Hello Chaps,

Hopefully somebody will be able to point me in the right direction as I'm confused.com with my problem.

I've got a 1997 Techno which was rebuilt from the ground up less than 6 months ago by myself and fired up 2nd kick, was then put back in the workshop while other projects were worked on. It has been started on a regular basics and given a run out round the garden.

Due to my eldest not racing his KTM for a while I thought this morning I would take her out for a play and now she won't start.

Have done the normal things and checked the fuel, got a good strong spark, even the clutch is free.

The only thing I've changed is the handlebars so I've tried to start her with the kill switch disconnected but still no joy.

I'm at a loss, spent the morning stripping the carb down just in case there was a problem in that department but all seems fine?

As I'm now banging my head against the workshop walls I'm hoping that you lovely people might have an idea where I'm going wrong.

Any ideas/abuse will gratefully be acted on as I'm at a loss.

Many thanks.

Beta`s have a common fault of filling up the crankcase with fuel. Plug wet?

Hi lineaway,

The plug was moist but ok, have checked the exhaust as when I first stripped the bike down the front pipe had petrol sitting in it, but none found this time. The engine was rebuilt by myself and my dad so I'm pretty sure it's ok. Have good compression, just at a total loss at why the old girl won't fire into life.

It's got me baffled as she was running lovely when it was put to the back of the workshop and covered up. It's been about 4 weeks since she last ran. Even checked I'd got fuel in her :-)

Try another plug, some spark untill under compression.

Try it no choke full throttle. Check the plug again if it does not start.

Try another plug, some spark untill under compression.

Your trick with a new plug worked, in all the years I've been playing around on all sorts of bikes I've never had a plug fail like that, happy boy now I can have a play this afternoon as the wife's gone shopping :-)

One a plug fouls it has a permanent carbon track on the porcelain

When the resistance becomes high (under compression) it can ground through the carbon track

So even a gap tester will show the unit has spark

Agreed, luckey lad, but it tells you to keep a spare on hand. Fact it was fouled tells me to tell you to get the thing out and run it to get some heat into the motor! All the putting about and such is ont good on them.

Agreed, luckey lad, but it tells you to keep a spare on hand. Fact it was fouled tells me to tell you to get the thing out and run it to get some heat into the motor! All the putting about and such is ont good on them.

Been out on the old girl this morning and had a great time, she behaved better than the rider shall we say :-)

Due to spending more time with the lads and their schoolboy motocross duties I haven't had the time to ride her but I must admit to having enjoyed this morning, hopefully the aches will subside as the afternoon goes on.