Moderator Snakebite68 Posted January 22, 2021 Moderator Share Posted January 22, 2021 So, bit of a backstory first... I work in the steel industry which shuts down each year for two weeks over Christmas. I've commuted for two years on my Thunderace. It's never missed a beat and starts every time (except once when some joker flicked my kill-switch and I never noticed!). It lives outside (poor bike) cos I don't have a garage. This year I've obviously not done much long distance riding, so it's mostly been just the commuting. All has been well, but since we've been off for two weeks over Christmas and then after having been back for only a week, I did my back in and spent another week off work. So that's 3 weeks of pretty much zero riding. Half way through last week (the week I was off broken), I hobbled out and started the bike (just to make sure the snow and cold hadn't killed it (it lives under a waterproof cover though)). It started first time and I ran it up to temp and shut it down again (this was Thursday the 14th I believe). I went back to work on Monday the 18th, but since it was a bit manky and I was still a bit tight in the back department I took our lasses car (she was off for 2 days). So I never touched the bike till Wednesday the 20th. And now we get to the main problem... It didn't start!!! No lights, no turn over, not even the neutral light or the sound of the fuel pump ticking over. Assuming the battery had died in the cold, I attempted to bump start it down the rather steep hill I live on... Nothing, no apparent attempt at firing up (don't ask me about getting it back up the damn hill!!!)! So, now thinking the battery was trash AND my alternator might also be trash I stuck it on charge for at least 5 hours, but still nothing. So, I left it till today went to get a new battery on the assumption that if I put a new battery on and it fires up, the alternator is toast. But, when the nice man in Valley Batteries tested my battery, it tests as having charge..! He's put it on their chargers for me and I'll pick it up and give it another go tomorrow (Saturday), but if it's got at least SOME charge, it should at least run my lights even if it won't crank the engine... SO, AT LAST, here's the question: WTF is wrong with my bike??? lol Long story short, started fine one day, completely dead 6 days later, can't be water ingress cos it lives under a waterproof cover. Any ideas? I've checked all the fuses in the fusebox behind the battery compartment, is there another fusebox anywhere? Could a relay that could cause this if it went bad? Cheers for any help... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Snakebite68 Posted January 23, 2021 Author Moderator Share Posted January 23, 2021 Can anyone suggest a motorcycle electrician around Dewsbury? Preferably a mobile one cos I can't transport it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Snakebite68 Posted January 24, 2021 Author Moderator Share Posted January 24, 2021 All fixed... Not sure when, but after a little smoke, the main fuse on the side of the starter relay had fried. Cleaned up the various terminals on the starter relay and replaced the fuse. It works, instantly... NO idea WHY the fuse has gone, so this may not be over, but for now, everything's good! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmy Posted January 24, 2021 Share Posted January 24, 2021 Not much in the way of replies, but cheers for the update Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Snakebite68 Posted January 24, 2021 Author Moderator Share Posted January 24, 2021 No... I noticed that too... lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackhat250 Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 Yip " that short will rear its ugly head again, 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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