Flickering headlights

[StarFan]

Now first I want to make it very clear that my knowledge when it comes to electircity is pretty much limited with the fact that I know it hurts to touch it and it takes a plus and a minus to make the light come on.

 

But my Royal Star Tour Classic 1998 in Iceland has started to flicker the headlights. They don´t go off completely, they just kind of go low and high when riding the bike. When idling they are quite o.k. I don´t know if it has anything to do with it but last night (yes, there is still riding season in Iceland) I pulled into a gas station and filled the bike up, and when I tried to start it up again the batteri was almost dead and did not manage to turn the motor over enough to start it. The battery is four years old so that is shot for sure. Could any of the following be the reason:

 

Maybe some loose connections ?

Switch to be cleaned ?

Stator going bad?

 

If any of you guys have experienced this or have any idea what could cause this then please chime in.

 

Jonas - who is scared sh#*!#ess of electricity after peeing on an electric fence in his youth - NO !!! I don´t wanna talk about it)

[skydoc_17]

Hey Jonas,

With thee battery being at the top of the list, I would check the plug that connects the light bulb to the wiring harness. When I installed the Silver Star bulb in my 87'VR within 6 months, I had smoked the plug. I replaced it with a new stock one, and when I did my stator upgrade it smoked it again. I now run a ceramic plug, and all is well. When you replace that battery, put your volt meter on the battery terminals. 12.5 volts min. with the bike turned off. With the bike running, rev to 2500 RPM's and you should see 14+ volts. (casual stator check)

If the plug is good, and the stator puts out 14+ volts, then the old battery is the culprit.

I offer the ceramic plugs here at the shop.

Good luck, and safe journeys to you my friend. (Jean says "hey")

Earl

[cecdoo]

You sure you werent "hitting" the bottle of Black Death, and looking at your turn signals:doh:

 

Craig

[BIG TOM]

You sure you werent "hitting" the bottle of Black Death, and looking at your turn signals:doh:

 

Craig[/QUOTTE

 

You sure you want to throw shots at Jonas before you visit him? He may not take you the the worlds largest bakery...besides ,I was going to throw a shot at him...but I won't......this time:fnd_(16): he may take my riding privileges away..

Edited November 1, 2012 by BIG TOM

[StarFan]

Seems like you two guys are pushing your luck.

 

Craig my friend - You will have shark for breakfast, for lunch and for dinner when you come over the coming summer:rasberry:. Kim will of cause have whatever she asks for.

 

No help from BigTom - only trying to stay safe so I wont take the V-Maxed bike away from him. What a friend !

 

Earl will get a PM from me since he is the only one showing intrest in my trouble - And note, he is still willing to help me even though Jean is still talking Icelandic from my last visit.

 

Now go wax the bike Tom !

 

And Craig - You just start looking forward to the shark meat.

 

With love and respect,

 

Jonas

Edited October 31, 2012 by StarFan

[cecdoo]

Jonas ole buddy ole Pal, I was just trying to save you alot of work, hate to see you rip your bike apart for nothing:yikes: but if you dont want my help thats ok!!

 

Guess I better go figure out how I can stuff a couple Pizzas in my carry-on bag:bawling:

 

 

No Shark for Me!

[StarFan]

Jonas ole buddy ole Pal, I was just trying to save you alot of work, hate to see you rip your bike apart for nothing:yikes: but if you dont want my help thats ok!!

 

Guess I better go figure out how I can stuff a couple Pizzas in my carry-on bag:bawling:

 

 

No Shark for Me!

 

So sorry dear friend.

 

Had no idea that this could actually be the blinkers. I will rip them apart and fill them with blinker fluid as soon as I get back home from "Stupid Norway" ! As for the shark then I will take that horrible thing off the menu. I will put ram testicles instead - you´ll love them !

At least when BigTom was here last summer he ate them like Icecream after I told him that it would boost up his S#x drive tremendously. Was stuffing himself like a French Duck

[BIG TOM]

Yummmmmmm, shark.......taste like a$$ marinaded in frog urine.....As far as the sheep testicles, Kim will love you for eating them............but as for my favorite, see below....ps...the eyeballs are the best !!!!!! really..

[StarFan]

Yummmmmmm, shark.......taste like a$$ marinaded in frog urine.....As far as the sheep testicles, Kim will love you for eating them............but as for my favorite, see below....ps...the eyeballs are the best !!!!!! really..

 

Vicky still smiling Tom ?

[FreezyRider]

Vicky still smiling Tom ?

 

Jonas,

 

I had a 99 RSV that had the same symptoms. I first noticed it at night (obviously)....the lights would dim, then get bright again after maybe 5-10 seconds. Then the cycle would repeat. Several days later I was riding in the daytime and the bike died and would not crank at all, dead battery. Got it home and started testing....to make a long story short, the wiring harness plug that connects to the regulator had a burned connector in it, the one that goes to the large red wire. Therefore, the battery could not charge properly. Turns out that this is a common problem, at least on the RSV. Could possibly be your issue as well.

 

All I had to do was clean and tighten (squeeze together) the female side of that connection and plug it back into the regulator and the problem was solved.

 

Good luck!

[StarFan]

That was valuable information Joe - Thank you.

I will check this out as soon I get home from this freezing country (Norway) I am staying in at the moment.

 

I also have a Venture in the States, a 2000 model in pretty good shape with only 30.000 miles on it. Have you had any other issues with your Venture that you would like to share. Craig (cecdoo) stores the bike for me and he just loves working on it for me since I am going to send him a pound of Shark meat for every two hours he puts in :hihi:

 

Thanks Joe and ride safe -

Hope to see you next summer at BigToms Rally in Chaffee NY.

 

Jonas

[Flyinfool]

As mentioned, before you start spending money and replacing parts, do some testing to find where the real problem is. I just hate seeing people throw money at a problem till it goes away, never actually knowing what the real problem was.

 

From what you are describing, it does not sound like a bad battery, batteries do not pulsate their voltage. many other things do.

Go down the list and do as many tests as you can, then just fix the one bad thing. It is not uncommon to have more than one thing go wrong at the same time. Sometimes one bad part can take others with it.

[FreezyRider]

Hi Jonas,

 

No longer have the Venture, went back to the Goldwing. Just can't get them out of my blood.

 

About the only other issue I had with the Venture was the horrific clutch basket whine/chirp/scream. Overall very good bikes.

 

Joe

[cecdoo]

I am going to send him a pound of Shark meat for every two hours he puts in :hihi:

 

 

Kim said, "send the testicles"

[StarFan]

Sorry pal.

 

Forgot to think about Kim´s wellness.

Testicles in the post next week

 

Jonas

[StarFan]

As mentioned, before you start spending money and replacing parts, do some testing to find where the real problem is. I just hate seeing people throw money at a problem till it goes away, never actually knowing what the real problem was.

 

From what you are describing, it does not sound like a bad battery, batteries do not pulsate their voltage. many other things do.

Go down the list and do as many tests as you can, then just fix the one bad thing. It is not uncommon to have more than one thing go wrong at the same time. Sometimes one bad part can take others with it.

 

True - so true and thanks for the info.

 

I have a spare battery and will have to change the old one if it is not holding voltage. Easy to measure so that will be my first start. Guess I will then take a look at the headlight connections and secure that everything is in order. Headlight switch since (I forgot to mention) the blue indicator light for the high beam flickers when this happens. If nothing of the above seems malfunctioning then the stator is next on the list.

Would this be logical

 

Friendly regards from Iceland,

[Flyinfool]

I would start with the easy stuff. Just cuz I'm lazy. No matter where you start it will be the last thing you check.......

 

1. charge the battery.

2. With the bike running at 2500+, the voltage across the battery should be 14V +/-0.5V.

Try to be checking the voltage when the light "flickers".

3. dive in and check the connector on the back of the headlight.

4. clean the hi-lo switch.

 

After that if you have not found a problem we can then work thru finding the bad wire.

[StarFan]

I would start with the easy stuff. Just cuz I'm lazy. No matter where you start it will be the last thing you check.......

 

1. charge the battery.

2. With the bike running at 2500+, the voltage across the battery should be 14V +/-0.5V.

Try to be checking the voltage when the light "flickers".

3. dive in and check the connector on the back of the headlight.

4. clean the hi-lo switch.

 

After that if you have not found a problem we can then work thru finding the bad wire.

 

Thanks Jeff.

 

I won´t be back in Iceland until the 16th. but that weekend I will start checking this out. Weather I find the problem or not I will revoke this thread and update the results.

Many thanks for the input.

 

Ride safe.

 

Jonas

[Flyinfool]

Just don't send me no dead shark or other critter parts........

[StarFan]

Just don't send me no dead shark or other critter parts........

 

would a live one be O.K ?

Edited November 2, 2012 by StarFan

[Flyinfool]

would a life one be O.K ?

O.K.

[TATERS]

Now first I want to make it very clear that my knowledge when it comes to electircity is pretty much limited with the fact that I know it hurts to touch it and it takes a plus and a minus to make the light come on.

 

But my Royal Star Tour Classic 1998 in Iceland has started to flicker the headlights. They don´t go off completely, they just kind of go low and high when riding the bike. When idling they are quite o.k. I don´t know if it has anything to do with it but last night (yes, there is still riding season in Iceland) I pulled into a gas station and filled the bike up, and when I tried to start it up again the batteri was almost dead and did not manage to turn the motor over enough to start it. The battery is four years old so that is shot for sure. Could any of the following be the reason:

 

Maybe some loose connections ?

Switch to be cleaned ?

Stator going bad?

 

If any of you guys have experienced this or have any idea what could cause this then please chime in.

 

Jonas - who is scared sh#*!#ess of electricity after peeing on an electric fence in his youth - NO !!! I don´t wanna talk about it)

I want to hear about the peeing on the electric fence....anyone else with me?

[Flyinfool]

I want to hear about the peeing on the electric fence....anyone else with me?

 

Would love to hear the story. Had I been there I might have wet my pants............

[StarFan]

I want to hear about the peeing on the electric fence....anyone else with me?

 

And I thought that you were on my side. My feelings are so huurrrrt

[KIC]

I want to hear about the peeing on the electric fence....anyone else with me?

 

I Heard it was a "short" story with shocking ending.