Bandit Electrics Dead - Any Advice?

Itineoman

The bike is an 03 Bandit 600N and all the electrics died as I was starting it yesterday. I'd appreciate any advice before I start to systematically work through all the wiring.

First off, nothing happens when the key is switched on or off, except the speedo and tacho needles do the bandit thing where they sweep through their full range - but only when the the key is switched off.

The battery is fine at 12.5v. Battery connections are clean and tight. All the fuses are fine in the tail unit. The main fuse is ok. It's not likely that it is the sidestand/clutch/kill switch because they wouldn't take all the electrics out. The bike doesn't have an ECU. I checked the ignition switch with a multimeter and it's ok. i had a look at the loom inside the headlight and there's no water ingress so that isn't an issue either.

I'm aware that Bandits are prone to fraying and wearing of the loom in the headstock area.
So I'm guessing its either a broken wire or bad earth. Or is there some other common obvious problem that I'm missing apart from those I have already ruled out above?


Thanks

Max Headroom

Check positive with the meter to engine and frame..might be a bad earth

CJhaughey

Test battery under load, it may be 12.5 at rest but drop dramatically under load.

Itineoman

Max Headroom wrote: »

Check positive with the meter to engine and frame..might be a bad earth

Thanks
I downloaded the wiring diagram last night and was up early to test out a few theories that I'd come up with overnight.
There's 12v across the main fuse and between solenoid positive and earth so that seems to rule that out.
I twisted the bars from side to side a few times and lo and behold everything came back as normal. Looking more closely at the loom it's stretched and the outer casing is broken where it passes the steering head. I didn't see this in the gloom yesterday evening. I'm guessing that's where the problem is going to be. I'll post again to tell how I get on.

Itineoman

CJhaughey wrote: »

Test battery under load, it may be 12.5 at rest but drop dramatically under load.

Thanks - Didn't see this post until I'd replied to the later one - I think its going to be a broken wire but then again you never know. - Going to strip the tank (Wish I hadn't filled to the brim last week) and upper side panel and see what appears.

Itineoman

CJhaughey wrote: »

Test battery under load, it may be 12.5 at rest but drop dramatically under load.

Yep that seems to be the problem after all. After much testing and probing I found I was getting 12.5v between the positive and frame/engine with the ignition off and 0v when it was on. So I looked at all the earths but they were ok.
Then I put the meter across the battery itself and sure enough there's 0v as well but there's no current being drawn. A check with the battery out of the bike shows an open circuit across the terminals and no spark if I short them with a bit of wire - so it seems that's what it was.
Thanks for the spot-on advice.
Now to put everything back together again before I forget where all the bits go.....:D

arybvtcw0eolkf

We're lucky to have CJH here, he's gotten most of us out of a tight spot when we've been stuff on a bike problem

Itineoman

Melanie Famous Washbowl wrote: »

We're lucky to have CJH here, he's gotten most of us out of a tight spot when we've been stuff on a bike problem

That's for sure - I'm a longtime follower of this forum. He's shared much wisdom here and in the Motorhomes and Caravans forum over the years..

Max Headroom

Modern batteries are sh1t...I've just replaced a 6 month old one, just cause I wasn't using the bike...:rolleyes:

arybvtcw0eolkf

Max Headroom wrote: »

Modern batteries are sh1t...I've just replaced a 6 month old one, just cause I wasn't using the bike...:rolleyes:

Get the fuck out of this forum, immediately God dammit :eek:

macplaxton

ALL lead acid batteries are crap if they are left to go flat.

Max Headroom

Melanie Famous Washbowl wrote: »

Get the fuck out of this forum, immediately God dammit :eek:

It's not my only bike...:D:p

CJhaughey

I have found its a lot cheaper to buy chargers than batteries, I have 3 smart chargers currently and 1 dumb type for rust removal etc.
These days they are so cheap from Lidl and Aldi it makes sense to have them on anything that is sitting for a while.
In saying that I have to return a Yuasa 120Ah battery to Halfords because it won't start my Van, I left it for a week or two after picking up the MSX and it seems to have killed it:mad:

TeaBagMania

CJhaughey wrote: »

I have found its a lot cheaper to buy chargers than batteries

exactly
same here, keep a few of those small smart chargers on the seasonal vehicles that are known to sit for extended periods

galwaytt

CJhaughey wrote: »

I have found its a lot cheaper to buy chargers than batteries, I have 3 smart chargers currently and 1 dumb type for rust removal etc.
These days they are so cheap from Lidl and Aldi it makes sense to have them on anything that is sitting for a while.
In saying that I have to return a Yuasa 120Ah battery to Halfords because it won't start my Van, I left it for a week or two after picking up the MSX and it seems to have killed it:mad:

Ditto, I currently have......4 of those Lidl ones gurgling away on different vehicles: car, bike, lawnmower; lifesavers. Sick & tired of replacing batteries.

Itineoman

Got a new battery during the week and fitted it this evening.All good. Happy days. Thanks for the interest and advice.
Posts above are getting me thinking I should get a smart charger and new lead acid batteries for the old hondas I have laid up. Too long since I've run them.
Edit : some of them are 6v -CB/CG125 from the seventies. I used to wire them in series with a dumb charger. (in parallel with the 12v CB550f on the same charger) Doubt it'll work now.