bike quits
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Road Master
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 902
Likes: 0
From: Michigan/Florida
bike quits
reposting this for a friend
I have a 2001 Road Glide SE with about 12,000 miles on the clock. No mods. Bike runs great most of the time but on more than three occasions I'll be just cruising along and all of a sudden everything just quits...engine, lights, gauges..everything. I turn the ignition switch off then back on and everything comes back on. I have taken it in and all I get is "no problem found". This is very dangerous especially at night when the lights go out. I have a friend with an Ultra (not sure of the year) that has the same issue so I know I am not alone. Has anyone else had this problem and maybe have a fix. This bike is dangerous and could get me killed if it quits at the wrong time/place.
I have a 2001 Road Glide SE with about 12,000 miles on the clock. No mods. Bike runs great most of the time but on more than three occasions I'll be just cruising along and all of a sudden everything just quits...engine, lights, gauges..everything. I turn the ignition switch off then back on and everything comes back on. I have taken it in and all I get is "no problem found". This is very dangerous especially at night when the lights go out. I have a friend with an Ultra (not sure of the year) that has the same issue so I know I am not alone. Has anyone else had this problem and maybe have a fix. This bike is dangerous and could get me killed if it quits at the wrong time/place.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 4,867
Likes: 268
From: People's Republic of Boulder Colorado
My best guess would be a loose battery connection or loose ground somewhere or possibly an intermittent internal battery connection. Otherwise, an intermittent ignition switch maybe?
Intermittent electrical problems suck @$$ bigtime!
Good luck
Intermittent electrical problems suck @$$ bigtime!
Good luck
Thread Starter
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Road Master
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 902
Likes: 0
From: Michigan/Florida
If it was battery related I wouldn't think cycling the ingition switch would bring the bike back to life.
The ignition switch however could be an issue. But you would think it would happen more often and even at startup. It always starts when you get on it and always restarts the first time after it quits. Acts like a bank angle sensor problem but you would think the dealer could find that
The ignition switch however could be an issue. But you would think it would happen more often and even at startup. It always starts when you get on it and always restarts the first time after it quits. Acts like a bank angle sensor problem but you would think the dealer could find that
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 4,867
Likes: 268
From: People's Republic of Boulder Colorado
If it was battery related I wouldn't think cycling the ingition switch would bring the bike back to life.
The ignition switch however could be an issue. But you would think it would happen more often and even at startup. It always starts when you get on it and always restarts the first time after it quits. Acts like a bank angle sensor problem but you would think the dealer could find that
The ignition switch however could be an issue. But you would think it would happen more often and even at startup. It always starts when you get on it and always restarts the first time after it quits. Acts like a bank angle sensor problem but you would think the dealer could find that
Road Warrior
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 1,635
Likes: 13
From: 501
Loose battery cable or ground is my guess. Another poster said he found a ground loose on the frame that the dealer couldn't/wouldn't find. His was down below the battery box under the seat. Good Luck!
aka Bob
aka Bob
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 2,938
Likes: 30
From: North Florida
Try just wiggleing the ignition switch instead of turning it off and see if that resets everything if it does then the switch is bad.
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6th Gear
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: Braidwood, IL
My 2007 Ultra Classic has done the same thing. The first time, it shut the lights and radio off and choked a few times, like it was going to die, but came back to life. The 2nd time it died and I I cycled the key. Yesterday was the 3rd time, that time, cycling the key did nothing for me. I dug the tool pouch out, took the seat off, checked my cables, the where fine, turned the ignition on and nothing. I then pulled out the couple of fuses that where laying on top. I put them back in, and it turned right on. Drove it over a 100 miles and it was fine.
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Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2010
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From: Phoenix '53, '88, '09 Big Twins
so possible:
bank angle switch- the brackets for the early BAS were known to break and leave the switch hanging on the wires, where it could trip
main breaker- easy enough to check with a test light, when the power dies it would be hot on one side, cold on the other
ign. switch- contacts in these are known toburn up esp. if high watt bulbs are used for the lights
check these 3 first
mike
bank angle switch- the brackets for the early BAS were known to break and leave the switch hanging on the wires, where it could trip
main breaker- easy enough to check with a test light, when the power dies it would be hot on one side, cold on the other
ign. switch- contacts in these are known toburn up esp. if high watt bulbs are used for the lights
check these 3 first
mike
Tourer
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 455
Likes: 0
From: front door of Glacier NP
Mine was the negative cable at the battery post. It was ever so slightly loose. Bike would quit. Turned out that when I had the battery replaced they cross threaded the screw into the post at a slight angle. Developed an intermittent connection or disconnection. Bike would quit. I could not get the damn screw out of the post. Had to grind that mother off. Anyways...that is/was the cause of my intermittent shut down. Good luck!