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Buell Motorcycle Forum » XBoard » Buell XBoard Archives » Archive through August 26, 2006 » Electrical Gremlins « Previous Next »

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Vader
Posted on Monday, August 21, 2006 - 10:05 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

My '03 XB9R has been free of electrical gremlins for 17,000 miles. They have reared their ugly head. I have searched the site for what could cause this but could not find symptoms similar to mine. It started out by the ignition fuse blowing. I replaced it and it blew again. I figured 3rd times a charm. I replaced again and it didn't blow. Last night however, I'm on the highway, and bike went dead again. Lost all power, lights went out. Which was pretty eerie considering it was at 11:30 pm on a dark highway. Figured I knew what it was, used the light from my cell phone to see the fuse box and pulled the ignition fuse. This fuse was fine. Turns out that this time, blew the key switch fuse AND the light fuse. Both times the bike has died I have been to a point where I was excelerating to 65 mph. It gives no warning, just loses power sputters to the side of the highway until I stop the bike and the engine dies where it can't be restarted again until I replace the fuse. What I have noticed recently is my dash dimming alternately with my turn signals(ie. turn signal on, dash dims and vice versa) At first, when the ignition fuse blew, I figured wiring harness because of what I have read. Now, with different fuses blowing and the dash dimming, I almost think it is the voltage regulator. Is it possible that at higher speeds the voltage regulator is sending out power spikes and these spikes can be intermittent? I don't know. Looking for some advice. Thanks guys.
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Pwnzor
Posted on Monday, August 21, 2006 - 11:34 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Go through your wiring harness around the head tube. Seems wires get rubbed through there on a regular basis.
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Espcustoms
Posted on Monday, August 21, 2006 - 11:44 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Yeah, I bet it's those wires around the head tube. There's wires from several different circuits running through there which would explain the different fuses going. If you haven't already, try making a test light with a blown fuse (there's a thread here somewhere about that) and then search for your short. I've found 2 shorts on my bike this way with relative ease.
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Gentleman_jon
Posted on Monday, August 21, 2006 - 02:52 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

I agree.

Here is there thread mentioned above. Should solve your problem.

http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/32777/211173.html?1152620733
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Drew007m
Posted on Monday, August 21, 2006 - 04:49 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

I have a '05 XB9S. I blew 3 IGN fuses yesterday after washing my bike. The bike started and rode fine after washing but about 3 miles down the rode it just died. I took the kill switch on the handlebars apart figuring there was water causing the short. That did not fix the problem. I ended up letting the bike sit for 3 hours and tried replacing the fuse again. Everything was fine. This makes me wonder about the quality of the electrical system. What happens when I ride in a rain storm all day?
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Metalstorm
Posted on Monday, August 21, 2006 - 11:20 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

I had a similar problem. I washed my bike a couple weeks ago. It ran fine all that day and it was fine on the way to work the next day. After work I went to start her & I popped an ign fuse. I went through two more ign fuses on the way home. (made two stops) Then the day after she was fine. In fact I havn't had any problems since.

I'm thinking I got a bare wire under the fly screen that needs my attention. The reason I'm thinking behind the flyscreen is because I can ride in the rain no problem but I think hosing the bike off after washing gets water down under that screen where it usually stays pretty dry even in the rain.

Oh, when I got my bike last year it used to pop ign fuses constantly. The culprit was chaffed wire around the steering neck. That neck has some sharp edges on it.
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Drew007m
Posted on Tuesday, August 22, 2006 - 12:58 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Sounds like I should do some digging on my wiring harness. It still under warranty, so I should probably find the problem and get a whole new harness from the factory. I wish I could count on my dealer to investigate but they only like to sell you Buell and then not service it. I have also experienced the speedometer going dead while I am riding. Cycling the ignition switch usually fixes it.

(Message edited by drew007m on August 22, 2006)
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Tunes
Posted on Wednesday, August 23, 2006 - 02:11 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

I have an '04 XB12S. I blew multiple IGN fuses on my bike. This is a long story that I will greatly shorten. Intermittent fuse blowing, they were. There was a little chaffing around the steering head but not enough to short out anything. Buell even replaced the entire wiring harness... which didn't fix the problem, but it was obvious the new harness was made better. Wound up being a shorted wire from the fuel pump to the frame. No problems since the repair.
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Indy_bueller
Posted on Wednesday, August 23, 2006 - 04:00 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Get in there and clean the contacts for the fuses before you go tearing into the wiring.
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