Motorcycle died today... Check your Maxi-Fuse
Thread Starter
|
Tourer
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 279
Likes: 315
From: Southern Vancouver Island
Motorcycle died today... Check your Maxi-Fuse
2018 Ultra Limited with 40,000 kms, stage II but otherwise stock. So I was riding along today when all of a sudden, my radio turned off. Weird I thought... Then it came back on a minute later. A few minutes later, a bunch of warning lights come on and engine dies. I coast to side of road, turn ignition off then on again, bike re-starts immediately and I make it home no problem. Pull into driveway and engine dies again. Now I'm concerned as this motorcycle has performed flawlessly in the 4 years since I purchased it new.
I do some checking at home and notice that battery voltage is all over the place and I'm starting to think that charging system or battery is toast. After further checking, I discover that the 50 amp Maxi Fuse has overheated and partially melted into the fuse holder. I pull old fuse out, clean up terminals and install new Maxi Fuse with some dielectric grease. Problem solved!
Only reason I checked Maxi Fuse is because I recall reading somewhere on here a while back that another member had a similar issue and its a known problem. Not sure why Maxi Fuse overheated as I have pulled it and cleaned terminals previously. Maybe the battery is starting to go and is drawing too much amperage? I may look into replacing battery to be safe as its four years old now. I used to easily get 6 years out of a stock Harley battery but with newer bikes and the amount of electrical load these days, maybe they don't last as long?
Anyway, I was lucky problem reared its head a few blocks from home considering I've put over 20,000 problem free kms on the machine touring all over the USA this past summer. I would suggest to others that they may want to pull Maxi Fuse and inspect terminals during regular maintenance to ensure terminals are clean and prevent having to deal with a similar issue when out on the road.
I do some checking at home and notice that battery voltage is all over the place and I'm starting to think that charging system or battery is toast. After further checking, I discover that the 50 amp Maxi Fuse has overheated and partially melted into the fuse holder. I pull old fuse out, clean up terminals and install new Maxi Fuse with some dielectric grease. Problem solved!
Only reason I checked Maxi Fuse is because I recall reading somewhere on here a while back that another member had a similar issue and its a known problem. Not sure why Maxi Fuse overheated as I have pulled it and cleaned terminals previously. Maybe the battery is starting to go and is drawing too much amperage? I may look into replacing battery to be safe as its four years old now. I used to easily get 6 years out of a stock Harley battery but with newer bikes and the amount of electrical load these days, maybe they don't last as long?
Anyway, I was lucky problem reared its head a few blocks from home considering I've put over 20,000 problem free kms on the machine touring all over the USA this past summer. I would suggest to others that they may want to pull Maxi Fuse and inspect terminals during regular maintenance to ensure terminals are clean and prevent having to deal with a similar issue when out on the road.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 9,978
Likes: 5,218
From: Michigan
Last summer my remote (H-D) garage door on the bike wouldn't operate the door when I flipped the headlight dimmer switch.
I checked all of the fuses (or so I thought) and didn't find a problem so I started using one of the remotes out of another vehicle.
A couple of weeks later I was visiting some relatives and one of my great-nephews was looking at my T/G and asked me to turn on the lights and show them the LED's and the strobes that I installed.
When he asked me to turn on the passing lamps, they would NOT come on!
A day or so after I got home I was washing the T/G and decided to see if I could located the problem with the passing lamps.
After removing the LH side cover I started pulling and check fuses and sure as **** I found one that was blown!
And as my luck would have it....in addition to my passing lamps now working so was the remote garage door opener!
Looking back I think I missed the "break" in the fuse when I checked it in the garage the first time but on the second try I was out in the bright sunlight which made it easier to spot.
I checked all of the fuses (or so I thought) and didn't find a problem so I started using one of the remotes out of another vehicle.
A couple of weeks later I was visiting some relatives and one of my great-nephews was looking at my T/G and asked me to turn on the lights and show them the LED's and the strobes that I installed.
When he asked me to turn on the passing lamps, they would NOT come on!
A day or so after I got home I was washing the T/G and decided to see if I could located the problem with the passing lamps.
After removing the LH side cover I started pulling and check fuses and sure as **** I found one that was blown!
And as my luck would have it....in addition to my passing lamps now working so was the remote garage door opener!
Looking back I think I missed the "break" in the fuse when I checked it in the garage the first time but on the second try I was out in the bright sunlight which made it easier to spot.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 17,143
Likes: 6,165
From: SE Michigan
Trending Topics
Road Captain
Joined: Feb 2022
Posts: 614
Likes: 1,376
From: Tennessee
^^^THIS!^^^
You might want to figure out the reason your fuse melted before you catch that 5 gallon can of gasoline between your legs on fire.
You might want to figure out the reason your fuse melted before you catch that 5 gallon can of gasoline between your legs on fire.
HD Forum Stories
The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In
Verdad Gallardo
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Verdad Gallardo
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept
Verdad Gallardo
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Verdad Gallardo
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026
Verdad Gallardo
Southpaw Super Glide: A Left-Hand-Drive 1979 Harley FXE Built to Fit the Rider
Verdad Gallardo
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 7,987
Likes: 6,884
From: NC
Mine didn't melt, of break internally. My 50 amp main fuse contacts stopped passing electricity, at 80 mph on an interstate.
My guages just stuck where they were, all outputs with needles stayed where they were. Kinda freaked me out.
Scrapped the fuse with my knife and it made connection again. Once home I replaced the fuse and cleaned the connection.
My guages just stuck where they were, all outputs with needles stayed where they were. Kinda freaked me out.
Scrapped the fuse with my knife and it made connection again. Once home I replaced the fuse and cleaned the connection.
