Loss of Electric supply

[sethmopp]

Had a bit of a puzzler tonight. I'd just got back from work, opened the garage door and went to re-start the bike (a 2000 1150GS), only to find no power. It acted like the battery had suddenly and completely drained. After pushing the lump into the garage, I took the seat off to have a look. When I connected the optimate up to charge what I thought was a dead (and new) battery, it registered only slightly discharged. I checked fuses, a connector that had fooled me this way before, it seemed sound. After turning the ignition on all power seemed restored except no start, that is until I switched the kill switch back on (I don't usually use this). The bike fired up perfectly and ran OK. The only other thing I did was to park it on the sidestand, but had done this earlier today without problems. Any ideas? as I couldn't see anything obviously wrong.

 

[BigFatBoomer]

Sounds like a sticky kill switch or a sticky sidestand switch (Do GS's have the sidestand cutout switch?). May be worth giving both a good clean and hose with WD40.

Boomer

 

[sethmopp]

I thought that myself, except that when I came to try and start it, no lights or anything lit up, not just no whirring of the fuel pump. I didn't touch the kill switch until after the problem materialised, everything pointed towards a totally dead battery, yet it had been OK until that point and after getting it back in the garage it was perfectly OK again. I haven't tried it today, just switched on the ignition as a test - all seems well.

 

[sethmopp]

Update - still puzzled

Went out for a run on the bike today. It started OK, ran well enough. Stopped at a shop to get some things then rode home. I put the bike on the mainstand, opened the garage door, returned to the bike turned the key and......... nothing. I had a hunch about a block connected I once accidentally separated under the cover below the tank on the right and jiggled it. That gave me lights ignition etc, but no life from the engine, however the rev counter started going crazy. After a couple of minutes and about the sixth press of the button, it fired up and ran OK. Electrics aren't my strong point, so any help would be appreciated. Hopefully something simple and cheap.

TIA

 

[wessie]

I've seen the rev counter thing before. Not on a GS but a car. The problem was sorted by cleaning a dodgy earth connection in the engine bay.

Also, a weakness on your model of GS is the wiring harness from the handlebars where it passes over the frame and disappears under the tank. If the harness is too tight then it can chaffe on the frame. This can give you all sorts of weird and intermittent problems. Some people have slackened off the harness by snipping a few cable ties to give a bit of slack. If you have chaffed insulation on a wire then hopefully the copper will still be intact and you can bodge it with a bit of insulation tape. Wrap a cable tie or two around it to stop it unwinding.

 

[sethmopp]

Thanks

I checked the cables, and they don't seem tight and show no signs of damage. I'm just wondering as the same thing has happened twice in exactly the same manner, so I figure it must be one problem. I thinking maybe the Hall Sensor, any suggestions for a quick and easy check of this, with minimal if any dismantling.

TIA

 

[Vendome 41]

Wiring loom braking up where it is regurlarly bent in and out at the bottom of the ignition switch ??

 

[littleredrooster]

Thanks

I checked the cables, and they don't seem tight and show no signs of damage. I'm just wondering as the same thing has happened twice in exactly the same manner, so I figure it must be one problem. I thinking maybe the Hall Sensor, any suggestions for a quick and easy check of this, with minimal if any dismantling.

TIA

The Hall sensor wouldn't kill all of the other electrics, though.

Sounds more like dodgy side-stand switch or clutch-lever switch (or neutral indicator?)

 

[sethmopp]

Hopefully got it sorted now, after buying a sensor. Steptoe's handy hint told me it wasn't the sensor (pity I found that after buying a seconhand one - I suppose better than buying a new one). I found the positive battery terminal was loose . Sprayed under tha tank thoroughly with WD40 and will go for a run to check it out.