loss of power

jgimar

XS650 Addict
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hutchinson, ks.
i've had a little problem start up that i haven't had before. just out of the blue as i am driving along and come to a stop or decelerate the bike will just up and die because it loses electrical power. i know this because when i put the bike into neutral, the neutral light doesn't come on. headlamps dead, brake lights dead, etc. shut it all down, wait a bit, try to crank it up again and sometimes, not all the time, power comes back up and i can start it up and make it a ways before it does it again. i can't find any loose connections. anybody ever have this happen? anybody know what might be my problem? thanks,:banghead::
 
The first thing that comes to mind is a ground issue. Check your main ground connection at the battery and at the frame. I seem to remember a thread posted a while back about a ground run to the swing arm that was causing all kinds of issues.
 
i'll check it out again but that was the first thing i checked and everything seemed tight. one thing of note, i did just replace the battery a few days ago, new battery, cleaned the terminals, everything seems in good order, plenty of juice when i crank it up. only problem is i'll be toolin' along and when i come up to a stop or something that requires decelerating or a downshift, it just quits running and the electrics have shut down.
 
ok, here we go. i just hopped on it to ride home from work. got a few blocks away and the thing shut down in full motion. gave me the feeling like there is something locking open in the electrics on it. pulled over, sat a few minutes, neutral light came back on and away i went for a few more blocks then it "shut off" again. repeated this about four times til i got home. some unit in t he system? regulator, rectifier? it's a 77 and maybe i'm blind but i've been all through that bike and haven't found one fuse or fuse box. help me forest, i've fallin' and can't get up!:banghead:
 
also by the way guys. bear with me on my replies. i'm not to whippy on this computer stuff and who knows where my answers and replies will end up.
 
Well. that sounds very like a cabling issue - I was getting reduced performance, missing, then stopping at low revs - it turned out that the positive battery wire was broken under its sleeve so externally it looked fine, but inside (as luck would have it) sometimes it would be connected, and then suddenly nothing.

Multimeter time.

Anlaf
 
Well. that sounds very like a cabling issue - I was getting reduced performance, missing, then stopping at low revs - it turned out that the positive battery wire was broken under its sleeve so externally it looked fine, but inside (as luck would have it) sometimes it would be connected, and then suddenly nothing.

Multimeter time.

Anlaf

i'll check it out and let you know. may be a few days since i was right in the middle of leaving town for the coming weekend and i don't have much time to mess with it. everybody keep all those fine suggestions and thoughts coming though. thanks.:banghead:
 
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