Discovering more and more gremlins every day...

[Quint]

My '05 RT has a whole bunch of gremlins. Sometimes they're there, sometimes they're not. (It's a little bit like backing a trailer: pull down left on the steering wheel and the rear of the trailer will definitely go right. Or maybe it won't!)

 

Anyway, the latest one is this: sometimes it will start in gear, sometimes it won't. I have my riding buddies say, "Aw, it won't start with the stand down" or "you've gotta have the clucth all the way in", but nope. This I know already. As I say, sometimes it will, sometimes it won't.

 

Don't get me wrong: I kinda find it characterful and I really don't mind it.

 

Has anybody else got gremlins to report?

[New1200RTRider]

no gremlins, great bike

[CraigT]

I've had this with the ST. I don't think it's gremlins though. I assumed it was something to do with the 'polling' of the canbus, i.e. the frequency of which it actauly looks at the inputs to determine their state. Is the stand up or down?, it may only look every 30 seconds or so.

 

Don't know about the RT, but I can fill my ST up and I'm offski and into third several hundred yards and cruising by the time the fuel gauge reads full. Sometimes it's instant.

[SnowDog]

When I first got my ST I thought I had a 'gremlin' like that. Then I realised that I had to turn the key on before I pulled the clutch in to start.

 

I found for some reason the system won't recognize the clutch being in if the key is not on to 'see' the action of it being pulled in. Go figure.

 

Not sure if that applies to your situation or not.

[R4ND0M_AX3]

I assumed it was something to do with the 'polling' of the canbus, i.e. the frequency of which it actauly looks at the inputs to determine their state. Is the stand up or down?, it may only look every 30 seconds or so.

 

The stand switch is not a CANbus device.

Here are some other things that are not on the CANBus:

Accessory socket

starter button

kill switch

brake switches

key switch

brake light

turn signal switches

Turn signals

headlights

flux capacitor

[russg]

The stand switch is not a CANbus device.

Here are some other things that are not on the CANBus:

Accessory socket

starter button

kill switch

brake switches

key switch

brake light

turn signal switches

Turn signals

headlights

flux capacitor

 

Now how does the CAN-Bus enabled charger work when plugged into the Accessory socket if it isn't monitored by that bus?

Besides that my dealer warned me not to run two heated vests on my bike until I had one wired direct to the battery due to overloading and possible damage to the CAN-Bus. Where do you get your information from? Do you have a wiring schematic?

 

--russ

[russg]

I have an idea what the issue is. You see there really isn't an "On Board Computer" or even a "Board Computer". It is actually a "Bored Computer" hence the "BC" button to access information. Well, since the computer is bored, it messes with the rider every now and then. Turns on warning lights, sometimes makes up new signals to display and on the bad days won't even let you start your bike. The best medicine for a "Bored Computer" is to give it something to do. Take it for a ride and give it something to think about.

[R4ND0M_AX3]

The stand switch is not a CANbus device.

Here are some other things that are not on the CANBus:

Accessory socket

starter button

kill switch

brake switches

key switch

brake light

turn signal switches

Turn signals

headlights

flux capacitor

 

Now how does the CAN-Bus enabled charger work when plugged into the Accessory socket if it isn't monitored by that bus?

Besides that my dealer warned me not to run two heated vests on my bike until I had one wired direct to the battery due to overloading and possible damage to the CAN-Bus. Where do you get your information from? Do you have a wiring schematic?

 

--russ

The power module (ZFE) is like an old fashioned fuse block but with some brains. The ZFE is able to communicate to some of the other devices on the CAN bus. The socket isn't monitored by the CAN bus. It's monitored by the ZFE.

All of the things (and more) I listed above could have been CANBus devices them selves but we'll have to wait for that for a couple of years.

[Hiawatha]

Talk about gremlins. I was chasing them around the garage with a 12 guage. Did a lot of damage but never even got close!

My 1200ST was doing some real crazy stuff. Every light, buzzer and even the horn was going off. Seems there are some defective batteries according to the dealer (mostly GS bikes) anyway with a low battery the computer goes through some god awful contortions. Couldn't just roll over and die like a real machine instead of all the moaning and pissing around. I was getting scared to ride it not knowing what it might decide to do. A new battery (warranty) and life is good again. Why have a wife when you have a computerized bike?

[Ken H.]

I assumed it was something to do with the 'polling' of the canbus, i.e. the frequency of which it actauly looks at the inputs to determine their state. Is the stand up or down?, it may only look every 30 seconds or so.

The stand switch is not a CANbus device.

Here are some other things that are not on the CANBus:

Accessory socket

starter button

kill switch

brake switches

key switch

brake light

turn signal switches

Turn signals

headlights

flux capacitor

Well true. But the OP is correct in principle. The ZFE module does look at various items to, for example, make a decision to actuate the starter or not.

[Ken H.]

sometimes it will start in gear, sometimes it won't.

Well I don't know about gremlins in general, but specific to this issue, to crank the engine the ZFE must see side stand up + clutch pulled, OR in tranny in neutral. The most common problem has been at the clutch lever switch. Usually an overly sensitive adjustment of the switch tang.

 

The bike's under warranty, but if you want to fiddle with it yourself, the switch can easily be removed, the tank bent outward a bit and reinstalled.

[Quint]

Hiawatha - You gotta stop... you're crackin' me up!!

[ADulay]

I assumed it was something to do with the 'polling' of the canbus, i.e. the frequency of which it actauly looks at the inputs to determine their state. Is the stand up or down?, it may only look every 30 seconds or so.

 

The stand switch is not a CANbus device.

Here are some other things that are not on the CANBus:

Accessory socket

starter button

kill switch

brake switches

key switch

brake light

turn signal switches

Turn signals

headlights

flux capacitor

 

Uh, what version of flux capacitor is that?

 

AD

[BrianT]

The stand switch is not a CANbus device.

Here are some other things that are not on the CANBus:

Accessory socket

starter button

kill switch

brake switches

key switch

brake light

turn signal switches

Turn signals

headlights

flux capacitor

 

Uh, what version of flux capacitor is that?

 

AD

 

Why do I have this sudden urge to yell out, "One point twenty one jigawatts!"

[dioscouri]

I've had the same problem w my ST. Often, it won't start in gear with the clutch in. I had the dealer check it out, but they say no problem. Same result with the fuel indicator; sometimes instantaneous result, other times 300-400 yards later. None are serious problems though.

[BamaRider]

I thought I had one the other day when a strange icon appeared on the display. At first I thought the black ice thing was acting up, I was on my way to dealers for tires when my low beam went kaput.

 

The icon was telling me I had a lamp out, I found that out later when I went to the manual. I'm happy that piece of feedback works as adverstised.

 

My gas gauge is also lazy after a fill up, and takes a few min to display full bars, but not something I worry about.

[TowJam]

I've had the same problem w my ST. Often, it won't start in gear with the clutch in. I had the dealer check it out, but they say no problem.

In order to start the engine in gear (with the clutch pulled in), you have to turn on the ignition before pulling in the clutch. Otherwise, it won't turn over. It's documented in the owner's manual.

 

As far as the fuel guage, my "fresh out of the factory crate" GS has a problem where it will only show the tank being 2/3 full when in fact, it's filled up to the neck. Probably not a big deal but not something I'm happy to see on a $15k motorcycle.

[Highway41]

May not fall into the gremlin category but when I lay on the horn too long, such as when the nice lady talking on the phone wanders into my lane, it stops functioning and the "Set" icon appears on the dash. After restarting, the horn works again.

[Quint]

Definitely a gremlin (by my definition, anyway).