My Curvy is possessed!

Help! my curvy broke down about 4 times on me this morning in heavy traffic and I'm not sure if I should risk trying to ride it home in the dark tonight now.

I've noticed recently that my lights and dash pulsate with the engine revs, especially on startup when the engine is running a little rough (its got very high mileage and is past its prime)
I rode about 2 miles this morning, filled up and then the bike wouldn't run at idle with the indicators on, indicators off it was fine. I thought it was odd but carried on. I have a long 50 mile commute on M'way and A roads into London. On the Mway I noticed my dash lights flickered once or twice but that was all.
As I got closer to town and slowed to filter my dash started going mental, the LCD display went off the the rev counter and speedo bounced around from 0 to max and back and forth, the engine was still running but felt as if it was missing now and then and eventually it died and I had to push it to the side of the road. As I stopped it all came back to life, started up and drove off. This happened again about 3 times in as many miles, the 3rd time I managed to keep the engine alive by keeping the revs up and eventually the dash came back to life, only for it all to die again about 100yards later
So, where do I start looking to solve the problem? sounds like my battery could be on its way out and my long journey (at mostly high revs) keeps the bike running and the battery charged enough? I never have problems starting in the morning.
My lights have stayed on throughout all this so is this likely to be more of an ECU connection problem?
The bike is 5 years old and gets ridden everyday so its pretty cruddy and corroded, I've been lucky with electrical problems and only had the odd one or two but I'm assuming this may be bad connections, I just need some advice on where to start looking.

Thanks

Mags

Have you ever replaced the voltage regulator/rectifer? This might be duff, which could explain the lights pulsing with revs?

Matt

Nope, I'll have a little search on the site about this then.
Ta

PM sid squid, he knows allllll about this kind of thing. The reg/rec itself is located on the right hand side of the motorcycle (throttle/brake side), bolted to the subframe, inside the seat unit towards the rear. The stock ones are a bit weak; the new suzuki part i got looks like it was redesigned to stop failing as quickly as the original curvy part

Of course, it could be another problem, but this seems as good a place as any to start if you are having problems like what you describe!

Matt

That could be the problem! Check your voltage next time you start it.

[yorkie_chris]

I've had very similar symptoms with a loose live wire on the starter solenoid.

Funny thing was, it would still crank fine, just when running wouldn't smooth out enough to sustain at <4000rpm.

Hope its something like this.

Cheers, I'll PM Sid.

I have the basic tools under the pillion seat with me, although I'm suited up I can have a quick poke around during the day, any specific areas I can check out?
I did have a problem years ago where the battery main feed rubbed on the frame and kept blowing the main fuse but that was totally different of course.
The symptoms do look like a faulty earth or power connection.

Mags

[yorkie_chris]

Battery connections, connections to the starter solenoid etc is where I'd start (simple stuff..)

[Biker Biggles]

Similar to your old problem with the battery wire chafing on the frame,curvys are prone to the wiring loom chafing under the riders seat where the loom gets pinched by the seat bolt.This can cause intermittant electrical gremlins and can be hard to trace.

Cheers all, I'll have a little poke about when I get some time later.

Mags