Finally got the bike out of mothballs this evening. Started OK, took a while, as usual after a long layoff, I suspect that the petrol deteriorates in some fashion as it doesn’t last long on the first run either. Did all the usual checks, brakes, oil, water and tyres, all OK but did notice that the chain appeared to have a bit of a tight spot. Rather more strangely when I rocked it to get it off the centre stand, it stalled. I thought it hadn’t warmed up sufficiently and I had knocked off the choke too soon so I left it on the stand and fired it up again, gave it a little rock and it stuttered to a halt again, tried it a few times and it did it every time? Decided to take it out for a run, it’s fine at speed but when it gets below about 30 MPH the flat spot is quite noticeable so it can’t be doing the gearbox any favours and it will have to go. Was thinking about this as I brought it back, otherwise it had run fine, and rolled across the gravel still giving it a little gas and feathering the clutch, got to the spot where I park, squeezed the brake, it gently rocks forward as the front suspension compresses and stalls again. Really can’t think what this could be, it ran as well as it ever does for the first time out for a while, no apparent problem with the fuelling, ticks over fine but the slightest rocking whilst ticking over and it dies?? A bit ticked off with the chain, this was a top spec X-ring and not half way through it’s serviceable life, in terms of stretch, and not yet 2 years old. Might as well go for a much cheaper option and if I have to change it every year then still not going to be out of pocket and if I get two years out of it then I would be well up on the deal.
