Advice needed - Honda Blackbird Charging issue

[Mrjoolz]

Hi all,

I was riding into work this morning, and got into London (40 miles from home) all OK. Stopped at work to ask Security to open the gates, and when tried to start bike, it turned over really slowly but did start.

Got the bike into the yard, parked up turned it off, and tried to start it again. Battery flat, ignition lights all dimmed when trying to turn over. Turned lights off and tried again, no change.

Any thoughts as to why the battery would have charged on the way in ? What do I need to check ?

Many thanks

Mr Joolz

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Previous Bikes: TZR125, KMX125, RGV250, RD350YPVS, GXSR750H, GSXR600SRAD, R1 (2000), GSXR1000 (K1), ZZR600, CBR1100XX Super Blackbird

Current Bike: Suzuki GSX1300R Hyabusa.....

[P.addy]

Regulator cooked itself? Get bike jump started and check voltage across battery. Anything under 12 or over 15 and you will want a regulator.

[RhynoCZ]

Reg/rec or stator, maybe a faulty battery

Get multimetr and you should get 13v+ on the battery while the engine is running or arround 60v on each combination of 2 yellow wires comming out of the stator while the engine is running and when you turn of the engine you should get some ohm reading on those 3 yellow wires. At first try the battery and if you have a spare reg/rec then try it after you're sure the battery is alright.

This is very brief troubleshoot manual.

EDIT: Be sure you switch your device AC/DC, AC for stator, DC for battery/after reg/rec.
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'87 Honda XBR 500, '96 Kawasaki ZX7R P1, '90 Honda CB-1, '88 Kawasaki GPz550, MZ 150 ETZ
'95 Mercedes-Benz w202 C200 CGI, '98 Mercedes-Benz w210 E200 Kompressor

[Aff]

Here is a less brief guide.
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Current Bikes:Honda 929RR Fireblade, Honda CD200 Benly (Project), Stomp Z2 140
Electric Bike Project

[Shinigami]

i'll put my bets on regulator, I hate regulators, i've had a couple die/burn out on me
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Current: Honda City Fly CLR125 2003 Honda CB600F Hornet 2008 Yamaha FZ6 S2 + 1991 Kawasaki GPZ500
"Once you realize what a joke everything is, being the Comedian is the only thing that makes sense.

[Mrjoolz]

You back Paddy ?

Think its the R/R. Just called my mechanic, and he said even if AA come out and jump it, it wont get me home. I'll get stranded on route, as battery wont get me home on its own if not charging.

Is this correct ? Got 40miles to do through London
____________________
Previous Bikes: TZR125, KMX125, RGV250, RD350YPVS, GXSR750H, GSXR600SRAD, R1 (2000), GSXR1000 (K1), ZZR600, CBR1100XX Super Blackbird

Current Bike: Suzuki GSX1300R Hyabusa.....

[Aff]

The ER6 managed 150 miles on a fully charged non charging battery.

If you have a way of charging it while you're at work I think 40miles should be OK.
____________________
Current Bikes:Honda 929RR Fireblade, Honda CD200 Benly (Project), Stomp Z2 140
Electric Bike Project

[RhynoCZ]

I bet my money on faulty stator

I had the same problem with NC27, running alright, then stopped and the battery was drained.
____________________
'87 Honda XBR 500, '96 Kawasaki ZX7R P1, '90 Honda CB-1, '88 Kawasaki GPz550, MZ 150 ETZ
'95 Mercedes-Benz w202 C200 CGI, '98 Mercedes-Benz w210 E200 Kompressor

[Mrjoolz]

Got RAC coming out before 2pm to test it and if its knackered they will arrange recovery to my home at 5:30pm when I finish.

Last thing I need at the moment.

Apparently my mechanic has one on the shelf and says it should be the same as mine. R/R with a single large plug on it.

Need to check on net and see if this is the case.
____________________
Previous Bikes: TZR125, KMX125, RGV250, RD350YPVS, GXSR750H, GSXR600SRAD, R1 (2000), GSXR1000 (K1), ZZR600, CBR1100XX Super Blackbird

Current Bike: Suzuki GSX1300R Hyabusa.....

[P.addy]

I would upgrade it to the R1 regulator when you have the money.

[Islander]

It might just be a knackered battery - they do die eventually or even loose connections. You really need to get a meter on it.

Check the voltage with the ignition off - it should be around 12V if it's much lower then you could try a smart charger to see if it'll recover it but that's indicative of a very flat battery. Then get the engine started and check again with the revs up around 4K or so. It should be around 14V if the charging circuit and reg/rec are alright.

If you're seeing a much higher voltage then the reg/rec has probably gone. If you're seeing a much lower voltage then you need to check the stator outputs (AC range). If they're fine then the reg/rec is dead. If they're not then it might be the stator. Check all the earth points and connections as you go.

[Mrjoolz]

whats the stator ?
____________________
Previous Bikes: TZR125, KMX125, RGV250, RD350YPVS, GXSR750H, GSXR600SRAD, R1 (2000), GSXR1000 (K1), ZZR600, CBR1100XX Super Blackbird

Current Bike: Suzuki GSX1300R Hyabusa.....

[Aff]

The stationary part of your alternator, it's basically lots of coils of wire. All the leads coming out of the genny cover area of your bike come from the stator.
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Current Bikes:Honda 929RR Fireblade, Honda CD200 Benly (Project), Stomp Z2 140
Electric Bike Project

[radicalrabit]

ALMOST hate to say this but if you go on the Blackbird forum there is loads of info on this but god are they a bunch of self praising self centred pricks...
https://www.cbrxx.com/
https://www.superblackbird.co.uk/
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VF1000 F2F, BLACKBIRD with carbs, 2nd VF1000F2F just need somewhere to go now..

[RhynoCZ]

[Mrjoolz]

RAC turned up and tested battery. R/R was fine, and their battery tester basically said replace battery....knackered.
____________________
Previous Bikes: TZR125, KMX125, RGV250, RD350YPVS, GXSR750H, GSXR600SRAD, R1 (2000), GSXR1000 (K1), ZZR600, CBR1100XX Super Blackbird

Current Bike: Suzuki GSX1300R Hyabusa.....

[RhynoCZ]

[Mrjoolz]

Nope. But by the time the RAC arrived, the blooming bike started. so had managed to sort itself out. Didnt even turn over slowly. Made me look stoopid.
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Previous Bikes: TZR125, KMX125, RGV250, RD350YPVS, GXSR750H, GSXR600SRAD, R1 (2000), GSXR1000 (K1), ZZR600, CBR1100XX Super Blackbird

Current Bike: Suzuki GSX1300R Hyabusa.....

[Bezzer]

You want to go over the electrics thoroughly before it blows something expensive. The reg/rec is a known weak point and your symptoms are what a lot have, it doesn't charge enough then fails to start but leaving it standing for a while allows the battery to recover enough to let it start also the connector to it from the stator, it can burn out/short, if it looks at all iffy the accepted fix is to hardwire it. If it's an FI 'bird then make sure the loom fix has been done as well, the test block can cause all manner of weird electrical problems, failure of electrical items and eventually a total shutdown if it's not sorted.
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I used to be indecisive but now I'm not quite so sure.

[map]

Late to the party but thought I'd throw my of thoughts in.
My old bike was having issues like this. My first thoughts were the reg/rec which it turns out would have been a bugger to replace. God knows how it was put in the frame in the first place.
Anyhow after posting on here the various meter reading I was persuaded to just try a new battery.
...and that solved the problem.

Still don't know how/why the battery became faulty but problem solved.

Hope it's as straightforward for OP.


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...and the whirlwind is in the thorn trees, it's hard for thee to kick against the pricks...
Gibbs, what did Duckie look like when he was younger?

[Bezzer]

[map]

[Mrjoolz]

Have bought a new battery and will fit it this weekend.



Will keep an eye on it.
____________________
Previous Bikes: TZR125, KMX125, RGV250, RD350YPVS, GXSR750H, GSXR600SRAD, R1 (2000), GSXR1000 (K1), ZZR600, CBR1100XX Super Blackbird

Current Bike: Suzuki GSX1300R Hyabusa.....

[Mrjoolz]

Problem with charging is back. Pulled over in london on Wednesday to check phone for directions. 2 mins later, went to start the bike and battery totally flat. Had just done 40 miles up motorway.

RAC Came out and tested battery 11.8 on tickover and 12.8 on rev. However I managed to ride it home, and turned off bike. Tried to start and it turned over as if fully charged battery on it.

Following day it turned over really slowly and just managed to start. Rode into work and then when I came to leave at the end of the day it turned over fine.

Could it be the reg still ? I thought they were solid state and therefore would either work or not, not an intermittent issue. Is the reg/rec earthed out through the bolts holding it to the frame ?

I am having someone replace the reg and then perform a charging test on the replacement reg / battery. If figures return to normal, then sorted. if the figures dont return to normal, what could it be

Thanks in advance

Joolz
____________________
Previous Bikes: TZR125, KMX125, RGV250, RD350YPVS, GXSR750H, GSXR600SRAD, R1 (2000), GSXR1000 (K1), ZZR600, CBR1100XX Super Blackbird

Current Bike: Suzuki GSX1300R Hyabusa.....

[Bezzer]

12.8volts @ 5000rpm points towards the reg/rec going tits up, but to make sure you need to check the stator output, the plug to the reg/rec has three yellow wires with the bike running on battery and the plug disconnected put a multimeter on AC volts across the three wires in pairs - 1-2 2-3 and 3-1 and you should get the same voltage for each pair probably around the upper 20s or so, they should all be very close to the same as each other. If they are then the stator is fine and it will be the reg/rec.
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I used to be indecisive but now I'm not quite so sure.