Total Motorcycle Community Forums

Could the ping be from a plugged vent cap?

LJTurtle wrote:I wouldn't say it sounds like a rattle...more like the tank is being shot with a BB gun. The guy was surprised when I showed it to him after a short ride, he clearly hasn't ridden the thing at all in a while.

I was originally planning to try and ride the bike either to a mechanic or home so I could try and fix the problem. Bad idea?~LJ

That does sound like detonation going on inside the engine. It could stall at any time and cause you to crash, I wouldnt risk riding a bike that is running badly.

Think of it this way. If he were to fix the bike before selling it, he could get top dollar for it. The way it is, the bike is only worth a fraction of that. If there is engine damage, this could cost more to fix than the whole bike is worth. Since you are not experienced in mechanical matters, I would suggest you look for something that runs well. Its never too late to learn if you are interested in doing your own repair/maint. work. Pick up a factory service manual for the bike you do get and be ready to purchase some tools. Its still cheaper than paying a shop.

Beach.

I suspect your problems are all related to the gas sitting for years, and cleaning/rebuilding the carbs would likely be the worst case here. Possibly the vacuum part of the manual fuel valve is leaking air causing low fuel flow. Make sure the oil level is correct and that it's not sludgy oil (valves are hydraulic)

Unless your short ride flushed out the gunk and it now runs fine, I'd try to drop the price lower than 2600.

If it needs a new lever, it's been dropped, look closely for other damage. A zero-speed drop is easy to do on this bike but will only damage a lever and scratch a mirror (I managed to drop mine while taking it off the centerstand). A crash would cause visible damage to more parts, look for scratches on tank and engine and adjust price accordingly.

The final version Nighthawk 750 is a great low maintenance bike IMO. Parts are plentiful and cheap on ebay, virtually every single part from 1991 to 2003 interchanges, the only difference is colors. For this bike, tune-up is: fluids change, sparkplugs, oil/adjust chain, that's it. Oh and a new (expensive) air filter every 12k miles or so. Valves and timing are non-adjustable. Front forks are NOT air type.

I bought my 1995 with 17k miles in near-mint condition six months ago for $2600. It too had been sitting (inside) for several yrs. All I did is pour in fresh gas, start it up, rode it home, and replaced the tires. I ride it almost every day and it has been absolutely perfect.