I was riding in the UP this weekend and my bike quit running. This was after a semi-wet area and a run down 10 miles or so of blacktop. I turned it off with the key. After a minute or two when my group caught up, I turned the key to on, the dash lit up (normal), I heard the fuel pump, pushed the start button and the dash went blank. I tried again.... the dash lights blinked off and on a couple of times- no fuel pump, then a blank screen. I tried a few more times- sometimes the fuel pump would start and I'd push the button and the dash would go blank or I'd turn the key to on and get nothing on the dash. The battery reads 12.9-13.2 V, I've checked EVERY electrical connection and fuse on the bike. I'm stumped... anybody?
When a catastophic failure of this sort happens, it is often the battery itself (rare for a newer one with good voltage), the connections to the battery, or the main fuse holder and ground connections from the battery to the frame. If you are not blowing fuses, then the terminals at the frame and engine ground need to be checked tight and clean, and take apart and reassemble the battery terminals. Also the pigtail from the ignition switch may not be cinched up tight enough. Take it apart and snap it back together again, looks can be deceiving. I think yours is a friction fit like my '07 is.
Thanks for the reply.... I've rechecked everything again. Nothing.... strange part is I hooked up a battery charger when I got home and it buried the needle and started buzzing. I think I'm hunting a short...somewhere....
If your measured battery voltage is really 12V+, it should not suck the current from the charger like that. Disconnecting the cables will help narrow it down a bit. If there was that kind of load the batt voltage would be way down by now. Charge the battery/measure the voltage with the cables disconnected and see if you get the same result. Maybe the act of clipping onto the terminals with a charger is causing the intermittent to show up (disturbng the wiring or a broken battery post).
Thanks for the help... the bike is going back to the dealer... (It's still within warranty) I will be sure post up what they say.
Mine Too Have you any news from the dealer as my 08 610 has just done the same thing to me....Getting approx 12.7 volts on the multi meter and as soon as I switch on the ignition it drops to 0.1 volts. Every now and then the dash lights come on but if I hit the start button it clicks and everything is gone again!
Don't forget you can take your battery to most auto parts stores and they can load test it to check for bad or weak cells. It best if you can charge the battery before testing. I had a battery on my street bike that had the same symptoms and was found to be a bad cell that would supply normal voltage until starting.
Yes ....load tested the battery and it was stuffed....pretty ordinary for a battery that has only done 300km....chalk up another one to the ordinary stock battery! Bike shop is going to replace under goodwill and will pay the difference for a better one!
And that's the verdict on mine ..... battery failure... I going with a gel battery... we'll see how that works.
