Distance you can ride on battery alone?

[johnblaid]

So, who has ever ridden a gen 1 (1986) with the stator and voltage regulator completely disconnected from the electrical system?

My stator is shot and I decided that I could ride it to work (40 mi) let it cool off (hot starting problem too...starts instantly choked and cold) and get it back home and on a trickle charger. Brand new battery.

Got about 18 miles. Definitely plenty of gas.

In another thread I asked about a clicking sound that the bike makes most of the time when I turn the key on. I though it was the starter relay but one guy said it was the fuel pump priming. I now know he was right because the starter relay makes a whole different sound now that I've heard it.

Battery will honk horn and light neutral light but not for long.

My boss says there is another short in it besides the stator coils. I don' think so.

anybody got any idea how far this bike should go just on the battery.

Am applying for a WIN with the Darwin Awards this year....feel I'm a strong contender and should get at least two.

 

[Rusty McNeil]

No idea really, but I believe the ignition draws about 160 watts, throw in the headlight if it was on, plus the fuel pump, and the 18 miles till dead doesn't surprise me a bit.

 

[Rusty McNeil]

Common noise when turning the key on are the vboost and the fuel pump, the Vboost makes a whirring sound, twice, once open and once back closed.

The fuel pump makes a definite click/pulse sound anywhere from none to many depending on how full the bowls, howl well the float valves are seating, are and what kind of shape the fuel pump check valve is in.

 

[wildweasel_pt]

Hey Rusty are you sure about those 160w for the ignition circuit? That seems pretty steep for me. I'd pull the headlight fuse to save some juice...

 

[johnblaid]

whats this about the vboost cycling? mine doesn't make this noise and I've yet to feel the vboost kick in.

do you have to have it at wot to get it to work. my tach does not work so an rpm range will do me no good.

 

[naughtyG]

whats this about the vboost cycling? mine doesn't make this noise and I've yet to feel the vboost kick in.

do you have to have it at wot to get it to work. my tach does not work so an rpm range will do me no good.

The vboost valves cycle open/close every time you turn the ignition on (with the engine killswitch off). You should hear the lil' motor in front of the carbs every time. If not, most of the time the vboost controller (big square box under left scoop) is toast.

To check if the vboost is working, put the bike on center stand, start it + warm it up, then kneel next to the bike with a flashlight and twist the throttle til the motor goes past 6000 rpm (even without tacho you'll know), and look at the vboost motor/cable just in front and above the carbs - you should see the motor pulling the cable that opens the valves.

 

[alorio1]

You should hear this when you turn the key on...........
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2-_yn6fFAc

 

[johnblaid]

Thanks for the sound thing there.
Yea, I would have noticed that really clearly. I have never heard it once.
My VBoost does not work.

 

[tugla]

either its disconnected the plug or jammed stuck...or eliminated for something like the stg 7 carb setup.....does bike stil go like raped ape????
key to vnoost eliminated is braided line off oil filler....k&n individual filters and if you look at the carbs will see straight tubes between the carbs and not the butterflies. ...
if they r there man you are missing out.....get them working lol

 

[dtoebaert-5311]

So, who has ever ridden a gen 1 (1986) with the stator and voltage regulator completely disconnected from the electrical system?

My stator is shot and I decided that I could ride it to work (40 mi) let it cool off (hot starting problem too...starts instantly choked and cold) and get it back home and on a trickle charger. Brand new battery.

Got about 18 miles. Definitely plenty of gas.

In another thread I asked about a clicking sound that the bike makes most of the time when I turn the key on. I though it was the starter relay but one guy said it was the fuel pump priming. I now know he was right because the starter relay makes a whole different sound now that I've heard it.

Battery will honk horn and light neutral light but not for long.

My boss says there is another short in it besides the stator coils. I don' think so.

anybody got any idea how far this bike should go just on the battery.

Am applying for a WIN with the Darwin Awards this year....feel I'm a strong contender and should get at least two.

I had a toast RR once without knowing...fully charged batt, started up nicely, rode it to a shopping mall, about 15km, 10 miles, got out of the mall - dead as can be...had to call dealer to come pick it up...he said "that`s about the distance the batt will get you..."

 

[Bill Seward]

I have the Gold Wing battery mod in my '85. If it wasn't charging, I wouldn't take it around the block...

 

[Dr.n2o]

I had a toasted r/r years back and fully charged battery and had to get home. Bike ran like shit once battery started draining. The stock coils suck as it is let alone no juice. God bless c o p mod

 

[Rusty McNeil]

Hey Rusty are you sure about those 160w for the ignition circuit? That seems pretty steep for me. I'd pull the headlight fuse to save some juice...

I'm working off memory, but the number I saw was in the owners manual or service manual in specs I think where the other watt loadings and bulb sizes were given.

I've run a headlight kill switch for years just to get better charging at idle when its gonna sit for a bit while running, like traffic or when synching carbs etc.

 

[Miles Long]

I'm working off memory, but the number I saw was in the owners manual or service manual in specs I think where the other watt loadings and bulb sizes were given.
I've run a headlight kill switch for years just to get better charging at idle when its gonna sit for a bit while running, like traffic or when synching carbs etc.

+1
And for those of you that prefer to run on high beam during the daytime (for extra visibility), install the headlight switch to only disable the low beam circuit.
That way, when stuck idling in traffic, you will only have to switch the OEM switch to LO to cut power. No need to remove hand from grip, to find this switch.
Cheers!

 

[johnblaid]

there is no braided line off the oil filter cover...remember that this is the old canister type.

I've never ridden one before so I wouldn't know if it still runs like a striped ape. I'd say it's powerful but not more so than the old kow 900 I once owned. which is plenty for me. but my buddy says he felt the vboost kick in twice but he has never ridden one either. this bike already had some of the wiring cut out of it so I assume a previous owner has been tinkering with it but I have no way of knowing how to get in touch with that guy.

Frankly, I'm trying to decide whether to sell it or not. There's too much wrong with it and the work and expense...I just don't know whether it's worth it or not. I would have preferred a 2000 to 2003 but it was a gift so I'm kinda stuck with it.

 

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but it was a gift so I'm kinda stuck with it.

Don't sound like a bad place to be. See if the butterflies are still in place. If so, wire up a DPDT switch and you can turn it on/off on the fly.