Motorcycle question

aahmes57 · Post by **aahmes57** » 30 Jun 2011, 18:45

I've been on a few sites but there are only 2 posts everyother day. I don;t have alot of time. There is no site that I know of that is as active as this one. Therefore I wanted to take my question here in hope that someone will have the answer. If anyone feels the question inappropriate for the forum, I stand corrected. Just remove the post. Here goes, I have a question on a 1993 1200 sportster, symptoms: Will not start without a jump, eratic tachometer, and tach advances when hand brake in pressed, no blinkers.
Battery is shot, tried a fully charged battery, didn't start, bike running/alt 10 volts

Battery, Alternator, reulator, anyone?

I start 10 days off work tomorrow and I may go insane with a broken bike.

matt4nu · Post by **matt4nu** » 30 Jun 2011, 19:41

regulator

Post by **FlyingVolvo** » 01 Jul 2011, 09:13

I don't know much about motorcycles, but something definitely sounds screwy with the electrical system. As was suggested, maybe replace the voltage regulator?

aahmes57 · Post by **aahmes57** » 14 Jul 2011, 06:38

Thanks matt4nu but it isn't the regulator. I thought the same. What has me puzzled is the no blinkers with the eratic tach.
Still troubleshooting
Thanks

Harpoon · Post by **Harpoon** » 14 Jul 2011, 08:17

If the bike was originally wired to have blinkers, you may have a wire grounding out on the frame or elswhere. Just a thought.

FCPEURO · Post by **FCPEURO** » 14 Jul 2011, 15:53

You definitely have a bad ground or short somewhere in the system on your bike. I would start to trace out the lines and see if you find anything.

aahmes57 · Post by **aahmes57** » 15 Jul 2011, 06:00

Thank you gentlemen and or ladies. I started tracing the wires last night. I'm beginning to think I may have more then one issue, they just happened at the same time.
With any luck I should be up and running this weekend. It's a shame when the bike goes down, everything else gets put on the back burner and spouse's aren't very happy.

Thanks all for your imput.

elchopperfreak · Post by **elchopperfreak** » 29 Aug 2011, 00:14

For what its worth and its been some time from your post, do you hace the original headlight on the bike? I would check inside the headlight buckets, most of the wiring is there, also, it could be that the handlebar switches, they have a small slot that allows the wiring to go through, sometimes the switch housing "bite" the wires and screws the system.
You will know if your regulator or charging system is shot by revving aprox to 2 thousand rpm and with a volt meter check the charge in the batt wires, normally when the regulator is gone, the bike dies after a bit, or your headlight bulb blows up.
Im pretty sure its the wiring.. Also check that sometimes by turning the wheel, the wires that run down might get pinched..