We decided to take a 150 mile plus ride due to the unusual warm weather (80 degrees) we are having for the end of November. We figured colder weather is due. Started out early and the 1st stop was 91 miles later. Rested and drank a cold one then when we went to leave nothing. Bike had lights, horn and I even had the normal lights on the ignition module when the run button was applied. All you would here was a slight sound down near the starter. Checked connections on the battery and all were good and tight. Even disconnected them and reconnected. Battery is new Braille. After several attempts we figured it was trailer time so one of the riders we home to get his. Drank another cold one while waiting and received a call from the rider confirming I still needed a trailer so I told the Dog, here is your last chance to start before the trailer leaves to get you and it started. I was so convinced it was not going to start I had already turned the fuel off and yes it killed. Turn the fuel back on and it fired right up. Made it home and have ran it several times and can not get to do it again. Not sure if it was a connection, we had just travel a unplanned bumpy road before stopping. Don't know if it was the starter acting up but it is now doing fine. Any thoughts, sorry for the long story.
Last warm ride cut short (Mystery).
- Thread starter BruceMerc
- Start date
Peckerwood
Active Member
With the bumpy road in mind, I'd be checking all my battery connections first, especially the ground. Also, just because the Braille is new, doesn't necessarily mean it's not bad. Check the easy shit first. Good luck. Also-possible tank liner problem? You wouldn't be the first.
Yes, it has the stock ECH.
BadDawg Bill
Well-Known Member
Since you said it made a small noise at the starter I would suspect their is a flat spot or worn spot on the armature or the selinoid is going bad. You might have moved the bike enough to move the starter or it just caught. I'd have the starter rebuilt. You can take it to any auto shop that rebuilds starters and get it done cheap.
chubs
Guru
Next time it does that, hold the start button and jiggle the wire down at the starter
. I'm betting on a bad connection. Mine did the same thing and it was the big wire going in to the solenoid, wiggled it and she fired right up. and no trouble for several days
, till it happened again.
Check the contacts in the solenoid for arching burns also 
. I'm betting on a bad connection. Mine did the same thing and it was the big wire going in to the solenoid, wiggled it and she fired right up. and no trouble for several days, till it happened again. Check the contacts in the solenoid for arching burns also 
BWG56
Guru
That's true, but in my case I had nothing, no lights, nothing, bike was dead, hooked up a jump start and everything was still dead, nothing, sat for 2 hours and fired right up, both times and a year apart. No temp change from trailer to garage either.
I don't believe at this point the it is the EHC, because it had all power to other electrical features like the light horn etc and it showed the normal lights on the Ignition module when the run button was applied. The battery was new and this is the first big ride since replacing it and when I got home, it took very little time to bring up to full charge. At this point I am leaning towards the solenoid, starter or possible loose wire connection in between. As I mentioned above, we had just came off of a unexpected washed out road that was bumpy as hell and I never went back and tightened the battery terminal connections since putting the battery in. The Braille has the small brass washer at the terminal and it may have loosened up or may have needed to be re-tightened. I was able to tighten it a bit although I don't think I would be that lucky. Thanks for all the feed back, It seems to point to the starter/solenoid although the bike only has a bit over 6,000 miles on it.
Nukeranger
Nukeranger
You're on the right track Bruce. I can say that I cleaned the contact surface of my solenoid a few years back and it made a huge difference on the next start. I am leaning towards cleaning it again this winter. I also installed a slam button.
Jersey Big Mike
100K mile club
If you suspect a flat spot on the starter put it in gear and rock the bike back to front -- use to move things around on my old dodge that it would start before I had to replace the starter. It also might just bounce whatevers loose back to connected or better completely off so you find the issue and really solve it vs a mystery.
I did try rocking the bike in gear, I also had older cars in the past and that helped. Bike did not respond. It ended up starting about 10 minutes after I had rocked the bike, don't know if it helped or coincident.
BadDawg Bill
Well-Known Member
You need a priest, holey water and a chicken....
francoblay1
The Spaniard
Nukeranger
Nukeranger
It sounds like the plunger on the starter solenoid may need some cleanup attention.
Yep, sounds like I have a few things to do in the colder weather months ahead.
Figured I give an update. Bike has been running fine with no start up problems, have not been able to reproduce the problem. I spent some time today checking connections at the battery, starter and the ground wire. All were tight with no signs of corrosion. The only thing I found out of place was the large positive wire eyelet from starter was not the nearest to the battery (normally it is...my mistake when installing the battery). I changed the order, scuffed the battery terminal surface with sandpaper on both the positive and negative terminals and starter eyelets which I normally do but forgot when I changed this battery. Not sure if the few things I found would have caused the problem. Starter does not drag or give any indication of having a problem. I guess I will ride and keep an eye on it and see if it does it again. I hate to go any further into the starter unless it happens again. My guess is a poor connection somewhere and it may have arched completing the connection and who knows how long before it fails again. Thanks for the help and suggestions Bruce.
cleaned eyelets,