'04 Helix runs, quits unexpectedly, restarts

[skygawker]

I have a very-used '04 Helix, got it in '12, rode it since then with no trouble until fairly recently. 20K on it when I got it, about 40K miles now. It began just slightly hesitating once in a while while riding, and occasionally backfiring very loudly with hard accel- or deceleration. then one day, it just lost power while at speed, and stopped... couldn't be started. Five minutes later, it could.
I made an appointment at the shop, assuming it would get worse. It did. Finally, it got to the point it failed to restart after half an hour, and I stopped riding it due to unreliability. Shop couldn't figure it out (said muffler too loud to hear, I think it's an excuse for more lucrative jobs on other bikes). They replaced a very dirty airbox filter, but other than that, nothing.

What do you guys think? I think it's timing, or air/fuel mix, or both. More troubling, I swear I'm hearing that little hesitation I first noticed in my "new" Helix, a '97 with only 8K miles.

Any ideas? I'm likely to sell the '04, not having room to keep it for parts, and not being handy enough to fix it myself. But if I got it running reliably, I could certainly ask a bit more for it. It would be a great project or parts bike for someone so inclined, but as I said, I don't have the skills, the tools, or the room at my apartment. Thanks in advance!

[zozman]

I have a very-used '04 Helix...about 40K miles now. It began just slightly hesitating once in a while while riding, and occasionally backfiring very loudly with hard accel- or deceleration. then one day, it just lost power while at speed, and stopped... couldn't be started. Five minutes later, it could...Finally, it got to the point it failed to restart after half an hour...Shop couldn't figure it out...What do you guys think? I think it's timing, or air/fuel mix, or both. More troubling, I swear I'm hearing that little hesitation I first noticed in my "new" Helix, a '97 with only 8K miles. Any ideas?...It would be a great project or parts bike for someone so inclined, but as I said, I don't have the skills, the tools, or the room at my apartment. Thanks in advance!

I can tell you how to go through your bike and find the issue and it will be expensive. However, considering the miles on the bike, your limited mechanical skills and living circumstances, offer up the bike for sale as a fixer/parts bike and move on.

zoz

[Rafe Hollister]

My 94/25,000 miles was doing similar things. But at the time I was trying intake stuff, removing airbox, filter directly on carb, filter on intake plenum, etc... Several times when it stopped I would wiggle things. Then I drained the floats. Still it would act up. So I put all the stock airbox stuff back on and have had no more troubles.
So I would say drain the float (pretty easy), check all the intake fittings. Check the rubber intake mount between the carb and engine.

[birdmannn101]

Any ideas?

Sounds like the fuel cap is not vented. Might be that way due to rust. Try starting and driving with the fuel cap just laying in the tank top, not tightened.

[skygawker]

Thanks, definitely things to think about. I did try to start it a couple days ago, could not. Where would you shoot ether in to get it going? I just let it sit too long, in the rain (covered) without starting it.
I'll probably sell the bike for parts or a fixer. Would like to have it run first, though!

[Willyj8749]

I have a very-used '04 Helix, got it in '12, rode it since then with no trouble until fairly recently. 20K on it when I got it, about 40K miles now. It began just slightly hesitating once in a while while riding, and occasionally backfiring very loudly with hard accel- or deceleration. then one day, it just lost power while at speed, and stopped... couldn't be started. Five minutes later, it could.
I made an appointment at the shop, assuming it would get worse. It did. Finally, it got to the point it failed to restart after half an hour, and I stopped riding it due to unreliability. Shop couldn't figure it out (said muffler too loud to hear, I think it's an excuse for more lucrative jobs on other bikes). They replaced a very dirty airbox filter, but other than that, nothing.

What do you guys think? I think it's timing, or air/fuel mix, or both. More troubling, I swear I'm hearing that little hesitation I first noticed in my "new" Helix, a '97 with only 8K miles.

Any ideas? I'm likely to sell the '04, not having room to keep it for parts, and not being handy enough to fix it myself. But if I got it running reliably, I could certainly ask a bit more for it. It would be a great project or parts bike for someone so inclined, but as I said, I don't have the skills, the tools, or the room at my apartment. Thanks in advance!

Did you ever find/fix the problem?

[skygawker]

EPILOGUE: Sold it as a fixer-upper to someone who'd done a lot of work on bikes. He was going to ride it on a charity run around Lake Erie. He knew everything about it, sent me pix after, was painted and restored and he had done a lot of work on the engine. Long story short, it died on the Lake Erie run and couldn't be restarted. Glad I bought the '97, it's still going strong.

Skygawker