Poor Bertha... stranded with electrical problems...
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Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
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From: North Atlanta Area, GA
I actually have one of these T shirts that I wear quite often...
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Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
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From: North Atlanta Area, GA
I share your pain! Having got my front brakes to work a few weeks ago, after problems bleeding them, I replaced the brake lever and set off on a trial trip. After a few miles the front brake jammed on and I had to get trailered home.
Part of the problem of keeping our 'old' bikes going is that Harley no longer supply such things as levers and my new pattern one stopped the piston returning properly in the master cylinder. Easily fixed with a file, but bl00dy embarrasing, having spent so much effort on the other end of the bike!
Part of the problem of keeping our 'old' bikes going is that Harley no longer supply such things as levers and my new pattern one stopped the piston returning properly in the master cylinder. Easily fixed with a file, but bl00dy embarrasing, having spent so much effort on the other end of the bike!
Welcome to the "Towed Home" Hall of Shame... Nice to know I'm not all alone in here...
But the nice thing about Harleys is that are so many aftermarket suppliers of pretty much anything you could want. I replaced Bertha's ugly old black Police hand controls with shiny new chrome ones - clutch, brake, switch housings, and new switches - for only a few hundred bucks, and haven't had any issues with them. I stayed with the '82-'95 style mostly to keep the old school look up front - but I could have easily upgraded everything to the '96-up style. I've seen complete kits going back to the 70s at J&P, and you can get all of the individual parts, too. Nice!
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Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
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From: North Atlanta Area, GA
I dumped it once coming up to a stop sign at night on an interstate offramp in Texas, in the pitch darkness. There was a pothole, and the front wheel went right in it, and I went over the bars! Luckily, I was only going less than 10 MPH when it happened, coming to a stop.
I guess I flipped over the bars - because I landed on my back, probably laid there for 5 minutes in the dark, got up and dusted myself off, picked up the bike, and rode home in a fog. The little bike seemed none the worse for the wear... and fortunately neither was I because I was only 17 at the time and wearing a 3/4 helmet with a face guard, a leather jacket, jeans, and boots!
Road Warrior
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,952
Likes: 15
From: Senoia, Ga., by way of Miami, Fl..
Doc - you're not hijacking at all! Bertha's problem is fixed anyway - so I welcome the ongoing discussion. Very good point you bring up about NOT having critical stuff on the bike that you might or might not be able to get parts for down the road. I never thought of it that way... that's the kind of stuff you've learnt the hard way then?
BTW - the only way I finally fixed Bertha's Dreaded Click (or as I call it... the "Click of Death") was to buy a new Ultima 1.4 Kw starter (almost certainly made in China or somewhere else in Asia) for $140. So far, it has performed flawlessly, and it actually sounds much sturdier than the original H-D starter did - quieter and smoother when cranking. It's also real chrome BTW... and I'm a chrome addict, as you can see. But it's one of those parts that I could easily replace with another one from the MoCo or from any other manufacturer down the road, without affecting anything else. It's not part of some aftermarket "system" that uses unique parts that are only available rom a single manufacturer, as you pointed out.
Greg - I hear what you're saying. I know we're not supposed to get political... but I have felt for years that all the outsourcing of manufacturing to China, etc. was someday going to come back and bite us in the *** - as well as costing American jobs. There is indeed a lot of Chinese junk out there - including quite a bit of "Genuine H-D" stuff from the dealers. But at least with a Genuine H-D part - (1) I get the backing of the MoCo if it fails, and (2) I'm not taking any unnecessary chances with parts of unknown origin.
I try to buy American whenever I can... but the facts are that the choices available to we consumers are getting slimmer and slimmer by the day. It's really difficult to run American manufacturing operations these days - simply due to personnel costs and ever-increasing government regulations (OSHA, EPA, etc.). Also, things used to be made to be able to be repaired - but nearly everything these days is made to be simply disposed of and bought again new... hence the all-too-common "No User-Serviceable Parts Inside" sticker on just about everything nowadays.
I don't like it... but that's the way of the world now and, this old fart certainly can't change that. We just have to deal with reality, and enjoy our motorcycling hobby as best we can.
I like working on Bertha - but I like RIDING her even more!
BTW - the only way I finally fixed Bertha's Dreaded Click (or as I call it... the "Click of Death") was to buy a new Ultima 1.4 Kw starter (almost certainly made in China or somewhere else in Asia) for $140. So far, it has performed flawlessly, and it actually sounds much sturdier than the original H-D starter did - quieter and smoother when cranking. It's also real chrome BTW... and I'm a chrome addict, as you can see. But it's one of those parts that I could easily replace with another one from the MoCo or from any other manufacturer down the road, without affecting anything else. It's not part of some aftermarket "system" that uses unique parts that are only available rom a single manufacturer, as you pointed out.
Greg - I hear what you're saying. I know we're not supposed to get political... but I have felt for years that all the outsourcing of manufacturing to China, etc. was someday going to come back and bite us in the *** - as well as costing American jobs. There is indeed a lot of Chinese junk out there - including quite a bit of "Genuine H-D" stuff from the dealers. But at least with a Genuine H-D part - (1) I get the backing of the MoCo if it fails, and (2) I'm not taking any unnecessary chances with parts of unknown origin.
I try to buy American whenever I can... but the facts are that the choices available to we consumers are getting slimmer and slimmer by the day. It's really difficult to run American manufacturing operations these days - simply due to personnel costs and ever-increasing government regulations (OSHA, EPA, etc.). Also, things used to be made to be able to be repaired - but nearly everything these days is made to be simply disposed of and bought again new... hence the all-too-common "No User-Serviceable Parts Inside" sticker on just about everything nowadays.
I don't like it... but that's the way of the world now and, this old fart certainly can't change that. We just have to deal with reality, and enjoy our motorcycling hobby as best we can.
I like working on Bertha - but I like RIDING her even more!
Being in the auto biz, I completely understand the cost of operation and can (sadly)easily justify the offshore migration of many operations (talk about political
). It just makes me sick to see an American icon, who makes 100% of their proffit on the premmis that they are the only real American motorcycle company. I know there are others, but thats disputable... Glad Bertha's back on the road.. A helpless moment every now and then just makes you stronger in the end..
Road Captain
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 640
Likes: 13
From: Hickory, NC area
mjunk1, your problem isn't the multimeter. Your problem is lacking a basic understanding of electricty. Once you understand the physics behind it, then the meter will make sense. It all starts with atomic structure and electrons. That's where you have to start, then work your way up from there. It really isn't complicated or difficult. Electrons flow in a conductor like water in a pipe. Current is the flow rate, measured in Amps. Pressure is measured in Volts. Resistance (to flow) is measured in Ohms. All three are mathmatically related as: Current = pressure divided by resistance, or I=E/R where I is current in Amps, E is voltage (electromotive force) and R is Resistance in Ohms. You can rearrange the numbers with simple Jr.High algebra and solve for any of those in realtion to the other two.
You have to look at what your measuring, think about what it is you want to know, then set your meter to the appropriate scale. Never try to measure ohms on a live circuit. For most users, never use the Amp (current) settings at all.
And as Doug sez, if you have the meter set at current (amps, miliamps) and put it across a voltage source like a battery or the stator (running), then you will blow the meter or at least the fuse in it, or the circuit your testing, depending on what's weakest. Same thing with putting it on Ohms and putting it across a big voltage source. This is a common amateurish mistake, but I've seen professional Maritime Engineers (schoolship boys yet, that is, Maritime Academy graduates) do this regularly. I was on one ship where they blew both of their Simpson meters doing that, then got upset when I wouldn't give them mine to use.
You have to look at what your measuring, think about what it is you want to know, then set your meter to the appropriate scale. Never try to measure ohms on a live circuit. For most users, never use the Amp (current) settings at all.
And as Doug sez, if you have the meter set at current (amps, miliamps) and put it across a voltage source like a battery or the stator (running), then you will blow the meter or at least the fuse in it, or the circuit your testing, depending on what's weakest. Same thing with putting it on Ohms and putting it across a big voltage source. This is a common amateurish mistake, but I've seen professional Maritime Engineers (schoolship boys yet, that is, Maritime Academy graduates) do this regularly. I was on one ship where they blew both of their Simpson meters doing that, then got upset when I wouldn't give them mine to use.
I fully agree the problem is me, but I am confused as to why it hasn't clicked for me yet. I have a degree in mathematics, I generally work on all my vehicles myself, I consider myself a fairly intelligent person, but when it comes to the multimeter I am dead in the water. I guess I need to pay someone an hour's labor rate to have them teach me how to use the tool correctly at least once. Maybe Rufus can come down for lunch one day
Road Warrior
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,952
Likes: 15
From: Senoia, Ga., by way of Miami, Fl..
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Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
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From: North Atlanta Area, GA
RE: AD/HD... It does get worse. I told my wife that the day I don't recognize either her or Bertha is the day to put me down... as painlessly as possible!
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1st Gear
Joined: Feb 2010
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OK - you guys seem to have been here before. Got a new problem for you. 1999 Ultra. I noticed the battery was intermittently charging. Eventually dropped off and did not charge at all and had to get a push to get home. Charged battery overnight and the battery held charge. Pulled plug on stator - no ground out problem, but resistance between leads was 0 ohms. Checked AC output and got max of 19 volts at 3,000 rpm. I replaced stator, but still have exact same problem. Checked output on new stator and have only 12 volts AC. Could I have a another bad stator or could the regulator have taken out the new stator.
Any help would be appreciated.
Any help would be appreciated.
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Club Member
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From: North Atlanta Area, GA
OK - you guys seem to have been here before. Got a new problem for you. 1999 Ultra. I noticed the battery was intermittently charging. Eventually dropped off and did not charge at all and had to get a push to get home. Charged battery overnight and the battery held charge. Pulled plug on stator - no ground out problem, but resistance between leads was 0 ohms. Checked AC output and got max of 19 volts at 3,000 rpm. I replaced stator, but still have exact same problem. Checked output on new stator and have only 12 volts AC. Could I have a another bad stator or could the regulator have taken out the new stator.
Any help would be appreciated.
Any help would be appreciated.
Is your new stator a Genuine H-D part? What's the rated output? And did you check the VAC output from the new stator BEFORE you plugged the regulator connector into it? You should have, and it should have put out a good 16 to 20 VAC for every 1000 RPM when it was first put on without the regulator ever having been connected to it. If you're only getting 12 VAC from the new stator at 3000 RPM, that won't provide enough juice to keep the battery charged. Perhaps your meter is not reading correctly. Does your primary have the electrical stink that John mentioned?
Last edited by NorthGeorgiaHawg; Jul 8, 2010 at 01:48 PM.