the strangest thing happend...

[Punjistick]

On my ride today my tach and all guages seemed like they had a mind of their own. The tach would drop to 0 RPM and the screen that displays speed and engine temp, etc. would go blank. Sometimes it would just flicker and return to normal but as the night went on it just quit. I tried lightly tapping on it and it seemed to have no effect. I took it home and looked to see if the plug in back wasn't in all the way; that did nothing. Has this happened to anyone before? The only think I can think of is maybe it's shorting out on the inside or something.

[13]

I know it's a completely different setup, but my superhawk had a very similar problem when the regulator/rectifier went south. Could be a short in the cluster, but I wouldn't rule out something that has almost nothing to do with it. Like the reg/rec. Or the alternator. I fix cars though, not usually bikes.

[Punjistick]

I'm gonna see what I can do myself with the manual. Then I'll take it to the pros.

[kmobrien76]

This happenned to me on my 03 R1 a few months ago, all ready to go on a ride, georgeous Sunday, about 75 out, what happenned was that I was installing an accessory, the positive wire I hadn't yet wired up, left it dangling, not thinking about it, well it was fine for a 300 mile day, then I must have hit a large bump, wire touched something metal, dash/tach went dead, wire moves again, tach/dash works again, look for a short...

[Punjistick]

It was so nice yesterday I had to take it out even with it acting up. Halfway through my ride it started working again. I'm about to go out right now and we'll see if it stays working. Thanks for the suggestion though. I need to give it a good cleaning and while I'm at it I will look for loose wires.

[benVFR]

Look for loose wires, did you modify the wiring or buy the bike used?

Is it a Honda? Stupidhawk mentions this happening on his Superhawk as a precursor to the Regulator/Rectifier failing.

This is a well known early symptom on the VFR too... if you've got a Honda and this is what's going on, you are probably at a high risk of getting stranded. When the the instruments start to go wacked out it is not long until the bike stops running completely.

A lot of people have been known to carry a spare regulator/rectifier when touring on certain Hondas.

[RandyO]

happens on SV's with failing RRs too

[Punjistick]

oh I should have mentioned what bike I have It's an '01 GSXR 600. I checked as many wires and connectors as I could find and they all seem to be connected. I will have to check the regulator/rectifier as you said.

[kmobrien76]

Check the connector to the rectifer, see if it's burnt or melted...that happenned on my 01 R6 years ago come to think of it. Also, does your battery go dead or bike is just intermittently shutting down etc...

Originally posted by Punjistick
oh I should have mentioned what bike I have It's an '01 GSXR 600. I checked as many wires and connectors as I could find and they all seem to be connected. I will have to check the regulator/rectifier as you said.

[Punjistick]

No the bike runs fine. Just the instrument cluster is acting up. I havn't had a chance yet to work on it but I might do it now before it gets dark.

[13]

Is it a Honda? Stupidhawk mentions this happening on his Superhawk as a precursor to the Regulator/Rectifier failing.

Stupidhawk is so formal, call me stupid.
I've never heard of the problem on a GSXR, but I don't normally work on bikes. My reg/rec was causing all kinds of electrical HELL with my bike, blowing random bulbs and fuses. It sounds more like an open or shorted circuit. Possibly inside the cluster. Hope it's not in the cluster, but who knows?

[13]

Hey, did you ever find out what was wrong with your gauges? I stumbled across this thread and I'm curious.

[Punjistick]

Well I took most of the bike apart and checked all the electrical connections I could find. None of them seemed loose or corroded but I put dielectric grease on all of them anyways. I did find one large white connection under the front right fairing which seemed like it was hooked up to the guages because when I disconnected it and re-connected it, the tach needle would jump. I'm sure my shop manual could tell me what it's used for but whatever I did worked. I've taken it on several long rides now and everything seems perfect.

Now if I could only find my key I could ride it!

[MsHap]

I had that happen when the generator went also.