My son just bought an old Honda fourtrax 200, I don't know the year. and he
has a problem.
Intermittently, the dog gone thing will not start with the starter button.
It will pull start. The Ignition switch seems to be working ok. and the
starter turns over fine. It just will not start with the electric start.
Now, if it were just me, I would use the cord and not worry about it, but my
son is only fourteen-years-old and can't quite manage to start it with the
cord.
He saved all his money for a couple of years to buy this four wheeler, so I
really would like to get to the bottom of this problem.
Any help would be appreciated.

Well, I would consider putting in a new spark plug, and also checking the
battery, to make sure it has enough umpphhhh to turn the starter fast
enough to get it to start.

It is possible that the combination of a weak battery, together with a
fouled or used up spark plug, doesn't provide the right combination to start
with the electric start.

You know you can jump it with jumper cables and a car battery, to see if you
can get it to start that way, using the electric start.

Finally, check the battery to see if it needs water. Even most of the
so-called "sealed" ones have a plastic strip that you can remove with a
screwdriver, and add distilled water. Then crank it with the hand starter
and have your son ride it an hour or so, to see if the battery takes a
better charge.

Just some basic ideas, but have worked for me in the past, on the very same
Honda atv.

Good luck, and let us know your outcome.

James

James wrote:

"ron" yahoo.com> wrote in message
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Try getting the Serial Number off the frame and going over to the local
Honda shop to get the model year. Then, you can order a shop manual to get
you going.

Ditto to others. Make sure the batter is charged.

Does it make any sound or turn over at all when the starter button is
pushed? Does it only happen when it's cold/hot? Does it click at all?
etc... the more info you can provide, the better.

Now, all things aside, a 14 year old that can't pull start a 200 maybe
needs to do something besides riding an ATV. :) That was my dads rule
and I learned really quick to start our minibikes/three wheelers.
Probably around 8 or 9 years old. Of course, that was after we were
done hoeing the corn out at the farm (or picking rocks from fields, etc).

I wish they wouldn't put starter buttons an smaller ATVs. For my kids
it will be once you can pull start/kick start it, you can ride it.
Before then, ride your bike. :)

I think the suggestion below is a good one. Your son's bike will run once
pull-started since the ignition is either a magneto (self generating) or
runs directly off the stator (generator), so no battery is necessary to run
the bike once started. So I would look for something in the starter
circuit. ATVs are hard on batteries - mine only last about 2 - 3 years
each. If the battery doesn't seem to hold a charge after the bike has been
run a while, a bad battery could be the answer. I'd first check out the
battery and then check the starter motor, any solenoids and/or the switch
itself. Clicking noises indicate a solenoid trying to engage, a clattering
noise is often the sign that the battery is too low to turn the starter over
but that there is a conplete circuit to the motor....

Bradley V. Stone wrote:

So if a kid is slight of build, he can't ride an ATV? That's an asinine
blanket-rule to make. Nice job of trying to alienate a kid that isn't as
big as others.

That's all fine and good with 2-strokes that are relatively easy to
start, but there aren't many of them these days, and the ride the OP is
talking about isn't one of them.

GTD wrote:

What? wow! Where did that come from? What 14 year old couldn't
pull/kick start a 200cc 4 stroke motor? Well, I'm sure there are some
rare cases, but seriously... "as big"... "slight of build" wtf does
that even mean?

I started riding at around 8. I was lucky to be pushing 100# then. I
would hope most 14 year olds would be slightly bigger than an 8 year old.

When my dad said "start it and you can ride it" I learned really quick.
Motivation is good sometimes.

"Bradley V. Stone" nospam.yahoo.com> wrote in message
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Bradley V. Stone wrote:

Obviously the OP's son. . .duh.

That's simple English, are you really telling me you don't know what
those words mean?