FTR 1200, it's turning into a love hate thing...

[Deleted member 706]

I put my deposit on an FTR 1200 the day they announced them, by the time the bikes were available I'd bought a Rocket 3 and got my deposit back. Recently I sold the Rocket 3 and bought an ex-demo standard model.
Well...On Wednesday I thought I'd jump on the bike and head up to the hills. I know the road well because I used to work up there a fair bit. I got into the hills where the road starts to get interesting and was just getting into it when the 1D10T lights flashed and the bike stalled fired up and stalled a couple of times before carking out all tofukngether! So I called up the dealer got the 24/7 road side assist number, and eventually found out hey couldn't do anything because they didn't have me on file. After several phone calls I called and paid for a tow truck, to be reimbursed, the dealer reckoned a dead battery and it sure looks like it. I put it on charge when I got home, nothing, nada, zip not even one orange light came on...
The dealer reckons it's dead battery, I've never heard of a battery dying in such a way. I got the new battery on Friday arvo, fitted it yesterday,and still nothing when I turn on the key. I put it on charge and this time the charger showed some lights and charged the battery right up, still no response when I turn on the key. I bought the old battery on charge to see what would happen, it appears to be charging so I have my doubts about the battery being the problem.
I'm really starting to have doubts about these bikes, yes they're fun to ride and yes they have nice power but, I'm finding it harder to have confidence in them, and wondering whether or not to keep it.
Some have mentioned the standard model having an analog speedo, I'm not so sure about that I reckon it might be a digital speedo dressed up as an analog speedo, mine's stuck on 50 K's since it died.

 

[edgelett]

wow - this is a new one I think.
Some bikes did have dead batteries (sat on the showroom floor too long) but I can't see how that would ruin your speedo, and not sure why your bike would be dead when you have popped in a new speedo.
Do you know whether you had the fuse recall done on your bike? or whether it was affected by the recall at all?
Definitely needs to go back to the dealer to get sorted.

 

[Deleted member 706]

wow - this is a new one I think.
Some bikes did have dead batteries (sat on the showroom floor too long) but I can't see how that would ruin your speedo, and not sure why your bike would be dead when you have popped in a new speedo.
Do you know whether you had the fuse recall done on your bike? or whether it was affected by the recall at all?
Definitely needs to go back to the dealer to get sorted.

I have no idea about any fuse recall, I've only just heard of it.
To clarify it's a new battery, not speedo.
I have had a look at the fuses, how do you tell if the 10 or 20 amp one's are functional?
Why do 2 of the 10 amp fuse have a red dot but not the 3rd one?
Frustrating...

 

[K9F]

You will need a continuity tester. If you have absolutely nothing I would suspect initially the main 40 amp fuse to be suspect. Disconnect the battery (preferably remove it altogether). There are three fuses under the battery tray it is the left hand one 40 amp you are primarily interested in, the other two are for ABS. Start at the main 40 amp fuse, pull it check it and then methodically work your way through the rest in your fuse-box dependent on findings. Should be no more than 30 minutes toil to check the lot.

As to why there is a red dot is immaterial at this stage, you have a bigger issue to resolve or just get the dealership to collect and sort it.

 

[Charliemurphay]

I’d agree, sounds like a blown fuse of some kind. Might be worth looking at your harness to see if there are any loose connections or spots that are worn/rubbed through and may be shorting out.

 

[ferraiolo1]

Everything on that bike is digital. Including the speedo. It uses the abs ring as the pick up.
And yes. It’s most likely one of the fuses under your battery.

 

[Deleted member 706]

Looks I'd better check out the tail tidy wiring. Just to make sure there's no rub or chafing.

 

[ferraiolo1]

Find the blown fuse first.

 

[Deleted member 706]

Update, the dealership is 100 K's or 60 Miles away, the circuit breaker and updates have been done. I have to pay for a tow, which can be reimbursed if it a warrantable fault, or I can take it down there myself.
Taking it to a local independent shop near home is also an option, one reason I bought this bike is because I was sick of a temperamental older bike, now I've got a temperamental newer bike.
What to do spend time to (possibly) save money, take a punt and call the tow truck, whatever I have to get it sorted before doing anything else.
"Never buy the first of a new model" I've heard that many a time.
My son is saying "Get rid of it, get a Triumph"

 

[Deleted member 706]

Find the blown fuse first.

I'll want know for sure that I haven't done any wiring loom damage before I load it up and take it for an hour's drive... This would be the third time I've taken the side panel off, it gets easier each time.
After all the tail tidy is not OEM...

 

[K9F]

Never mind the recall, did you check the fuses for continuity?

 

[ferraiolo1]

Remove the battery and inspect the fuses below it before you do anything.. cheap and easy

 

[Deleted member 706]

Never mind the recall, did you check the fuses for continuity?

I'm a bit handicapped electrically speaking, I don't even know what that means. I thought fuses blew or didn't blow.

 

[Deleted member 706]

Remove the battery and inspect the fuses below it before you do anything.. cheap and easy

Are they behind the small cover, with the sticker, on the left rear face of the battery box?

 

[Deleted member 706]

I found the tool kit...
A lone Allen key tucked away down there.

 

[Massimo]

Below the battery tray you have three connectors ! The fuses are hanging on the connector ! The one on the outside is the main fuse (40A).

 

[Massimo]

No need to take the battery out !

 

[K9F]

No need to take the battery out !

Probably best in this instance.

I'm a bit handicapped electrically speaking, I don't even know what that means. I thought fuses blew or didn't blow.

And if it's an enclosed fuse with no window or a fuse with perhaps a high resistance or a concealed break how are you going to know?

A continuity test is when you pass a very small current between two points (like each end of a fuse) and the instrument will tell you if the fuse is good. You can also use a battery (which you have already removed) a bit of wire and a light bulb rated at the same voltage as your battery as a basic tester. Better still see if any of your friends locally have a continuity tester and can wield it on your behalf. I still wager it is a ruptured fuse and a very simple fix if you know what you are doing and of course looking for? This may help?

 

[Deleted member 677]

I am in the same state of mind and sentiment about this bike as well. I turned mine on last week to go for a ride and got 10 fault codes. The only code that registered in the service manual was 02 sensor heater. I found that it was the fuse had blown. But when I replaced the fuse and turned the key the fuse blows again. It won't start, idle, or run at all. Keep in mind that I drove it home from work just before this with no problem. I am tired of the cold start issues and the stalling while driving in traffic. My local dealer has told me it will be 5 weeks before they can get to it! If I get it back and it has any issues at all, it's gone! I've had much cheaper bikes run 10 times better. My high hopes are about gone.

 

[K9F]

^^
Your last diminishing hopes are about to disappear altogether if you're expecting the dealership alone to sort out the running and cold start issues? You may as well save yourself five weeks wait and subsequent disappointment and knock it on now. Take the hit and you could be on a less irksome steed by this time next week if not before? The fuse blowing is easily sorted with the correct approach and someone with a multimeter that knows how to use it. Short circuits are the easiest to locate.

What fuse is it that is blowing the lower O2 sensor heater 7.5 amp one of the two at the top middle? At a very quick glance there appears to be two fitted on the bike, each one is mounted in the headers adjacent to the heat-shields on the exhausts, one may be shorting to ground? I would carry out a insulation/resistance check on both and compare values/findings to see if one is shorting to ground as a start. If that is beyond you, you could also try disconnecting each one in turn and turning on the ignition to see if the fuse blows? Bearing in mind being a CanBus bike disconnecting it will likely throw up more codes and you may blow a few fuses carrying out this procedure trying to track the culprit down? If the dealership's already got it do yourself a favor and go bike hunting, after all you do have a little spare time on your hands whilst you sit out the 5 weeks.