Hello everybody, just registered with the forum.

Bought my first bike about 3 months ago and of course as all things go as soon as the garage guarantee runs out the thing decides to start playing up.

I've got a GPZ500 and the darn thing just doesn't want to start. It'll turn over fine, but no sparking at all, then yesterday it would give a loud backfire then next attempt it would start..........

I'm totally puzzled, any budding mechanics out there?

Also, would a knocking noise from the front be related to my steering head bearing at all?

Welcome Igor....

Sounds like your bike is doing exactly the same as my car! I'm no help but someone a bit more technical will be along to help I'm sure. Good bike to start on tho - once you get it sorted. Have you tried phoning the garage where you got it for advice? If they're any good at all they'll be only too glad to help as they want to keep your custom!

Yeah, I'll give them a ring as they seem quite good and did some freebee work on the forks and fitted a new clutch cable after the guarantee ran out, so they're a decent sort.

Just annoying not having the bike as I was using the bike every single day and loving every minute (apart from my lack of decent rain gear!)

Welcome Igor,

there's a few folk on here who know their stuff and like a challenge. Most will probably be on later. I hope you get it sorted.

Yeah me too, getting bored of using the car already and it's only been a couple of days!

Guess I'll have to get my hands dirty at the weekend.

Have a feeling that it might be a sparking problem, as when I checked the bike over a few weeks ago I got the feeling that one of the HT leads felt a little loose on the sparkplug.

Will investigate that as I thought (maybe, I'm no expert) it could be that it's failing to spark due to a bad HT lead to sparkplug connection, which might also explain the backfire after a few starting attempts with mixture pooling??????? With 2 cyclinders and one not sparking it probably wouldn't start.

Is there no spark at all? on both plugs? or only one?
take the spark plug out put the cap on and place the screw thread on top of the head or somewhere you can see it, but the screwed metal part needs to be touching metal. crank the engine over with the starter and see if you can see a spark.
try this on both plugs!!
Also what colour are the tips of the plugs they should be a light brown colour.

Tbh it sounds like it could be a damp problem. try spraying the coil with wd40.

HTH
keep us posted m8

Cheers for th hint, I'll give that a go at the weekend as I'm having a go at the steering head bearing anyway to see if that cures the knocking noise.

Changed the plugs about 800 miles ago so they should be in good nick, so I'll give them a good check.

As for if it's one or both, I'm not sure as when I start it, it just turns over and I can't here any ignition at all.

Will get into the thing on Saturday (provided I'm not press-ganaged into the dreaded weekend shopping............)

There is a law relating to trading in vehicles that says they all must be sold with a twelve month warranty, wether the dealer offers this or not it is the case ( problem is youd have to take em to court to prove it). From what you describe of the starting problem it sounds like itll be something simple - shot plug, dodgy ht lead, blocked or cloggy carb etc. Knocking from the front end i would have to listen to to decide but a head bearing wouldnt so much knock as kinda graunch if that makes sense. Take it back to the dealer and get some advice - if they're worth their salt they should be suitably embarrased enough to sort it out.