It just stopped and no-one knows why

**BM-GS** · 31st March 2005, 13:36

I had a KMX125 do that once. It turned out to be the kill-switch, which hadn't worked at all for the preceding 6 months, and only did sporadically after this event.

Still, I had a pleasant 1/2 hour in the pub contemplating the situation & canvassing opinions from the locals. A bloke with a KMX125 solved the problem and gave me a good tip on a shortcut home.

Happy days....

**Oakie** · 31st March 2005, 13:53

Originally Posted by Riff Raff

My deduction is that it doesn't love you anymore! Have you been giving it lots of TLC prior to the event, have you told it that you love it recently, have you given it a nice warm garage to sleep in? If the answer is yes to all these questions, then it's a cantankerous bitch and needs to be traded on a Gixxer (do I get commission for helping you with a sale White Trash??)

I haven't told it that I love it yet because we're just friends. I've only had it two weeks and I don't like to rush into relationships. I have however given it TLC and given it a nice warm garage to sleep in ... although I have neglected to close the door from time to time. (Perhaps it's just jealous that my wife is always on the back and we don't get time alone together)

OH MY GOD. Cantankerous Bitch. That's what the 'CB' stands for. Of course! (I'm screwed)

**inlinefour** · 31st March 2005, 14:30

Originally Posted by White trash

Yup.

Trade it quick smart on a Gixxer.

Why go backwards in bikes?
Rather if you want to trade, trade up to a Fireblade.

Actually the bike might be the same as mine, if thats the case then its a 1992 CB400f2, look at my profile picture of my ride.
Just had some electrical problems with mine, ended up replacing the voltage regulator. However yours sounds like something completely different. More like something is wrong when hot and comes right when it cools down?
Pretty hard to diagnose these things without looking at the bike in question. My advice is like anything else in life. If you go somewhere looking for answers and you get the "err, I don't know" treatment. Tell to get stuffed and take the bike elsewhere. If they look hard enough, with the right equipment then they will eventually find what is wrong and fix it...

**Hooks** · 31st March 2005, 14:42

It's just a honda !!

.. Suzukis just keep going !! I treat my old girl badly and she just never quits ... no gargre ... nothing !!

all she ever does is use up tyres and throw things at other bikes

..... Mind you every now & then I have to put gas in her .... which could be your problem ... it can't flow if there's nothing in the tank but cobwebs !!

**James Deuce** · 31st March 2005, 14:43

This may be a red herring, but it is a Honda and they are reknowned for it. Get the Regulator/Rectifier checked. My FIAT ( I know - it's a car) does the exact thing you are saying when the heat sink falls off. Which it's done twice. The heatsink falls off, the reg/rec is on the back of the alternator, the back of which is almost touching the block. The car would stop running, I'd leave it for a while, and once the reg/rec had cooled down, off we went. I know that the Honda ones don't have a heatsink anyway, but I think it may be worth checking.

**vifferman** · 31st March 2005, 15:00

Originally Posted by Jim2

This may be a red herring, but it is a Honda and they are reknowned for it. Get the Regulator/Rectifier checked.

Doesn't quite fit with the symptoms, especially given the battery's not running flat. Yes, the R/R can play up when hot, but you'd expect some other electrical indications, like the aforementioned flat battery, or electrical components blowing up (if the R/R failed in 'over-supply mode').

**James Deuce** · 31st March 2005, 15:05

Originally Posted by vifferman

Doesn't quite fit with the symptoms, especially given the battery's not running flat. Yes, the R/R can play up when hot, but you'd expect some other electrical indications, like the aforementioned flat battery, or electrical components blowing up (if the R/R failed in 'over-supply mode').

Exactly why I never thought of that with the FIAT, but it was exactly the issue.

**inlinefour** · 31st March 2005, 15:08

Originally Posted by vifferman

Doesn't quite fit with the symptoms, especially given the battery's not running flat. Yes, the R/R can play up when hot, but you'd expect some other electrical indications, like the aforementioned flat battery, or electrical components blowing up (if the R/R failed in 'over-supply mode').

Mine blew the bulbs and boiled the battery dry. Get the engine running and grab a multi meter. Put em on the battery terminals and give it some throttle. If the voltage increases with increased revs then the voltage regulator is nackered. But like said before it sounds like its something else. Oh and for the comments about "Honda are well known for this", wrong as its Honda jap imports are well known for it

**James Deuce** · 31st March 2005, 15:10

Originally Posted by Honda

"Honda are well known for this", wrong as its Honda jap imports are well known for it

Hee hee. Sorry Honda.

Had a mate with a 1990 VFR750 that went through two in 5000kms from brand new, but I've owned two Hondas and they were both brilliant at everything and reliable as anything I've ever owned.

NC · 31st March 2005, 15:13

Originally Posted by Jim2

Hee hee. Sorry Honda.

Had a mate with a 1990 VFR750 that went through two in 5000kms from brand new, but I've owned two Hondas and they were both brilliant at everything and reliable as anything I've ever owned.

Yeah, I've had a good run with all the bikes I have owned..
2 kwakas, 1 yammy and a honda...all good bikes... handled the thrashings and the droppings and the crashings and the vomitings

**inlinefour** · 31st March 2005, 15:14

Originally Posted by Jim2

Hee hee. Sorry Honda.

Had a mate with a 1990 VFR750 that went through two in 5000kms from brand new, but I've owned two Hondas and they were both brilliant at everything and reliable as anything I've ever owned.

But only one jap import, hence only one problem that was quickly fixed with an after market part...

**vifferman** · 31st March 2005, 15:38

Originally Posted by Honda

Mine blew the bulbs and boiled the battery dry.

R/R failure in 'over-supply mode'. They don't all fail like that - my two were in "under-supply, run the battery flat till there's no juice left for sparks mode".

Originally Posted by ThatHondaGuy

Get the engine running and grab a multi meter. Put em on the battery terminals and give it some throttle. If the voltage increases with increased revs then the voltage regulator is nackered.

Almost right.
The voltage should be around 12-ish at idle, and increase to a maximum of anywhere from 13.5V to 15.xV (depending on the Honda model and R/R model, and how flat the battery is/was) at above 5.5k rpm.
And if the R/R is knackeried, the voltage may increase initially, then decrease again as the revs rise (been there, had that).

Originally Posted by HondaMan

But like said before it sounds like its something else.

Indeed - I vote for the fuel tap.

Originally Posted by Honda

Oh and for the comments about "Honda are well known for this", wrong as its Honda jap imports are well known for it

Mebbe.
Explains my (Jap import) VFR750, but not my VTR1000, nor all the other failed R/Rs on Hondas scattered across the globe.

What does explain those is Honda insisting on fitting too thin wiring and puny R/Rs, and failing to acknowledge a problem, despite the failures, and despite better R/Rs being available from their suppplier, Shindengen.

**inlinefour** · 31st March 2005, 15:57

I guess that for those who know how to apply the fix will have plenty of bikes to choose from that need a little work and cost less then?

I guess its like blaming the spoon for so many fat bastards in the world...

**vifferman** · 31st March 2005, 16:23

Originally Posted by Honda

I guess that for those who know how to apply the fix will have plenty of bikes to choose from that need a little work and cost less then?

That'd be schweeet if "those who know" were the same people as "those with cash".

The fix isn't hard, so I used the two I did an excuse to Do It Properly, and did a little rewiring and relocating while I was at it.
It's ferkin frustrating though. My VF500 gave me no electrical problems at all in the 6.5 years I owned it (still had the same battery in it), so I thought "Hah! It'll never happen to me!"

After doing the VFR, I had no idea the VTRs were similarly afflicted, and was pissed off having to do that as well. Because I wasn't aware they had R/R problems, I bought a new battery, probably unnecessarily (like the one I bought for the VFR, before finding out it was the R/R).

One of the best things you can do if you own a Honda is buy a small voltmeter, and fit it on the instrument panel. Helped me to diagnose the problem on the VTR, after thinking it was the too large headlight bulb sucking too many ergs from the too small battery....

**BNZ** · 31st March 2005, 18:41

I had an FXR for a very short while and it had exactly the same issues - even did it to me heading up the harbour bridge one night

We were pretty sure it was the coil, as a bit of coil "encouragement" involving a hammer or other heavy object used to kick her back into life. If you can just sell the thing!!! They are not worth spending money on!