Ratchet_72 Posted October 31, 2009 Share Posted October 31, 2009 Hey all, I seem to have one of those bugs that is really hard to reproduce as its done it to me only once in the 2 months I've owned her. I've got a 2000 BB with the PC-3 and 4-1 exhaust otherwise stock. As I was just innocently sitting their idling at a stop light everything dies. I mean everything. No idiot lights, clock, motor of course, nothin. Pulled off the road flipped the key back and forth once or twice and bam she starts right up. Running fine. Now the clock is an hour behind on the dash so I'm thinking the Neg terminal on the battery may be loose, but its not. A cursory once over SEEMS to show the connectors tight. Havent gone too deeply into it as I thought maybe this is something some of you may have experience with. I'm fairly mechanically inclined as I've kept a variety of motorcycles alive over the years but have never experienced a catastrophic and instantaneous failure. I gotta be honest I'm used to bikes stuttering and complaining before dying on me. This just quit like the battery was suddenly disconnected. Any ideas? I'll keep troubleshootin just for fun anyhow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasonW Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 Hey all, I seem to have one of those bugs that is really hard to reproduce as its done it to me only once in the 2 months I've owned her. I've got a 2000 BB with the PC-3 and 4-1 exhaust otherwise stock. As I was just innocently sitting their idling at a stop light everything dies. I mean everything. No idiot lights, clock, motor of course, nothin. Pulled off the road flipped the key back and forth once or twice and bam she starts right up. Running fine. Now the clock is an hour behind on the dash so I'm thinking the Neg terminal on the battery may be loose, but its not. A cursory once over SEEMS to show the connectors tight. Havent gone too deeply into it as I thought maybe this is something some of you may have experience with. I'm fairly mechanically inclined as I've kept a variety of motorcycles alive over the years but have never experienced a catastrophic and instantaneous failure. I gotta be honest I'm used to bikes stuttering and complaining before dying on me. This just quit like the battery was suddenly disconnected. Any ideas? I'll keep troubleshootin just for fun anyhow Tough diagnosing over the internet, but it sounds like it could be in the switch based on what you've said. You may also want to check the battery connections to the bike (to starter and ground) as well as to the battery itself. I've also heard of kill switches on the right bar going bad as well. Just thinking out loud. Not much help though, I know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveK Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 Joe should be here in a few to help you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slowrideCX Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 Being that you lost everything and then turning the key off and on it came back I am thinking that you have a bad connection so check all your grounds to the frame. Turning the key may have just shocked the system enough to make the ground. It would be a good idea to go over all your connections to clean a put dielectric grease on them anyway. Good luck with the gremlins!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 I don't believe the clock goes through the ignition or kill switch, so looking for a ground problem seems like a good place to start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BackStreet Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 If the kill switch trips the lights still stay lit so I don't think its that. Battery connection is easy to clean so you may as well and eliminate that. Sounds to me like a bad ignition switch but you may as well clean the connections first as another no cost option. BTW - the bikes is not overheating is it? There is a thermal cut off at 240F to protect the engine. I don't know if it cuts all power. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackhawkxx Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 Sounds to me like a bad ignition switch I'm not saying that is what the problem is but I had a 78 Honda 750 that died and restarted just like that. I was lucky because I was just about to enter a dark tunnel on interstate 70 in Wheeling WV. It made it to Evansville IN cutting out sometimes. Changed it and never had anymore trouble. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OMG Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 Wouldn't the bike run off the alternator output with the batt disconnected? sounds like a switch I remember a Triumph that would do that, more often at speed at night round a curve in the road. Damn near made my give up riding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratchet_72 Posted November 1, 2009 Author Share Posted November 1, 2009 BTW - the bikes is not overheating is it? There is a thermal cut off at 240F to protect the engine. I don't know if it cuts all power. Now this one gets me thinking because judging by the unscaled temp gauge on my 2000 it LOOKS to run hot. If I'm caught in some light to light traffic B.S. downtown the temp gauge creeps up to about 3-4 millimeters short of the red. Again its unscaled so I have no idea how hot. I would have thought that this thermal switch would just kill the motor and leave power to things like the fan maybe? Tightened battery connections and now I'm gonna use contact cleaner on connectors etc. etc. Keep you guys updated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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