Clocks Failed -then OK again

[Duke]

I started up this morning and no mileage indicator. I drove down the road and found that I had no Speedo or rev-counter.
After about 20 miles the fuel light flashed a few times, each time the rev-counter seem to briefly indicated an appropriate RPM (at speed on the mortorway - moreintrested in the traffic than the clocks).Then a few miles more it all started to work OK.

Is this water ingress into the clocks or a faulty earth? Where should I start to look?

Thanks

Duke

Could be a poor connection. On the faired curvy (what is yours?) check the battery terminals are clean, then the connections on the starter solenoid under the right hand side panel (there is a fuse and feed mounted here) then the multi connectors on the LHS of the fairing and then the one going into the clock binacle. These last 2 need the plastic off. The instruments are voltage sensitive and can play up even though the bike starts and runs well. Are things better with lights off?
Having said that my bike displayed similar symptons to yours and I had to replace the instruments in the end.

+1 on clocks , happened to me tried every thing only new clocks fixed it , got some off here £30 but i was very lucky

[Duke]

Thanks for the comments,

I have spent this afternoon checking out the electrics. The bike is a 650SX, a ’99 import with the projector type lights. I can’t turn them off, but run with HID’s which should draw a lower current that standard lights. I highly recommend this upgrade, much better at this time of year.

All the electrics looked OK except for the connection on the LHS faring. This seems very exposed. On disconnecting the connection a red wire fell off – corroded through. I have made good by bypassing the connection with a separate crimped connector. I don’t know what this wire powered but in this condition it would have presented a high resistance.

I will check how it goes this week. I will add checking this connector to my service routine, and it seems prudent to look out for a spare set of clocks, just in case. Maybe they don’t like running at low voltage for some time and eventually give up.

Thanks again for the input. Let’s hope all is well.

Duke

[yorkie_chris]

I tihnk that wire gives a permanent live feed to the clocks. Faffing around with it causes your trip counter to reset as it needs power to store the mileage and thus causes you to run out of petrol if your fuel light isn't connected either. Or so I've heard.