Suzuki GSR600. Frustrating?

I am exhausted.

Work, house, bike, money, fees, loans, cards, mortgages. It’s all tiring stuff. Then throw in to the mix my bike not starting again…whilst at a petrol station…and you’ve got an idea of my morning.

I left the house early for the first time in 2 weeks and was making progress at the speed limit. I did notice how fast people go when you stick to the speed limit…

My reserve indicator started flashing so I decided that instead of playing the reserve light challenge, I would just head in to the BP at the Forth Road Bridge. It was quite busy and I was unsure of their prices, considering the vast array of Esso prices. £1.19 was not as good as the Esso in the city but it’s better than the £1.23 at the Esso in Kinross…so I stopped, filled up and headed inside to pay.

Upon my return I was still early, and got on the bike. Ignition on, starter in…not starting. The starter motor was going as before but it just wasn’t firing. “Not again. Not here.”

The past twice that my bike has broke I have been at home, but I was in the middle of my commute, in a petrol station.

I kept trying and trying and trying. Nothing.

Then a BP guy who was washing the pumps came across and said, “Is your bike an electric starter?”

“Eh…yes?”

“Well those antennas over there screw with the electric starters of cars, so perhaps it is the same with you?”

“Oh right,”

“Yeah, Subarus and other cars have had problems starting their car, but if you head around the corner, they usually start. I’m not saying it will but it’s worth a try.”

“Ok, thanks!”

So off I went, pushing my bike around the corner like an idiot. Got there and tried again. Nothing.

Then I got an FI warning light and “FI” on the trip. F*CKING GREAT!

I got my phone out and took these photos before I phoned the garage:

Arses…

The Antenna that is “Screwing with everyone”

I thought, “I’ll give it one more try” and held the starter button in for a long time. Just before I was about to release it and throw a creampuff, it caught on, sluggishly and it sounded a bit starved of something. I gave it some redline beans and it settled in to idle.

“Thank $@!£”

I put my phone away and got all my stuff on. It was running fine but I was apprehensive about whether or not it was the dodgy antenna or my dodgy bike.

I got to work and immediately tried the on/off starting and it fired with no problems at all. Here’s hoping it was the antenna, but I’ll mention it at my service tomorrow.

I’ll ask on the GSR forum as well and see if anyone knows of anything like this.
Thanks for looking all,

Gordon