Honda Wave Maintenance Advise

[ricklev]

My carbureted Wave runs really badly when cold, even with the choke on. Stutters, hesitates, and dies. Seems to run fine when warmed up. What should I have the guys at the corner shophouse repair place check/do? Thanks.

[Kwasaki]

Depends a lot on how old it is and how well it has been maintained, if you can't tell them yourself get a Thai friend to tell them for you or take it to a Honda main dealer for service.

We have a 7 year old wave 100 in the family and it runs fine.

Maybe for you a spark plug change, check the leads, check for dirty fuel, clean and check and adjust carb, they are not much more complicated than a hair-dryer.

[Semper]

Have them to clean the carburetor and change the fuel filter.

[wana]

take if first onto the big road

put a tank of benzine in it and a bottle of carb cleaner

ride in a straight line at 110 km/ph of whatever is the top speed of the thing /flat out is important for half an hour or so

and blow the cob webs out of it

this worked on our fino temporarily but the carb will need stripped down at some stage

[VocalNeal]

Your question sounds more of a people question than technical. How good your corner guy is no one except a customer would know that. You haven't asked how you clean the carburetor so we have to assume you didn't play with Meccano as a child.

I would say the idle circuit is partially plugged up and/or the plug is dirty. Bung a bottle of fuel system cleaner in, available at any petrol station, and shake the bike to mix. Change the spark plug, easy and if you have the tool kit there is a wrench for that. Ride the bike for a few minutes until the cleaner is in the carburetor and leave overnight. Then do what Wana says and clear out the cobwebs.

Doesn't fix? Risk a carburetor clean at the corner.

[ricklev]

Thanks for the suggestions, I live in Bangkok and really only use the bike to go a couple of blocks to Villa one a week or so. It's a further ride to the Honda shop than I like so I was hoping just to have the local guy give it a go. I'm a bit scared to have him messing with the carb though. I have some mechanical knowledge, but no inclination to get my hands dirty.

I do mail it around Thailand every 6 months or so and ride it harder, so it does get some use.

I will have him change the spark plug, fuel filter and stick some carb cleaner in, although sustained high speed is doubtful....

Is the air filter cleanable or should it be replaced?

Sure wish I could find an onwer's manual in English.

[Brissance]

I will have him change the spark plug, fuel filter and stick some carb cleaner in, although sustained high speed is doubtful....

Is the air filter cleanable or should it be replaced?

Sure wish I could find an onwer's manual in English.

You don't really need high speed. Just keep it in lower gears.

An air filter for a Wave costs next to nothing. Just change that also.

[Semper]

An air filter for a Wave costs next to nothing. Just change that also.

His bike actually needs less air, according to the symtons. Anyway, I blame the bad fuels they are producing/selling these days.

[Gary A]

We had a Honda Wave at the Jomtien condo and a Suzuki Best at the house upcountry. The Honda had less than 3,000 kilometers on it started hard and was terrible when cold, choke or not. The Suzuki always started first kick, no choke and ran smooth even when cold. We eventually moved upcountry full time and took the Honda with us. My wife had a choice which one to sell and she sold the Honda.

The Honda dealer where we bought it said it was just normal. It ran fine once it warmed up.

[Brissance]

An air filter for a Wave costs next to nothing. Just change that also.

His bike actually needs less air, according to the symtons. Anyway, I blame the bad fuels they are producing/selling these days.

I merely answered a question.

Remote diagnosis is next to useless.

A service and diagnosis at a good Honda dealership costs peanuts. Why mess with it if you don't understand it.

You're right, fuel quality (at the pump) here is pretty poor.