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Buell Forum » 1125R Superbike Board » Archives 001 » Archive through May 28, 2010 » Battery problem riding in to work « Previous Next »

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Lucky_jim
Posted on Thursday, May 20, 2010 - 09:39 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Hey all,

Looking for some feedback on the problem I encountered this morning.

I finally took my new bike in to work, but traffic was a lot worse than last year.. anyway I spent a LOT of time in stop and go traffic, and the battery light started coming on when I was stopped. If we started moving again and I got up to about 40 km/h, the light would go off but would come back on when I stopped again.

When I parked the bike, the cooling fans were only on for a second. Not sure if that means my battery's already gone or they just shut off to preserve the battery.

The bike is an 09 1125R with 300 km on the odometer, and supposedly had the harness upgrade done before I picked it up (bought it new).

Is this something I should get looked at by a dealer? I wasn't sure if there's a problem with my bike, or if the cooling fans were just working overtime from all the stop and go traffic.

Thanks : )
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Syonyk
Posted on Thursday, May 20, 2010 - 11:12 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Were you running with high beams on?

Most bikes (these included) don't charge well at low RPM.

If you're in traffic, in the heat, with both cooling fans on, and especially with the high beams on, the battery will drain. The bike should kick the idle speed up a bit to compensate, but it's still quite possible that your stator (*especially* after the recall) simply isn't generating enough amperage to keep the systems fed and the battery topped off - the stator harness recall reduces charging at lower RPMs to keep the stator from overheating and failing.

I'd say keep tabs on it, but if you don't have the problem again under normal riding, it's probably not an actual issue.

Also, if you are in stop and go traffic, turn the high beams off. I normally run with mine on (upgraded to 55W highs), but if I'm at a stoplight, or in slow speed traffic, I'll turn them off - that's almost 10A the stator doesn't need to produce.
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Rkc00
Posted on Thursday, May 20, 2010 - 11:22 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

I also had a problem with my 09 1125CR on the way to work. Just as I was making a left turn into the driveway at work the bike stalled. The bike would not fire up the first three times I hit the starter. Finally got it started. The bat vol was down to 11.5 on the cluster. I have had the harness upgrade done a few weeks ago. Checked for codes and I have a "Iac sys error" po5 11 on the cluster.

Battery vol was 11.7

I did ride with the high beams on this morning and the fans were on.

(Message edited by rkc00 on May 20, 2010)

(Message edited by Rkc00 on May 20, 2010)
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Lucky_jim
Posted on Thursday, May 20, 2010 - 11:37 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Interesting.. thanks. I'll keep an eye on it. Hopefully the bike starts up fine after work, and it should be clear sailing on the way home. I don't ride with my highbeams on but they could have inadvertently been switched.. I'll have to check.

I'm used to my Ninja 250 which was fine loping around all day in stop and go traffic : )

Hey Rkc, did you have the battery indicator turn on or did your bike just stall out of nowhere? That seems quite strange as well.

Do I have to toggle to the next screen to see if there's an error? It didn't show up on the main LCD but I still really haven't figured out how that thing works.
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Rkc00
Posted on Thursday, May 20, 2010 - 11:59 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Not sure if the battery indicator turned on I was in the middle of an intersection trying not to get hit by a soccer mom.

To get to the error codes you need to hold the toggle and mode buttons in and turn on the key. Than hit the toggle button to scroll thru the menu.
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Lucky_jim
Posted on Saturday, May 22, 2010 - 12:34 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

For some reason I thought I already posted this... but yeah I went for some more rides on clear roads and the bike seems fine. But I did notice one thing.. before the fans used to stay on for 30 seconds to a minute after my ride.. they were on for a while. And now they shut off after a couple seconds.
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Batbeyond99
Posted on Saturday, May 22, 2010 - 02:53 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

i had the same issue. it was on my way to work and got the battery indicator showing 11.8. the bike has been in the shop for over a week now and they replaced the voltage regulator and that still has not fixed the problem so another part has been ordered and another week will go by. this bike has been in the shop more times than i can count. i still have a year left on the warranty so i am in luck on that part. i have decided to go ahead and put this thing up for sell. when i had a honda for 2 and a half years and it never went into the shop and this one has been for everything under the sun, something just is not right. i hate the fact that they tell me "well you did buy the first year of this bike".

i just wanted to let you guys out there know that the electrical issue is not just you. this is the last straw for me though.
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Lucky_jim
Posted on Saturday, May 22, 2010 - 02:21 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Wow, I'm sorry to hear that... I can understand though, you just want to ride.. not have to deal with problems.

I haven't really had a problem afterwards, but I think based on your experience I'm going to go get the bike looked at anyway.
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