tatonka
10-20-2008, 03:35 PM
I have two intermittent electrical problems. Since they are off-and-on, I know better than to waste my time with the dealer. Any suggestion on cause or direction to look is appreciated. '03 1150 RT with 44k miles.
Problem 1: Turn signal won't cancel in cold weather, until I've ridden over 20 miles. Turn signal on, flashes normally (left or right), hit cancel and keeps right on flashing. The only way to cancel either turn signal is to turn on my four-way flasher. When I turn it off, everything is normal again. Since my commute is about 12 miles, this means no turn-signal-cancellation the entire trip, every day of the week.
Problem started three years ago. Battery voltage not an issue, as have always used Battery Tender. Got over five years on original battery, but now that too has recently been replaced, but problem remains. (hot weather brings the relief of knowing I have normal signals for a few months)
Problem 2: Low beam headlight fails intermittently. Over a year ago, a friend riding in front of me said my headlight was off, then suddenly came on. Since the bulb was original and three years old, I replaced it. Although I do all the maintenance on my bike, I hated this job because it must be done 'entirely by feel' and took forever even with the manual. I hated it even more when the bulb stopped working within a week.
Dealer mechanic removed the bulb, tested it, found it good, re-installed it, and it worked. I wrote it off to my installation skills, thinking I apparently didn't get a hard connection. (note to self: Dealer will do this for me from now on.)
Couple of months later, I crank up the bike and no headlight. On a whim, I slapped the side of the fairing and the light came on. For the next week, that was my start-up ritual. Crank up, slap the headlight a couple of hard licks and ride off. After a week that advanced technique stopped working and nothing would make it come on. I rode home with the high beam. When I arrived, the low beam was back working again. It has worked well for about the last week, apparently because it knows I was about to let the dealer take another crack. It will probably be off again the next time I have a few miles to do in the dark.
A simple working headlight in traffic is the single most important piece of visibility equipment on a bike. And at any given moment, I have no idea whether I have a headlight or not. Do I have reason to hope these mysteries can be solved?
Problem 1: Turn signal won't cancel in cold weather, until I've ridden over 20 miles. Turn signal on, flashes normally (left or right), hit cancel and keeps right on flashing. The only way to cancel either turn signal is to turn on my four-way flasher. When I turn it off, everything is normal again. Since my commute is about 12 miles, this means no turn-signal-cancellation the entire trip, every day of the week.
Problem started three years ago. Battery voltage not an issue, as have always used Battery Tender. Got over five years on original battery, but now that too has recently been replaced, but problem remains. (hot weather brings the relief of knowing I have normal signals for a few months)
Problem 2: Low beam headlight fails intermittently. Over a year ago, a friend riding in front of me said my headlight was off, then suddenly came on. Since the bulb was original and three years old, I replaced it. Although I do all the maintenance on my bike, I hated this job because it must be done 'entirely by feel' and took forever even with the manual. I hated it even more when the bulb stopped working within a week.
Dealer mechanic removed the bulb, tested it, found it good, re-installed it, and it worked. I wrote it off to my installation skills, thinking I apparently didn't get a hard connection. (note to self: Dealer will do this for me from now on.)
Couple of months later, I crank up the bike and no headlight. On a whim, I slapped the side of the fairing and the light came on. For the next week, that was my start-up ritual. Crank up, slap the headlight a couple of hard licks and ride off. After a week that advanced technique stopped working and nothing would make it come on. I rode home with the high beam. When I arrived, the low beam was back working again. It has worked well for about the last week, apparently because it knows I was about to let the dealer take another crack. It will probably be off again the next time I have a few miles to do in the dark.
A simple working headlight in traffic is the single most important piece of visibility equipment on a bike. And at any given moment, I have no idea whether I have a headlight or not. Do I have reason to hope these mysteries can be solved?