I recently purchased a 1988 Kawasaki Bayou 185 for my kids. It used to run and had been setting in a barn for a few months. The guy said that the carb. needed to be cleaned out. So I cleaned the carb, wd40d it and so and so. It gets lots of spark and plenty of fuel actually maybe to much fuel I dont know ( is there an adjustment on the fuel pump?). When I try to start it it will crank and crank and if I choke it it will backfire occasionally but thats it. I've run the four wheelers battery down, my wifes cars battery, and about fried my battery charger any help would be appreciated.

 

Hows the compression? Hows the valve clearance?
Try pulling it, to bump start it, Put it in 4th gear, key on, and have a lawn tractor, or car, pull it along with a strap, about 7 mph, and if its possible for the motor to run....it will.

 

check the fuses and the wireing

 

Take the plug out and let it set for a few hours or overnight. Replace the plug with a new one. Drain the carb bowl and when you go to start the bike turn the fuel on for about 30 seconds then turn it off, this might help keep it from flooding if the float needle won't seat. I'm not sure about adjustment on the fuel pump but I doubt there is one. Backfire sound's like a fouled plug or realy flooded. only my 2 cents.

 

Man I hope you get that thing goin'! I used to ride that same model...totally loved it. Talk about simplicity is bliss! I used it for EVERYTHING! I was cruzin' along at darn near full throttle through a tall grass field, front dipped into a run-off, stopped the machine instantly, threw me over for a nice lunar landing. Woke up...checked for damage...(screw MY body, but was the bike ok?)...pulled it out, started it up, drove on....The Bayou shrugged it off like it wasn't nuthin'! Day after day of riding for hours and hours....hardly ever washed it, changed to oil once ever I think....(I wasn't the smartest kid)...ran like a champ till It was sold to another young kid looking for fun... I miss that bike!

 

Thank you guys for your replies I hope one of these ideas fixes it. Yeah it looks like the perfect machine for my kids, theyve got an excellent place to ride aroun here, again Thanks