Labor day weekend ride

[HMAN]

So I take off on a short 110 mile ride. Make it to my sisters n visit for a bit then I headed out for Tulsa...another 75 miles. Visit in Tulsa n head back to my sisters for the nite. Dog is running GREAT! Head out for home the next day. I get within 8 miles of home and BAM. The Dog quits on me. No power, nothing. Crap. I got lucky cause my buddy only lived about 3/4 mile. Pushed it uphill to his house and into his shop. Started troubleshooting. 20 amp fuse was blown? Replaced and it blew again....hmmm. Started digging in to it. Turns out my headlamp had blown. When I left my sisters I noticed the low beam was out, and must have hit a bump just right as I was heading home and the high beam blew. Learned something. If the headlamp blows completely you have no power. I pulled the lamp out and replaced the fuse....volia I had power! Just thought I'd throw this out in case anyone has a similar incident. BTW I have the Wire plus unit installed.

 

[Bobby Schulz]

Good to know.

 

[Mickeetwo]

thanks for the info :2thumbs:

 

[Brew]

Great info thanks for sharing... :2thumbs:

 

[krkostecki]

While I understand what Big Dog did here not allowing the bike to start with no headlamp, it sure as shit shouldn't cut power from the bike when the bulb blows in the middle of a ride. That's just plain silly. How about a warning light or something letting you know it's out without shutting the whole damn bike down, perhaps in the middle of a busy highway or in the middle of a heavy rain. Love my Dog, but some things leave you scratching your head. :loony:

 

[rasdes]

Max...did you get your extensions installed, brakes bleed out Okay?

 

[oldmutt]

That is why I went with the wireplus. I got stranded 2 times when I went to start the bike and the head light was out. With the wireplus you start the motor with the lights off.

 

[Fibersnake]

That is why I went with the wireplus. I got stranded 2 times when I went to start the bike and the head light was out. With the wireplus you start the motor with the lights off.

Confused, for though I understand that the WP allows starting the engine with the lights off, he said that when both lights are burnt out, the power is killed and indicated that he had a WP.

So does it someway allow start up without light, but if light are burnt out, will shut it all down.

Interesting!

Not sure what the EHC or the PDM does, but will keep it in mind, and maybe carry and extra bulb in case it does and I am long trip.

 

[HMAN]

I found out if you just pull the burnt bulb the bike will run. IF you have BOTH high and low burnt out, it pops the fuse. In some states you can't run without a light so I suppose its a built in safety feature. Maybe Jake will chime in and set us straight.....?

 

[rhino17]

Whoever designed that feature where the bike won't start with blown bulbs really had their head up their ass. What are you supposed to do when it blows away from home or shop that has more bulbs? How is that situation safer than riding with a burned out bulb? It shouldn't be BDM's concern that we could be breaking a law by riding without a headlight. They allow these bikes to run over 120mph, but think its dangerous to ride w/o a headlight? Makes no sense.
Thanks to HMAN for bringing this to our attention though....

 

[erldawg]

Whoever designed that feature where the bike won't start with blown bulbs really had their head up their ass. What are you supposed to do when it blows away from home or shop that has more bulbs? How is that situation safer than riding with a burned out bulb? It shouldn't be BDM's concern that we could be breaking a law by riding without a headlight. They allow these bikes to run over 120mph, but think its dangerous to ride w/o a headlight? Makes no sense.
Thanks to HMAN for bringing this to our attention though....

It may not necessarly be BDM's thing. Hman indicated that he has the "Wire Plus" installed....With that in mind we don't know if the stock EHC will kill the electronics if the head light goes south.....just sayin.

 

[oldmutt]

When I got stranded both times I had the ehc and it would not let the bike start with the head light burnt out.

 

[Iman]

I have a PDM and both my hi and lo burnt out and the bike still ran fine

 

[01Mastiff]

Back in the day when I had an EHC I was moving down the crowded freeway at about 75 when everything shut down all at once resulting in a very close call and me soiling my shorts. Turned out a turn signal light had blown. I don't know the specifics of how Wire Plus works, but I had my bike hardwired on separate circuits. The engine operates independently from the light circuit. The first click of the key allows me to start the bike without lights, eliminating power draw. One more click and the lights go on.

 

[krkostecki]

So now I have to worry about wrecking my bike when I'm doing 75 down the road just because my fucking light burns out. That's beautiful - some do-gooder asshole trying to protect us "for our own good" and probably never been on a bike. I wonder how many people have wrecked because of this and never knew it.

I guess it would be best to check with Big Dog as perhaps they changed this in later bikes or it's just a coincidence on a few of the riders here? Regardless, this should be some kind of recall item as this seems potentially very dangerous to the rider.

 

[01Mastiff]

So I guess you're gonna take your time machine (hopefully without an EHC) back in time to when BD was still in business to do a "recall"? All the way back to when this site started you will find guys whose bikes stopped on freeways or wherever they were because a brake light, tail light, turn signal or headlight would go out. BD never addressed this problem or a number of others one of which was gas tank linings failing which on occasion would result in engine damage.