No power at all, completely dead.

[DanUK]

Okay so i was riding into town, only about a 5 miles ride and i go to park my bike and just before i park it cuts out.
I thought it was a bit weird so i tried to start it again and there was no power at all, no lights, nothing, not even a click from the starter motor engaging. Its like my battery has completely died. Although moments before when i was in traffic i turned the engine off as i was in traffic for a while to prevent overheating, it started instantly on the starter when i needed it to then, but then 1 minute later its dead.

I had to leave the bike in town and get a lift back as i could not get a trailer or van to bring it back in yet.

Any ideas on what it could be, can a battery died that quickly? or does it sound like a wire has come loose. I would have tried bump starting it but it was on a very busy road.

[vinny]

Checked the engine kill switch?

I know, it sounds stupid to even suggest it but overlooking it can cost as much as a tow truck home.. (Ask how i know )

[Big Rich]

Kill switch would leave the lights on. Along with the kickstand switch and the clutch switch.

Check for a blown fuse or a loose/corroded wire on the battery.

[madjak30]

Could also be the battery lead has been rubbing on the frame or something and finally wore through...dead short will kill the battery instantly!!  Ask me how I know that one... is your battery secured in the battery box, or is it "floating around"...

Could also be something as simple as a lead has come off the ignition wiring...very high humidity like you have can play havoc with electrical due to corrosion...I would think it was a connection problem...

Good Luck!!

Later.

[Mart3y]

Could the battery have dropped a cell?

My bike was running fine, parked it up, went inside, came back outside to leave, turned the key, pressed the started and power died.

I tested the battery with a multi meter, turned the key and pressed the started to see how it affected the battery voltage, it dropped from around 12v to pretty much nothing (but only when the battery was under load)

[crzydood17]

cells in a 12v battery are 2 volts each... thus 6 makes 12 volts... if you dropped a cell you would probably have enough power for one start but depending on how the battery is wired it could just kill the circuit... multi meters are your friends (walmart yellow ones are 10 bux)... I would test in this order

1. Check fuses
2. Put the bike in park (furthest turn on the ignition switch) does the rear brake light turn on? if no continue if yes the ignition is the issue.
3. Terminal to Terminal (looking for 12-14 volts)
4. far end of the positive battery cable  to  Negative battery terminal (12-14v)
5. Back of ignition switch pos input  to  Negative bat term (12-14v)
6. Headlight positive  to  Neg bat term (12-14v)

If this is all good theres something more serious... if at any point you don't get the readings i have posted or none at all report back where you found the first improper reading and we can go from there.

[mister]

Don't turn the bike off in traffic to prevent overheating. The bike will NOT overheat.

Michael

[crzydood17]

Don't turn the bike off in traffic to prevent overheating. The bike will NOT overheat.

Michael

I turn mine off if i'm going to be sitting at a long redlight, they can and will overheat, and stop and go traffic is one of the times they can, but I would recommend getting out of traffic and take slower but more constant surface roads. They don't need a lot of flow but a good 10-20 mph wind is needed if the outside temp is 90-100+

[Cal Price]

I had a very similar event, it was corrosion in the fuse housing. If that's the case clean it up or replace if the corrosion is too much, replace the fuse and gum the whole issue up with Vaseline petrolium jelly or similar, it won't happen again.

[DanUK]

okay so i checked the fuse and it was blown, i replaced it and it was fine to ride it home and then as i wheeled it into the garage (engine running still) it just cut out again, the fuse had blown again. So something must be blowing it, any ideas on where to start?

[Twisted]

When you wheeled it in the garage did you turn the handlebars? I would be checking if any wires are getting pinched when you twist the bars or have rubbed through. Check in between the stops on the bars under the triple where the loom runs from the headlight. Did you mess with anything electrical lately on the bike? Try back tracking if you did.

[The Buddha]

okay so i checked the fuse and it was blown, i replaced it and it was fine to ride it home and then as i wheeled it into the garage (engine running still) it just cut out again, the fuse had blown again. So something must be blowing it, any ideas on where to start?

This is how se7nty7's bike got goats. You start blowing fuses @ the time you turn it off if you're shorting the alternator rotor to the stator. However that dont mean you're getting that same thing going on, you may just have a big draw somewhere like where the wire has worn through like @ the steering neck like twisted is thinking.
Cool.
Buddha.

[sledge]

Don't turn the bike off in traffic to prevent overheating. The bike will NOT overheat.

Michael

I turn mine off if i'm going to be sitting at a long redlight, they can and will overheat, and stop and go traffic is one of the times they can, but I would recommend getting out of traffic and take slower but more constant surface roads. They don't need a lot of flow but a good 10-20 mph wind is needed if the outside temp is 90-100+

How long do the lights stay on red around your way??....if your bike overheats while waiting at one it must have issues. I left a GS5 ticking over in my garage once while I answered the phone and then remembered about it four hours later    It was a bit smokey in there but no damage was done, not even to the front mudguard.

Lots of on and offs while its hot cant be good, think about the oil and the bearing surfaces. Shut the engine down and they will probably get hotter before they get colder without any oil flowing over or through them.

[DanUK]

it doesnt over heat at red lights, i just heard that some people turn there bikes off at lights to prevent it. so i thought i would do the same.

Also buddah you say his bike got goats?? whats that mean? I will look for pinched wires aroudn the steering tonight. Thanks for the help.

[mister]

I rode mine for an hour+ in temps near 100f doing 10kph-18kph max (max 12 mph) while following a whole bunch of other bikes on a charity ride and the bike did NOT overheat.

Redlights around my town don't stay red That long. A minute or two at the most. No way the bike will overheat in that time.

Sledge leaves his bike for a few hours and no issues. I believe Baltimore did something similar (but shorter, 30 mins) and also no issues.

If your bike is going to overheat in some traffic and requires you to shut it down at redlights, there are other problems me thinks.

Michael

[ben2go]

This is goats.Check the link. http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=38758.msg437562#msg437562

[DanUK]

Okay so i put a new fuse in it and then checked what happened when i moved the handlebars, when it was on full lock to the right it blew the fuse. i then saw a wire between the metal stopper on the left hand side that had gone through the plastic and was exposing the inners, so i took off the light and re routed all the wires so none were in the firing line again and also taped up the other wire and problem solved

[crzydood17]

Don't turn the bike off in traffic to prevent overheating. The bike will NOT overheat.

Michael

I turn mine off if i'm going to be sitting at a long redlight, they can and will overheat, and stop and go traffic is one of the times they can, but I would recommend getting out of traffic and take slower but more constant surface roads. They don't need a lot of flow but a good 10-20 mph wind is needed if the outside temp is 90-100+

we have lights on one of the major north south routes here in austin, traffic can pile up for 10+ mins, my bike runs hot so anything to cool it is nice...
How long do the lights stay on red around your way??....if your bike overheats while waiting at one it must have issues. I left a GS5 ticking over in my garage once while I answered the phone and then remembered about it four hours later    It was a bit smokey in there but no damage was done, not even to the front mudguard.

Lots of on and offs while its hot cant be good, think about the oil and the bearing surfaces. Shut the engine down and they will probably get hotter before they get colder without any oil flowing over or through them.