nac 12 non starter

[Have I lost the nac]

Hi Iam new to the forum and to motorbike ownership. I bought my 2012 year nac 12 last Aug from a chap in Oxfordshire minus the owners handbook and rode the bike back to Brum. It took forever, I'm used to faster cars. Anyway not long after buying the bike I was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma so the Bike was stored away from Oct. I charged the battery a few months ago and meant to check it before finally being able to take the bike out. I also played with the fuel cut off tap though. I had started the bike a few times while not riding it.

I rode the bike for the first time yesterday as treatment has now ended and I'm feeling much better. While riding I noticed that even after the bike had warmed up that closing the choke would cause the bike to stall. So I ended up riding the bike with some choke, but the bike kept stalling when coming to a stop at junctions and for traffic lights (not many revs in neutral). I finally got the bike back so I charged the battery for around 7 hrs until charged. I later started the bike and gave it some revs which emitted some smoke and the engine was about to stall so I turned it off. The fuel tank was a little low on fuel and I checked the position of the fuel tap as I thought I might have been using the reserve while riding. Looking at it today confirmed that the arrow on the tap was pointing downwards throughout the previous day's journey.

I could not start the bike today so as I was out in the car I filled a can up with unleaded for the bike. I filled the bike but still cannot start it. Could someone advise me on the correct operation of the fuel tap as I am unsure.

I do have the bike booked in for a service and check up next week at Red line motorcycles, Northfield. No good if I can't even start the damn thing. I appreciate that I am doing something wrong with my bike.

Any help would be appreciated.

[saltbox alf]

there are a couple of guys on the forum with the new bikes and i hope one picks up your question.
I would think that the fuel tap has 3 positions , on ,off and reserve, so with plenty of fuel in the tank you have a2 out of 3 chance of having fuel coming through.
I am glad you are recovered and feel better.
i also think that as the bike has been laid up for a while the carburetor could be gummed up from stale fuel and possible blocking the pilot jet (slow running)
idon't know if you are handy at things mechanical but it might need the carb stripping and cleaning. Another possibility is a dirty spark plug, more easy to sort out, especially as you had to run with choke on it could be fouled by excess fuel. I would suggest buy a new one and try it (always handy to have a spare) .
If you know someone near who rides a bike might be worth a quick word to help you start it, most bikers are pretty friendly when it come to a bit of help.

I don't know much aout thses bikes so this about all I can advise at the moment. but hopefully it's a start.

[Have I lost the nac]

Thank you for your advice. I was thinking the same regards the carb and spark plug. I'll have a look next week when I get back from Wales. Regarding the fuel tap I do hope someone knows and can point me in the right direction.

[bigwol]

Hi there and welcome to the wonders of motor cycle ownership!
I don't own one of these modern AJS's but have modern bikes and have been around 2 wheelers for a while so here goes.
In my experience of 3 position fuel taps level down, "pointer" up is main tank, lever up "pointer" down reserve and horizontal is off.
It does sound very much as Saltbox Alf suggests, the pilot jet is blocked. Modern fuel, especially with the dreaded ethanol added, goes off quite quickly and starts to break down in around 3 months. If you are not going to use the bike much I suggest using premium unleaded which is less likely to contain ethanol. Running with choke will probably have sooted the plug up as also suggested and cleaning modern plugs is less effective as it used to be. if you have been turning it over with fuel on and it hasn't fired up the plug will have got soaked in fuel anyway. I'm assuming the bike is electric start? Either way, take the plug lead off, remove the plug and place it, or a new one, back on the lead and wedge/hold against the engine to earth and spin the engine over to see if you have a spark. If you do and it's healthy then your problem is fuel. If not it's ignition which is less likely I would have thought.
Good luck and let us know how you get on.

[Have I lost the nac]

Thanks very much Bigwol. I will get on it next Mon.

Yes the bike is electric start.

[bunners]

Hi

If the fuel tap is anything like a lot fitted to oriental machines there are three possitions, pointy end of tap pointing down, (assuming it has a pointy end) petrol on, pointy end pointing up petrol on reserve. pointy end horizontal this gives an extra umph much like tickling the carb on the older bikes. THIS IS NOT THE OFF POSSITION, If you have left it in that possition for any length of time you may well have flooded the bike as I believe it just dribbles neat petrol into the barrel, I made this mistake when I got the Suzuki Bandit. blasted thing would not start untill I took the plugs out and cleared the pots. ALWAYS leave tap in the on possition.

Just a thought

[saltbox alf]

good description Bunners, the prime position does gives neat fuel to the carbs , the fuel taps on most modern japs are vacum operated, point to go, collect 2000yen, or hit start and the vacum opens the tap.
How complicated for a simple process

[Cerberus]

The ECO-2 has a three position, centre OFF, with reserve and main either side. I've offered to send scan of appropriate manual page via e-mail

[bunners]

Well there ya go, learn something new every day. Perhaps the Chinese are not as clever as we thought. Confused-ius he say " what is an ECO-2?

[Cerberus]

"What is ECO-2"?

See modern AJS website under ECO (they seem to have dropped the -2 since last year when my wife started learning (at the tender age of >50)

http://www.ajsmotorcycles.co.uk/new_AJS/docs/main.htm

Since I set it up (clutch and brakes), for her she really likes it. We're going to ride up to N.Wales next weekend, me on a modern Honda 500 so "off-topic".