Low oil pressure light, bike barely starts (2007)

[michael123]

Hi guys,

I bought a 2007 GS500 (6K miles) last weekend. The bike had been on a trickle charge for a year. Cold starts and a test ride all went well at the seller's home.

When I brought it home and took it for a ride (more like practicing figure eights etc, I'm still learning), everything seemed OK the first few hours. I started it about 5-6 times during those few hours. Mostly slow manoeuvres in a parking lot. Looked all good.

Then it failed to start. Pressed the button, heard the starter, but the engine wouldn't turn over.
Engaged the choke (if that's the right expression), then it would start, but stalled when put from neutral into first.

So me and my brother tried running starts - me pushing the bike with my brother on it, that would do it. It would start and go into all the gears without a problem.
Fifteen minutes after that, it would start normally, but with some hesitation.

Then fifteen minutes later it wouldn't. The low oil pressure light was on, the bike was hot from practicing all the slow manoeuvres, so we called it a day, since we were afraid we would destroy it.

Checked the oil, it's at "F". (The owner even put some more in it when I bought it). The battery is ok, checked with a multimeter. Tank is full of gas, the fuel switch is in the right position.

I poured over info online ("oil pressure light on, bike won't start") and to be honest I'm a bit overwhelmed.

Some say it could be a simple oil change (I just ordered a filter), others say it could be as little as a defective/dirty oil pressure sensor. I called a Suzuki dealer with a great reputation this morning, told them, and they said it probably wouldn't have anything to do with the oil or the oil pressure, that it's probably gas that's stale/glued in the carb from sitting so long. Waiting term for a repair is about a month, they said I couldn't do anything wrong riding it in the meantime.

I've been afraid to start it (haven't done so) since Sunday. It's sitting in the garage now. What do I do?

Try to start it up again and see if the light still blinks?
Change the gas?
Change the oil + oil filter?
Is the bike unrepairable? (the internet got me scared)

What caused this?
Bike sitting too long?
Slow manoeuvring for hours?
Half a dozen starts in 3 hours?
...

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Best,

Michael

[Janx101]

Battery could be on way out... take it to a shop that will load test it and go from there, multimeter tells you volts for sure but not really how much 'guts' those volts have!... if it is dying then replace with a good Gel or AGM type!

As for oil pressure light... light is blinking or on when engine is running? Or when you are starting/trying to start? .. I read it as when you are trying? .. which makes sense.  The oil pump won't get enough revolutions till engine is running to put the oil pressure high enough.

New filter and oil will never hurt a bike! .. you might 'waste' some oil life expectancy of what's in there now. ..but you then know exactly how old/fresh your oil is!

These motors are fairly rugged and so long as oil/filter are kept within spec. .. and have been previously!! Then you should get a nice long run out of yours

Your previous owner may be a honest dude! .. but many aren't..  don't take the sellers word as gospel. .

A few checks and changes will probably see you riding around with less dramas!

[fetor56]

Probably battery.

[grader]

as was said, get the battery load tested. drain the tank if possible and fill with fresh gas, or if low fill with premium. old gas makes any engine hard to start. try driving it around the block for practice instead of slowly in a parking lot as it is air cooled. the carbs may have plugged jets from sitting but run some seafoam in with the fresh gas first, it often helps and never hurts. if you have to pull the carbs search this forum and youtube, its not complicated and only takes regular tools to do.

[Bluesmudge]

Sounds like a bad battery.

Also do an oil change, you should do this any time you buy a used bike.