More quirks & "Phantom Menaces".....

[RussD]

O.K.........several odd items........

1)  Suddenly I've got front brakes again, even though I've done NOTHING so far about getting those stripped screws out of the resevoir cap, adding brake fluid, or bleeding the system, yet when I pull on the handle now, I do have preassure and they do seem to be working. Not sure how much at regular speed, but when doing the 2 leg shuffle at stop lights and starting out, they are definately gripping.

2)  I've been doing the overnight trickle charge trick so I can squeeze some riding in before the snow flies. Usually gives me about an hour or so of a running bike. Yesterday.....rode her around town for about that long. As I was pulling in driveway, she stalled while I was trying to maneuver her up small hill by garage. Tried to restart & she was dead. DID NOT put her on charger........let her sit there for few hours. Went back out later and........SURPRISE..........she's turning over again & fired up. Took her for spin around town for about 15-20 minutes and then came home again as she started running rough (starts lurching & idling rough) which is usually a sign she's about to die. Made it home & she wouldn't restart once I shut her down.....no juice. Let her sit again for a bit. Went out later & tried starting her again. She turned over a few times with more juice than when I got her home 2nd time, but then finally started giving me the 'ol "click click", so then I finally put her on charger.

I thought once a battery was dead, it was dead until you gave it some kind of charge. I've never had one pull the Lazarus bit & keep coming back from the dead all by itself. Any thoughts on this??

[Rick G]

A battery is a chemical  storage facility for electricty, Whats happening is the battery is  rebounding and the chemical reaction is creating a small charge  (this is how dry cells work) Its not all that good for the battery, and its definatly hard on the starter. I would charge it with atrickle charger.

[RussD]

I've had it on the trickle charger every night lately Rick........that's the only way I can get any riding time in.

[Rick G]

You can extend your riding time  a bit by (if your riding in daylight)  by dsiconnecting the head light . I did that in order  to get home when mine finaly said enough.

[sgrprincees]

On that note, how does one reconnect a headlamp?  I disconnected lots of wires to install working gauges and tried to reconnect them all, but now my headlight doesn't work.

[rick_nowak]

if you put a switch in the ground (brown) wire as it comes off of the bulb socket it will turn off the headlite.  however, because of other wiring peculiarities on the vision, this only works on one of the beams.  anyway, you can pretty easily do this.

[RussD]

What about the new found brake preassure.....any ideas why I suddenly have front brakes again?

[Rick G]

It means you have a short repreve . Don't trust it!

[RussD]

Tried them again at about 25 mph last night.........braced myself in case the ass end came up on me, but they weren't gripping that hard. Slowed me down some, but didn't seem to me that they were at full strength.

[Rick G]

Its probably marginal on fluid. Almost enough, but not quite1

[QBS]

Regarding extending time via headlight deactivation:  removing the headlight fuse will do the trick.  I think it also kills the taillight as well.  Cheers.

[RussD]

Thanx Q......I like that idea better, as I could just plug the fuse back in if I wanted/needed to do some night riding, as I often do. One other question though.....by killing the tail light, would it also kill the brake light?

How big of a difference does nixing the lights make though really........is it worth the trouble? Am I going to notice a serious difference in my charging length, or will it just be marginal. I know you can't say exactly, but I'm talking ballpark.

[QBS]

I'm not real sure, but I don't think the headlight fuse controls the brake light.  But I could be wrong.  Just pull the fuse and find out for yourself.  Have never had to use this trick myself, so can't comment on time extension it provides.  However, I"ve got to believe that it should add enough time to make implementation worthwhile.  After all, it is so easy to do.  Hopefully, another Vnary will have the answer.  Cheers.

[Rick G]

The headlight is the next to largest  draw on the battery, ( the starter is first) the ignition dosen't draw much, nor does the brake light , even the turn sugnals aren't on much . How long  I would guess at least 50 % longer , maybe more.

[Walt_M.]

About those brakes, sounds like some kind of dirt or rust in the system. You really do have to get it apart and give it a thorough cleaning. That was the first thing I fixed on mine. I figured that if I couldn't stop it, then I didn't care if it would run. But then I am an old fart.