DISCLAIMER: I haven't done a voltage check on my battery prior to posting this thread. However, I did charge it up the other night and the bike fired right up, no grief. It also fired right up tonight and I rode it about 15 miles for a cup of coffee (I'd ride 50 miles for a good cup of coffee, but that's another post). When I went to start it, though, everything seemed to work the way they should: turned the key, lights came on. Pressed the start button, it clicked and went dark. Waited for a minute, tried it again, same thing. Tried it again after another minute or so, this time it fired right up. Before I go tearing into the electrical system, I would appreciate any ideas or observations that you all may have on this dilemma/phenomena.[sm=bomb.gif]

Oh, yeah;it's an '05 883C. Thanks in advance.

 

Hmm, maybe check the battery connections for a loose wire? Hopefully it's nothing more serious than that.

 

Yep, I'd start by checking the battery cables as well...

 

Check the terminals and make sure there is no acid build up or corrosion under the terminals. If so, cleam them with a small wire brush, put a small dab of vaseline on them, reinstall and snug them down again. Then check voltage since it sounds like a bad connection at the battery.

 

They're right, eggroll. That's a very common symptom of a bad connection to the battery. There'll be enough connection to let everything function until some serious amperage for the starter is drawn and it breaks. Seems like after a couple minutes to cool, the same thing happens again.

Let us know what you discover.

 

yup its the battery cables, had same prob with my sporty this week
turned out the last wrench to work on it was at local stealer, cross threaded the neg post, bolt was torqued pretty tight but cable end was not getting good connection.
Someone sugested using star washer to asurre good connection at the ground.

 

Corrosion, corrosion, corrosion; you guys were right. A quick wire brushing, some conductive anti-seize and I'm back in business. I hope. Thanks for the tip.

 

Glad that helped eggroll.
I had the same thing happen to me with my first car a 73 Maverick. We used to cruise the local Sonic on weekend nights andI pulled in to get a cherry vanilla coke and then the car refused to start and I was trapped there. This was long before cell phones and I didn't want to be embarrassed in front of everyone and have to ask to use the phone to call my dad so I sat there all night until most everyone was gone then I gave him a call. My dad came out and wiggled the corroded battery cable and it started right up. I went home and cleaned it up like you did and never forgot that lesson.

 

while you at it you might want to check the ground frame connection also , I discovered mine loose when I was checking the other two connections.

 

Glad you got it sorted out eggroll. When I put my pigtail for my tender on my 06 three weeks ago, Only 2200 miles, I couldn't believe how much corrosion was on the cable ends. So I cleaned them real good and put some anti-corrosion stuff on them after hooking them back up.