| Author | Message | ||
     Mikej |
I rode the S2 down to Milwaukee and Brookfield to drop off resumes and try to arrange some CAD training. First stop, came out, got on bike, hit the starter button and clickclickclickchattersilence. Chit. Managed to get it push started and hit the freeway and headed for home. 15 miles up the road and I got a stutter and the turn signal slowed and the tach started acting up, so I hit the Cabela's offramp with a roundabout and swooped right and then left onto a frontage road and managed to nurse it almost to Jackson before it finally puttered and popped and died. Sitting here in a Dairy Queen sucking down a soda to cool off while waiting for a ride home so I came come back with the trailer for the bike. The M2 battery is two years old and dead currently so it sits waiting for battery cash. The harley battery lasted a whole 15 months, had to replace it a few months ago. The S2 battery is maybe 2-3 years old and now it's done. I need to find a job. Then I need to find a second job so I can afford batteries. What's it take to convert a Buell to run on a magneto????? I'm sitting here about to refill the soda cup and am giving a magneto serious consideration. I hate modern batteries. So, how was your Monday? | ||
| Xl1200r |
The battery in my 2004 Sportster didn't last very long - I can't remember how long but it was maybe 2 years. The replacement lasted another 2 years and then I traded it in, so no idea how long it was going to go for. Other than that, I've never had to replace a battery in a bike. BTW - magneto means kick start - have you ever tried to kick start a long stroke, high compression 1200cc v-twin? I have. You feel cool the first few times and then it just gets old. | ||
| Froggy |
Did you ever consider your bike is not correctly charging? Thats where I would look first, batteries should last a lot longer. (Still running the original battery on my 03). Also look into getting the Erik Buell Racing battery, it should in theory last several times longer than the stock lead acid battery. | ||
| Buellerxt |
Sorry to hear about your trouble, Mike. Shops sell these batteries and say they are fully charged but they could have sat on the shelf for months. Always try to fully charge a battery BEFORE installing it. After that, two things help prolong battery life; riding 20 miles or more, often, and battery tenders. I hope you get a job and get this solved. | ||
| Badlionsfan |
Two Words...... BATTERY TENDER Very cheap insurance. Charging systems on bikes, even when working properly are barely adequate, especially at lower rpms. I always kept my 2005 cityx on a tender, the original battery was in good shape when I traded it in 3 years later. That same tender has been on my 08 1125r for two years now, never had any charging or battery issues. If it's in the garage, plug it in. | ||
| Thumper74 |
05 XB12. 20k. Original battery. | ||
| Firebolt020283 |
I wish a battery tender was an option for me but since I live on in an apartment on the second floor it is not really some thing I can use unless they made one were I could plug it up to my truck but then that would be kinda counter productive i think. | ||
| Badlionsfan |
I live in apartment, but have a garage with an electric opener. I ran an extension cord from the rafters down the wall to the battery tender. I won't live in an apartment without garages available. The idea of leaving my bike outside all the time doesn't appeal to me. | ||
| Firebolt020283 |
It is not that bad because the have covered parking and I put a cover on it on top of that. It just sucks that anytime I need to do something involving electricity I am SOL. | ||
| Koz5150 |
I had the same issue with my battery on my M2. It was an issue with the grounding strap where it meets the frame. I cleaned it up, replaced the hardware with stainless parts, and have not had a problem in 5 years. (same battery) | ||
| Mikej |
I'll check the ground and look into stainless connectors. The hardley has an electrical gauge so I can see what it might be doing but the Buells don't. I recall someone on here made an LED volt/charging meter, I'll have to check the archives. Before that, whenever I get the batteries replaced I'll check to ensure the system is in fact charging on each bike. I've got two Battery Tenders and swap them between the bikes off and on. I do "need" to ride more. Years ago I had an XLCH Sportster with a kickstart. It would bite you hard if you didn't know how to massage it. If I do go magneto someday I'll see if there is a way to keep the charging system and starter motor. Probably not, but something to mull over and think about. Anyway, got the bike on the trailer and about to drag it home. Hope the straps hold. Mike | ||
| Badlionsfan |
I think American sport bike sells the led voltmeter. | ||
| Danger_dave |
That is 72 words. | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
I also vote for a faulty charging system. By the way it sounds, the battery was doing a good job and money wasn't being put back in the bank so to speak. Check that ground strap! | ||
| Johnnylunchbox |
Get a small solar charger. If you can figure out a way to keep people from stealing it, it'll work fine. | ||
| Just_ziptab |
The el cheapo Wal*Nards battery in my S-10 pick up is on it's TENTH(!) year(daily driver,no short trips).....in the mean time I have replaced the batteries in all four of my Buells once. Ditto for the Honda,the Super glide,the 03 garden tractor and two snowmobiles. With that many sitting vehicles,a tender seems to have cured the problem. I got the biggest,meanest,ugliest battery I could find for my hot rodded big block boat and it's on year TWELVE!............go figure. The last two Buells to get batteries,got Interstate gel batteries. Had to fudge the positive connection a bit to fit,but no problems there. Three weeks of sitting,it seems....... is about all it takes for the Buells to run down the batteries enuf to notice a slow cranking speed. Now I am in the process of putting in external tender plug ins on the bikes since I have been known to wedge a screwdriver under the XB seats and onto the + terminal to "tender" the battery.Two tenders,two low amp chargers and one.... or a few of them are in use every damned week.........but it works. | ||
| Ratbuell |
06 Uly, original battery, 26k miles 95 S2, still running the battery that was in it when I bought it in what...05 I think? I'd have to check the date on it to see how old it is... 98 S1W, bought it in 06 with 1100 miles and a dead battery. Replaced it when I got it home, still in there. I don't count my CR, it's only a year old...and Kim's M2L doesn't count either because it's dead at the moment and did not have a tender lead on it when I bought it 18 months ago, so god only knows what maintenance (if any) was being done for it. American Sport Bike has the Kuryakyn voltmeter, and its a good piece. I have one on the Uly and one on the S2, and it's saved my ass on both. I got to "see" the voltage drop before I started getting the popping and carrying on (and any broken components). When it saved me on my S2, it was running fine...but only had about 11V. I ran the stator test, fine. Put in a new VR and she's back to normal again, with no damage to anything other than the original bad part (the VR). Battery and stator are unharmed. +1 on the tender/solar charger idea, and on the theory that it's not the batteries at fault in your case. Something else is up. If you pull a terminal or a wire anywhere, put it back on with a star washer under it - they give great grab and you don't work loose anymore. (Message edited by ratbuell on August 31, 2010) | ||
| Mikej |
I need to open up the Primary inspection cover and do a sniff test. I sure hope the dreaded stator failure didn't happen, if so then the S2 is down until I'm working again. Would probably be a good time to take care of some other items on it at the same time. I haven't posted a pic in awhile so here's a couple cell phone pics. Kind of a tight fit in the trailer but got it home okay.  
How do you do a stator test? My repair manual is buried in a box someplace in case we have to move. I guess I could peek over the counter at the nearby former Buell shop, probably should check the voltage regulator as well. I don't like chasing down electrical problems. (Message edited by mikej on August 31, 2010) | ||
| Reepicheep |
Measure resistance between stator legs (pins)... look for very low values. Measure resistance between each stator leg and ground.... should be infinity. | ||
| Tx05xb12s |
I too have had to replace the battery in my XB12...once in the last five years. I don't think that's too bad, considering I rarely use my Battery Tender. Unfortunately, I do not have a garage either at the present, and store my bike in a 10 x 10 storage space down the street (no electricity). So, if I want to tender my battery, I have to take it out of the bike and lug it home. I guess it could be worse...it could be a car battery I'm schleping down the street in a backpack. (-: | ||
| Mikej |
Thanks Bill, Is there a way I can test it without opening up the primary? | ||
| Davefl |
Mike, there should be a connector held together with zip ties under the timing cover by the oil pump.. disconnect that and you can test from there. (Message edited by davefl on August 31, 2010) | ||
| Mikej |
By "under" do you mean below the timing cover exposed to the ground, or inside and behind as in I have to remove the timing cover to get to it? I'm hoping it is below and exposed to the ground. I'm off to a CAD shop to try and arrange some training. I'll crawl under the bike tomorrow and will dig around the garage to see if I can find the service manual. | ||
| Koz5150 |
It should be right underneath the bike, no covers to remove. | ||
| Ourdee |
+1 on the tender. | ||
| Reepicheep |
What Dave said. The stator leads go to the voltage regulator. The connector is in the middle.  And you can pop off the inspection cover for the primary and take a sniff. That might be enough to tell you your stator is toast also. | ||
| Mikej |
I'm now kind of hoping it is just a battery. I'll need to buy/borrow/fabricate some tools if it is the stator. Is an S2 voltage regulator different than one for an M2. I think I feel the need to run down to a dealer this week and check a few things and prices. Thanks for the help. +$+$+$+$+$+ Why do I feel like a new clutch and oil pump drive gear are whispering in my ear "since you'll have it open..." . | ||
| Ratbuell |
First off, your OP drive gear is on the other side of the bike and requires not only a cam cover gasket, but also rockerbox gaskets because you have to unload the pushrods before you can pull the cam cover off. That said...for a stator test, here's what's in the book: To check for a grounded stator, disconnect the stator from the regulator at the connector to the crankcase. Connect an ohmmeter between crankcase and either stator socket. There should be no continuity (infinity ohms) across either test point. Any other reading indicates a grounded stator - replace. Check resistance across the stator sockets. It should read 0.2-0.4 ohms. If it is lower, stator must be replaced. Voltage test (start the bike first, THEN unplug - it won't start with it unplugged, DAMHIK). Start. Disconnect. Connect AC (yes...AC, not DC) voltmeter across both stator sockets. Output @ 2000 rpm should be between 38-52VAC. If the AC test comes out good...chances are you have a dead VR. If AC test is low, sniff the stator. I'd have to go put hands on it again...but I want to say my connector was near/under the battery or in that area. 2 large gauge wires, round connector with 2 round pins in it. Easy way is to pull your seat, pull your tail section, locate your VR (should be LH side behind battery IIRC), and trace from there. It's a rats nest of wires above/behind the battery where it all loops around/through the frame - a set of cutters for the zip ties is highly recommended (and a handful of replacement zip ties!). My book shows the VR as 74523-91. IIRC that's what got me mine, it was in stock at the dealer - a Sporty part. Might have gone to a -91A number, I don't recall. I had to put a screw-terminal connector on the ground wire because it was different than my chassis, but other than that it went right on and has been working like a champ. | ||
| Cyclonedon |
Mikej, was that picture taken by the Racine Harley-Davidson? | ||
| Mikej |
Thanks for the additional details. ------ Nope, pic was taken about an hour or so north of there on the west side of Jackson. | ||
| Bluzm2 |
Mike, wish I was closer to be able to give you a hand.. My S2 stator plug was behind the right side of the battery box. Zip tied to the back if memory serves. Like Rat said, kind of a bugger to get to due to all the wires. Rat, starting with the stator disconnected is no problem. Done it on both my M2 and S2. Consider this. If the stator is open and the battery charged, your bike will start and run. No different than unplugging the stator. Maybe you had the kill switch in the off positon? (DAMHIK that one!) Brad | ||
| Ourdee |
Is the battery the same as what is in the XBs? | ||
| Ridenusa4l |
08' buell 1125r (with 09' engine) 18k miles and im on my 3rd battery, first one-1.5yrs. second- 7months third- hopefully a HELL OF ALOT LONGER!! (knock on wood) Jake | ||
| Ratbuell |
I never use my kill switches. I always dismount, pull my helmet, and give an ear to the engine to make sure all noises are "good" before shutting off with the key. And...the only change I made was to plug in the stator, and she fired right up. I figured it (or the VR, which the stator plugs into) completed a circuit or something... |
