Bear

All good here on da West Coast...just no where to ride & no bathrooms in-between! Ha!

Amen, I can relate to all dat, except the (manual) leaks, it became habit for me to turn mine off when I parked my bike, so perhaps the constant use (movement) kept it from leaking (?). I also prefer a gauge of some type, if not that than an odometer/tripometer to keep track of the miles, before cruizin up da hill... It also does not matter to me where the "Full" line is (car or bike), only where the most accurate "Empty" line is (analog gauges). When it comes to vac-petcock leaks, it's often only noticed when trying to remove Tank b/c the gas keeps flowing, obviously we're not trying to remove the Tank from a running (on) bike, right? Bike gas gauges are relatively "new" to bikes, not really sure why (cost?). VWs used to come the same way (gas lever), then went to wire (mechanical), then electric, like everything else. Since I swing my own wrench I tend to see things from that perspective...I've also been "in the wind" since 77', so I carry a bit of baggage. It's all good as long as we can still keep ridin'... ~Bear

Roger dat...now answer the question...Why no reserve? Why no petcock? Gauges are notoriously wrong/inconsistent, especially the digital ones...03' Birds don't have a (Reserve?) light, the last digit just starts to flash...how far we got Fiz? Katana has a (analog) gauge & Reserve. The RF has no gauge, but a Reserve and a (low fuel) Light whose "brightness" is suppose to change. Awesome, let me focus on dat! Petcock (manual) w/"off" allows for easy tank removal, no matter how much ya got in da tank...also how ya gonna stop a leak at the injector or any point past the tank fuel exit? No need fuel pump or running bike for leak... The pumps' just in da Tank to keep it cool (noise?) & on a bike, to save space... I understood the purpose of the rafter hook-up (stability), I was referring to Option B...actually draining the Tank (instead). I haven't had to get into this bike that far, so far, but other bikes with similar set-ups have differing/limited access with the Tank tilted up, sometimes just enough to get to one of the plugs...with their "special" tool! Why/how do folks lose their bike's toolkits?! Good times... ~Bear

Well we can agree-to-disagree about da filter in da Tank sense...sounds like a maintenance deterrent to me....worked fine on da outside all these years. Don't like da rubber in da tank either, by hey whatever, as long as it works. (sic) Now about da petcock/fuel lever...why, why, why?!! I hate vacuum-operated petcocks...they sound good & elegant on paper but when they get old they tend to leak and they don't have a (manual) "off" position, so you have to get creative (rope to rafter) or drain the tank. You also have to get creative if you need to run the bike w/o the Tank in place...but I'm used to working on Carb'd bikes. Why don't fuel-injected bikes have "Reserves"? Never had a problem with a manual petcock and whenever I get a bike with a vacuum petcock I try to convert it if possible. Couldn't convert the Katana...they molded the Plastic (fairing) around it, I can't even turn it when I'm riding it's so awkward. Red - Little confused about the "Battery removal" advise...do you mean disconnect or actually remove and how can it scratch the tank? What's a pump bills (k1200)? Thanks for all the other tips too, always appreciate learnin' new stuff & rememberin' stuff I forget! Birds' still runnin' fine too. Keep it breezy. ~Bear

Red, Thanks for the follow-up, appreciate the insights & the picture is worth a thousand words, just pure gold bro, thanks. Really. Now if you'll excuse me I have to climb up onto the roof....and scream at the heavens!! WTF put a "serviceable" item into the gas tank?! These should be changed every what 5K-10K miles...is that where the "spare" key is kept?! Rubber hoses inside the gas tank?! WTF knows what (caustic) gas formula will be (Gov't) mandated next, around the world?! Putting the Fuel Pump into the tank was bad enough...going from Bad to Worse! The answer BTW - A book-smart Engineer who does not swing his own wrench!! (sic) But I digress... Let me put this "shrimp-on-da-Barbie" for the crew chiming in on my issue.... What about a loose/dirty kickstand (KS) safety switch connection? What would the symptoms be?? I've read about other bikes' "hacks" with problems relating to the KS safety switch, a real bummer to try & fix on da road (side)... This just question occurred to me when I accidently hit the "shifter", as I was (trying) putting down the KS...just wondering what the old-timers thought about it. BTW - The "Fi" problem has not re-surfaced again yet, since the weekend clean-up efforts (removed LED & Battery Tender wiring from Battery & sprayed E cleaner on ECM contacts). Keep it in da wind. ~Bear

Aunt Zero, Thank you so much for the pictures...this is why I actually joined the forum, b/c the pictures from the Wire-Loom fix were not showing/posted, so I thought joining would allow me to see them. I now can see how different my connector looks on my 2003...the first pics (of the R/R?) really confused me as I didn't see those connectors on my Bird!! BTW - the symptoms of the R/R look a lot like the Stator Connector issue with the Aprilia, with the same type of fix PLUS one more....running a thicker wire from the Stator to the Battery (in parallel) to the skinny wire the Factory installed. Thanks again. ~Bear

Red, Thanks for the insight...the Filter has been mentioned before...but these symptoms sure are intermittent?? I didn't locate/ID the fuel filter when I went thru all the testing...where exactly is it, what's it look like & how much & where did you get it, if you remember all dat. It's been two (day) rides since I "went thru all the motions" w/o actually finding anything obvious/visible, so I'll jst keep "test driving" it until the problem happens again...or so much time goes by that I forget it ever happened...until it happens again. (sic) Thanks again. I'll keep the thread updated.... ~Bear

Oh wow, really feelin' da love... But you didn't extend the offer until 7:30 p.m.!! It's already dark and you know what a scardy cat I am ridden' in the dark...but to be able to get rid of this untrustworthy Ho for free & then get to ride Bitch on da back of your cool bike, oh boy what a deal!! We'll probably both wake with regrets & hangovers....I'll keep ya updated though..... Gonna try takin' her to work again Monday. Any more "fixin'" ideas before we head down dat dark road again? ~Bear

Well just came back from a long putt...got a whole lot of nada to report!! She ran flawless, thru Town in a 1-on-1 w/Ferrari and a longer triple-digit run into the Country, Butta baby!! I checked the GND cable & connection to the Battery with a DVM and then all over the frame & motor...couldn't get a single Ohm of Resistance anywhere. Everything was dry & tight. Disconnected Cable from Battery and put DVM on end & started pulling/moving to check conductivity consistency of Cable. Perfect. Battery was at 12.5V (parked a week). Someone mentioned "Gas tank Grounds" (?), I did not see any and the two rear mounting-bolts are rubber-isolated. Other than the two wires-to-frame on the left back-side under tank I did not see any specific GND connections, other than the Neg Battery terminal to motor. The only thing "off was the Charcoal can vent line, which could have slipped-off when I lifted the tank. Disconnected the ECM, both Connectors looked good, sprayed both sides with Electric Contact Cleaner, reassembled & secured to bike with (small) Bungee cord. Disconnected the LED lighting & Battery Tender wiring from Battery to remove ANY variables. Checked Fuel Pump bolts to GND (Battery), zero Ohms. Anyone know exactly where any/all GND connections are? Does anyone know what that little plastic hook on the right-side of the Tool Tray is for? I think the flawless run(s) also rules out the Fuel pump & Filter (which I did not see/recognize) as the problem...right?! I still have trust issues & can't commit to any real corners...don't know what to do, but ride her & wait & see...

Nuggets of gold!! Thanks fellas for the tips... I'm about to tear into her, it's a lazy sunny Saturday with a perfect breeze...no surf. Gonna look for/at GND connections first, check ECM & strap down....lookin for somethin' obvious. I'll keep ya updated. ~Bear

Fizzy, Welcome to the thread. Appreciate all the insights, will keep in mind as I tear into her this weekend. If you follow the thread, you'll see that I have already checked the Battery & Rectifier function, but an intermittent issue could still exist...I often find myself "over-thinking" problems, it's nice to get a fresh perspective. I am hoping to find a "simpler" problem/cause issue... The fuel pump & filter have not been checked, yet, but the issue seems "too intermittent", unless the fuel pump has a loose (electrical) connection...I'm not really sure where it's located at, at the moment (in fuel inj cars they're in the fuel tank)... The "cut" mystery wires (green/black w brown stripe) are still a mystery, but they have been "cut" the entire time I've owned the bike (~1 yr), and the other night I checked the dash lighting (meter light?) & it looks fine... How do you strap down the ECM? Mine just sits in a well on the back of the bike...does everyone else have a hold-down strap/clamp on theirs? In your response you do not note how/when you did all the mods...was it methodical (1 by 1) or shotgun (kitchen sink)? I'd like to find the actual "cause & effect", but sometimes ya just gotta cut bait.... Thanks again. If you think of somethin' else, don't be shy. I'll keep the thread/forum updated...it may take awhile since I have several horses in da stable. Let's ride... ~Bear

True all true.... I don't "hate" on the modern gear, there's often good reasons for them (i.e. hydraulic brakes & suspension), I just don't run at every new thing...plus as a FA Engineer I only play with the broken toys...like (making) sausage, ya really don't want to know. If it ain't broke, don't fix it! The more integration the smaller the defect to cause major (unfixable/non-workaround) issues to numerous systems, all at once. I don't know what's up with Italian & British electronics...are they trying to save money on wire?! LOL Last night she was flawless.... Well this morning (way to work) Vanessa was all jerky & lurching...I just can't trust dat "Ho"(nda) no mo'! I had enough time to check throttle position (way off idle) & even shut her down & started her back up again, but she was buckin' like a bronc, with the idle dropping down to almost zero. If dat happened in a turn it'd be "down time", no bueno! I'm gonna try & pull a code, if possible & just check all the GND connections...it was running so perfect until now...:-(

Dats what I'm talkin' about brother...Amen! Like tinkering with V-8s, the older ones are just more fun to wrench on, if that's part of the game/dream for ya. I just hate feeling helpless with nothing tangible or repeatable...I'm so "over-aware" of how I'm holding the throttle now too. Damn aftermarket grips... Didn't Honda have an ECU update about a throttle issue on the earlier Birds? I'm going to have double-check all the GND connections everywhere...and maybe add a couple if there are some that are hidden/unknown/missing. Could be all dat damn chrome dats goin-to-shit, maybe that's jackin' a GND somewhere? Just went outside (dark) to check my dash...doesn't look like a "meter light" is "out"...I need to look at another dash...the Tach has a dimish spot in the 2 o'clock?? As for the Aprilia, the idle is not adjustable "manually", which is B.S.!!, and mine does have the "updated" map installed...but who wants to hook-up a computer to change da idle!! C'mon! I'm thinkin' about tearing into the airbox to see if there are any "emission" restrictions which may (temporarily for test-purposes get lost) make the bottom-end smoother at low speed (turns)... I'll keep ya updated... Keep da greasy-side down... ~Bear

Remain calm folks...I do have (past) experience with all of the above, but can't blame it on dat this time! If the comment is about the Bike listings format, the website actually started to malfunction, not allowing for "backspace" correction or deletions...I'm a tech writer so I really wordsmith my docs b/c there's a big difference between "knowing/understanding what I said" & "knowing/understanding what I meant", so I try to be very careful since the written word does not include voice inflection or body language. My apologies...unless that comment was motivated by da little-green-envy. LMAO!!! BTW - Drove da Bird to work today (Monday)...died twice (low idle) and "maybe" lurched once...I'm developing "trust" issues! Faultless on Sunday's putt. When I got to work I turned up the idle to ~1,500 rpm, it was @ ~ 1,100 rpm AND worked great for a year, then the ghost-in-da-machine appeared! That's also why I don't want to "throw the kitchen sink at it" and have the problem just magically disappear...confession time...I'm a root-cause Failure Analyst for the Tech industry. It's funny, this was my first "fuel injected" vehicle...now I hear all the arguments of Inject vs. Carb...reminds me of my dear old Dad's words..."just another thing to go wrong." The older I get, the smarter my parents become...and I'm a senior citizen now! The Aprilia is also Injected & has a really chunky throttle at low speeds...never had a Carb issue except for cold-bloodedness. Dats da news from da West Coast, down South... ~Bear

Feelin' da love!! Thanks to everyone who weighed-in, much appreciated. Really. So an update...I rolled her out in da sun and "ohm'd-out" the GND connector with DVM...all contacts @ zero ohms (excellent). Wrapped Connector in tape & then made rubber-boot (from sheet-rubber) similar to what Honda put on some of the other electrical connections, zip-tied it & stuffed it up & away. Found Scorpio Alarm system (not hooked-up), so removed that mystery of wires. Also found (already knew) LED lighting set-up w/separate on/off switch, cleaned it up & kept it in place for now. Found the 2-pin Test Connector in back...AND found two "mystery" wires (brown & green) cut right next to it w/ no end connector?? Should mention I have a Manual & Shop Book...I'm that guy, so I'll trace where/what the wires are for, eventually, want to stay focused on current symptoms/problem. I've heard some models have extra wires for "foreign" accessories or regulations, but these look "cut"...it may be related to the LED turn-signal mod that was added prior, since it's by the bullet-connector mess that resulted. Regarding the "throttle" issue, you may have a point. The Bird is known for it's comfort...but not for me. It puts weird pressure on my wrists & the Kurkayn grips don't really feel round so I tend to grab/hold them differently.... Confession...I currently have 6 bikes in my garage (it's shameful, I know, it's a problem) BUT I ride them all....that's why I'm not throwing a whole lot of custom-detail effort at them individually. If I only had 1 bike I would throw all the deluxe gear on it to make it "perfect" for me, but now bikes are just disposable to me b/c they're so damn cheap...I swing my own wrench. So anywho, I put it all together again, cleaning the Battery & ends. It rode great, but I have trust issues now, so I'll have to drive it in circles for awhile... I will check the output of the Rectifier, that's a common issue among bikes (Aprilia) and an easy fix. Question: Is disconnecting the Battery the same as "unplugging the ECU", the reason I ask is b/c some systems may have some kinda back-up to keep da "brains" alive during Battery swap...seems like it had the correct time yesterday after I hooked it back up & rode. Coincidence? Only clock has back-up? Assume nothing...it may make sense to those who know the answer. I'm down in South Orange County, CA...Camp Pendleton. Thanks again for all the insights. I can't "duplicate" the problem which is very frustrating, so I just gotta nurse it for now. If I find a smoking gun I'll update the Forum... Ride safe everyone. ~Bear OKay...I'm back from my putt.... No problems noted...damn! But I am more sensitive to how I'm holdin' da (throttle) grip...I've never been so affected, after all this time..(sic) Put da DVM on da Battery...I'm gettin 13.65 V @ idle and 14.4 @ ~5K rpm. Dat would work for a (old-school) 12V car...Birds more sensitive? Any hands? I think the two cut "mystery" wires (in tail-section turn-signal wire-bunch in rubber cup) could be for a "Meter Light", which I interpret as perhaps "gauge-cluster light" (?). I'll check some night, if I think about it, don't like riding at night anymore. Current Sinful Toys: 94" Suzki RF600 - $1000 - Delivered with choice of helmet. Needed idle-mixture screw re-inserted. 1st Street bike (4 yrs) after 30 yrs. on an HD!! $75097' Suzuki Katana 750 - Parts bike. Too nice to toss. Love ebay for parts. _$750 -Delivered. Smooth power. Best throttle-feel (Jet). There's a reason they havent changed much. 97' Kaw Vulcan 1500 - Found for neighbor. Wife vetoed. Al Martinez paintjob, windshield, footboards, backrest, VH exhaust. luggage. - $1500 - Where's a bank?! 98' Kaw Vulcan 800 - 6" over, 12" Apes, Chopped rear fender, Forward Controls. Drag pipes. - $1200 - So comfortable you almost fall asleep on it. Died drivin' it home from Imperial Beach . Hit black landscape barrel on Freeway @ night (now I'm a scardy cat @ night), Calif Law says it was my fault. Good times... 03' Honda Blackbird - Black & drippin' in chrome, hazy & peeling & it adds weight, but she's so shiny @ 10 ft'!! After-market Yosy pipes, Cats fell off. - $3000 = 1st time I've had plastics off. '04 Aprilia Futura - Love @ first-sight...they wanted $1500 for Beetle bags for da Bird! - $1200 - A bike way ahead of it's time. Great luggage. Looking maybe for a VFR just to see...I got a problem, I know...;-) ~Bear