VFR Electrical Problems

Discussion in '5th Generation 1998-2001' started by Bpaul18, Aug 21, 2017.

  1. Bpaul18

    Bpaul18 New Member

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    Hey VFR World,

    I recently purchased a 1999 VFR800 from a family friend whose owned the bike for about 10 years, the last year or two it sat inside of his shed. I have only rode the bike for a couple of hours over the last two weekends. This last weekend I ran into some issues (I should warn you I am not the most technically minded person in the world FYI).

    As I was riding I began noticing that at the lower gears/lower rpms (when I was coming off from a stop sign or making a slow turn) the bike began burbling and I needed to give it more gas. I turned around to head in the direction of my house and as I pulled up to a stop sign the bike died. It didnt stall out, it just shut off. I tried to restart it and it wouldnt even turn over. I called the guy I bought it off of and he said it sounded like a dead battery. I then called up my brother (who is an Audi tech, so he has some technical knowledge but is a fish out of the water when it comes to bikes). He showed up and we tried to jump the bike. It would start but the moment I tried to get it going it would die. Eventually we just went out and bought a new battery. With the new battery the bike started right up and I rode it home (about 30-40 minutes away from where the bike died).

    When I was about a minite down the street from my house I noticed the tachometer wasnt registering anything. The next time I looked down I noticed my speedometer stopped working as well. As I turned into my street the bike died. Once again not stalling but just shutting off. I rolled it back to my house and it once again would not start back up.

    I called the guy I bought it from again and explained to him that it happened again. He said to check that the wires near the forks werent being pinched or frayed. I went out turned the handlebars all the way to the left and hit the starter. It started right up. I shut off the bike and turned the handlebars all the way to the right and hit the starter. It didnt start, same issue as before. I then put the handlebars in the middle and tried it. Didnt start. I went back to all the way to the left, thinking I had solved it. Tried it, and it didnt start. I decided to try again the next day because it was getting dark.

    The next day I went out and began checking the exposed wires near the forks, for frays or bubbles that would let me know they were bad. I couldnt find anything that way. I then tried to start the bike and it started right up (with the tachometer working)!! It began warming up and right as it got to be about 140 degrees it just shut off. My seat was smoking and it smelled like burnt electronics. Investigating under the seat I saw there was a stray red wire that looked like it had melted (but couldnt find what it connected to) and that the fuse ontop of the battery had blown. I am stumped, my brother is stumped, and the guy I bought the bike from suggested I take my experience to you guys for suggestions. What are your thoughts?
     
  2. tinkerinWstuff

    tinkerinWstuff Administrator Staff Member

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    You have to test the stator and the regulator as well as replace plastic connections between them as well as the red plastic connector on the starter relay. It's the only way to get rid of all VFR electrical gremlins. You can fix whatever individual issue is causing the problem today, but it'll leave you stranded again until you've fixed them all.
     
  3. OZ VFR

    OZ VFR Member

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    There isn't normally a fuse on top of the battery unless something has been added.
    If you mean the fuse next to the battery that has a red wire, that is the main fuse from the regulator rectifier.
    Either way, it sounds like it needs the whole charging system looked at and fixed properly.
    The wiring and fuse will need replacing and all the connectors within the charging system need removing and connections soldered to make sure it doesn't happen again.
    The 5th gen has known electrical problems that will not go away until properly fixed.
    It isn't hard or expensive to fix, but you do need a bit of know how.
    Search the many threads on this subject on this site.
     
  4. skimad4x4

    skimad4x4 "Official" VFRWorld Greeter

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    Hi Paul
    Welcome to the Madhouse

    Sadly it sounds like your new motorbike is suffering from classic VFR charging system problems - mostly caused by faults with the Regulator Rectifier(RR) and possibly damaged loom and stator) Rather than cover old ground the issue is covered extensively in the following thread..

    http://vfrworld.com/threads/how-to-fix-common-regulator-stator-failures.39277/

    Inherently all 4 elements of a motorbike charging system(Battery, RR, Stator, Loom) need to be in good order and a fault in any one can damage some or all of the others. Unfortunately the bought in charging system is not made by Mr H and therefore designed to deliver a price point rather than reliability. Why - see post # 48. Whilst the issue has finally been resolved by fitting far better components on the newer 7th and 8th Gen bikes - that does not help anyone with earlier VFRs.

    So please check out the above thread - and then do the diagnostic electrical system checks set out in post #9 twice - once with the bike cold and again after the bike has been for a 30 minute + ride by which time the bike is good and hot and any heat related faults will be apparent. If you are really unsure with things electrical then it might also be worth reading post #59 on that thread.

    If you need help interpreting the results post up again here and we should be able to help you sort the bike out.

    If you conclude you do need to replace your RR then before you go online and buy a cheap Chinese replacement please read posts #33 #34 - sadly the web is plagued with fakes some of which will fail in months and then blow headlight bulbs and other electrical bits which are obviously not designed to handle the sort of high volts produced when the regulator gives up the ghost and feeds 50+ volts straight into the charging system. Then things get very expensive!!!

    The only reliable solution we have identified is to fit a new RR from roastercycle.com. If you need fitting advice Jack is very happy to help guide you.
    If your stator is also faulty then an OEM stator is the best solution (if you cannot get the old one rewound) you will also need a new stator cover gasket.

    Good luck - let us know how you get on.


    SkiMad
     

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