superhawk not so super... won't start
 

I have a 2002 superhawk and I am having problems gettin it started. I can only start it with the choke on. It will idle at about 1500. If I give it gas it dies. Also, if I start it with the choke on and let it run, it will die if I push the choke in. I tried starting it with the gas wide open... nothing. I tried switching the fuel lines around on the petcock...nothing. I took apart the carbs and attempted to clean them... nothing. The only way I can get the rpm's up is if I spray carb leaner in the carb while it is choked. I changed the fuel... nothing. I changed the plugs... nothing. any ideas? I would appreciate any suggestions.

~M

it sounds like the pilot jets are clogged. when you clean the carbs you have to actually remove them and check them - not just spray through the passages I will bet there is just a pin hole or no passageway open in them. The symptoms are classic for that. I had to clean mine with a fine wire to get them open last time - despite storage with stabile in the gas over the winter.
bill

+1 sounds like your jets are clogged

superhawk not so super... won't start
 

Thanks for the tips. I'll give that a shot.

mine did the same thing when I purchased. the pilot jets were indeed completely clogged. Carb removal and clean will run $160-$300'ish.

superhawk not so super...won't start
 

Thanks for the help guys. Ok, so i took apart the carbs and they definatly needed cleaning. So I took out the jets, cleaned them and reassembled the bike. It started right up. Now there is a little backfiring at idle coming out of the right side exhaust. could it be spark? what do you think? I appreciate your time

~Mike

I think you should be okay now. Just ride the hell out of it and put some good 93 octane in there. Maybe a 1/2 can of Seafoam or Techron and some miles and they will self-clean the rest of the way. You might have wanted to adjust the mixture screws while you had them off but...oh well. Sorry I forgot to mention it. You could always swing by your local Honda dealer with a box of Dunkin Donuts and borrow their tool rather than pull the carbs again.

superhawk not so super...won't start
 

I appreciate the input. If I can get the tool, how do I go about adjusting the mixture screws without pulling the carbs. Sorry for all the Q's Im a rookie at this.

~Mike

It's a long, 90°, angled screwdriver deal much like the Motion Pro tool (Google it) except that the end is D-shaped for our mixture screws and is low profile to fit in the very small space under the carbs. With bike running or not you adjust them in (CW) until seated lightly. Then turn them out to desired position. Might need a flashlight to see what you're doing in there.