Headed out yesterday morning on a road trip to New Jersey on the VFR and got stranded in traffic for about an hour and a half. The bike started to flake on me - would shut off at idle, then it got to the point where it wouldn't start. Trip OD reset on me a few times so it was like the power just went to zero.
So, i pulled off to the side of the road and let her sit for a while. After about 20 minutes of sitting, she fired up and I cut across the median on i81 and ran her home to restart my journey in the car instead. Where I was going, it's all stop and go traffic and I didn't want to get stuck again in Jersey.
Of course, it was hot. So the fan was constantly running.
My guess is the battery didn't have a full charge and the combination of lights, fan and idling motor just taxed it to death. Wires looked okay - nothing fried that I could see.
Other than putting the bike on then tender when not in use, should I worry about anything else being wrong?
Battery or something more serious?
Started by 5thGenJim, Jun 15 2012 06:02 AM
22 replies to this topic
#1
5thGenJim
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Posted 15 June 2012 - 06:02 AM
#2
dpcincy
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Hey, watch this...
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Posted 15 June 2012 - 06:07 AM
Not sure if you mean just looking at the outside of the connectors, but it might be worth pulling apart the connections and checking the wires inside. BR just had a wire (can't remember off the top of my head which) fry inside the connector that didn't look to be burnt on the outside.
#3
Jakobi
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Posted 15 June 2012 - 10:57 AM
Make sure your battery is good and then check your R/R.
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"Flying is easy, all you have to do is throw yourself at the ground and miss."
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#4
Jmmymc750
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Posted 15 June 2012 - 11:05 AM
It's not hard to check your battery voltage and charging voltage with a voltage meter. I think charging voltage should be over 13.5 at 5k rpm and <15.0V. If you have a load tester (you can get them at harbor freight for about 20 bucks, Amazon a little more but they ship wayyyyyy faster) you can tell if the battery is fried. It has coils like one of those little space heaters, and when you switch it on if the battery voltage drops and keeps dropping, you have a bad cell(s).
Like everybody already mentioned, check your main connector near the starter relay and the connector for the stator and the main connector for the R/R. Do you have Tightwad's VFRness harness upgrade? Might want to check into that. I used his kit and cut the connectors out and soldered the wires together and used the extra ground wire on his kit to run right to the negative battery terminal (I had previously modified the terminal with a bigger gauge ring terminal soldered onto it, and use a slightly longer, higher quality screw for my terminal connection).
Hope you get it sorted!
Cheers!
Like everybody already mentioned, check your main connector near the starter relay and the connector for the stator and the main connector for the R/R. Do you have Tightwad's VFRness harness upgrade? Might want to check into that. I used his kit and cut the connectors out and soldered the wires together and used the extra ground wire on his kit to run right to the negative battery terminal (I had previously modified the terminal with a bigger gauge ring terminal soldered onto it, and use a slightly longer, higher quality screw for my terminal connection).
Hope you get it sorted!
Cheers!
#5
mk2davis
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Posted 15 June 2012 - 11:10 AM
I'm a big believer in voltmeters on the bike. They can help diagnose problems as they occur, instead of after they happen. I'd suspect the RR. Batteries usually don't fix themselves after 30 minutes of not running, and RR's can be sensative to heat. I agree with the above, some voltage numbers would be nice. A well functioning charging system should be able to idle no problem.
Edited by mk2davis, 18 June 2012 - 12:39 AM.
#6
MBrane
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Posted 15 June 2012 - 11:55 PM
Needing a new battery myself. Current one is just a year old AGM. Charging system is fine. Bike is ridden 2-3X a week. VFR batteries live a rough life being so close to the exhaust/shock, and the high freq vibration.
Time to find out how good Batteries Plus is on warranty issues.......
Time to find out how good Batteries Plus is on warranty issues.......
#7
spud786
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Posted 16 June 2012 - 03:51 AM
Needing a new battery myself. Current one is just a year old AGM. Charging system is fine. Bike is ridden 2-3X a week. VFR batteries live a rough life being so close to the exhaust/shock, and the high freq vibration.
Time to find out how good Batteries Plus is on warranty issues.......
Is it a Batteries Plus branded battery?
Im sure their warranty is very usable, especially being a chain type store. If it was a 6th gen id suggest upping to the st1300 battery if an option. The stock battery is just barely adaquate.
#8
MBrane
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Owner of many Vs
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Posted 16 June 2012 - 11:13 AM
Needing a new battery myself. Current one is just a year old AGM. Charging system is fine. Bike is ridden 2-3X a week. VFR batteries live a rough life being so close to the exhaust/shock, and the high freq vibration.
Time to find out how good Batteries Plus is on warranty issues.......
Is it a Batteries Plus branded battery?
Im sure their warranty is very usable, especially being a chain type store. If it was a 6th gen id suggest upping to the st1300 battery if an option. The stock battery is just barely adaquate.
Yeah it is the higher CCA BP brand battery. Bought in SF last June. I may try some heat shielding on the undertail to see if it helps.
#9
MBrane
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Owner of many Vs
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Posted 16 June 2012 - 11:14 AM
Needing a new battery myself. Current one is just a year old AGM. Charging system is fine. Bike is ridden 2-3X a week. VFR batteries live a rough life being so close to the exhaust/shock, and the high freq vibration.
Time to find out how good Batteries Plus is on warranty issues.......
Is it a Batteries Plus branded battery?
Im sure their warranty is very usable, especially being a chain type store. If it was a 6th gen id suggest upping to the st1300 battery if an option. The stock battery is just barely adaquate.
Yeah it is the higher CCA BP brand battery. Bought in SF last June. I may try some heat shielding on the undertail to see if it helps.
#10
spud786
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Posted 16 June 2012 - 11:30 AM
Is stock sheilding missing, Im on my 3rd vfr battery, but they've all gone post 40,000 miles before weakening, which translates to about 2.5 years.
If the replacement only lasts a year, different brand might be best.
If the replacement only lasts a year, different brand might be best.
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