Triumphrat

voodoo_chile · 10-30-2007

Searched the other threads and couldn't find another situation like mine, so I thought I'd see if anyone has any ideas.

My problem is that the display sometimes flickers on my '03 Speed Triple. The problem started a couple days ago and might happen sporadically 2 or 3 times every 10 miles or so. It looks as if the bike had just been switched on. You see the display go off for a second and then come back on and run through the startup things like the speed being "188", the temp being "Lo". The tach dives when this happens too. The time and odometer are not reset though, so I don't think it's completely losing power.

I ran through the typical things like checking the ground to the battery and so forth. I don't think that's the issue since the bike seems to perform fine while this is happening. I found another thread that said display issues can be a loose wire. That still may be the case, but I can shake all the wires behind the dash and jiggle the wire harness all the way to the battery and cannot reproduce the issue. Usually it only happens when I ride. But just now, with the bike parked on the side-stand and the bike in neutral, I got the display to do this running the tach past 5K. Maybe a vibration thing?

Any help would be appreciated.

kuhlka · 10-30-2007

I'd check your battery with a voltmeter and make sure it isn't dying a slow death. I've had this issue with my 03 numerous times eating batteries. It has to be something loose or malfunctioning in the wiring harness though unless the tach itself is damaged. More likely than not though, something is loose like the ground cable bolted onto the motor (rear side right in front of the ECU under the tank and carbon canister). Take the bike over some bumps and see what happens. You might also test out your kill switch circuit to see if something is failing or loose. ALSO, check your tip sensor! It might have come loose somehow and be tipped to the side...

BigTam · 10-30-2007

I had this happen about three days after a little altercation with a people carrier, turned out the bump was enough to break the battery strap and apparently the vibration while you are riding is enough to loosen the connections and when you are parked it aint easy to check...took mine to the dealer after suffering it for bout a week he put a new strap on and tightened up the connections and I left with a big red head....

voodoo_chile · 10-30-2007

I'll check on the wiring to the battery. Where is the tip sensor?

voodoo_chile · 10-31-2007

The negative lead was tight as it could be. I turned the positive lead by about 1/4 turn. I haven't had any problems in the 25 miles I've ridden since. I'll keep my fingers crossed. Thanks for all the help!

Wimpy · 10-31-2007

My Rocket 3 started doing this as well, the gauges would sweep like I just turned on the key, but the engine kept running. Turned out to be the ignition switch.

kuhlka · 10-31-2007

The tips sensor is a small black rectangle of plastic that should be bolted near the side of the fuse box. The wires should be coming out of the bottom of it. The size is close to two AA batteries side-by-side. I'm thinking it is probably just your battery leads. On a trip to St. Louis and back my bike kept sputtering and my guages kept going out on me. It ended up just being the negative cable being almost completely loose.

One of these days I'll get around to making a full custom undertail or buying Racecomp's CF one.