Bike just cut-off during a ride

[Chalkmyster]

Hi all,

Help required please...whilst out riding over the brecons my bike turned it self off, no electrical power to the dash or any where else to the bike.  

Just got recovered home, appears battery is OK (recovery did not check) via my battery charger.  Also the datatool alarm keeps going off.

So questions:

1. What could the fault be for the electrics?
2. How do you dis-arm the datatool - think it's trying to gain power/source to arm??

[Yoyo]

Blown main fuse is the most likely cause but something must have caused it to fail.

[Chalkmyster]

Ha just checked that before reading this but thank you, yes this was blown, so the 30amp replacement was replaced.  But when I place the key in the ignition, kill switch off, the fuse blows again.  I have nothing else drawing power from the battery or from the switch less the lights (on by default).

I did just before of the incident took place attempt to put my beams on as instrument panel cut-off then came back, then cut-off again...by the second time round the bike had slowed to a stop (with the clutch lever depressed).  Conditions weren't great, very wet spray on the m4 before our meet (group of 3) then headed to Penderyn, stopping having a quick 10min de-brief (ROSPA rider, which the bike stopped and started fine.  Then after 5mins heading north heading into the clouds, dodging sheep, horses and cows this happened....and died in all the best places http://goo.gl/maps/ek8u0.

So I'm thinking now lights, ignition...earth etc..which could be causing this.

[Pug27]

Could it be the loom rubbing against the frame?


viewtopic.php?f=58&t=16745

[Chalkmyster]

That did cross my mind when it happened and is something I will check.

By rights if I remove all the fuses for headlights, signal and anything else I should be able to isolate the issue, taking out one of the fuses at a time?   If all fuses are out and still the 30amp starter/main fuse blows then it must the main starter switch or something within the loom?

[Pug27]

Surely, I could be wrong, but would it not blow them fuses first if that was the issue. ie if the headlights were the problem would that fuse not go before the main fuse?

[Chalkmyster]

True...I was taking the circuit/loop/quickest root method/thought process.

So loom check it is.

Just a thought, my hazard light switch did it want to work on Thursday, persistent rain on the M4 lately but after fiddling with the switch it came back to life.  Could these be related??

[Pug27]

Maybe a fluke as it's working but could be worth stripping down the switch gear and taking a look armed with a can of WD?

[kwackboy]

Check the loom ... you have a main live wire touching somewhere it shouldn't.  
This circuit is different to all the others and if there was a problem with them your other fuses would have blown first .
Wouldn't have thought that any of your switches would be to blame on a young bike like yours.  

Good luck in finding the problem  

[Fat Rat]

My money is on the loom  

[Chalkmyster]

Me too more the think I about it, but I've had a beer now whilst making the most of this blue sky and ....... S......u.....n  

Will check tomorrow and update.

[greywolf]

I'd be looking at the Datatool too, especially if it an alarm. How is it wired in?

[Chalkmyster]

It was wired in from dealer (JT's Swansea), so plug'n play by the looks of it.

The alarm (datatool) is now service mode with the main fuse (30amp) being replaced. Every time I know go to turn the key this fuse blows with no visual illumation of the dashboard appearing.

With the 30amp fuse I now get 4 ways and I'm guessing the datatool is plugged in as a spear from the main switch.

[greywolf]

I'd wire in a headlight bulb across the fuse terminals. Whenever the short is active, it will just light the bulb. Play around with stuff to see if you can get the bulb to go out or flicker. Whatever you are playing around with will be in the area of the problem.

[Chalkmyster]

Update...it is the loom at the vulnerable point.

Cannot really tell how bad it is but its not bad as others have experienced.

Now to fix...somehow.

[UK_Vstrom650]

Is that at the bit Fatbelly posted about viewtopic.php?f=58&t=16745 ?

Think I better inspect/take preventative measures...

[Chalkmyster]

Yep... At first I couldn't see the area at fault but after gaining more access I could see 3 wires   .

Heres some more pics...

My bike has now done 27050 miles with this issue only showing up.

The bike is now running again but I can't rest until it's been out on a 20+ mile wet ride to confirm that was the area, although I did check the rest of loom...the best I could.

[Yoyo]

Glad to hear you spotted it and if that fix doesn't give you another 27k I don't know what will! There's only 12k on my bike  but the more I get into this Rospa stuff the more.mileage I'm doing, I'd better have a look and get some preventative stuff done!

[greywolf]

Do you ride when there is salt on the roads? Almost every case I've heard of of the loom shorting out has occurred on a UK bike. I'm thinking it's salt water getting to the crimp connections in the loom and corroding them that is the culprit rather than abrasion. A corroded connection adds resistance which causes heat and the heat melts the insulation, causing contact with the frame.

[Chalkmyster]

Sure do, I ride all year regardless of weather, commuting110miles a day on it which will soon be 130 miles