[RedBeard]

I did a few searches on this forum and didn't find the answer so here is my thread:

On Saturday I was getting ready to ride my 2000 Sport Cruiser. The battery was weak and wouldn't start the bike so I grabbed another battery and jump started it with booster cables. I didn't idle it up enough and it died again so I just swapped the battery out and the bike started easily. After rolling out of the garage I noticed that the oil pressure light didn't go out. Also the tach wasn't reading, and the low fuel light and the neutral light stayed on, and the speedo wasn't working! I know we're not supposed to jump start these bikes. I messed up. The bike ran fine all day but not having a speedo is annoying.

My questions are: What happened and how do I fix it? I didn't find any blown fuses. Haven't searched for broken wires or poor connections yet. I am not the original owner but I am assuming that the stator is stock and my accessory lights and heated jacket have weakened the battery.

 

[vision_nut]

find what you need and download to your computer

MediaFire

 

[kaitiff]

Could be a simple fix.. my son did the same thing to his 01 V92C and we ended up replacing the rectifier/regulator. Pretty easy to check, few readings and you'll at least know if it's the VR or not.

While you have that disconnected, it's a good time to check out the stator too.. 3 wires.. check each one to the other, and all 3 one at a time to a good ground on the bike. Whole process won't take you but a few min and the older bikes were NOTORIOUS for blowing the damn things. Good news is, if that is the problem, don't even bother trying to find a stock/original.. get pretty much ANY after market new style R/R and you're golden.

 

[recumbentbob]

Do easy stuff first, Check the fuses. If you rode it all day I doubt it is the rectifier, besides I have never seen a bad rectifier make the instruments stop working.

 

[RedBeard]

Thanks for the responses everyone, I will tinker a little after work today.

 

[RedBeard]

Results: regulator/rectifier checks out ok, I followed the video almost exactly, my analogue multi-meter doesn't have diode check so I used continuity. As for Kaitiff's stator check there is continuity between the three windings of the stator and no continuity to ground on any of the windings. If I remember correctly this is a normal condition...it's been some time since I've used this corner of my brain.
I also checked the diode in the fuse panel under the right side cover, continuity one way, no continuity the other way. Here is where I got a surprise: I used a test light to check all the fuses under the right side cover and had power to all of them...with the key off. Anyone know if THAT is a normal condition?
Thanks again for reading and/or commenting! Pictures make threads better so here is one I took of some friends on a trip in 2014:

 

[ByteN2it]

Sometimes disconnecting the battery for a while & then hooking it back up would "reboot" these old bikes. There are a few that this would reset the mileage to zero too but you would have already seen this when you swapped the battery if it was going to happen.

 

[RedBeard]

So that's what I did. I took the battery out and stuck it on charge for a while. Today I got around to putting it back in the bike and it seems to have fixed itself. Thanks to everyone for the responses!

 

[kaitiff]

Glad you got the old girl back in action!