Help/advice
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Cruiser
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 116
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From: CT
Help/advice
I recently bought an 01 Ultra Classic...It has 28K on it now..Everything about the bike looks like it was showroom condition..I've only put, maybe 300 miles on it and it runs beautifully..The problem. ..Today, I took a short hop into town..( no long lights to idle to overheat)...About 3 miles from home, the bike just went stone cold dead..All instrument lights went out, the engine stopped..I rolled to a stop..Sat there, totally confused...I had shut off the master switches ( handle bar and center lock/off/ ignition/acc)...Sat there under one minute and tried turning it on and starting it...Everything worked great..engine sounds like normal etc..I had called a friend and he came with his car to follow me home..Bike ran great all the way back...I can't trust it not to happen again...won't ride it until I have an answer as to what/why something happened....Any ideas out there?...Thanks in advance.
I have seen several post about this same thing happening, it has always been the SOP of starting with checking of the battery cables. After that I would check for Chafing on the wiring, especially around the main power (battery) and at the wiring for the ECM.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 7,101
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Could be a bad switch, my old wide glide would do that, and I would bang
on the key switch and it would come back to life. I mean I would riding along, and it would shut right off, like you say, and wack the switch, and it would come right back to life.
You have to like my troubleshooting tactics right?
I have found a lot of electrical gremlins, just tapping with the plastic end of a screwdriver on the various electrical components, sometimes this will bring out an intermittent connection. Even use a small rubber mallet, hey this works for computer problems too!
peace
rags
on the key switch and it would come back to life. I mean I would riding along, and it would shut right off, like you say, and wack the switch, and it would come right back to life.
You have to like my troubleshooting tactics right?
I have found a lot of electrical gremlins, just tapping with the plastic end of a screwdriver on the various electrical components, sometimes this will bring out an intermittent connection. Even use a small rubber mallet, hey this works for computer problems too!
peace
rags
Supporter
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 15,787
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From: along the shore of Mishigami
I would go to the dealer/service dept. and ask them if your bike fell into the main circuit breaker recall. If I remember right, the older they get they become weaker and weaker and are more apt to trip when they heat up, they cool off and everything is normal.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2006
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From: King William, VA.
start by checking all connections
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Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2007
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From: Forest Lake, Mn
First of all, INSTALL a ride bell. Obviously one or two gremlins jumped on whilst you were heading into town. Once you stopped, they decided to hitch a ride with some other non-suspecting passer-by.
BUT don't buy it, someone has to give it to you. So casually leave the Dennis Jerk or J&P cat opened to that page, on the coffee or kitchen table, with a BIG azzed red circle around the bell of your choice.
Or you can just start trouble shooting the ol' boy. As posted, check ALL batt connections first.
Gotta LOVE Ragtop's "Trouble Shooting Guide for Dummies". GREAT post Rag.
If I mysteriously go off line, I was trouble shootin' the puter.
BUT don't buy it, someone has to give it to you. So casually leave the Dennis Jerk or J&P cat opened to that page, on the coffee or kitchen table, with a BIG azzed red circle around the bell of your choice.
Or you can just start trouble shooting the ol' boy. As posted, check ALL batt connections first.
Gotta LOVE Ragtop's "Trouble Shooting Guide for Dummies". GREAT post Rag.
If I mysteriously go off line, I was trouble shootin' the puter.
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Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: May 2008
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From: CT
Hello all...and thank you for all the help and advice. Just an hour ago, I stopped at the nearest Harley dealer..Told the service manager what happened...He put my VIN # in the computer to see if the recall was ever done on my bike...It wasn't...So....I have an appointment this coming Sat morning to change /upgrade the Main circuit breaker. Manager says that will solve the problem and that they have had no returns after the recall was preformed. ...That's not what I read on the Internet sites but...We'll see if it does fix everything..I will buy an extra circuit breaker to keep in the trunk. Also, I think I'll pick up a Maxi-Fuse ( like the 04 and up , use) and keep that handy as well.
Thanks all. Great bunch of people on this site and in the motorcycle world..( Two guys stopped to see if I needed anything the other day. I always do the same whether I'm in my cage or on a bike.)
Other Sheep...good advice about checking the battery while the service guys are in there..If it's not fairly new, I'll have it replaced. Good time to do it when it's exposed.
Thanks all. Great bunch of people on this site and in the motorcycle world..( Two guys stopped to see if I needed anything the other day. I always do the same whether I'm in my cage or on a bike.)
Other Sheep...good advice about checking the battery while the service guys are in there..If it's not fairly new, I'll have it replaced. Good time to do it when it's exposed.
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