Anybody here? I need help.
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Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2013
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From: nc
Anybody here? I need help.
So my father finally signed over his old 64 duo. 84 ci stroker motor, electronic ignition, the works. I pulled it out of storage yesterday, and surprisingly, she fired up. I pulled it on the trailer and brought her home. New gas, plugs, battery, carb tuning, and a bit of cleaning, and she started running fine. Took her for a little spin, and noticed that the light are dimming out, and eventually cutting off, at idle. Rev the engine and they come back. I also noticed that you have the flip the switch for the highway lights a few times before they come on. I know next to nothing about generator bikes. Right now I'm thinking that maybe its a short in the wiring for the highway lights? Could it be anything other than a short? If anybody's here help would be appreciated.
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Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2013
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From: nc
Can a generator go bad just sitting? My father built the bike back in the mid 90's. It has a whopping 380 miles on it. He got really sick not too long after he built it and couldn't ride any more. But he was a stickler about signing it over to me for the last 10 ish years.
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Intermediate
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From: nc
Couple other things. When I say the lights dim and die out I mean ALL the lights. And the weird thing is that it will do it with the bike not running too. If you turn the switch to the lights on position, they will dim out in a matter of a couple minutes.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2005
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From: Santa Klaus County, Cali
Seems as if he has the lighting system running through the generator maybe? Can you post a pic of the wiring to the bike. A generator is not going to go bad from sitting.
And you say "electronic ignition, the works" as in Mallory type distributor with no points and modern voltage regulator as opposed to points and old style point type voltage regulator?
And you say "electronic ignition, the works" as in Mallory type distributor with no points and modern voltage regulator as opposed to points and old style point type voltage regulator?
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From: la la land jerzey
- 1 - did you put in a new battery
2 - did you put a volt meter on the battery when running to see what the system is puting out ??????? note // what are those numbers
3 - does the diming affect the hot idle of the bike ?????
4 - if its been sitting and switches are intermittent that would be normal its not a honda civic - its an older panhead that is in need of a good looking over and adjusting
5 - take your time its not a hose and go twinkie - you need to use marvil oil in the gas 2oz a tank full carry it with you, and it wants leaded gas and that is gone as well - use 60W motorcycle oil not racing oil for a car < its different - it wants Hi test 92 oct unleaded fuel - it wants all its oil changed you should not have just started it up but that being said CARE must be taken /
2 - did you put a volt meter on the battery when running to see what the system is puting out ??????? note // what are those numbers
3 - does the diming affect the hot idle of the bike ?????
4 - if its been sitting and switches are intermittent that would be normal its not a honda civic - its an older panhead that is in need of a good looking over and adjusting
5 - take your time its not a hose and go twinkie - you need to use marvil oil in the gas 2oz a tank full carry it with you, and it wants leaded gas and that is gone as well - use 60W motorcycle oil not racing oil for a car < its different - it wants Hi test 92 oct unleaded fuel - it wants all its oil changed you should not have just started it up but that being said CARE must be taken /
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Intermediate
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From: nc
Yes to the new battery, oil changes, etc. I kicked it to see if it would start. Changed everything after it did. Will get back to you with the numbers.
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From: navarre ohio
lights dimming sounds like a dead battery. at higher revs the generator puts out more power, if there isn't a good battery to regulate the power, the lights will dim and get brighter. could be a bad regulator, the gen and all the electrical connections will get corroded from sitting, you just need to go over everything and clean it.
Club Member
Joined: Jul 2013
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From: NorCal
It's a generator and a six volt system. Good advice has been given. You may want to add a ground wire from the trees to the frame if there is not one already. Upgrading to 12 volts helped me out. You kind of get used to it after a while. There's nothing like riding around with a headlight that thinks it's a candle!