I was riding Cougar last sunday on a duel carrige way, doing about 60 in 5th gear, I pulled in to the fast lane to overtake someone but as I accelerated the bike lost all power. I pulled into a lay-by and turned the engine off because I thought it was a spark problem (I had had to bump start the bike due to a flat battery). Having cheked all the basic things (battery, spark plug, fuel line, choke etc) I couldn't find a problem but nor could I start the bike up again! I called a friend of mine to come look at it and I think he may have attempted to adjust the air (or fuel?) screw on the carb. It still woulnd't start.
When I got it home i charged the battery amd tried again and it started up but the tickover speed was really high and the engine note was higher pitched. I tried riding it anyway but it kept randomly cutting out (although it would start up again fine).
Frustrated, i left it a day and came back to it. low and behold it wouldn't start (this was a rainy day among otherwise sunny days - don't know if that makes a difference). My friend (studying engineering) said maybe he had adjusted the air scerw(or is it a fuel screw/ I have no idea - it's accessible from the side of the bike though) too much and maybe i should try that.
I turned the screw all the way in and opened the choke fully and started the bike. Again, it started at a really high tickover and engine note. I then turned the screw out untill the tick over speed dropped to what I was used to and the engine note was nice and deep. However, when I accelerated, even in neutral, the bike cut out (this haddn't happened in neutral previously). i started it again and let the choke in and the bike cut out and since then the battery has gone flat because I keep trying and failing to start it.

Prior to all this I had been complaining to my friend that the bike had become rather tempramental, it didn't feel right, it felt like there was some air trapped somewhere or something because the exhaust kept popping and the accelleration was no longer smooth when changing gears... the vey day that i mentioned this to my friend was the day it conked out on the side of the road.

So, any ideas as to what tyhe origional problem might have been or what the botched repair might have done to get me to this state. More importantly, any ideas on how to fix this without going to a garage (I've checked and they're all booked up till mid may in my area' plus i'm flat broke in any case!!).

Any help would be appreciated as i'm new to the world of motorbiking (well, even driving in general!)./

Thanks.

Daniel Richardson, April 2005

Fell in love with gilera coguar, although it has so many design faults, mine takes a while to come down to idle after I've revved it, I've checked the spark plug, it was white as snow, very lean mixture, it's dragging in air from somewhere, I need to order a starter relay/solenoid, also a new rear brake pedel, as mine is bent in, or i could just bend it out again... And hopefully to fix the air intake, an engine Inlet rubber boot, and also an exhaust gasket, mines completely fushizzled.

Jay, October 2014

The cutting out issue sounds like the same one I had. Turns out the pins inside the connector on the CDI had dry solder joints on the PCB. To determine if this is your fault simply wiggle the connectors going into the CDI. The bike will splutter or stall if the unit is faulty. I cut the 2mm thick plastic off the back of the box opposite the connector and carefully dug through the rubber epoxy to expose the connections. I touched most of the connections in that area with a soldering iron and the bike now runs like a dream. Just need to seal back up with silicon now.
Sorry to revive an ancient thread but there is very little info about these bike online and this seems like a common issue.

Jay, June 2013

Hi all ,recently bought a cougar, but it seems when in in 4th and 5th that when I open the throttle up wide , the engine seems to lose all power and starts puttering , fine for normal town speeds, but a bit of an issue when on an A road , does anyone have any suggestions of what could be causing this ?

marc, April 2013

i have gilera couger 125 it will only run with the choke on it wont tick over at all can someone help.
thanks

martin, June 2010

i recently brought a couger it runs just like a dream but cuts out randomly when wet but i had a similar problem with a piaggio zip i had turned out it happened when raining or wet on the road the electrics were getting wet some time sits just a design fault so either if we can sport it out or just put up with it other than it randomly cutting out when wet it is a very lush bike compared to my old lifan 125 that was cak

couger man, October 2009

try another plug then adjust the tik over

gene, May 2009

my gilera, when trying to start,would not stop and ran the battery dry. When I tried to fit the battery back again after chargiing the connections sparked and the bike tries to start without the keys in - is this just cross wiring somehwere? I know nothing about bikes by the way!

GUS, April 2009

i had a similar problem years ago,went through everything electrial and fuel wise.my brother came home on leave from the army.he listened to my popping engine,picked up the handle from a fishing net and rammed it up my exhaust.it was blocked baffles.went like s..t off a shovel after that.just an idea.good luck.

simmo, January 2009

my son had the same problem so i had a look and it turned out to be water in a clear pipe that hangs out the bottom of the bike at the back of the engine it has a bung in the end take that out and the water just falls out replace it and it will run just fine

fred, October 2008

i have the same problem with my bike. the exhaust seems ok, but im thinking of changing mine over anyeway as oi recently got hold of an old superdream exhaust. my bike is fine excelerating but often cuts out or splutters when trying to maintain speed

paul, June 2008

Daniel,
the original problem sounds more electrical than fuel.
The HT coils could have a fault or the LT condenser or contacts.
Electrical problems are more likely to exhibit this type of intermittant behaviour.
A liberal spraying with WD40 on the electrical system will dispel any water that can cause problems. If this helps it would be advisable to get the system thoroughly checked out as the WD40 can only be a temporary solution.

John King, May 2008

Wish I could help! My Coguar is now cutting out every few minutes! warm, cold, idling, accelerating, decelerating, running straight or going round a roundabout.

various garages have failed to identify the problem and I even had the the carboureter replaced but didnt help. Selling it for parts on e-bay now. but if anyone knows how to fix this problem I would like to keep the bike.

Logan, May 2007

try cleaning the jets in the carb allso check the breather pipes and air pipes

jon, April 2007

the first time the idle speed was too high may well have been due to your friend adjusting the carb, which is obviously the first place to look. and this has been fixed to a normal speed, you say. so the problem lies without, not within, the carb. also, you mention the engine was making a popping noise and it felt like there was air trapped somewhere. well, i have a lawnmower engine (100cc) which did this, until i realised that it was due to a burst gasket on the exhaust. sounds like you have the same problem. a hole in the exhaust lets air in to allow any unburnt fuel to combust, which, as the exhaust valve is open, pushes the piston down as its trying to come up. i.e., a backfire. this often happens when the engine is decelerating, but if in neutral and you open the throttle, you let lots of fuel in which won't all burn at the low speed, so some may burn in the exhaust. check your exhaust for holes and all seals and gaskets. also check your spark plug for carbon (gives weak spark, leading to unburnt fuel).

steve, May 2005