Bike died on the freeway, then started back up on it's own (?) several seconds later.

[DoubleZero]

I was tired on the way home, surrounded by rush hour traffic, and taken by surprise by this, so my memory of things is a bit murky. I'll explain it as best as I can remember.

I'm cruising along the freeway, clutch in to downshift, glance down and notice my gauges were both at zero. It seemed like the bike died out. I slowly begin to let out the clutch to see if it's my gauges or the engine (couldn't hear, stock exhaust, wind noise, etc) and when the clutch gains friction the bike starts to rapidly slow down and I'm pretty sure that I heard my tire start to skid.

I clutch back in. I hit the starter button and the tach jumps to about 1k, then back down. Hit the starter button again, same thing. A few seconds later the bike seems to fire back up. I give it a little throttle to test it. The bike coughed then revved like normal. I cautiously let out the clutch and was able to ride home without any more problems.

The only thing, that I'm aware of, that's been odd lately is that it seems by battery is on it's way out. I haven't ridden in about 3 weeks (get sick, recover, get sick again) and this morning the battery was too weak to start it. It clicked the solenoid then started to weakly crank. I had to jump the bike to get it going.

I rode to work without an issue and 8 hours later the bike fired up fine. I'd think if the battery was weak the alternator would keep things going so long as the engine was running.

I'm not sure where to start checking things. What most likely happened and/or is happening?

 

[DoubleZero]

Oh, when I went to hit the starter I noticed that a red light on the cluster was lit. I was trying to make sure I didn't get hit, so I'm not sure which it was, but I think it was the engine light and not the oil light.

 

[Alfatango1]

Sounds like battery connection and or battery staring to die.

 

[Luc R]

Guessing your battery cables are loose. My bike has done this twice because of the cables vibrating loose

 

[DoubleZero]

I must have been really tired yesterday. Dunno how I ended up in the Lightning section, but I have a Firebolt. Not that it should matter much.

 

[Mark XB12r]

Batt cables loose, Batt on the why out... It will act up hit and miss and you will think the problem is elsewhere but its most likely the batt. the red light was oil pressure while the motor stopped running