Did you push the run button one position to allow the fuel pump to prime? Honestly, I didn't know about this feature. It makes a difference on mine. Does it start better after you stop or just initial cold start?

 

I had a similar situations in the past and usually the things you have done correct the problem. I have found that once you rule out the battery it tends to be the ground cable and or the ground point. However, Once on a motorcycle and once on an old 1978 Mini Cooper it was the ignition coil. On the motorcycle I found out because I had a donor bike and was able to swap out parts one at a time till I "found" the issue. On the mini... I literally spent years trying to find the problem since sometimes it would fire right up and other would act like the battery was dead. Finally the coil failed. Installed a new one and never had the problem again.

I think it would be unlikely, however since I have experienced it in the past maybe you can get one to swap out (a friend bike or ? ) and see if that is the issue?

It is too expensive of a part to just go buy one IMO without knowing for sure. But your "story" sure seems similar to my old mini cooper one.

 

Hi, is the compression in the cylinders correct? Low compression can usually be the cause of difficult cold starts, but as the bike warms up, the tolerances tighten, more oil starts to circulate, and the problem subsides.
Your question about the control unit: you wrote VCM, but I think you meant ECM or ECU because the VCM isn't the engine control unit, but rather the control unit that manages other components on the bike.
Let me start by saying: if you take your bike to an authorized workshop, the mechanic will connect your bike to the diagnostic software (Digital Wrench) and, before returning the bike to you, will send a "Service Report" about your bike's condition to the Polaris website. The report contains a wealth of data about your bike, and this data can be accessed by any authorized workshop. When you take your bike to the workshop again (even if it's not the same one), the mechanic will do the same thing, connect the bike to the Digital Wrench, and create another "Service Report." Service Reports can be compared with each other, and the parts that have changed are highlighted.
If different software has been installed in the ECM since the previous update, it's possible to view it because some data (Software Version, Checksum, Software Part Number) has changed. I don't think it's possible to trace the actual date of the map change.
I just have a question: I can't tell you if the person who makes the modified ECU software is somehow able to prevent these changes from appearing.
In the image, you can see a portion of the Service Report from a motorcycle that had a software update performed on the engine control unit, but the software was official Polaris software.

Small excerpt from a Service Report

List of Service Reports as they appear on the Polaris website.

 

Thanks for the reply and info! So it was tuned by Indian when I last took it in and a Lloydz tune was put on it. Yeah, I meant ECM, not VCM. I can start the bike perfectly fine by powering it up, letting fuel system prime, waiting 8 to 10 seconds, and then hitting the start button. Fires right up like every other bike I have ever owned just like it should. Leads me to believe it might be a fuel system issue but I will check the compression for my own satisfaction. But Indian will hate to hear this, if it is a fuel delivery issue, and it was tuned with that fuel delivery issue, I am assuming that when resolved it will need to be retuned.

 

Sorry. I should have included that info in the original post. It is a 2023 Roadmaster DH with the TS116 and only 13K miles. The full Stage II build was done by Young Powersports in Ogden Utah in Dec 2023 when brand new. The 1st owner lived in Wichita, Kansas.

 

Hot start. Cold start. Doesn't matter. It doesn't matter if I allow the fuel pump to fully prime or not, which I always do anyway.

 

Honestly, I'd look at the tune.

 

That's what I was thinking. It had the Indian Stage II tune on it before and I paid for a Llodyz tune because the Indian tune seemed a little anemic for this altitude. The bike was built for use in Wichita, Ks and the Indian tune is generic. The bike was supposed to by dyno tuned but I do not see any real difference.

 

Another question for y'all. Can an Indian shop put the bike on their computer and find out when the VCM was last flashed with a tune and what tune is on the bike?

 

Is it a TS116? How many miles?

The TS116’s are notoriously hard to start … I’ve looked through several threads and no one posted a definitive solution…

I would check the plugs (0.034 gap), that they are snugged down on the crusher washers … The plug wires … (should be good, it’s a 23) make sure they are seated properly on the plugs and coil …

I don’t feel the stock coil is strong enough for a 116 … I suggest an MSD 4250 (red) or 42503 (black) … I have one on my TS111 …

Let us know what resolves your issue …

 

So the issue ended up being the fuel pump. Hopefully it is covered under the Power Rev extended warranty I bought when I bought the bike back in June. My question is this. Since I had the bike dyno-tuned 6 weeks ago and this problem was happening then, when they replace the fuel pump will it need to be re-tuned since it will be getting more fuel? Thanks for the advice.

Boomerang

 

So my riding season "may" be over for this year. Pikes Peak Indian ordered the fuel pump yesterday but I looked online and they are on backorder till October sometime. Maybe I will get lucky.

Boomerang