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Buell Forum » Knowledge Vault (tech, parts, apparel, & accessories topics) » Troubleshooting (Poor Starting/Running/Handling/Ride Issues) » Archive through September 10, 2008 » 02' M2 Loses power while riding « Previous Next »

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Adsva83
Posted on Friday, August 22, 2008 - 08:31 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

My 02 Cyclone starts without a problem and i have had the battery checked to make sure it is a good battery. When the bike is warmed up and i'm running down the road it loses all power. My gauges go blank, tachometer goes to zero, turn signals don't work. With all of the the engine is still running, it's barely putting but it is still running while all of this is going on. When you try to give it gas while this happens i can hear the carb open up but nothing happens. After about 20 seconds or so the bike comes back to life as if nothing has happened, only to repeat this "dying" time after time.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I hate paying the outrageous shop rates, but i can't troubleshoot this problem to know what to fix.
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Adsva83
Posted on Friday, August 22, 2008 - 08:45 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

I have noticed an excessive amount of hot air coming out of the rear cylinder where the header attaches. I'm pretty sure i need new header gaskets there but would that be causing the problem???
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Buell_bert
Posted on Saturday, August 23, 2008 - 10:55 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Could you please clean and tighten your positive and negative connections to the frame and battery. Do not just tighten them only, be sure to take them off and clean them. There also is another ground with the main one so clean them both. Oh and also give a small crimp to the coil push on wires just to make sure they stay tight.
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Adsva83
Posted on Monday, August 25, 2008 - 08:48 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

I have cleaned all of the electrical connections. I actually took and sanded them down to a shiny original silver color. I'm not going to know for sure if this solved the problem until i get a header gasket and put the headers back on tomorrow.
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Packrat
Posted on Tuesday, August 26, 2008 - 05:18 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

SO, did cleaning the grounds fix your problem??
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Adsva83
Posted on Tuesday, August 26, 2008 - 09:47 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

I am also in the process of replacing the header gaskets while i have the tools out, so I won't know until i have the exhaust back on and can run the bike. A note to self, taking the headers off is easy, trying to get them back on while also getting the gaskets in place is a pain in the arse.
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Fstevez
Posted on Tuesday, August 26, 2008 - 11:17 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

check the kickstand switch, i had a problem where my bike would shut off while running,,, that might help. just a suggestion.
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Djkaplan
Posted on Wednesday, August 27, 2008 - 02:12 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

My 2000 M2 just started doing the same thing a few weeks ago - power to the instruments goes dead and bike starts sputtering - it was intermittent at first and then left me stranded on the highway!

As it turns out, it was an internal short in the battery. I was able to confirm this with a multimeter, btw.

If you've checked all the grounds (a loose battery ground wire can cause the same symptoms), definitely look closely at the battery.
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Djkaplan
Posted on Wednesday, August 27, 2008 - 02:18 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

I documented that little adventure, btw...

http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/476 23/380113.html?1217444819

http://www.badweatherbikers.com/cgibin/discus/show .cgi?tpc=47623&post=1210871#POST1210871
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Adsva83
Posted on Thursday, August 28, 2008 - 07:27 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Is there a way to bypass the kickstand switch? If i just take it off completely will the bike still run. I realize it's there for "safety" but if i'm dumb enough to ride with the kickstand down i deserve what's coming to me.
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Sparky
Posted on Thursday, August 28, 2008 - 03:01 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

You can bypass the kickstand switch by disconnecting the harness from the switch at the connector and jumpering the two wires together in the harness, leaving the switch and wires on the sidestand not connected to the harness.

A defective sidestand switch may or may not be your problem however, if you say the turn signals do not work when the ignition malfunctions. Having ignition and electrical (turn signal) malfunctions at the same time indicates something more basic wrong.

Like DJ infers, I'd start at the battery and check it out thoroughly. Take it to a motorcycle shop where they can load test it and tell you it's OK or it's toast. It doesn't have to be a HD/Buell dealer. Or see if you can borrow a known good battery for a while to see if the symptoms persist.

From there, you need to check out the batt cables, main circuit breaker, ignition key switch, etc.
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Adsva83
Posted on Thursday, August 28, 2008 - 09:42 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

I've had the battery tested and I'm told that it is a good battery. I cleaned all of the connections at the battery and the ground. I rode the bike around for about 15 minutes tonight without any problems at all. It would act up before within a couple of miles from leaving home so i hope the problem was the connections.
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Buell_bert
Posted on Friday, August 29, 2008 - 08:55 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Yea my 2001 had the same (or close to it) problem and all I did was clean the batt. and ground connections and retighten them and have not had a problem in over a month. And mine would run fine then just die and restart right away. I am still a little gun shy of a long run though.
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Djkaplan
Posted on Wednesday, September 03, 2008 - 01:49 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

"I've had the battery tested and I'm told that it is a good battery."

As Sparky posted, the battery needs to be load tested. Unless it was specifically tested under load, I would not assume the battery is good to go.

If you read the links I posted, you'll see that not properly load testing the battery can send you on a wild goose chase... and it just seems like good advice to listen to a guy called 'Sparky' if you got electrical problems.
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