Help! Dead bike, where do I start the trouble shooting?

[Ossian]

I was riding my '03 Girly today, it is a low mileage bike that I have owned from new and it was going really well . I stopped and went into a shop but when I went to start the bike again a few minutes later - no go. The dash lights all come on OK and the starter whizzes the engine over very briskly but no attempt to fire up at all. I checked the sidestand and cut-out switches as you do but no result and the tank is about half full.
So what is the next step ? My spannering knowledge would sort this easily if it was from the distributor , points and carburettor era, but sorting management and injection matters is not my forte. Ideas welcome.

[JoeDirt]

My spannering knowledge would sort this easily if it was from the distributor , points and carburettor era, but sorting management and injection matters is not my forte. Ideas welcome.

Even in the "distributor , points and carburettor era" you would need a good charge. First, check your battery voltage and if you are stranded, get a jump. These bikes are happier when the volts are above 12.5v. Check the main fuse on the side of the battery box and if you have a spare 30A fuse change it. Also, there is a cut-off on the clutch lever.

If you get a strong fuel smell, it could be flooded.

Same basic rules apply to EFI as do points: fuel, air and spark.

[Bixxer Bob]

I agree with Joe.  In the old days with points etc if the battery could turn the engine you'd get at least a whiff of spark and sometimes they'd fire up.  With FI, there may be enough in the battery to light the lights and turn the engine, but if the battery volts drop below about 11.5v the injectors don't squirt.  I don't know whether it's the injectors that are volts sensitive, or the ECU cries enough because I've never put a 'scope on it but either way the outcome is the same.  I've had this twice by the way....

[Vampyre]

try to to start it with help of wires and car battery. If it will start then it definetely a dead battery

[Sin_Tiger]

but if the battery volts drop below about 11.5v the injectors don't squirt.  I don't know whether it's the injectors that ....

CanBus systems don't like anything below 11.6V most silk just call it a day and go for a brew. I know the ECU isn't CanBus but I'm reliably informed by a control systems engineer / designer, that most ECU chipsets use very similar internal protocols.

So as the guys said already, first things first, make sure you're going to have plenty of volts and amps during the whole process, starting off with a fully charged battery might be OK for a couple of spins but they fade rapidly.

[Ossian]

I'll certainly give it a go with a jump start, but I have my doubts on the low voltage as the battery is new, and the bike is fitted with a series Shindengen reg/rec.
The sudden failure to run suggests to me that there is a break in some part of the ignition circuitry, where would be the places to look for a problem like that ?

[HockleyBoy]

Check the side stand cut out is free moving, mine has got stuck a couple of times due to dirt, a couple of squirts of WD40 usually sorts it out.

[Mustang]

wiggle the wire harness at the key switch 
common location for sudden loss of electrical juice

[Ossian]

Well, a jump start had no effect.

[Bixxer Bob]

I don't have my wiring diagrams to hand, but first I'd look at the sidestand switch.  Unplug the two wires and join them together.  If it starts the switch is at fault.

It won't be the clutch switch because it doesn't turn over if the fault lies there.

I can't think of anything that'll go wrong at the ign switch that allows everything to light up and turn but not fire.  This is pointing more to either the fuel pump or the crankshaft sensor, which doesn't usually fail like this whereas we've had two u/s fuel pumps in the last month or so.

[Ossian]

My bike is still perched on the recovery trailer of shame. When the weather dries out I can ask my neighbor to help manhandke the hulk into my garage for further investigation.
I had a look at the sidestand switch, and the plunger is moving freely but I haven't located the connector yet to short it out and see what happens.
I am wondering whether it might be the fuel pump as there doesn't seem to be the normal priming whine when I turn the ignition on.
If the pump is the problem, I see that there is a huge variation in prices for these. From £100 plus from Triumph down to £20+ on ebay. Any recommendations please?

[Timbox2]

Weird, never heard of a pump failure for years and then potentially 3 in a few months. I was one of the failures, I bought a complete S/H plate pump assy off ebay, but then I wasnt 100% sure it was the pump. If you go the S/H route remember your bike may have the later single fuel pipe, you need to check, although I think the pump itself is the same across all years.  If you arent hearing any pump sound, you might want to check your getting 12v at the connector first. Mine made the noise but no pressure.

[Bixxer Bob]

I'm told, that the pump sometimes responds to a sharp tap with a hammer while voltage is applied because it's usually the motor has stuck.. Either on crud or water has caused some corrosion.

[Ossian]

I'm told, that the pump sometimes responds to a sharp tap with a hammer while voltage is applied because it's usually the motor has stuck..

This sounds like my sort of remedy.
Oh, um, how do you get at it to hit it ?

[Bixxer Bob]

It was done on the bench...... 

I suppose it could be done on the bike but that introduces other issues, like causing a spark in the vicinity of raw fuel.  You could use a non-sparking tool but they used to be made from Berillium alloy which is highly toxic.  See where I'm going with this...