| Author | Message | ||
     Maximum |
Over the last few weeks, at 37,000+ miles, I have been experiencing the ole "bike turns off for a split second, then back on" while riding...where the instrument panel restarts and odometer resets (sometimes). It seems to be happening about once every 30-50 miles now...with no rhyme or reason to when it happens. And let me tell you...it is a little unnerving for it to happen in the middle of a full lean switchback corner! So I have checked out the battery connections, the main ground connections, and the ECM pins...and that has all checked out good. Other issues that I had been putting off were seeping fork seals, and loose feeling steering which I believe to be caused from steering bearings that require replacing. And as I started taking things apart...I also noticed that Throttle open cable is 30% frayed, and some other wires under the intake base have some wear (like Etennuly has documented recently). I was hoping to put off the needed repairs to the winter time...but it appears that will not happen. So my big question is...do I spend the time to try and figure out where my wiring issues are (assuming that is the problem), or do I bite the bullet and spend the $300 for a brand new harness for the Uly? If I go with the new harness I can preempt future electrical issues by taking some preventative measures outlined here on BadWeb...and the bike will need to be fairly disassembled to repair the other issues anyway. But then again...if it is something simple...that is $300 that I could put towards a 2010 rear wheel setup. If I order a new wire harness, should I order a 2006 one, or is there an improved one? I already have the 2008 triple clamps and wire protector. Decisions, decisions!  | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
The upside of a new harness is that ALL the wiring, insulation, and connections are tight, fresh, and corrupted. The downside is fishing it back where the original harness lives. It'sll probably take more disassembly than expected. If you plan on keeping the bike, I'd spring for the harness. If not, I'd work to chase it down until you find it or get rid of it. | ||
| Etennuly |
Actually the biggest set-back of the harness replacement is that the components themselves have wire leads and plugs that the harness itself will not replace. Steve, with that problem you have described I would first look in the steering head wire bundle for the red wire splice. Cut open the sealer filled heat shrink. Mine looked and felt perfect. A wire was broken off at the crimped splice but held in place by the heat shrink making it an intermittent problem. I made it a single splice about four inches closer to the engine side, running a ten inch length of wire up into the fly screen area, where I then spliced the three to one red wires. I did the same with the brown right turn signal splice as long as it was opened up and it too is known to fail the same way. I am going to hold off on the new harness purchase until I have fixed what I now believe to be the root cause. Engine heat. The RSS kit, and fuell mapping, looks like the potential answer, at this time. I am still testing. Then repair the damaged wire insulation of course. | ||
| Etennuly |
If your steering head has never been re-torqued that is an easy thing to do. Remove the handle bar clamp, jack up the front of the bike so the bars turn freely. Loosen the lock bolt, torque the steering head bolt, test resistance, reassemble. | ||
| Ronmold |
If you've went to the expense of the 08 triple clamp then you're more than likely using the full turning arc you now have. Those thermoplastic wires just can't take that much flexing without letting go sooner or later and at your mileage you've reached the later state. As I've said before I spliced in silicon jacket R/C car wire, which is heat & flex proof, in the known bad spots. You may have so many wires to replace a new harness may be easier. | ||
| Rays |
Maximum, the original photo I posted went away for some reason so I have reposted it. The power splice Etennuly referred to is shown below with my temporary wire repair.  The blinker splice showing the original heatshrink set-up is the group of brown wires to the right. A lot easier to check this than replace the loom I can tell you. While you are behind the flyscreen check the four ground wires that connect to that threaded point on the steering head - I have had all four break at different times. |
