1985 Honda shadow 500, rode it about 25 miles today and it was fine, got gas with about 8 miles left in the trip, gave it a bath and was careful to not get the engine and whatnot too wet (nothing different from the other 10 or so times i've washed it), let it sit for about an hour and when i started it it was really really really sluggish, so i let it sit about another hour and pulled a few covers off and took off the spark plug wires in case some water got in. Went to ride it and it wants to backfire and is still sluggish, but not as bad?

Any ideas, maybe water got somewhere it shouldn't have and it needs more time to dry? I checked the oil and it was normal and didn't look like any water got in it... i'm stumped

5/27/2006 7:52:58 PM

check the tank, sounds like you have some water in there, take the line off and see if any water runs out

5/27/2006 9:02:23 PM

would it have gotten in from the filler or at the bottom near the petcock?

5/27/2006 9:17:16 PM

that sucks. this is just another lesson of why i dont wash my bike haha

5/28/2006 12:06:10 AM

like your ghetto ass bikes need washing

5/28/2006 12:35:44 AM

whoa. since when are you not supposed to get the engine wet? I do this all the time. Should I not do that?

5/28/2006 12:41:30 AM

You engine will explode if the even one drop of water touches the block!

5/28/2006 12:46:58 AM

^ tis true, as i learned today

5/28/2006 12:47:55 AM

And your radiator might crack when a deer contacts your bike at 55mph. (yes, those deer jokes are back again, its almost been a year. )

5/28/2006 1:01:50 AM

yea seriously u guys motorcycles are only meant to be ridden on sunny days and meant to get wet. if it's too humid out water might get in the gas tank causing it to run bad.

5/28/2006 1:32:27 AM

it's a honda not a hardly

5/28/2006 2:00:08 AM

maybe it was just bad gasoline

5/28/2006 6:10:47 AM

there is nothing wrong with realy hosing it down, but, i have seen a lot of tanks with rubber seals on the gas cap that crack and alllow a lot of water in, this could have happened over time, and it just got high enough to cause rough running, try switching to reserve and see if it runs at all, if not, then you need to drain the tank, which isnt hard at all, also you need to open up the drain screws on the carbs

5/28/2006 7:06:39 AM

have you idiots never got caught in the rain?

5/28/2006 11:45:03 AM

rain i duck for cover whew.

5/28/2006 5:04:50 PM

I'm Neo, I dodge rain.

5/28/2006 5:24:03 PM

nigga i clean my engine with a pressure washer

5/29/2006 7:35:52 AM

You can check for water in the fuel system by draining the carbs in to a jar. Water and gas don't mix, so it should be obvious if there's any in there. Just make sure you find the drain screw and aren't messing with the pilot jet screw.

It will be on the lowest part of the carburetor. There's a little metal nipple hanging out the bottom of the float bowl (the part of the carburetor that holds the gas). That is the drain. There should be a screw right beside it. Loosening the screw will drain the float bowl. Tighten it up again when you're done.

5/29/2006 11:58:05 PM

man, i forgot about this thread, messed with it yesterday and it was all good, so i guess something just got wet that didn't want to be wet, so after it dried it was fine, rode it for about 30 miles and all is well.

5/30/2006 12:05:16 AM

is water heavier or lighter then gasoline?

5/30/2006 12:05:40 AM

I'm pretty sure it's heavier, but I've never checked. Glad to hear the bike's ok.

5/30/2006 12:18:53 AM

water is heavier

5/30/2006 12:24:44 AM