new rider - 50cc moped not starting - what to do?!

[blue333333333...]

Hello! Nice to meet you all.

I am very new to the world of motorcycles / mopeds and its a whole new world! I'm a cyclist by heart and experience but needed something with a little more power to get me to work. I also like a leisurely ride and to keep things simple so I bought a second hand 50cc Sinnis Street moped. It only had 474 miles and looked very new. Bought from a dealer on 18th Dec 2020 so not yet had it a full month and already am having some issues. When it runs, its lovely and I am converted!

It already had one repair, the day I took it away, it lost acceleration so I returned it immediately to the dealer and they repaired it. I've ridden it only a few times since and now it won't start at all. Its been very cold recently so that may have upset it a bit. It starts up but then dies. I was told that it sounds like the battery is dying / dead. The kickstand also doesn't work at all.

I'm not sure what to do as I've little experience in mechanics and dealing with garages and breakdown recovery. I am waiting to hear back from the trader as I would expect them to repair it as its still within its 30 days consumer rights period (plus I have a 3 month warranty) but I'm not sure how to get it to them. Do they have a duty to collect it? Alternatively, I'm guessing I need to get my breakdown recovery service to attend and take it.

Any advice or info gratefully received. Really sad not to be riding it
at the moment.

Thanks!

Slowgirl

[bikenut]

Hi slow girl,

I assume you had an instruction manual with the bike and know it runs on petrol ?

I am being polite honest!

When you ride this bike you are gunna find out about knobheads on pedal bikes, believe me you will ! Knobheads in cars are similar.

You've done your CBT so have been told about them, just assume everyone is trying to kill you, it's Thier road afterall! !

You delevoped your sixth sense yet ?

Back to the bike, phone the dealer and see what they say. Being a damsel in distress ( sorry to be secist ) they will help/advise you.

Get it to the dealers so they cannot work out of warranty issues. You say the side stand does not work ?

Pictures are a 1000 words. The side stand, sometimes called the prop stand, will probably have a switch which stops the engine being whizzed over when the side stand is used/down.
May be a red herring, you have a wiring diagram, if not get one, it's a road map for the bikes wires.

When the bike went back under warranty and was fixed, was it a fuel issue ?

Long shot this on but have you put a rag under the saddle ?

There is fuel in the tank ?

Post a pic of the bike and side stand and model details of the bike so we can see what you see.
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nuts about bikes

[blue333333333...]

It didn't come with a manual! It was second hand.

Yes, it runs on petrol and has a full tank. Being honest and direct is good for me. I know nothing! Learn bits as I go.

There can be knobheads on all kinds of transport, I don't discriminate

[bikenut]

I like you already, good on Yuh girl !

Post some pics as suggested, model info ( no reg number, not needed ) and pics of engine and prop stand etc..

I am surprised no info book was given to you, you had instructions about starting etcetcetc, you made notes ?
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nuts about bikes

[bikenut]

Pics and have you contacted the dealer yet ? Do it now !

If you or anyone else "plays" with the bike , the dealer could say you broke stuff so no warranty any more.
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nuts about bikes

[oilyrag]

The battery is most likely flat from not being ridden much. Get yourself a motorbike battery charger that's around 1 Amp. Give the battery a charge and see if it starts.

[Riejufixing]

[pepperami]

Hello Ms Slowgirl.
I’d also suspect a duff battery if it’s been standing for a while before you bought it?

As a newbie, a few things you may want to research.
Just so you have at least some idea what we are wittering on about when you come on this site.
It may also help you look after your ped.
: two stroke or four stroke?
:weekly/monthly maintenance?
: correct chain tension?
: oil levels?
: tyre pressures?

These are all fairly simple thing so don’t get stressed about them.
One thing at a time, slowly
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I am the sum total of my own existence, what went before makes me who I am now!

[bikenut]

Hi slow girl,

You phoned dealer yet ?

Sunnis site says street moped is 4stroke 2.9kw @ 75000 rpm, yeh right !

7500 rpm more like, so confident of Sunnis site info straight away !

Whilst googling this bike saw spares site, so exploded views available, go have a look see what's in the engine etc..

Site says manual available but could not see one for your moped, so do some more research and print one off, slow girl.

Does the engine whizz over quickly when it's on centre stand and prop stand is up ?

Does it have a centre stand ?

You know about the fuel tap and engine oil level ?

Do your research slow girl and phone the dealer for advise.

Do system on this as well as CDI system....research.....
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nuts about bikes

[Riejufixing]

Hm. A helpful person with some jump leads?

[bikenut]

She says in first post it starts then stops, so it runs sort of. She says stand don't work at all....

Battery may well be discharged by now...hence the question,vdoes the engine whizz over fast, or real slow, or at all....

See parts exploded views for info, engine dependant, ohc, screw/lock nut valve clearance adjustment, centre stand yes, vac fuelbtapx it has a fuel gauge as well, but is there fuel in the tank ?

Over to you slow girl....see exploded views, print them off if you can....research research research, even girls c
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nuts about bikes

[bikenut]

She says in first post it starts then stops, so it runs sort of. She says stand don't work at all....

Battery may well be discharged by now...hence the question,vdoes the engine whizz over fast, or real slow, or at all....

See parts exploded views for info, engine dependant, ohc, screw/lock nut valve clearance adjustment, centre stand yes, vac fuelbtapx it has a fuel gauge as well, but is there fuel in the tank ?

Over to you slow girl....see exploded views, print them off if you can....research research research, even boys can do that...sometimes....
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nuts about bikes

[oilyrag]

What a load of confusing bullshit. Being realistic you have no previous knowledge of bikes, no workshop manual and no tools. All you can do is find someone with jumper leads and try a jump start or buy a motorbike battery charger and charge the battery. If neither of those things work arrange someone to pick it up and take it to the dealer. If you're jump starting it off a car make sure the car is off.

[bikenut]

Kitchens and chefs.....

You presume she/they know how to use jump leads...get it wrong even for an instant and frying tonight we have........

Fried electrics, covered by warranty, no chance !

Phone the dealer slow girl, you know it makes sense.
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nuts about bikes

[blue333333333...]

Hi everyone!

Thanks for all your info and help. Its all a real learning curve!

I phoned the dealer and was prepared to take it into them (yes, I learned they don't do it for free) so I contacted my breakdown recovery.

Turns out to be very simple issue...flat battery, and took him about 5 mins to get it going. I did take it down to the dealer anyway for a chat, which was useful. Looks like as mentioned, its not been ridden enough plus it hates the cold (so its a sensitive girl and needs attention)..so that was a good lesson to learn!

I tried to find a manual online but no can do. I'm hoping to sign up to a maintenance course from March, presuming they can still go ahead, so I don't have to be such a numpty.

I am very pleased to have found the oil stick thing at least and have an idea of what to do with it. Onwards and upwards

[wr6133]

[Riejufixing]

[bikenut]

Glad it's sorted...did the dealer fit a new battery ?

Did the dealer check the charging system for you ?

Cold weather will kill a poor failing battery.

You now know how to check the engine oil level, dealer showed you how I hope.

Contact Sinnis and ask for a manual, they should be able to e mail/send you one. Strange they have a manual section on the website, but not for this model.

When the bike is on its centre stand with the engine running, and the headlight on, and you rev the engine slowly, do the light grow brighter ?usually this is an indication that the charging system is working, but ylour bike may have ac lighting.....try and get a wiring diagram, and see the parts exploded views diagrams kick start parts etc.. you know about the fuse ?

Look and learn.
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nuts about bikes

[Robby]

Batteries do not like the cold. It is worth buying a trickle charger and connecting it up if the scooter is not used for a couple of weeks.

A 5 minute fix is not going to have charged the battery, they take 3 or 4 hours to charge up from flat. Possible that the battery was replaced, or just given a jump start. If it doesn't start tomorrow morning, they just gave it a jump start. In that case, you might as well get it a new battery. They're cheap, and once they start to go they are unlikely to recover.

Otherwise, just learn to check the oil level and the tyre pressures. You may have been shown this when you did your CBT. For anything more advanced, take it into the shop until you're comfortable doing it yourself. It is fairly easy to make an expensive or dangerous mistake.

[oilyrag]

Get yourself a motorbike battery charger or you will probably be in the same situation in a few weeks time. Getting the proper service manual for this type bike can be very difficult if not impossible.

[Nobby the Bastard]

Regarding batteries, the one in the strumpet has died due to lack of use over the spring summer and winter so it does happen and they also die just because.

Easiest solution is to use it weekly as a minimum. At least 5 miles so that the oil doesn't turn into mayonnaise.
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