Im getting my 04 Lightning ready to use over the winter but it wont start. I laid it up last april but started it up a couple of months ago. I have charged the battery but the engine doesnt turn over as fast as it should,even with a 17ah jump start pack. What is happening as well is the braided oil lines to the cooler are getting hot and smoke comes off them (faulty earth to engine?). I then clamped the negative jump lead to the exhaust as a better earth and tried again,still turned over very slowly. I thought the oil might have drained past the pump and filled the cases so i removed the spark plugs to make it easier to spin the engine over. It spins easier but not as fast as i expected and noticed that i also dont have sparking at the plugs. This is the first time anything has gone wrong on this bike in 13.000 miles except for a corroded no plate bulb holder a couple of years ago, Any ideas on this, Comedy anwers expected and appreciated but i would still like a bit of help on this one.. Deano.

Try connecting a good heavy lead (jump lead size) from a solid part of the engine direct to the battery earth terminal. Where you connect on the engine needs to be clean unpainted metal. Try an engine bolt or similar but try two or three different ones as there is no guarantee they are making good contact. Connecting to the exhaust does not necessarily mean good continuity. Then connect your "booster" to the battery as well. Lots of previous posts on earthing to look at.

Check the ground connection between the tail frame and the main frame. This is also a common point of failure.

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"It is often said that before you die your life passes before your eyes. It is in fact true. It's called living."
Terry Pratchett

Take the plugs out, heat them up on a gas cooker (holding them with a pair of pliers) and (carefully) wire brush the electrodes (with a little brass wire brush), then put them back in and crank it over...

I bet you 50p that last time you started the bike, it didn't run for long enough to get the engine warm and the plugs are now wet, or at least contaminated...

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08 Specialized Langster

I warmed it up but didnt get it propper hot. The plugs are a darkish biscuit colour but the main problem is it wont turn past compression with the plugs in, i've cleaned them anyway but still dont get a spark. I checked the fuses and their all fine.

Battery then...

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08 Specialized Langster

Recharged and jump start pack. It seems to flatten them both pretty quickly.

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08 Specialized Langster

Starter draws well over 90amp when cranking

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Mithered ta death.
92 MB
96 S2T
98 S1W
00 M2
01 X1
03 P3
10 CR

That explains why the braiding on the oil cooler hoses was nearly on fire then..

My bike only just started this morning and I use mine every day. Minus 5 didn't help.
On the Optimate now.

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I started out with nothing and still got most of it left.

Not really ................shouldn't have been using them to conduct the 90amps in the first place

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2001 X1 2009 1125CR 2006 Uly X3 2010 Uly a fully Maz'd S1 and a 1991 RS1200 Westwind.

No theres an earth connection somewhere that needs looking at. The one that grounds the rubber mounted engine to the frame.

Engine earth runs across the top tie bar under the airbox base.

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Mithered ta death.
92 MB
96 S2T
98 S1W
00 M2
01 X1
03 P3
10 CR

Thanks i'll add to my pile of plastic in the morning if the bike hasnt melted overnite.
I've put a parafin fired sump heater under it. Funny how the spiders dont freeze solid though..