway, and I don't mean riding it around a bit. If it came fully discharged - which is bad news - then it'll need many hours on a charger to fully charge it. Skimp on that now and you may find that it'll never hold a full charge and you'll be doing a lot of kick-starting.
____________________
Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[thehairysmite...]

Yeah looking more like a battery issue. I'm getting a friend of a friend round who knows about bikes and has got some tools to go over it.

Thanks for your help, I'll let you guys know the outcome!

[thehairysmite...]

[andys675]

kymco's are buggers for leaving a bit of fuel in the carb after they've tested them in the factory, quick clean of the carb bowl and jets to get rid of the old petrol may be required, as it will have gone off by now
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Some people feel the rain, others just get wet.

[Rogerborg]

Good stuff. Was it just not charged then? I'd keep it on a charger for a while to try and get it up to peak capacity, especially if you're not riding it regularly.
____________________
Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[Vincent]