Been working long hours and I finally got a day off. SO I finally got to check out my '05 and figure out just what is wrong with her.
I had suspicions, but was not sure.
Background:
I finished up the Iron Butt Rally in Albuquerque and rode to a friends house in Louisiana. The red engine light came on after starting at a rest stop,
but quickly went off after a mile or so of riding (To the next exit). I made a mental note and pushed on to my friends. When I pulled into his drive he came
out to greet me. I hung my helmet on my Zumo 590 mounted on the handle bars and enjoyed a great 2, almost 3 days of catching up. I of course waited
for the last possible minute to leave on my ride back to Florida to make it in time for work. When I went to start the bike, there was nothing. No gauges…
nothing.I tried to bump start it but was unsuccessfulI. thought it must be the ignition, but did not have time to check it out. I hooked up my battery tender Jr.
caught a plane back to West Palm. So at work the next day I started thinking things through. My friend monitored the charger and reported after 2 days it
had finally obtained a green light. I had him start the bike - life was good again as she fired up. So my conclusion was that I had left the GPS on under the helmet.
(I had the GPS on "unswitched" on the fuse block for the IBR. I flew back to Louisiana and picked up the bike after 2 weeks. It was not a wasted trip as I stopped by
Alabama and visited a friend (bikerbuddha) from the forum and exchanged seats.
I arrived back in West Palm around 1 am and slept until it was time for work. In my usual haste I ripped things from the bike and was just in time for work.
While working (12 hours) Florida had its usual down pour of rain. I went to leave work at 1am and the bike would not start. It sounded "Flat" I looked down and
saw I had left the gas cap cracked open (I do this on occasion under the tank bag in extreme heat) I left the bike at work and started riding my Dakar. Vic (Majicmaker)
was at my rescue (within an hour of contact) with a trailer to bring the bike back to my house. (Thanks Vic) The bike sat another week as I worked long hours.
I did some youtube searches with a suspicion it was water in the gas tank, but the red light came to mind also. The oil had 15k on it and was low (Bike has never burned oil)
but then again… I had never gone 15k on oil before! I came across this youtube comparison:
Today I put it to the test.I chose 91% Isopropyl alcohol. I let it sit for 10 minutes after dumping a bottle in the gas tank and the bike fired up!
So now… Royal Blue will ride again - at 242k she is itching to hit 250k… but first I must work to pay some bills off.
I had suspicions, but was not sure.
Background:
I finished up the Iron Butt Rally in Albuquerque and rode to a friends house in Louisiana. The red engine light came on after starting at a rest stop,
but quickly went off after a mile or so of riding (To the next exit). I made a mental note and pushed on to my friends. When I pulled into his drive he came
out to greet me. I hung my helmet on my Zumo 590 mounted on the handle bars and enjoyed a great 2, almost 3 days of catching up. I of course waited
for the last possible minute to leave on my ride back to Florida to make it in time for work. When I went to start the bike, there was nothing. No gauges…
nothing.I tried to bump start it but was unsuccessfulI. thought it must be the ignition, but did not have time to check it out. I hooked up my battery tender Jr.
caught a plane back to West Palm. So at work the next day I started thinking things through. My friend monitored the charger and reported after 2 days it
had finally obtained a green light. I had him start the bike - life was good again as she fired up. So my conclusion was that I had left the GPS on under the helmet.
(I had the GPS on "unswitched" on the fuse block for the IBR. I flew back to Louisiana and picked up the bike after 2 weeks. It was not a wasted trip as I stopped by
Alabama and visited a friend (bikerbuddha) from the forum and exchanged seats.
I arrived back in West Palm around 1 am and slept until it was time for work. In my usual haste I ripped things from the bike and was just in time for work.
While working (12 hours) Florida had its usual down pour of rain. I went to leave work at 1am and the bike would not start. It sounded "Flat" I looked down and
saw I had left the gas cap cracked open (I do this on occasion under the tank bag in extreme heat) I left the bike at work and started riding my Dakar. Vic (Majicmaker)
was at my rescue (within an hour of contact) with a trailer to bring the bike back to my house. (Thanks Vic) The bike sat another week as I worked long hours.
I did some youtube searches with a suspicion it was water in the gas tank, but the red light came to mind also. The oil had 15k on it and was low (Bike has never burned oil)
but then again… I had never gone 15k on oil before! I came across this youtube comparison:
Today I put it to the test.I chose 91% Isopropyl alcohol. I let it sit for 10 minutes after dumping a bottle in the gas tank and the bike fired up!
So now… Royal Blue will ride again - at 242k she is itching to hit 250k… but first I must work to pay some bills off.
