I've tried looking around in these forums, and although I've found people with similar problems, none seem to exactly match what's been going on with my '05 636 (no mods). I bought the bike used in Nov '08, and I replaced the battery in spring '09. I rode all season in '09 with no problems. I ride it about twice a month in winter weather, to keep it happy and charged.
First week of March, tried to start her up. Dash lights came on like usual, but battery clicked several times when I pressed the electric start. I ran into this before on my old EX500, so I just knew the battery was dead and needed charged. Sat it on the trickle charger overnight, started up beautifully the next day. Rode it nearly daily in March, until one fateful day a week ago.
I went to work in the morning, she rode smoothly as usual. I went to leave work 10 hours later, and when I put the key in the ignition, and switched to "on", and the dash barely lit up. I noticed the clock was incorrect. The dash lights would all blink together, and there was a clicking noise coming from near the fuel pump. I figured the battery was REALLY dead (weird that it would happen after working just fine that morning) and had a friend help me pop start it. She rode fine for about 15 minutes, but then the dash lights started flickering (while I was mid-ride at 40mph) and then everything just shut off. Pop started it a second time to get it home.
So I thought perhaps there was a short somewhere, and I took off the battery and charged it overnight. Immediately after I plugged it into the charger, the charger read that it was already full charged. Checked with a volt meter, and it reads a full 12.4 volts.
Now when I put the key in, turn it to on, the dash lights all flicker and go nuts, and every once in a while, will act "normal" by staying on, and I hear the fuel pump priming. But the moment I press the electric start button, there is one click (from the battery it sounds like) and the entire dash turns off. If I don't touch anything after this, and give it a few minutes, the dash will go crazy again, then stay on solid.
When the dash "goes crazy" I also notice a clicking noise near the fuel pump. Is that the starter solenoid that's right there? When the bike "calms down" and starts warming up normally, that stops clicking and the fuel pump primes.
And yes, I admit, I am a n00b, just looking for some help from the experts. Please let me know if I can provide any other information that could assist in the diagnosis of my poor girl.
Thanks in advance!
First week of March, tried to start her up. Dash lights came on like usual, but battery clicked several times when I pressed the electric start. I ran into this before on my old EX500, so I just knew the battery was dead and needed charged. Sat it on the trickle charger overnight, started up beautifully the next day. Rode it nearly daily in March, until one fateful day a week ago.
I went to work in the morning, she rode smoothly as usual. I went to leave work 10 hours later, and when I put the key in the ignition, and switched to "on", and the dash barely lit up. I noticed the clock was incorrect. The dash lights would all blink together, and there was a clicking noise coming from near the fuel pump. I figured the battery was REALLY dead (weird that it would happen after working just fine that morning) and had a friend help me pop start it. She rode fine for about 15 minutes, but then the dash lights started flickering (while I was mid-ride at 40mph) and then everything just shut off. Pop started it a second time to get it home.
So I thought perhaps there was a short somewhere, and I took off the battery and charged it overnight. Immediately after I plugged it into the charger, the charger read that it was already full charged. Checked with a volt meter, and it reads a full 12.4 volts.
Now when I put the key in, turn it to on, the dash lights all flicker and go nuts, and every once in a while, will act "normal" by staying on, and I hear the fuel pump priming. But the moment I press the electric start button, there is one click (from the battery it sounds like) and the entire dash turns off. If I don't touch anything after this, and give it a few minutes, the dash will go crazy again, then stay on solid.
When the dash "goes crazy" I also notice a clicking noise near the fuel pump. Is that the starter solenoid that's right there? When the bike "calms down" and starts warming up normally, that stops clicking and the fuel pump primes.
And yes, I admit, I am a n00b, just looking for some help from the experts. Please let me know if I can provide any other information that could assist in the diagnosis of my poor girl.
Thanks in advance!