09-20-2018, 01:11 AM
Here's another theory. I think the problem may be caused by the battery. Even though your problem happened after 45 minutes of riding, it showed up as you were idling at a light, probably with your hand or foot on the brake. This is the point where battery voltage is lowest, maybe just low enough.
If battery voltage drops too low, the fuel pump may not push fuel out at a high enough pressure for it to atomize fully, causing the accumulated fuel. Spark plugs nowadays run a lot hotter/whiter and shouldn't be grey at all.
If you have another occurrence like that, try opening the throttle fully while cranking for a few seconds. On Hondas, this shuts off the fuel pump to allow clearing a flooded engine.
I had a problem with my battery that had some similar symptoms. I keep a Battery Tender hooked up, but despite that, the bike wouldn't restart after riding 100 miles. No prior symptoms, but now it cranked slowly while sputtering a little. I managed to push start it, and it ran without incident and got me home.
When I got home, battery voltage was fine, mid/high 13s, and it would increase when revved. Replaced the battery as a precaution even though the bike was not even 4 years old.
Battery life of these sealed batteries is dependent on their initial charge. These original Yuasa YTZ batteries are factory filled and charged, so their life begins long before they meet up with your bike.
When a dealer receives a bike in a crate, they are supposed to check voltage and charge if necessary. Sometimes that doesn't happen, and battery life is compromised.
Nowadays, I keep one of those tiny lithium ion battery chargers in my riding jacket, and also one of the really tiny voltmeters that Battery Tender makes that plugs right into their cable.
If battery voltage drops too low, the fuel pump may not push fuel out at a high enough pressure for it to atomize fully, causing the accumulated fuel. Spark plugs nowadays run a lot hotter/whiter and shouldn't be grey at all.
If you have another occurrence like that, try opening the throttle fully while cranking for a few seconds. On Hondas, this shuts off the fuel pump to allow clearing a flooded engine.
I had a problem with my battery that had some similar symptoms. I keep a Battery Tender hooked up, but despite that, the bike wouldn't restart after riding 100 miles. No prior symptoms, but now it cranked slowly while sputtering a little. I managed to push start it, and it ran without incident and got me home.
When I got home, battery voltage was fine, mid/high 13s, and it would increase when revved. Replaced the battery as a precaution even though the bike was not even 4 years old.
Battery life of these sealed batteries is dependent on their initial charge. These original Yuasa YTZ batteries are factory filled and charged, so their life begins long before they meet up with your bike.
When a dealer receives a bike in a crate, they are supposed to check voltage and charge if necessary. Sometimes that doesn't happen, and battery life is compromised.
Nowadays, I keep one of those tiny lithium ion battery chargers in my riding jacket, and also one of the really tiny voltmeters that Battery Tender makes that plugs right into their cable.