Beegreenstrings Posted March 23, 2011 Report Share Posted March 23, 2011 Before I tell the story, I had just pulled the battery and charged it and put it back in.I left the house last night, rode over to the gas station and shut the bike down. Left there went to Zanesville - Treadway Honda - BS'ed with the guys there and left and went to my buddies house. 10 minutes over the hill. Shut the bike off.Went to restart it and a leght grunt roll and click. click. click.He threw his charger on it and it started right back up.Left and headed straight home, thinking I would have no issues. Half way back down state route 60. When I hit Duncan falls the Tach stopped working. Then the speedo when I was leaving duncan falls and finally the odometer (electronic). Temp gauge worked the entire time though?Halfway between duncan falls and gaysport the bike sputtered and shutdown.Buddy grabbed my truck and came and got me. Threw the new battery I had at home for it in it and it started right up?Again I had pulled the battery and charged it last weekend (sunday the 20th)? I am hoping the battery was junk and there is not some underlying issue with the stator/charging system...I dont know why I was under false pretences that if a carb'ed bike was running it did not need the battery? Obviously does not work like any of the 400ex's or XR's I have had in the past? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RFM Posted March 23, 2011 Report Share Posted March 23, 2011 Twins tear up batteries. Takes a healthy battery to tick the cylinders over. Have the battery fully charged and give it a load test, by either having a voltmeter and keeping it on the batteries terminals before, during, and after the start attempt. Should be reading around 12-13.5 volts. If it dips down under 11 with the starter pressed- the battery needs to be replaced. Or just take the battery to Batteries Plus, Interstate, etc. They can tell you the same with their Load Test equipment. Note- a charged battery does NOT mean it's a good battery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yotaman88210 Posted March 23, 2011 Report Share Posted March 23, 2011 Sounds more like a charging issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wacky_woodchuck Posted March 23, 2011 Report Share Posted March 23, 2011 The big Honda twins are terrible on batteries.As suggested, charge it up, check it out under load (in bike, key on). There's a range where it should be. If it's not, time for a new one. My RC always seems like the battery is dying when starting it, but it's not, it just pulls a lot of juice.I'll be putting in a Shorai when I can find one in stock somewhere.Also, if the battery checks out good, you might need a rectifier. Easy fix and there are also ways/proceedures to check them out on the web as well. They do tend to fail, as they get pretty hot and if it's the original on the bike, it might be time to replace it.Modern street bikes do run off the battery and it is needed during operation, unlike dirty bikes. The battery is charged during riding, but the juice is used by the ECM/coils/guages/etc... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disclaimer Posted March 23, 2011 Report Share Posted March 23, 2011 Sounds more like a charging issue. ^--- This.As others suggested, check your reg/rect first, then the wires coming from the stator. I fried one of the three legs on my old Honda and had to splice a new wire section in. No problems after that.If those all look fine, do a cursory check of the wiring upstream of the reg/rect, after that, you may be looking at a stator problem. Which, depending on your wrenching skillz may be big bucks to replace the entire assembly, or you can disassemble the stator and troubleshoot/replace just the bad part(s). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blake1221 Posted March 23, 2011 Report Share Posted March 23, 2011 I had the same issue when i first got my Superhawk....the regulator/ rectifier was bad. the stock ones are a POS. i got an aftermarket one installed and havent had any probs since. good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
max power Posted March 23, 2011 Report Share Posted March 23, 2011 I had the same issue when i first got my Superhawk....the regulator/ rectifier was bad. the stock ones are a POS. i got an aftermarket one installed and havent had any probs since. good luckHe lives! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beegreenstrings Posted March 23, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2011 Thanks guys it is appreciated!I am assuming this bike has a stator for the charging system on it. Inside the right side case? Please, correct me if I am wrong.Blake, Thank-you, I will be looking into that. Means a lot coming from someone that has the same bike.Wacky and RFM, New batt is already in the bike. I will be checking it tonight. Or should I do this with the old batt in the bike? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyJ Posted March 23, 2011 Report Share Posted March 23, 2011 ^--- This.As others suggested, check your reg/rect first, then the wires coming from the stator. I fried one of the three legs on my old Honda and had to splice a new wire section in. No problems after that.If those all look fine, do a cursory check of the wiring upstream of the reg/rect, after that, you may be looking at a stator problem. Which, depending on your wrenching skillz may be big bucks to replace the entire assembly, or you can disassemble the stator and troubleshoot/replace just the bad part(s).+1 - if the VTR is anything like the VFR, the stock rr is junk. Mine fried the connectors on me about a week after I got it. Replaced it with a Ricks one as well as an upgraded rr wiring harness; no issues in three years. Make sure you clean up the connectors & put some dielectric grease on them. I also got a single LED voltage monitor - changes from red-yellow-green depending on how well it's charging. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RFM Posted March 23, 2011 Report Share Posted March 23, 2011 You can check the charging system with the voltmeter too. With the contacts still at the battery, give the bike some gas. The voltage should go up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhaag Posted March 23, 2011 Report Share Posted March 23, 2011 I had this prob on my tlr. It was the rr but I still checked the whole system per the factory manual. You may also have a grounding issue to chase as well. If you have a multi meter for ac and dc it's not too hard to work out. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fonzie Posted March 23, 2011 Report Share Posted March 23, 2011 I had this similar thing happen to me years ago with the Bird, on the expressway at highway speeds no less. Needles went haywire... Then next thing I know I'm coasting at 70mphIt was either the r/r, or the battery... Can't remember which anymore, or when/why I replaced the r/r.If yours is like mine... r/r is under the tail cowl, mounted to the subframe. Easy fixRick's makes good aftermarket electrical parts. Old Yami used to eat stators 'til I got a Ricks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beegreenstrings Posted March 23, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2011 I had this similar thing happen to me years ago with the Bird, on the expressway at highway speeds no less. Needles went haywire... Then next thing I know I'm coasting at 70mphExactly... Buzzin down the road and nothing... I could see it coming through the gauges though. Everything started failing. Speedo - Tach - then Odometer. Ran for about 1.5 - 2 minutes after the odo shut down. Almost like a afterburner shutting down. Its like both cylinders did a pop-pop and then nothing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mello dude Posted March 23, 2011 Report Share Posted March 23, 2011 (edited) Many Honda charging systems are poorly designed. So if you do need a new R/R, make sure its a MOSFET style vs the OEM which is junk.(Some guys will use the R1 R/R) Sometimes if the R/R is toast, it will fry the battery along with it. Also check the stator to R/R connectors, these have a habit of burning. Lots of guys will wire direct or find sturdier connectors. Good Luck Edited March 23, 2011 by mello dude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy9743 Posted March 23, 2011 Report Share Posted March 23, 2011 (edited) I had the same issue when i first got my Superhawk....the regulator/ rectifier was bad. the stock ones are a POS. i got an aftermarket one installed and havent had any probs since. good lucki'd bet my left nut this is the issue. i replaced mine on my SH 4 years ago when mine died on me acting similar to what you just described. i bought a used RR off ebay form a gsxr and followed some how to off of thesuperhawkforum.com worked perfect. my wires were toast coming out of it. i've had the same battery for the last 6 years. its the RR i almost gurantee it, good advise to use dielectric grease and check grounds also. i had a few loose. Edited March 23, 2011 by andy9743 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbot Posted March 23, 2011 Report Share Posted March 23, 2011 should've bought a hond..... oh wait. fuck.the aprilia milles and rsvr's had the same issue where the whole charging system just kept burning out (stator, RR, etc). I wouldn't be surprised if the 996/998 had the same issues... seems the big v-twins of that time period all had similar weaknesses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wacky_woodchuck Posted March 23, 2011 Report Share Posted March 23, 2011 Thanks guys it is appreciated!I am assuming this bike has a stator for the charging system on it. Inside the right side case? Please, correct me if I am wrong.Blake, Thank-you, I will be looking into that. Means a lot coming from someone that has the same bike.Wacky and RFM, New batt is already in the bike. I will be checking it tonight. Or should I do this with the old batt in the bike? If you have a new battery, check it before anything is turned on (record voltage), then again with the key on, then running. If it's the R/R, the battery will start to drain quite rapidly.The R/R's do go, easy fix. On my Buell my connector from the stator to the R/R fried on my trip back from Deal's Gap. It melted at Mansfield and I made it to Lodi, but had to stop for gas. Other wise I would have tried to make all the way to N. Ridgeville. I was stranded and hade to wait for a buddy with a trailer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beegreenstrings Posted March 28, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2011 (edited) Well took saturday morning and worked on the bike. Took the back plastic off and found this wonderful issue with this back tar(y) crap that had leaked on the subframe, swingarm and caliper.That is a crack, just not a crappy pic, or it is melted through? There is solder hanging out of it as well? Not sure what is up with that.I know when I checked Motosport last night it was 172.00 for the OEM part. I guess I need to see what else is out there.Not sure if I want to go hacking the harness to make one from Suzuki work on a Honda? But, I believe this to be the issue. I checked all the other grounding points. So far this is the only issue I have come across. Edited March 28, 2011 by Beegreenstrings Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beegreenstrings Posted March 28, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2011 I have been looking all morning and it is trully nice that all the distributors put up is a picture and the detail of, it is for a 1998-2002 vtr1000f.WTF really. any other info you wish to disclose?Oh and the upgrade I found was for a R1 rectifier. Not saying there isn't one for a GSXR but I have nto come acrossed it yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wht_scorpion Posted March 28, 2011 Report Share Posted March 28, 2011 (edited) mess up Edited March 28, 2011 by wht_scorpion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beegreenstrings Posted March 28, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2011 It sound like the rectifier is on it way outThat is the pic above. It is done. Melted whatever is in them and now it speckled across the back of the bike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wht_scorpion Posted March 28, 2011 Report Share Posted March 28, 2011 find a use parts place to see it you can get one or check ebay. My 83 honda nighthawk did this to me to a really long time ago it will drain the battery dead then a nail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blake1221 Posted March 28, 2011 Report Share Posted March 28, 2011 (edited) I got an aftermarket r/r at cycle search. Good peeps up there. I think I paid around 100 bucks.dont buy oem. They suck!! Edited March 28, 2011 by blake1221 Oem is a pos 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beegreenstrings Posted March 29, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2011 I got an aftermarket r/r at cycle search. Good peeps up there. I think I paid around 100 bucks.dont buy oem. They suck!!Yeah, I was checking a couple out yesterday. Looked at 6, 3 of them were identical but all different prices. No one (from the online store I was looking at) could answer any questions about them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mello dude Posted March 29, 2011 Report Share Posted March 29, 2011 http://roadstercycle.com/Another option - from VFRD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.