Howdy Gang, I apologize beforehand cause I think this is gonna be long winded so here goes.....History.......2002 ultra classic, 20k or so, riding at 0-dark thirty and lights go out, completely dark, but when I engage the breaks, the lights come on? SomI replace a blown lights fuse, and it pops a few miles later, replace it with a 20a from a 15a cause that's all I have and no more issues, works fine. Been too busy to hunt down the problem. Now, riding home tonight, and my speedo starts bouncing to zero, it just fades to zero like a tach does when you pull the clutch in, also when this happens, the radio fades off to silent as the speedo needle drops, and,,,the cruise control cuts out. Was doing it time to time, then progressively got worse until the needle stayed at zero almost all the time. So still cruising home, maybe 80 miles to go, and at speed, 70mph. And 3k on the tach, everything sounds and feels great, runs like a sewing machine. Until I hit the toll. Pull in the clutch to start coasting down to the booth and it dies. I dump the clutch and it pop starts back to life. So I have to keep the rpms up. To keep it from dying, maybe 1500 or 2000 or so, runs like crap in the lower rpms. So the last few miles was keeping it revved up in the lower gears making my way through town to get home once I was off the interstate. My check engine light came on for about 2 seconds when I was pop starting it again when it died rolling up to a light but that's it. Once it's above 2k it runs great but won't idle and now that I made it home I don't even know if it'll start. We'll see. I HAVE to get into it tomorrow cause that's my daily driver. I'm stationed up in the shipyard here in Maine and my family is back in Groton CT where I'm home-ported. I ride the 340 miles every weekend to go see them, sometimes even midweek for a night, so I'll be in it tomorrow after work and maybe I'll find out what's up with those lights. For the meantime, any ideas at what it could be? Thanks all..

 

Might be a short somewhere, or it might be somethin super-simple. Last week, I started having a problem starting the bike, almost like the battery was drained (1 month old battery). I'd plug the battery tender in every night, next day, same thing. Then, few days ago, I was coming down our road, and my radio, lights, etc flickered, and the bike started backfiring, then it just quit. no lights, no juice nada. I took the seat off, and power went back on. Take the ecm & cover off, and find my negative wire's screw had worked loose. Tightened everything, good as new. It's worth checking. And the fact that all of your systems (guages, lights, etc) make it seem like its one of the main power or ground wires

 

Maybe the voltage regulator is crapping out.

 

First, welcome Stape - I have an 02 and just had the same thing happen. It is your speed sensor. One thing you can do is pulle it and wipe it off or just go replace it. I did both. Might be worth your time to just replace it.

https://www.hdforums.com/forum/touri...tra-glide.html


As far as the lights going out, what mine did was I would lose all electrical power, then after a few moments, everything would come back on. This was caused by the 40amp main CB that is located just inside, forward of where your battery goes. It is a two post amp. I had mine rewired and moved back along side my fuse box and went with an inline 40. Not sure if that is it but something to consider.

Good luck.

 

Thanks for the scoop, I'll give it a shot. I appreciate all the help guys, one of these days I'll post up something good instead of having problems all the time! I can see myself now out in the barracks parking lot with this iPad trying to find a doo-hicky this or that to locate the speed sensor but I think I got a good idea. Fingers crossed! Thanks again, I really appreciate the info and knowledge you folks offer.

 

Just curious, what the heck does a speed sensor have to do with keeping the engine idling? Sure I can understand the speedo, but it killing the engine?

 

Good Luck! And if you find what's been causing the gremlin, make sure to post it in here...gotta satisfy our curiosity

 

Not sure of the reason but mine did the same thing. When we pulled off the road so I could fix it, would not keep an idle. Then when we got to the gas station, same thing. Also, after replacing the sensor, the engine light will come on like normal, go off and then come back on, then go off again.
I tried resetting everything but that did not work for me.

 

Clean and tighten battery cables on both ends. I'l bet problems are gone. If this doest fix it, speed sensor would be my next suggested as stated before. After that I would have a scan done and check for fault codes.

 

Be sure to check the wire going in to your front fender for the running light on the fender tip. Mine rubbed raw and caused all kinds of problems..