diagnose an electrical based starting issue.

Hi all,

Hoping to get some opinions on an intermittent starting issue with my finances curvy sv. I've read up on the forums and have a few things to try tomorrow night but here's a bit of a back story.

Issue first occurred 2 weekends ago, took a 10 minute ride over to my parents, no issues starting etc. leaving my parents the bike wouldn't start. Symptoms were dash lights dimming, starter relay clicking and the speedo needle jumping about. Everything suggesting dead battery to me. We checked terminals and wiggled wires, found the 30 amp relay fuse to be a bit crap and so changed it and all was fine, bike started.

Last weekend took trip to new forest for a few days, plenty of riding about etc, no issues.

This weekend we rode to see her gran in margate, pulled into a service station after about 70 miles of mixed a roads and motorway and had a snack. Bike was dead when went to start it again. No changing fuses, wiggling wires etc helped, and the starter relay was clicking and buzzing when trying to start. a jump start from a handy aa mans booster pack who was in the car park at the time got the bike up and running no problems.

No issues coming home today, all motorway mileage, have started the bike up twice now since coming home, no problems at all.

Did a voltage check which alarms me a bit:

Ignition off - 12.9v
Idle @ 1400rpm, lights off - 13.9v
Idle @ 1400rpm, lights on 12.8v

Run @5k lights on or off - 12.2v

After running at 5k the idle with lights on figure dropped to 12.8v

....suggests to me the regulator/rectifier is dodgy, but as far as I am concerned that does not answer why the intermittent nature of the issue and why last weekend we had no issues, but going to margate and my parents we had the problem?

I'm going to be cleaning up the terminals tomorrow night, checking wiring around the seat and possibly adding a earth wire from the rectifier to the battery but its this intermittent nature which bugs me.

Ideas?

Ps. Sorry for the essay!

What was the weather like on your rides any road spray? Not really got any idea tbh though lol

Hi Mate

My dad had very similar issues with his SV1000, no matter how long the ride the battery was dead towards the end took home recharged week after same again. We was told that it was the regulator rectifier replaced that and the same issued occured the week after I did a bit of researched and it is a common fault (with the Sv1000) that the glue on the Stator breaks down and fails to charge the battery under load. Took it to our local mechanical friend he glued the magnets back in place with some special potion and since then not a problem.

regards jewkc

Check the five way live connection inside the loom, connects the Rectifier, ignition switch, starter relay & fuse. Located near the riders seat bolt LHS when seated.

Regards
Rog.

Cheers roger will do tomorrow eve

[ChrisCurvyS]

Don't want you to disregard what other much more knowledgeable people than me have said above but when my reg rec went (taking two batteries and many fuses with it) it was an intermittent thing, usually in the wet or damp.

Hope you get it sorted - hate electrical gremlins.

Evening/morning all,

Checked a few bits out tonight. Started by taking all terminals off and cleaning them up to ensure good connections are being made.

I then followed Rodgers advice and checked out the 5 way connector, true enough there was a fair bit of rot and it didn't feel secure so I cut it back and started again with it.

Only thing is, I only counted 3 cables going into one. 3 from the front of the bike heading toward the rear into one.

Bit concerned now I missed a cable when I reconnected it all up!

There was also a similar join for a green cable. Need to check the wiring diagram to see what it's for.

Has anyone else had the issue when when pressing the starter the speedo or tachometer needle starts jumping about?

Similar thing happened to me today.
Over the last few days speedo has been working/not working. Ok I thought the speedo drive is knackered.
Today I notice the rev counter bouncing around while Im riding to work.
I pulled in the yard at work and bike died. no electrics at all. went back to the bike later and it started. tried it again a few hours later and nothing. then wiggle the ign key and dash lights come on very dim. but wont start.
got towed in by the aa.

There's a pretty good charging circuit troubleshooting procedure in the maintenance manual, starting out with a simple check for short circuits.