2011 Vaquero won't start or nothing

[bouson]

Rode to work & went 4 blocks to lunch all no problem.

Came out with lunch to go. Turned on key, radio playing, raised kickstand hit starter button and everything went dead. Tried checking kill switch still nothing. Raised and lowered kickstand. Turned key off tried, accessory & on several times finally got radio for 2 seconds hit start went dead again. Tried everything again, nothing. Walked back uphill to work.

When I say dead I mean all systems shut off just like the key was off. Any help.

Going back to try it again after work.

[GIBBY]

First thing to do is remove, clean and reinstall battery connections.

[Jared]

Yep, my bet is on a bad battery connection.

[cnc]

Yup that would be my first step also. Don't just clean or tighten, as Gibby said remove, clean and tighten. Next would be put a volt meter on the battery, It should read in the high 12's or 13 volts since it was just running a little earlier. If all that checks out then I would be looking for a loose connection in the main harness, main fuse, or the ignition switch as a next step.

[bouson]

Yeah, that's what I think too, the battery cables. I can't do anything till later tonight if I can't get it started it will set over night where it is, no choice, no tools with me and can't work in the dark. Hoping I have the luck one of the other guys on here did and it starts right up and never happens again. I'll let you all know what happens. Oh and congrats Jared on the new job.

[cactusjack]

I'm betting it's a loose battery connection.

[bouson]

And the award goes to "LOSE BATTERY CABLE!"

Went by after work tried to start it, nothing. Turned key to on and took off the seat wiggled cable on right side of battery and stereo came on. Hit started button after turning of stereo heard loud click at battery connection and lost power. Wiggled again and got power. Holding cable still started bike. All food for ride home will work on removing, cleaning and replacing cables this weekend.

Thanks for the input guys. Have a great week!

[Dave]

I'm betting it's a loose battery connection.


I'm betting it's the air pressure in the rear tire.

[cnc]

Glade you got it going.:tup:

[Kawhead]

Glade you got it going.:tup:
Glade? I'm crazy fervent!!!!!!!!:lmao:


http://www.4smileys.com/smileys/dance-smileys/smiley_dance01.gif (http://www.4smileys.com)

[cnc]

Glade? I'm crazy fervent!!!!!!!!:lmao:


http://www.4smileys.com/smileys/dance-smileys/smiley_dance01.gif (http://www.4smileys.com)

Your crazy period Mike.:lmao::lmao::lmao:

[Kawhead]

Naw, past the test bye to points.http://www.pic4ever.com/images/2gwb921.gifA whole point more than needed!

:cheers::D

[bouson]

Just an update;
When I pulled the battery cover the ground cable was almost completely off. The dealer must have left the bolt loose after the last oil change (Break in). Tighten it up and it works great.

I have used each one of the dealers in my area at one time or another and have decided that I will not let any of them work on my bike if I can help it. They charge you for things they don't even have the equipment to do. Only one in the area has machine to true lace wheels and none of them have the air pump for the shocks. The reason I know this is because I have asked about it. These may same unimportant, but when they tell you the way they check the run-out on your wheels is to spin it and eyeball it, when the book calls for + or - .003, it doesn't instill faith in the shop.

[BC RED VAQ]

My personal thought I think kawasaki mechanics are under tranied and under equiped they just do as kaw tells them not allowing they to thing on their own. Scary to me I had an oil leak on the left side by the oil dipstick took it to the dealer and the secound mechanic told me I need to find it and proceeded to tell me how. At that point I left the shop found the leak fixed it to keep from having the case split to tighten a bolt. Still does not leak to this day But Kawasaki knows about it incase it startes leaking again. Not much trust in kaw mechanics I'v dealt with but one Just saying IMO.

[haygrrr]

I'll second the dealership issues - I've found another I'm trying next time. Glad your problem was a relatively easy fix... can't wait to get my bike out of storage and make sure I have no more electrical issues. 42 days at the dealership is unacceptable.

http://vulcanbagger.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30595

[bouson]

All the shops in my area are the kind that sell Honda/Kawasaki/Yamaha/Suzuki/whatever all under one roof. The newest one is 20 years in business. It isn't a skill or training issue for the mechanics, it's a plain & simple issue of the dealers think we are idiots and they are going to lie to us so they can save a buck.

When I had my 900 Vulcan all three dealers told me "the way to cure your front end wobble is to not let go of the handlebars." One of them looked at it when the bike had 600 miles on it and then charged me $70 and stated it wasn't covered by warranty. I finally cured the problem when I changed to a Shinko tire, had the wheel trued by an after market shop and instead of tire weights added Dyna Beads to the tire for the balancing.

I have had them tell me my extended warranty didn't cover a ripped out seam in the seat on the 900, because the bike was 2 weeks pass the warranty limit from factory even though I had told them about it before it ran out. They also denied the coverage on my Vaquero for a paint chip on my gas tank were an obvious air bubble was in the paint (I used to be a painter and could tell why it was there.) They even tried to tell me that the factory denied these things in each case after having told me when I first brought them in they personally wouldn't do it, but we'll check on it with the factory.

If I didn't love the Vulcans so much I'd be riding something else. I decided after I bought my Vaquero I was going to do everything myself or have the local aftermarket place do it all after the first oil change with the Kawasaki Shops.

[cactusjack]

My personal thought I think kawasaki mechanics are under tranied and under equiped they just do as kaw tells them not allowing they to thing on their own. Scary to me I had an oil leak on the left side by the oil dipstick took it to the dealer and the secound mechanic told me I need to find it and proceeded to tell me how. At that point I left the shop found the leak fixed it to keep from having the case split to tighten a bolt. Still does not leak to this day But Kawasaki knows about it incase it startes leaking again. Not much trust in kaw mechanics I'v dealt with but one Just saying IMO.

I don't think Kaw is standing over them telling them what to do. They are either incompetent or stretched so thin by a dealer trying to hit his margins that their hands are tied. Also, a lot of these techs work on everything from quads to personal watercraft to sport bikes.

This is why many of us do our own work. We know that it was actually done and the work was performed to our satisfaction.

[redjay]

I had a rear shock changed on my Voyager under warranty. The dealer told me that he had to take the trunk off to get at the top shock nut and washer.
He even told me after he had finished what was in my trunk and that it was all put back in there.

Anyone that has changed the rear tire on the Voyager themselves knows that the easiest way to get the tire out from under the fender is to raise the bike on a jack and take off the shocks and lower the swing arm to get the wheel out. Not once have I ever had to take the trunk off to remove the shocks !