Motorcycle don't wanna go

I hope somebody here will have some advice:
I have an '87 Suzuki Savage, with a 1-cylinder 650cc, single-carb engine. It's a workhorse, ride it every day, always runs great...

Yesterday, I'm riding, and suddenly it starts losing power, backfiring, acting like the gas had run out...I'm trying to gun it w/the clutch in, and it sounds like it's being flooded. I let the RPM's down, whattya know, it idles just fine. (???)

But when I need some power (when in gear) it acts like it wants to shut down. Today it was even worse...although it'll sit there and idle all day, she'll rev just fine, also. But put it in gear, and let the clutch out and ask for some power, and PLUUUHHHH POW POW pluuuuuhhhhhh....

What the heck is going on here?

 

you should test your engine compression and circuit draws. The bike might have stopped because the system isn't able to recharge itself and, when the battery died so did your ride.
I am on my first bike, a 1982 Suzuki GS550. I had exactly what you described happen to me.
One night coming home from work, the bike backfired a few times and the power just ebbed out of the system until she was dead. Upon further inspection it appeared that the stator fried and had shorted out a couple of wires.
I replaced the stator and it seems to have corrected the issue. I had to use the battery tender to start her cold (it's december in massachusetts), but once the bike idled a while I had no problem stopping, shutting down and starting again and riding.

Good luck!
Chris

 

There are a few quicks checks you can make to your Savage, first, make sure the battery cables are tight and that the battery is fully charged. Second, it sounds like you may have water in the fuel. Water is heavier than fuel so it sits on the bottom of your carbs float bowl. It will idle fine as the pilot jet sits high but when you open the throttle and fuel in drawn through the main jet (that sits deep into the float bowl) it sucks water into the engine. Drain some fuel from the carb or tank and let it sit to see if the water seperates from the fuel. Does the bike run the same hot or cold? Also, it could be as easy as a fouled plug, although they are not fun to change on the Savage. Post back and let us know what you find. Sean

 

If it came on all of a sudden, I wouldn't suspect water or loose battery cables. Sound like your main jet in your carburetor may have fallen out or your ignition advance is not functioning.