2006 XB9R - CEL on & Gage Cluster dead - low voltage due to poor battery ?

[Straycat]

Hi folks, first post here.

I have 2 Buell bikes a 2008 1125R and a 2006 XB9R, along with far too many (if thats possible) other bikes in my collection.

Now, I gotta say, I'm not well versed on the Buell's, while I have owned the XB9R for 2 years, I haven't ridden it to be honest, its just in a static collection (I know, its a shame).

As I have an extensive collection of bikes , I take time in the shop now and again to run & heat cycle the bikes, Today was fire up & run some bikes day. All bike are kept on a smart tender, but when I went to start the XB9R today, the battery was dead, and I had to use a boost box.

Bike fired up easily on the box (I removed the boost box once it started up), and it ran like a champ, however after a few minutes I noticed that the gauge cluster was dead (no LED time showing and the tach was dead), in addition the Red CEL was on. Initially when it first started up the gage cluster was working fine (but I didn't notice the CEL due to the position of the handle bars)

I shut the bike off .

I re attached the boost box, turned on the key, waited for the clocks to sweep and the CEL to go out and re started the bike. This time the CEL did not come on again.

So my question is, did I have a problem due to the low battery voltage ? I know many bikes get strange issues when a battery gets low voltage or will no longer hold a charge. It seems too coincidental to be anything else. For sure I need a new battery.

thanks for the help

Ill try to be here a bit more often now that Ive joined up.


Bit about me, I'm retired, live in northern Ontario Canada, do a bit of farming in the summer and I've got a collection of about 20 bikes. I spend my winters doing bike restorations, and my summers riding and farming. Daily riders are a 2017 Africa Twin, 2017 Suzuki M109R, and a 2014 Valkyrie F6C.

Have a pile of other cool bikes too. 86 Honda NS400R, 89 Honda CB1, 2000 Kawi ZRX1100, 2012 KTM RC8 1190, 2010 Rossi R1, 2008 Aprilia RSV Factory, 1990 Kawi ZX7, and some others

 

[34nineteen]

So which code is being indicated? Knowing that could answer your question.

 

[Cooter]

It's not any common thing I've ever heard of. If the problem has fixed itself, I'd chalk it up to neglect Get a fresh battery (220CCA, not a cheap 180CCA one) and keep it on a tender. Buells are hard on batteries.

A very smart man, Barrett, on here suggested using the Tender with a lamp timer to have them on 8 house a day instead of 24. Plenty to keep the battery topped off and less likely to kill the battery, like the cheap Tenders 'tend' to do. (PUUUUNNNN!!!!)

Post pics of the collection. You've got great taste in bikes!

 

[Straycat]

Thanks, Not sure how to pull a code, ill have to research that.

UPDATE:

Looked uptake procedure to jump the connectors on the data port and Got it. Code 16. Battery Voltage

I have my answer.

Thanks for the quick response and guidance guys. Off to FortNine to order a battery Now

 

[Straycat]

Cheers !

I use Deltran tenders on all the bikes, they don't provide a charge all the time, only when the battery needs one. Typically the batteries last 4x longer on the tender than not, but IDK how old this battery was when I got the bike, id have to look at the date code on it. Ill grab a 220CCA Battery to replace this one and see how it goes.

here are a few pics of the herd

 

[34nineteen]

Link to free service manuals

http://buellmods.com/

You can put the bike in diagnostic mode and count the flashes or invest in a Buelltooth (or make one) and use ECMDroid on an Android device to make it easy.

https://www.rev-mo.com/tuning


BTW, the recommended battery is a Deka Big Crank. I bought my last two from Battery Warehouse in PA.

 

[Straycat]

Link to free service manuals

http://buellmods.com/

You can put the bike in diagnostic mode and count the flashes or invest in a Buelltooth (or make one) and use ECMDroid on an Android device to make it easy.

https://www.rev-mo.com/tuning


BTW, the recommended battery is a Deka Big Crank. I bought my last two from Battery Warehouse in PA.

Cheers, yes I jumped the 2 terminals in the diagnostic connector and counted the flashes, I assume thats what you mean by "putting the bike in diagnostic mode". Code 16.

Will see what type of battery I can get here in Canada, Deka Big Crank lists at $529 CAD here on Amazon ...WOW, ill keep looking

 

[34nineteen]

I think they are in the low $100's at Battery Warehouse. Plus they are in PA, and everyone knows the best things come out of PA. After all, it is the HQ of LF Heavy Industries.

I think the battery is an ETX14, but I can't remember if its an "R" or not. Surely someone smarter and more handsome than myself will chime in and set the record straight.

 

[Straycat]

Ill have to find a Canadian source at a reasonable cost. Shipping from the USA to Canada is usually more than the item itself, its madness.

 

[34nineteen]

Ill have to find a Canadian source at a reasonable cost. Shipping from the USA to Canada is usually more than the item itself, its madness.

I thought all Canadians had friends who lived on the US side of the border to smuggle goods to them.

 

[Straycat]

LOL, I wish. Save myself a fortune !

 

[Cooter]

Meh, I wouldn't worry too much about it.

I'm not sure of the year breakdown, but some XB dashes have a red CEL. In fact, I'm working on an '07 XB-S today and it's CEL is red.

No matter, even a wet dumped Buell engine will have oil left in the tank because the tank is lower than the engine. Oil in the tank means you'll have oil pressure at first start up no problem. The crank has roller bearings so it's much less important than plain bearings that need a film of oil to suspend the rotating crank, like in a car.

 

[Straycat]

Thanks guys for the tutorials. Im still learning about the Buell's, I really appreciate the information.

The light that lit up on my dash was the red one with the "V" pistons on it, the same one that was flashing the "16" code (the middle one of the three). on the pic you posted yours is yellow, on mine its Red. My oil light is also red the bottom right with the oil can on it (it wasn't lit up)

thanks for the battery info !

So this is good info - how do you prevent the wet sumping? start and run it more frequently when in storage ?

Pic of my dash below with the red CEL light and the FisherPrice /LooneyTunes style Speedo & Tach

 

[Cooter]

IMO starting any bike that been sitting in storage and not riding it for a minimum of 20 miles, is more detrimental than just leaving it alone. Theres the usual list of reasons why, but Buells in particular have a very rich, very long cold-start sequence that makes the problem worse.

I totally understand having more bikes than a normal human does to ride frequently (shut UP A-aron:black_eyed so my solution is to either set each one up to store long-term, OR ride them frequently enough its not an issue. If you really have wet-dumping as an issue, theres a check valve in the oil system to prevent that. Not sure if it's worth changing or not for your situation.

But hey, it's Saturday and super pretty day outside, Im gonna go open the garage and Meeny-Miny-Mo a bike, and go for a ride:angel:!

 

[Straycat]

I don't think I have a wet sump issue to be honest (I checked the oil level in the swing arm before I started it and I never had any oil light come on), but what I am interested in is what is the long cold start process unique to Buell that you mention?

I have read about not idling a Buell on the side stand for too long, but id be interested to learn the other steps, the do's and don'ts of the cold start up if you'd be wiling to share that with me please ?.

As far as the views on not running bikes or running bikes in storage, Yessir ! there are certainly lots of views on that topic for sure. For me it really depends on the bike, I have some that get ridden with some regularity, I have some that are setup for very long term storage (no fuel, no battery, etc) and don't get run and others that get run once a year, full heat cycle, no ethanol fuel, stabilizer, fresh oil, battery tender etc). I try not to run any bikes in the winter/cooler weather it helps prevent condensation issues etc. So far so good.

But your right, there are potential pitfalls with short running the bikes. Any time I can heat cycle them by riding them I do that. Im fortunate the I live in a very isolated location, so I can run them down the road at least.

 

[Cooter]

Nothing special, just make sure (for a Buell anyway) that if you decide to start it, plan to ride it a ways to get some heat soak in it everywhere before shutting it off. The combination of the rich start up mix, and air-cooling, need a ton of heat to burn off all the condensation and acids in the oil thats been sitting.

It will take any oil thats 20w-50 unless its super cold riding conditions. IMO synthetic or dinosaur doesn't matter, but get a "V-Twin specific" oil that has the additional magic in it to deal with the high shock loads that sees from the heavy rotating mass. *Opinions abound

 

[Straycat]

Very Good, thank you

Yea, I run 20w50 V-Twin Synthetic in all my V-Twin bikes. Usually Amsoil or Motul.

Cheers.

 

[34nineteen]

I totally understand having more bikes than a normal human does to ride frequently (shut UP A-aron:black_eyed

You're not normal. This is not news.

 

[34nineteen]

I don't think I have a wet sump issue to be honest (I checked the oil level in the swing arm before I started it and I never had any oil light come on)

First off. When you say you "NEVER" had the oil light come on before you started it, this is not good. The oil light needs to come on when the ignition is turned on and before the motor is started. If it does not, how do you know you have oil pressure (or not)? I'd figure this out first.

Wet sumping happens when either the oil tank drains down into the engine case while the engine is sitting. Or when the oil pump is pumping more oil into the engine it can remove, which will fill the crankcase with oil (not good) and drain the oil tank. On the last year of that version of the XB motor, Harley introduced a revised oil pump with a much larger "scavenge side" than previous years to help out with this. In 2008, the oil pump system was completed redesigned and is unique to the 2008-2010 motors.

 

[Barrett]

Very Good, thank you

Yea, I run 20w50 V-Twin Synthetic in all my V-Twin bikes. Usually Amsoil or Motul.

Cheers.

Sir: I have never owned or seen thru the factory pipeline, any R-Firebolt model with a red-colored CEL light. Hence, my remarks.
The motorcycle section of my collection consists of 22-25 bikes at any one time. Presently, four of them are Harley Davidson XR-1200's and three Buell XB's. If any one of those 7 is going to be in hibernation for more than approx 3 months...the tank oil is fully drained and properly marked and stored. Eliminates wet-sumping, which the XB's are quite prone to as they age.

The Mighty Max battery number is YTX14-BS. BS suffix for "battery sealed". Best I've ever found at their price point. 200CCA rating but consistently 210 out of the box.

Many XB parts cross over to Harley Davidson models as well as automotive applications.
Oil filter crosses to 2007-2018 Toyota Yaris 1.5L, as an example.
Correct oil level in swingarm/tank quite tedious to accurately obtain. There is a specific sequence. If needed, let me know.