Newer super hawk owner. Need help!!!
 

Hey everyone. My name is jarred. I live in Tn. I acquired a 1998 super hawk around February from my dad. It was inside kept, never abused, never down it wouldn't idle and needed a little tlc. I took it to the shop, petcock was bad had it replaced, new tires, tune up, new plugs, and carbs went through. Bike ran ultra nice and smooth until just the other day. I was slowing down to exit the interstate. I pulled my clutch to downshift and the bike stopped. Heard no clanking noises. I noticed the tach jumped and the speedo as well. As I'm still rolling I try to bump start it and fail, the rear tire just slides. I get it home and try to crank, it rolls over and catches then rolls over some more, never really firing. I remove spark plugs to release compression. It rolls over fine and plugs are sparking. I'm guessing something is binding in the engine. My questions is there anything that is common to bind in these bikes? Or maybe your opinions on what it could be.

There is the possibility that the cam chain tensioners (ccts) let go, allowing the valves to smack the pistons... I pray that didn't happen, because if it did it stinks, and is expensive.

Hopefully it's a battery or regulator issue.

Either way, get those ccts changed out to manual ccts (mccts). You can do a google search for my user name and mcct and there will be a post telling how to convert your standard ccts to mccts for less than $20.

James

Do you have the ability to do a compression check? The tool looks like this one:
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...GL._SY300_.jpg

Well, in my experience, if you loose a cct and smoosh some valves, this beast will soldier on as a thumper. A compression test will prove or disprove this scenario as Wolverine outlines.

With the jumpy tach and speedo, I'm hoping this is an electrical issue of some type. Hopefully not a catastrophic one.

Yah i'm hoping battery or reg/rec too :)

James

If the CCt's were an issue, he would of heard clanking noise. When valves begin to hit pistons...it's not a silent thing.

You were getting off the highway, at what speed and in which gear ? If you tried to start the engine by rolling it, in which gear were you, and once again, about what speed do you think you were rolling at ? Too low of a gear, will cause the rear tire to slide. Too high of a gear, and not going fast enough, will also cause tire to slide.

If you can roll over the the engine with the starter, and you feel it wants to catch, but doesn't, I doubt CCT's.

You also mention speedo and tach jumping. Do the lights turn on ? If not, you have a serious electrical problem.

Begin with the basics, gas, fuses and battery test. Was the battery replaced in the tune up ? Also, perhaps give us a little more details on the bike, milage and and repairs or mods made to the bike.

Back to the CCT's, as previously mentioned, replacing them with manual ones is sound advice. R/R are also know to be notorious on this bike. A few good threads on here on replacing them with Mosfet models from other brands of bike.

I have to disagree. At least in my experience, the bike just lost power. No noise. No clank. No tick. Just one cylinder went bye-bye.

Still don't think this instance is a cct. Fingers crossed.

Definitely change to manuals if not done in any case.

Hey everyone. Thanks for the quick replies. I'm new here don't know everyone by name.
I don't have a compression gauge to test with.
I was running about 100 on the interstate hit brake first slowed to about 60 and pulled clutch to downshift and bike cut off.
It was shortly after when I tried to bump start in 2nd gear maybe rolling at 40 or 50.
Id almost have to agree if it was a cct issue I would have heard something, as I've dropped valves and tensioners in the past, all made god awful clanking noise.
Im not new to riding just new to this bike.
I'll set check into the mccts though.
Could it be a clutch related issue seeing how it died when I pulled clutch lever.
I had a friend tell me they thought they heard my clutch slipping, however I didn't hear it.
I had a ninja that when the battery died it wouldn't crank or roll start, just nothing. I'll begin with taking the battery to have it tested or replaced. My lights work horn works and blinkers. Doesn't look dim either. My mechanic advised to find a forum and try to get some info before bringing it in for my own understanding. We both came to agreement that it was really strange how peaceful it just kind of quit. Thanks again everyone.

I had an issue like this Tuesday. Any chance a cosmic event knocked both of our bikes out?!

Riding to a bar for a date it suddenly cut out on me (like I hit the engine kill switch but I didn't). Started right up again so I didn't think anything of it

Later that night after the date, go to leave. Bike starts right up. 3 minutes into my ride it cuts out in third gear about 60mph and I have to control the skid to stop.

Go to turn it over sounds like battery is dead. Have it towed home put a multimeter on it, 12.8 volts with key off and less than 12.5 with key on. Order new batter, came yesterday and been on the charger since

Hope it was just to low of a battery voltage to produce a good spark. Note I have already converted to a MOFSET R/R about 2 years ago. I can hear it thumping the pistons when it tries to start and can spell fuel at the exhaust tips with the low battery so I know it's not seized and I never heard any clanking or terrible noises from a CCT failure

Guess I will find out later when I get home, could be a weekend of pulling everything off instead of riding

Peaceful, gradual stops are good.

Seeing as how you're not new to bikes, you should be able to feel when the clutch slips. To try an help you eliminate the clutch as a suspect, can you shift through gears in the driveway/garage while rocking the bike? Engage the clutch, shift to a gear, let out the clutch and rock the bike. Then without changing gears, pull in clutch and rock. Does it roll in gear w/ clutch in? Not trying to insult in any way, please don't take it as such.

So you say you can run the starter without problems/ cranks normal just doesn't fire?