often when bike is in neutral and I turn the key on the bike just starts up. other times I'll pull the front brake with the bike on and it starts. The start button also works and will also turn the bike off. I don't have an owners manual so I don't know if this is normal.

Would this also have an effect like this? "  Since I've had the bike ( a month) I'll be riding then suddenly no power, bike just sputters. bu, bu, bu, bu, bu. Not enough power to move the bike faster than a walk, but it does not die. Turn the throttle nothing. Pulled over turned off the kill switch and back on and runs fine, power back. Both times was about 1/2 tank left. Not sure if that was the problem though as it still ran fine with that much fuel until I refilled."


Is there something in the fuel system that would be about half a tank high that would limit the fuel flow below 1/2 tank?  

 No that's not right.
I got a similar problem with the sidecar twice over the last month.
I was riding, then suddenly, I lost power. The bike was idling correctly but as soon as I opened the throttle the engine would stutter and not gain any RPM. 
The first time, I stopped the engine, checked the spark plugs and found everything normal. I restarted the engine and everything was OK for the rest of the ride (~ 200kms)
Last week end, the same thing happened but it lasted only few seconds and I didn't have to stop. Power came back on it's own. It almost seems that I may have water in my gas.
I am still puzzled.

About the electrical on your bike, there is definitively something wrong. It would be interesting to know if the starter spins when the engine is running and you touch the brake lever.

I would check the wiring and the right hand switch. It's sound like you have a short somewhere.
You can find an easy detailed electrical schematic HERE

CF

The springs under the start button may be getting weak.  You can take the start/kill button off and stretch the springs to try to resolve the problem.

The second problem may be the fuel level sender (tank) connector starting to go bad.

When was the fuel filter last changed?

I've only had the bike maybe a month and 1/2. Tank looks spotless inside. Don't know when filter was changed. Big hands can that stuff come outside the tank to check out?

It's quiet easy if you undo the little screws holding the fuel filler to the tank, they are like little bolts. Don't drop
them, then the whole filler assembly (cap and surrounds) lifts off to expose a bigger hole. Note that there is a 
small hole in the surrounds that must go over the small hole in the lip of your tank opening when you put it back together, some sort of vapour thing but needs to be able to breath.

You should be able to get a screw driver in to the tank and undo the clips on either side of the filter and pull the hoses off, all with out taking it out, good chance to check on the hose whilst in there, they seem to start failing at the connecting ends.

You also could take the lot out, fuel pump and all, there are 2 tabs on the fuel pump surround that you push in a bit and the whole pump comes out, with the hose to the fuel filter. Good idea to photograph where everything is first. The fuel pump can be a bummer to put back in but even I have done it a few times.

Get  new filter and blow through it, then blow through your old one and see the difference, mine was so blocked I don't know how it was working. When I replaced my fuel hoses I made the  out one from the filter a bit longer to give me some wriggle room in there, careful not to foul the fuel sender level.

And good luck, don't smoke.

The hole on the left side of the gas gap is to drain water to keep it from seeping into the tank.  It's on the left side because that's where the side stand is.

Fuel filter:  Undo the front clamp and pull the filter off.  Then there's enough fuel line between the filter and the pump to pull it out of the tank to do the other hose clamp outside of the tank.

duck wrote:The springs under the start button may be getting weak.  You can take the start/kill button off and stretch the springs to try to resolve the problem.

The second problem may be the fuel level sender (tank) connector starting to go bad.

When was the fuel filter last changed?

Changed the fuel filter and jb welded the leaking fuel level sender (tank) connector.


Now the problem  starter button. the button itself does not have any spring, there are two springs on the red off switch of which one is missing. I can replace the one missing spring, is the green button supposed to be springy.  

Yes

So how do I make the green start button springy if it is not? It dosen't seem to come apart so I can put a spring in it. The red part that I added the missing spring to is more solid, but the green button is floppy. Any suggestions?

One thought might be to experiment with different little O-rings around the start button.

Where to put them?

I had a similar problem some years ago except the green button just fell apart. I removed the green button, secured a spring with a self tapping screw and replaced the green button with a black cap used to cover screws in furniture. Good luck.

The start button /  kill switch assembly is secured with a C-clip and the assembly can be removed as a unit if the C-clip is loosened.  There are two very small coil springs inside plus a contact plate that may get lost when removed so try to be careful and work within an area that can confine the springs if they decide to let go.  For example, work with all the parts inside a clear plastic bag.

No one has pointed you to this document yet, at least through discussion on this thread.

You'll have to remove just the switch housing from the master cylinder to get to the underside where the C-clip is located.  See if modifying the springs by stretching them helps.  This is what Duck was alluding to earlier in this thread.

ainsjac wrote:I had a similar problem some years ago except the green button just fell apart. I removed the green button, secured a spring with a self tapping screw and replaced the green button with a black cap used to cover screws in furniture. Good luck.

How does the green button fall apart? where did you secure the spring to with the screw. I guess I don'k know exactly how the green button is supposed to work or made up of what, as it is still in one piece inside the red housing.:pale:

robmack wrote:The start button /  kill switch assembly is secured with a C-clip and the assembly can be removed as a unit if the C-clip is loosened.  There are two very small coil springs inside plus a contact plate that may get lost when removed so try to be careful and work within an area that can confine the springs if they decide to let go.  For example, work with all the parts inside a clear plastic bag.

No one has pointed you to this document yet, at least through discussion on this thread.

You'll have to remove just the switch housing from the master cylinder to get to the underside where the C-clip is located.  See if modifying the springs by stretching them helps.  This is what Duck was alluding to earlier in this thread.

What document are you referring to?

 I have removed the red housing that was held by the c-clip and replaced the two springs (one was missing)  but that did not affect the green button. Is there supposed to be a spring on the green button and where would it go?  

It appears to me that the red  housing is only for the kill switch and the green button is the starter but it needs some sort of spring and I don't know how or where it goes.

Alan,

If you move the mouse over the text I wrote, you will find out that it is a URL link.  Click on it and a PDF document will open up.

I think you have no repair options available to you.  I just opened up my switch cluster to examine the assembly.  By all appearances, the start button contact is a brass cylinder which is swaged over a metal pin.  This captures a coil spring under the green start button which gives the start button its springiness.  Looking through a magnifying glass, I can just catch a glimpse of a spring on my assembly. The swaging is permanent and can't be reversed.  In short, there are no user serviceable parts inside this button assembly.

I would recommend finding a used switch unit on ebay, and swapping parts between it and the switch on your motorcycle.  Any other fix is just a stopgap solution with limited life.

BTW, the two small springs under the kill switch contact plate gives pressure to the detents and make the kill switch firmer in its operation.  With only one spring, the detents would be loose and vague.

What he said.

I have some old broken ones lying around so I did some investigating today and agree with RM's conclusions.

Look for a cheap R or K right combo assembly on Fleabay or wherever that has a turn signal broken off or whatever and you can just loot the start/kill from that.

The gren button "broke" as a result of exposure to UV rays in the Australian sun. The plastic turned brittle, white and then simply collapsed.

That brass thing is actually a bit like a drive rivit and will come out (sometimes the button is so fragile from UV that it will crumble) it's worth a try. If the spring is rusted or broken the contact will protrude a bit more giving room to grip it but it's like a new girlfriend you have to be gentle.
The Oring of about 11mm OD and 1mm cross section is what I would try first, if it doesnt work the button isn't broken from trying.

Tried the o-ring on the top of green button, rather funky but kinda works too. I wonder how long it will stay on.
Great help and suggestions guys thank you!

Ah yes the top has already crumbled away and the spring was where the Oring is now and the green button should be about 1/2in dia but all that is left is the shaft