Hitchcocks Forum

Hope someone can offer help on this one, it’s a bit of a mystery to me. I had been using the bike all morning on a couple of longish trips with no problem. On returning from the last trip I started the bike as normal, starter motor spun normally, bike fired up and sat idling for a few moments. The engine cut out and when I tried to re-start it I found I had no electrics. Everything is absolutely dead, no ignition light, horn, lights, not even a click from the solenoid. I have checked all the fuses, checked for loose or broken wiring, all the usual things but still no electrics.
I did have a problem with an almost flat battery about a month ago but the battery was charged up and seems to be holding its charge. I am also using an Oxford Oximiser 900 to keep the battery topped up and fully charged. I can not think it would be the battery as I would expect at least something when the ignition is switched on but there is absolutely nothing. Any thoughts would be much appreciated before I call in the breakdown people tomorrow. I can get a few tools and tester out to the bike in the morning if there is a quick fix; she’s presently languishing in the bottom of the turret at the Chateau D’Apremont! The bike’s a 2012 EFI 500, any help would be much appreciated as usual.

Hi Mick, its possible the negative wire has come adrift either from the battery or the frame..

Place the red probe of your multimeter on the positive battery terminal and the black one on any metal part of the frame...

Just check for earth continuity back to the batt...

Blown fuse?

Or another fuse???? Mine mystified me till I discovered no.2 in a different place.
ATB Chris

Modern batteries don`t go flat slowly like the older types, they can be perfect one minute, dead the next. Try another if all else fails.

What`s the battery voltage reading as in 12.8 vdc?

All three fuses seem to be okay, the battery was reading 12.8 volts in the morning but I will test it again today and put new fuses in. I think that you might be on the mark Gwilly, I'll put a meter across it today. Any idea where the negative wire is earthed to the frame? From the battery earth terminal I have a thick black wire going down to the starter and a thin black wire disappearing off into the wiring loom.

Check the battery voltage (in situ) using the bike frame for the negative earth. Also have you 12.8v feed to the fuses box when you switch on.

Mick, obviously they are running the earth to the motor now and using the engine bolts to earth the frame. With the meter check you have continuity battery negative to the frame. I doubt it would be a problem but a quick check will confirm it

Hi there MICK B ------------- If you have an Ammeter check the two wiring connector nuts are tight............. I had an identical problem on a friends Iron Barrelled machine a few years back with identical symptoms ie}--- had ridden it home from work the previous evening, next morning NO ELECTRICS at all..............PS, be careful if prodding around in the nacelle with a spanner that you don't earth it = SURPRISE !!!!!!!