| Author | Message | ||
     Hooper |
My 2006 Ulysses had a series of total conk-outs this weekend. On Saturday, I went on a 100-mile ride all over the county with no technical problems - dirt roads, highways, etc. It was a blast. Once back in town, I hit a store for a few minutes, returned to the bike, started off, and it suddenly dies. The high beam indicator is on, but all other indicators are off. The odometer and gauges still have power. The head/taillights are out. None of the other switches function, including the starter button. Turning the ignition on and off again causes the dial needles to sweep as normal. I checked the battery terminals and other connections, which seemed to be fine. After a few minutes, I tried one last time, turned the key, and all was back to normal. I started it up and rode on. It happened a couple minutes later in heavy traffic. Same process - a few minutes later of sitting, and I could start it again. It happened one more time close to home. I eventually got it home, but am absolutely furious. Symptoms and conditions: - Hesitant start (it cranks once, goes silent, then starts right up) - I've read others talking about this. - Low fuel light had just come on. - It was cold out, 35 degrees Fahrenheit. I have yet to check the battery's charge, but wanted to see if anyone else has experienced this total conk-out. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
I don't know if the head and tail lights shut down when the BAS trips, but cycling the kill switch will bring it back to life. Sounds more like stator/voltage regulator/battery problems. I would check the battery to see if it's charged and that it isn't bad. When my stator and VR went, I had power to the gauges but no lights. It wouldn't start. I'd have the entire charging system checked. | ||
| Murraebueller |
Bank Angle Sensor recall done? Loose battery cable? | ||
| Murraebueller |
I check my charging system occasionally with a DC volt meter. I check the sitting output of the battery, the idling output of the system and the output at 3000 RPM.I look for a minimum of 13.25 (idle) and a maximuum of 14.8 or so. Sitting voltage at 100% charge is 12.7, cold cranking amps 200. Most reputable dealers have a Midtronics tester that checks your battery and charging system. If a problem shows, they have other specific tests to check each component. Depending on the age/purchase date of your bike, it could be a warranty issue. | ||
| Ejc |
When my voltage regulator went bad the instruments were the first to go. Then there was nothing. The bike would not restart. The battery was dead. | ||
| Chris_in_tn |
If memory serves me, all the lights still worked when my BAS would trip. Just had to cycle the kill switch and all was good for a few days. | ||
| Treadmarks |
Check your battery cables. Some say the bolts are too long and even though the bolts are tight the cables still move. I would take them off clean them and re install them with washers and make sure that the cables will not move once the bolts are tightened. | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
Could it be a faulty ignition switch? It might pay off to get the thing running and wiggle wires. the engine vibes can chafe through a wire pretty quickly. I had to reroute a bunch off of the top of my X1 engine to avoid shorts. | ||
| Panhead_dan |
Is your red idiot light on when it's running? | ||
| Etennuly |
+1 to what Treadmarks said. The bolts are a few thousandths too long and bottom out just as they tighten. If you can grab the battery cable and pressure it into moving a little bit it can be the cause. When I had my fan replaced the tech didn't put the spacer washer back on the battery bolt and it went into the same spasms that you have described as I went out the door across their parking lot, where the gages cycled and it quit. I went back in and cured the problem in about two minutes using the techs tools and my washer that was lying in bottom of the seat under tray. | ||
| Hooper |
Well, I had a full charge, and the BAS recall was taken care of awhile ago, so I'm going to talk to my dealer (Battley Cycles/AKA Rockville H-D in Gaithersburg, MD) when I take it in for a new rear tire (7,300 miles so far), armed with all the good advice and experience I've gotten here. I also want to say how blown away I am by the great community on BadWeb - within minutes of posting my problem, there was a wealth of knowledge. Thanks! | ||
| Davo |
Hooper, Did you check for any trouble codes? I saw a black Uly in Gaithersburg Jan. 2. going North on 28. Was that you? I have a couple of areas that you might check if your ECM throws a 21 code. | ||
| Sillydrunk |
I had a problem with my 07. It would not start when cold. The gauges would sweep and the starter would turn over but it would not fire. As soon as the sun came out and warmed the bike up a bit it would start but run very poorly(miss backfire etc.) Once the bike was to normal running temp it seemed to run fine all day as long as I didn't let it cool off too much. As it turns out the ECM had a crack in the bottom of it. The Mechanic I talked to said if he pushed down on it the bike would start and it would quit as soon as he let go. It was covered under warranty but really screwed up my trip to Sturgis. | ||
| Ikeman |
Mine died in the rain twice within the first month or so of ownership. Turned out the connector to the cam position sensor didn't have any dielectric grease in it. As soon as the water got in, it shorted and the bike shut down. I had power to all of the instruments and lights but the starter would do nothing. The first time it happened the bike sat at the dealer long enough to dry out, it fired right up for them and they couldn't find anything (no codes thrown). The second time, the bike didn't have time to dry out and they found the problem. Packed the connector with grease and it hasn't been an issue since. You might have an intermittent short/loose connection in the same location. Just another idea of where to look. | ||
| Desert_bueller |
Hi Everyone I'm a newbie here (long time reader first time poster)! I had the EXACT same problem yesterday, I bought a new 2006 Uly 3 weeks ago and it now has 1300km on the clock. I ALSO did around 100 miles of riding with stops in between, the last being about 15 miles before the "fun" started. I was stopped at a traffic light and it started spluttering, it did run at revs around 3000 but was very jerky, like fuel starved. Hooper mentioned something that I was thinking about, the fuel light JUST came on when all this happened and I was two-up. It took 13 liters of fuel a mile later (so the light came on at the right time), waited for 5 minutes and everything was fine after that. Could it be that the added weight on the bike somehow prevented the last few liters of fuel reaching the pump, maybe the angle it was sitting at?? It wasn't a hot day so I don't think the skip-spark was active here. Cheers DB | ||
| Hooper |
Just an update before I call the dealer for the work: I went out this weekend to my Uly (dang, I don't have a driveway or a garage, yet I have 4 bikes parked out on the street under covers) to see what it was doing after some time to think about its misbehavior. All the correct indicators came on, and I hit the starter: "SNIK!" went the starter, and then nothing. The high-beam indicator came on as before, and nothing else - dead. This time, however, the oil indicator SLOWLY lit up (as if the battery was low, yet the parking/tag lights had no problem running brightly at this time - I had a full charge). It wouldn't start thereafter, either. So, it looks like I'll need to get to Battley Cycles to pick the sled up for service. Incidentally, after some great research on BadWeb, I'm going to replace my rear tire with another 616. I had ZERO problems with it, took it for over 7000 loving miles - 15% on dirt/gravel roads - and loved its performance on pavement and dirt. The MT-60s were tempting. I will, however - when it comes time - switch the front out for a Sync. I don't have much of the "swimming" people talk about (I'm 6'3" 225lbs), but I'd love to try something else. Yo Davo: I WISH I was on my Uly on January 2 when you saw one. Were you riding in the area? If it were running, I would have taken it up to the New Year's rental house in The Poconos instead of my car (and pried my frozen girlfriend off the back). Then I would have gotten stuck in the snow, which would have meant avoiding going back to work in DC. I'll report back when I get it taken to the dealer. Then I'll start a new thread about how I think either the cold or the engine vibrations killed my Beltronics RADAR detector I had mounted on the handlebars. The thing turns on, but doesn't detect RADAR anymore - not even in my car. | ||
| Florida_lime |
Then I'll start a new thread about how I think either the cold or the engine vibrations killed my Beltronics RADAR detector I had mounted on the handlebars. The thing turns on, but doesn't detect RADAR anymore - not even in my car. I hope you didn't learn that tidbit the hard way !  I had a similar (but definitely not the same) situation recently. I was away for the Xmas holidays, and got back on New Year's Day. The next afternoon, I was getting ready to take the Uly to work, as usual. I turned the key on, gauges all normal, hit the starter -- 1 click. I didn't have time to check it out, so I took the van. (Hey, we were expecting temps in the 30s when I got out of work at midnight! ) I checked it out the next day. Voltmeter said battery was 12.65 at rest, and about 12.15 when I hit the starter to get my 1 click. I figured starter or relay, but put it on the battery tender to be sure. It took very little time to get a charged indicator light (12.85 V), so I put it in gear and gently bumped it against the gear, pulled in the clutch, and hit the starter. Started up like nothing was ever wrong, and it's been fine every day since. So far.... Not real confidence inspiring when you go out to the parking lot at work at 3 am, and there is no one else around, but it hasn't failed me yet ! | ||
| Hooper |
After re-reading some of the posts, I remembered that I had taken the washers off the battery posts a couple months ago, after a routine battery inspection. I think I did it because it didn't solve the hesitant start that my Uly experiences. So, yesterday I tried to start it up, with no luck. I put the washers back on, and, after a few tries, it came back to life and I ran it around the block. It sure was good to be back on after a few weeks. Either way, it's going back to the dealer this weekend. | ||
| Nipsey |
One of my favorite instructors had a saying "When you hear hoof beats...think horses not zebras". It is something I repeat to myself often as I struggle through fixing anything that just stopped working. Glad to hear you got it sorted out - have fun with it before taking it in, assuming you don't have 30 degrees and rain like we do! | ||
| Marlinrider |
I encountered this problem about a year and a half ago while going down the hiway at 85mph on a hot and sunny day! The bike completely shut down. I coasted to the shoulder where my riding buddies were waiting, shut everything down and turned it back on...started right up. Bank angle sensor replaced by recall shortly after that. It happened again this past fall when it was about 45 degrees outside. I pulled up to a stop light and the bike died. Same procedure and the bike was up and running. I reported it to my service department the next morning, claiming a bank angle sensor problem reoccurred. But they were unable to replicate the problem, but it is on record as occurring. Someone mentioned it happening in the rain...I have not encountered that, but I have had the rear cylinder shut down, thus causing the bike to shut down in the rain. It usually happens when it has sat in the rain, and I think that water accumulates around the rear spark plug and causes the problems. Sat in a rest area in upstate New York revving the engine until the accumulated water evaporated. | ||
| Towjam |
Either way, it's going back to the dealer this weekend. Hooper, Apologies for digging up an old thread but did you ever get to the dealer and what (if anything) did they find? | ||
| Hooper |
Wow, this is going way back. I actually never brought the issue up with the dealer since putting the washers back on solved the problem. |
