Gilera Runner FX125

Hi Guys

I'm looking at buying a Gilera Runner FX 125cc on a 1999 "V" Plate from my neighbour as a project, sold as seen for what I think is a very good price.

It's going to need some attention and more importantly, even when I've connected my truck battery to it, it won't turn over on the electrics and none of the lights work. The only thing that comes on is the horn and the battery and petrol light on the dash :/

I'm dead keen on taking this on as a project and want to use it should the traffic turn out to be as bad as people tell me it's going to be in my new job that I start soon.

I'll post some pictures in a sec

 

He has owned it from new but for the last 10 years it's been stood in the garage as he left it, needs a bit of a clean, but looks like a straight bit of kit?

 

So this would be my first bike I'd legally have ever ridden on the road should I get it. It looks a really really cool sporty little scooter and the more videos online I see and the more I read up on them, the more I think I've made my mind up, I've even seen 172cc Cylinder heads and all sorts

I'm just worried about it not starting, I'm very handy with the spanners and have an extensive toolkit, but I'm more equipped and knowledgeable with Diesel 4x4's, I've never really tinkered with much 2 stroke stuff but a very quick learner

Come on guys, what do you think my non starting issue is?

 

First off, drain the tank and put in fresh fuel, Check the fuel is reaching the carb, check for spark and check compression. How long has it been stored?

 

Thanks for the replies guys

It's been stood for 10 years without a start, the battery was only half full with distilled water when I got it out but was ready 5v on the multimeter.

I switched the ignition on and tried to kick it and wasn't getting the noises I'd have hoped for coming from the exhaust. I was looking around online last night and did some reading up on compression and saw that it should be reading about 120PSI on a compression tester and I'm familiar with the test now but is there another "low-tech" test I can do while with the bike before I hand any cash over?

I'd hate for him to have put it in there all those years ago with a seized up engine or similar and then trying to sell it me on as a runner (excuse the pun)

He assured me that the last time it went into the garage it was ridden in so I have to take his word on it, I'm just very wary, that coupled with my lack of knowledge of Petrol engines makes me uneasy, I'm not one to shy away from hard work

 

The only way to test comp is with a tool.
My advice:
New batt, new fuel, new coolant, new brake fluid, strip and clean carb, new air filter and spark plug.
Should go with all of that.

 

I'm fine with all of that apart from the Carb. Are they difficult to strip and clean? Are there any guides anywhere on the site or decent YouTube video showing what to do, and do they require any fine tuning? I though carbs had to be tweaked?

I'm more worried about the electrical faults at the moment, even with a fully charged car battery connected to the scooter I couldn't get any indicators, lights or electric start, not even a click from the starter to indicate any sign of life at all

My mate was worried it might be sophisticated enough to have an immobiliser and that it could be that causing the issues?

 

With the carb there are 2 screws on the outside that have settings,
Your idle speed screw (usually long with a spring on the outside)
And your mixture, which is a little brass flat head screw.
There are plenty of guides online as to how to clean a carb.
I know the vx range had immobilizers, but unsure if the 2 stroke ones did.
Stevep will be here and do his internet wizard thing and answer... he is like the forum gandalf....

 

Obvious maybe but you've checked all the fuses?

It sounds like it just needs a new rectifier to sort those electricals and the fuel system a good clean, but with something that's sat so long it might all want a look over to make sure rubbers/cables/connections are still reliable and in good condition.

Usually with these, if you have some sort of resistance when you kick it over and everything moves freely, the major engine components are fine. Other ways without a tester would be to take off the kickstart casing and turn the crank by hand to check for that resistance or remove the spark plug and use something to cover the hole to give you an idea of the pressure as you turn the engine over. Before all of this though, best to make sure there is 2 stroke oil in the cylinder!

It looks like its mostly all there though and just needs some tlc. For what you said you paid, it's worth a few hours in the evenings and a few parts to get it all sorted. Even if it needs a whole new engine. Will be a good reliable and fun bike.

All the info you'd ever need to get one of these running is on this website too, have a look around!

 

Does the motor turn off the kick start?
If it's sat in there for that long, I can more or less guarantee that the 2 stroke oil will have gummed up the piston rings and is probably stopping it from compressing properly.
If the engine turns on the kick start, do the compression test as you would on a car and post the readings please.
Change the battery for a new one; with half the acid gone, it's already shot.
Sling some oil down the barrel, kick the bike over a few times, just to lube it again.
Change the plug, check for a spark.
Whip the carb off, strip it, clean it, throw it through an ultrasonic cleaner if you can, it will be varnished up inside, blow it through with compressed air to clear all the holes.
Check all the earth connections, engine earth, earth on the starter motor bolt, positive connection on top of the starter body, connection to the battery terminal, and the fuse in the line.
Also check the fuses behind the front panel, there are four of them in a block, one is the starting circuit, 10 amp I think.
The non-start from the car battery is more than likely down to corrosion somewhere from standing unused for so long.
Just a case of going through the motions and making sure everything is clean and tight.

 

Awesome, I've had a look online at a few vids and also ordered the red Haynes manual to go with it

Fantastic post Just the kind of model specific info I was after, feeling much more confident about it already.

What should I be looking at to replace the backbox on the exhaust with as this one has gone into a few tiny holes, are there different types? Since looking on eBay at new and 2nd hand ones, it looks like the ones 2000 onwards are a different type?

 

Guess who's got a pipe for that bike on the shelf.....................probably.

 

See, stevep, like gandalf...

 

Talk to me Steve, lure me in, I've not even brought the bike yet lol!!!!

 

That looks a lot different to the standard, and will it alter the exhaust note from normal?

 

Hell yes.
This pipe was about £160 if I remember right. I bought it for a customer who then changed his mind about the entire bike and so I re-built his SP125 into a 180 four stroker with the PM pipe and 34mm carb.
And other mods of course................

 

I think I'd rather fit a standard one on it for now

Doing the deal tonight so may have a play and a tinker in the garage tonight

 

Pick up the bike tonight all going well

But I've got bigger fish to fry having popped a tyre and a driveshaft this weekend out off roading.

 

did they store it when it was still going? At least replace all fluids on the thing, give it a good all out clean, internal and external. After 10 yrs, the fuel in it probably deteriorated to much although I've seen them run on fuel that old. compression is key on these, remove the sparkplug on it, put a bit of oil in the hole, wait a bit, turn it over a couple of times, when you hear a plopping noise, it could still be fine, then turn it over with you finger on the spark plug hole, it should push your finger away, in that case, you have a chance of the compression being ok, no guarantee but a good chance.