Lolorides

Sorry, it's the same bike - Yamaha SR125 - which seems to go from one problem to the next, to the next... I've been doing a lot of online research meanwhile, and seen a theory about the starter relay. Which is: If the battery is low a big(ger) charge is needed to kick the starter over, creating sparks and a "micro-weld" between the plates in the relay when the bike is started hot, keeping the switch open and preventing the ignition switch having any effect. However when the bike cools, the contact breaks returning the starter operation to normal. That explanation fits well with the behaviour I'm seeing (especially as battery was low on this occasion) but does it sound correct or just like nonsense? Although I initially said it had happened when the battery was high, I've also been reading that during urban riding the bike probably doesn't get enough sustained revs to recharge the battery, so it could be lower than I think. It only does urban trips, mainly short. Any and all ideas on the likelihood of the "micro-weld" scenario or suggestions as to what the problem could be are gratefully received. Lo

I have an intermittent starting problem: when I press the starter button, the starter motor just keeps churning. Turning the ignition off does not stop it and it keeps going until it runs the battery dead. Having browsed the forum, I am wondering if this could be similar to ScottDT's starter motor problem, but here's the full description: Latest example was yesterday. The bike started and rode fine (around a mile). After a brief stop, she restarted normally. A couple of miles later, after another brief stop the problem was back, stranding me at the roadside. After intervention by a couple of lovely local residents with a battery charger, the bike (irritatingly) started immediately and perfectly and I rode her home. This issue comes completely out of the blue and only happens very occasionally, which makes it very hard to know whether any "fix" has actually sorted it. And it means I can't trust the bike. My observations: 1/ The handlebar switch itself seems fine - it's springy and firm and pops back out as normal. 2/ I already replaced the starter relay a few months back. 3/ This problem only seems to happen when the bike is warm, never when starting her from cold. 4/ It is months between occurrences (previous was September last year). 5/ On this occasion, the battery seemed low ( I had recently finished fixing a wiring issue with lots of indicator testing) but on previous occasions it has been high, so that in itself doesn't seem to be the cause. I was, however, surprised that the battery was so low after several miles of ride - would this not be enough to recharge it? 6/ Because it is so long between occurrences I can't remember if on some occasions the bike has actually started but the churning continues, but my gut is saying Yes. I would really appreciate any thoughts on this. Is it likely to be the starter clutch as in Scott DT's thread? Anything else I should check? Many thanks in advance. Lo

Thanks, yes I still have the bike (starting to wonder why!). Will check the fuel filter and tank. I've passed through "brake light not working with hand lever" and "right indicator not working" (loose connection in wiring) since my update above, I'm now onto "sticking starter motor" (which I thought was fixed previously after replacing the solenoid but re-emerged while out yesterday). This bike has been sent by God to try me! Partly age, but partly a lot of munging and poor maintenance by previous owners. Will post the starter motor issue separately as it's always so useful to get a variety of experienced views.

I had the same problem as everyone else and I tried in vain to find a replacement clip (or even a replacement whole unit) in 2026. In the end, I got inventive and found that a sliver of yoghurt pot plastic (Lidl Greek style, 1ltr :-0 ), slid through the middle of the brass section to press against the central stem, provides the perfect balance of rigidity and spring to hold the choke lever in position. Heath Robinson, yes, but invisible and I have a working choke until something turns up! Just sayin', in case anyone else is having the same issue, all these years later ;-)

Thanks - very belatedly, my apologies! - for your reply drewpie. (Yes, the float level was good.) I've been locked out of the site absolutely forever - login rejected and verification emails for a new account not arriving - but somehow I could get in today, so all this time later I'm back to say that I EVENTUALLY sorted the bike!! I thought I'd post the solution in case it's of help to anyone else. I was at the stage of considering boiling the carburettor (suggestion from Reddit) or replacing it entirely. But I decided to soak it in carb cleaner one final time.. and as I picked up the jets section for reassembly, I noticed a couple of grains of "salt" on the dark cloth under it. No more appeared as I tipped the section to and fro. But there was nowhere for the grains to have come from so on a hunch I held the section open side down and tapped it with a screwdriver around the location of the jets. And another couple of grains appeared. I kept tapping and checking until no more came out. It took a while, but by the time I finished there was about 1/8th of a teaspoon of tiny bits of brown, black and white grit. I replaced the carb on the bike and she now starts, idles, and makes a perfect smooth progression from idling to revving (Let Joy be Unconfined!). It's like a different bike. It's worth stressing that there was no loose debris in the jets or on visible surfaces of the carb . The grit came from somewhere else. Maybe some internal connecting channel between the jets which was clogged with this stuff (probably a million years worth of hardened petrol scum)? I don't know if the repeated soakings in carb cleaner eventually loosened it but it definitely wasn't going to come out without the tapping. (Perhaps boiling might have sorted it?). So anyone with bizarre, resistant starting problems, it may be worth tapping your carb after cleaning it. I hope this helps someone - for me it's the end of several years of pain! LOL

Hi Everyone Hoping someone can suggest ideas to help solve a problem that's driving me mad. THE PROBLEM: The bike starts and idles (initially needs choke). After a few minutes, she's warming to the touch and is happy to idle without choke but her revs drop away if throttle is applied, sometimes to the point where she actually dies. By feathering and twitching the throttle I can raise her revs past this baulking point but she repeats the baulk on throttling until I've done this a few times, sometimes with a bit of a backfire. It can take a good 5-10 minutes of idling and fiddling before she's rideable and it's not clear whether it's simply the warming up that makes the difference. WHAT I'VE TRIED: I've followed the Haynes manual to set the idle screw and air/fuel mixture screw then tweaked them (1mm at a time) to find an even idle, then tweaked some more to find a spot where she doesn't baulk (right term?) at the merest bit of throttle. It seems to require hair-breadth adjustment which doesn't seem right. I'VE ALSO: Cleaned the carb and replaced the needle valve with brand new Yamaha part, checked and adjusted the valve clearances, checked her fuel line, cleaned her air filter, checked and cleaned her spark plug, replaced her battery with a stronger model. The issue is that I adjust her idle and air/fuel screws, get everything feeling good, take her out and she rides fine, but she's right back to square one next time I start her. It's like something has reset itself. I've been through this process over and over and over again. I clearly shouldn't have to touch the screws once they've been set. NB - This bike had been fiddled with in various unwise ways, so I;m not 100% sure if her carburettor is the original spec but it looks about right, and it doesn't seem to have visible model number so I can't check. If anyone can suggest anything at all that might help, I'd be immensely grateful. If any clarification needed , please ask. Lolo

Thanks Snakebite68 for your reply and sorry that this is a zillion years later.. I don't get notified if any reply (should I?). But anyway, I thought I'd update this thread with what seems to have solved the problem, in case it helps anyone else. First, yes, it was all indicators - acting in pairs. We had already looked for loose connections and found nothing. Then as part of investigating a starting problem we changed the battery. Bingo! The indicators seem good now. Odd, though, as the old battery wasn't particularly bad... Still haven't fixed the inconsistent start and running from cold though. I came here today mainly to have yet another go at putting up some pics of the rides. I can find no way to do it 🫤. But actually, while I'm here I might see if anyone has anything to add on my weird start problem. An enormous number of interventions haven't fixed it. Thanks again Lolo

Thanks Tom I'm revisiting this once again, and I don't see any "add files" but there's an Insert From URL button. Gonna try that... Nope! Whatever you're doing doesn't work for me! I enter the link, click Insert, the box goes orange and nowt happens..

A decent budget option is Freedconn TCOM bluetooth intercoms. Partner and I have used them for years. We ride separately and I can vouch for the fact that the set works over quite some distance as I can hear him swearing when he's stuck at lights and out of sight behind me ;-). They give a single channel at a time and you need to push a button to change channels to talk to a third person, so they work best as a 2 person solution but ideal for us. My top tip is earplugs - you hear your comms so much clearer with filter plugs like Earpeace or Pinlock.

Thanks - sadly I already renewed thinking it would be just for Yamaha bikes but I'm certainly gonna look into that for next time round. I'm totally with you on paranoia where insurers are concerned! My renewal quote came in with a doubled excess and higher price. I was quoted better elsewhere and said so to Bikesure. My original excess was then reinstated and I was given a requote a full 33% lower! If the insurer could do it then, why didn't they offer that in the first place?? Methinks "greedflation" is the answer. You have to be on them all the time.. 😑 Right, off to the help threads! - my "baby" is sick and we just can't sort her out so I need some advice from all you lovely people! 😉

Multi-bike came out more for the first bike than I currently pay for both. Did I read in the forums that you'd had the same experience? If that has changed, where did you find good value multi-bike? Thanks for the discount info! Probably a dumb question but... the discount is for YAMAHA bikes (not other makes?) insured with Bikesure by a YOC member? I didn't find this explicitly stated in the Bikesure Discount thread. Reason I ask is my Honda's insurance is coming up end of month and it's currently with Bikesure!

Thanks, I'll go take a look and see where I get to. 👍 P.S. I'm here more than my posts would indicate. I'm just not a chatter. I'll try to do better in future and to prove it I've just posted my latest insurance mystery! ☺️

Bit of a mystery and I'm wondering if anyone knows the answer. I've been getting the ritual annual quotes for my bike insurance (an onerous but worthwhile task) and I've noticed a weird thing. When I get quotes from MCN, GoCompare etc. for my Yamaha SR125, none of the many insurers offer me Ride Other Bikes cover. Whereas for my Honda 500, it's included in almost every quote. Both are comprehensive cover and obviously my details are identical. The only reason I can think of is that there's some sort of background judgment being made along the lines of "If you only ride a 125, we're not going to risk letting you ride someone's 750". Which seems pretty draconian to me without checking whether the rider regularly rides bigger bikes. I was just wondering if anyone else had come across this and why you think it is? Lolo

So it's a coupla years later and I'm still in love with my SR125 😍 😁. We've been easing her forward from a mountain of rust and a variety of ill-advised fiddles at others' hands and I'd love to post a pic of her.. but I just can't work out how!!! If anyone see this, I'd appreciate any guidance. I've tried a number of times - link to cloud storage, file:/// link to local storage, but I'm stumped!

Hi All Wondering if anyone can offer any suggestions re. a problem I'm having with my SR125? Out riding the other day I noticed that the indicators are acting odd. Sometimes there's a delay before they come on when the switch is pressed, and sometimes they start as normal but have odd pauses between the flashes every so often. All seems to work normally with just the electrics turned on, but with the engine running, even just standing in the garage, the odd random pausing starts again. I've checked the battery has plenty of charge, tried a new indicator relay and I've found nothing loose in the wiring (but haven't yet managed to trace the earth wire back into the body of the bike). Does anyone have experience of anything similar, or knows what the problem could be? I'd be grateful for all suggestions, as I can't take her out on the road again until this is sorted. Lolo