[Maladjusted_Mike]

First off I'd like to let yall know I am a brand new victory owner, coming from a custom Harley sportster to a 2015 Victory Highball, and wow! Couldn't be happier! Glad I made the switch. Having some electrical issues which I'm sure are my fault but we'll find out. So:

I was riding in to work this morning - 39 degrees crisp air zero wind (central Maryland) however ground was fairly wet from late night rain- and midway my tachometer just shut off, completely. No lights, no speedo no rpms/miles/nada. However bike was running fine (just had 500 mile service), exterior lights aka headlight and brake light working fine, just no tach. With no need to panic, I pulled up to work, tried shutting bike on/off but tach was still not responding. Any ideas where to start?

My only idea is that it might have something to do with me removing turn signals when I first got it (worked fine until now) OR riding in a light rainstorm about a week ago (bike got pretty wet and dirty). Maybe it could be the combination of both? Any help is greatly appreciated fellow riders. Thanks for your time

 

[tree1979]

My first thought is loose connection. The tach connects to the wiring harness inside the head light bucket. Take the lid off and check the connection. You could have knocked something loose when you were changing the turn signals.

 

[Maladjusted_Mike]

Ok thanks man I'll give it a look. It shouldn't be loose, Taking them off wasn't too complicated. There's an external plug behind headlight, literally 40 sec but I'm no soft hand so I will definitely give it a look thanks again

 

[navycraig]

Fuse?

 

[tree1979]

Fuse?

That was another thought, but was thinking loose connection since he changed the turn signals. Good place to start looking.

 

[Maladjusted_Mike]

I'll check as soon as I get off. I hope it's just loose connection and not fuse. Bike is just over a month old

 

[navycraig]

I'll check as soon as I get off. I hope it's just loose connection and not fuse. Bike is just over a month old

Fuse would be easier to locate/identify, no?

 

[Maladjusted_Mike]

Yea I suppose. Either way im taking something off but if it's a bad fuse than I would have to replace the fuse. . The anticipation is killing me.

 

[navycraig]

Yea I suppose. Either way im taking something off but if it's a bad fuse than I would have to replace the fuse. . The anticipation is killing me.

 

[lou8700]

2015, 500 mile service. Take it back to the dealer for warrantee if your pretty positive it's not a ground or connection you disturbed. JMHO

 

[Maladjusted_Mike]

:lol: That was good sir . . . . A little too good lol.

And thanks lou8700 that's what I plan on doing, but the closest dealership is over hour away. so I just want to be sure I didn't fudge it up before I kick their door in

 

[Maladjusted_Mike]

Ok so I've checked the fuses they look good to me. However upon the rise home I also discovered that not only does my entire tach not work, my horn does not work either, as well as my running brake light. Brake light only illuminates when brake lever pulled. Any ideas?
I'll show you a few pics so you can see if I'm missing something.

That last pic is to show how simple front turn signals connect/disconnect. Didn't have to do anything else for those.
Oh well, I suppose I will check inside my headlight to look for loose connections. Will keep updated

 

[JGREEN]

First off, welcome to the VOG. After seeing your pics I'm more inclined to think there is a short somewhere since not only the tach is involved. I believe a trip to your dealer would be best, IMO, since this is a new bike. Though it most likely is something relatively simple, it's still something that should be noted by the dealer for any warranty issues that may arise.

 

[Maladjusted_Mike]

Thanks JGREEN, appreciate it! In was thinking the same but I went back over the fuses and I found what I was looking for . . .

Aha!! This is the fuse labeled TS/HORN (15A). The bar in the middle should be connected so I got the bad fuse. Now my only question is why would it go bad, so early? Water hit somewhere? Because the turn signals are out? Any ideas on this particular endeavor? I'm a little lost when it comes to these.
I'm going to put turn signals back on and back to stock and out a new fuse in there and see what happens.

 

[mrmegadeth]

Perhaps when you had the spade connectors apart for the turn signals you had the key on and grounded that circuit? That may blow it...

 

[tree1979]

I agree with mrmegadeth. Did you disconnect the battery when you changed the turn signals (negative first)? You probably shorted the circuit and didn't even know it.

 

[JGREEN]

Agreeing with mrmegadeth...inadvertent grounding=blown fuse. Glad you found your problem and having a very simple solution.

 

[Maladjusted_Mike]

Not sure I follow. If you're referring to the connectors that plug to the turn signals, I've each individual connector unplugged and apart just hanging there since day 1 and now it just blew.

 

[Maladjusted_Mike]

No I didnt unplug/disconnect battery. When i took them off all i did was unplug signals, unscrewed bracket and wallah! Gone. I saved signals/packaged them away. But if it shorted wouldn't I have had problems instantly or am I just an idiot? I did it back in October and no problems since then that's why I'm curious.

 

[tree1979]

Not sure I follow. If you're referring to the connectors that plug to the turn signals, I've each individual connector unplugged and apart just hanging there since day 1 and now it just blew.

How are your turn signals connected then? Do you have connectors exposed? If so, that's probably what went wrong. In your first post you say that the ground was wet. Wet and electric don't mix.My guess is you shorted across an open connector. If its been like that from day one I'm surprised it didn't short sooner. I may be misunderstanding the situation though.