New to the CR, just a few questions

[kobrahh]

Whats up guys, i just bought my 2009 Buell 1125CR this weekend and i love it!!! it has about 10,000 miles on it, completely stock. It runs great i jsut have one question, i get this bucking feeling like the bike is really twitchy when im in or below third gear. Its not as bad when im on the throttle or up in the gear range farther. Is that a common buell thing or is that an actual problem like with the clutch plates or something. It does not do it when the bike is coasting with the clutch pulled in.

 

[d_adams]

Get a race ecm or so some tuning to it, it needs more fuel than the stock programming to run right.

 

[kobrahh]

How can you start out assuming a problem like that? makes more sense to start with a clogged fuel filter, or try an ethanol additive or something. If buell would make a stock bike that doesnt run properly becasue you need to fine tune the ecm before you ride it, then ill sell that piece of ****. However, thats not the case.

 

[nikfleisch]

But it is the case, lol it needs tuning or a race ECM to run better in the lower rpm range. If you decide to sell please let us all know .

 

[agfish18]

1125's like to run around in the 4K-5K RPM range otherwise can be a bit sluggish. my 1125 ran fine without the race ECM... it did run better with it, but I didnt notice any hesitation or bucking (at least not any more) without it... My bet is it is not the ECM./ What RPM range are you running at?

 

[AngryGnome]

Its a high performance engine de-tuned to meet epa standards. It wants to be fueled heavily but is fueled lean so it runs erratic at lower rpms. Staying in the upper rpm range helps alot. Thats merely my impression of mine.... I could be way off. I just use the clutch at low rpms to deal with the bucking.
If you read more about these bikes youll find alot of posts about how much smoother they run after a race ecm or fuel map change. Im looking forward to getting one.

And, welcome to the forum...enjoy...

 

[d_adams]

Call it a piece of **** all you want, I'm just telling you what to do to fix it. I've had mine for 4 years, it got a race calibration in June 2010 and it made it run like it should have from the beginning. If you feel so strongly about not liking it and you don't want to listen to free, friendly advice, by all means, sell it asap.

Just for your viewing displeasure, here's mine running just fine at about 2100 rpm in 6th gear, roughly 35 mph. It's not perfect there, but it's not a cruiser either and wasn't really intended to be run like one. It's more like a race bike in street trim and prefers to be ridden much harder.

 

[vance580]

Just look at the massive throttle bodies and that will tell you they de-tuned it for epa. It's getting a lot of air and if it dumped in enough fuel they would probably of not met them. Either run it in the higher RPM's or get it tuned. I run a race ECM and I still get it but it is very faint. I usually run it in the 4k-5k like agfish said and it never does it there.

 

[03Firebolt9R]

If buell would make a stock bike that doesnt run properly becasue you need to fine tune the ecm before you ride it, then ill sell that piece of ****. However, thats not the case.

Wow, you won't last long. Congrats on the Buell and welcome to the forum.

 

[nikfleisch]

[up] to d_adams. He probably is one of the most knowledgable on 1125's on this forum... Like previously said if you decide to sell it plenty of guys on here will take that quirky bike off your hands

 

[Red93stang]

How can you start out assuming a problem like that?

Guess you didnt do any research before you bought the bike huh?

Welcome to the board![confused]

 

[AngryGnome]

Also you might want to do a TPS reset.

Turn on ignition key.
Turn on kill switch.
Dont start bike.
Make sure throttle is fully forward.
Pull back once, hold for a second, gently push fully forward (dont let throttle snap forward).
Pull back a second time, hold for a second,gently push fully forward (dont let throttle snap forward).
Pull back a thrid and final time, hold for a second, gently push fully forward (dont let throttle snap forward).
Leave kill switch in on position.
Turn key off.
Turn key on and start.
Let idle for 10 minutes.

I usually shut the bike off after the 10 minute idle period, but I have never been clear whether that is necessary.

This will probably help the bike run smoother and thus less bucking.

I have to do this periodically.

There was a time when I thought I had to do this after every fill up because it seemed like the bike ran like crap after I put fresh fuel in it. It turned out that my regulator was failing causing the bike to run like crap. New regulator equalled new bike.

 

[kobrahh]

Where can i get a new regulator from? My bike just died on the way to work for no apparent reason, and barely started back up.

 

[christianmb]

Ah, the thrills of the 09-10 1125s. Can someone tune in here? I believe it is the stator that is prone to failure. A couple guys on here get theirs custom rewound and it helps.

d_adams? What is the best fix other than the EBR upgrade?

 

[AngryGnome]

My bikes symptoms were different then that. I was having 17 volt spikes. If I was you I would start with the basics. Check connections at the battery and make sure all the connections in the ratsnest of wires under the seat are tight. Charge battery. Check the voltage with the bike running. It should hover around 13.8. If it does and the battery doesn't stay charged get the battery load tested. If the battery is good then you might want to check the stator.

 

[d_adams]

This is just my take on it since I have an 08 and have not suffered these issues. Sorry it's a bit long winded, but you asked, so I'll give my $.02 input.

Dead battery, bike dies, the most likely culprit is the stator being fried or possibly a bad VR and relay if it's got the wire harness "upgrade/fix". A new battery is probably in order, regardless of the outcome.

High voltage, bad regulator. Check the voltage output from the stator for sure though.

Low voltage, bike won't stay charged, stator, possibly the rotor magnets are loose/broken but not very likely.

If the battery is weak to start with, give it a full charge and see what happens with it, if it won't take one or keep it, replace the battery. +1 to the AngryGnome on the connections, make sure everything that can be tightened is tight.

There's a pretty long thread/section over on badweb that covers various problems/fixes. My personal opinion, it's a heat related problem and a crappy VR. Buell's aren't the only bikes to suffer from charging problems. I'd go with the EBR wire edm hole fix if you can, look into the charging system relay (I'd need to find it on the print, I haven't looked for it on the bike either) and possibly a better VR.

One last thing (keep in mind I'm NOT an EE) that the "fix" from HD with the wire harness "upgrade" was to me, a total BS patch that had no chance of really fixing the problem. As the engine turns over, the rotor is spinning. That means the stator is generating AC electricity ALL THE TIME. It may not be much, but it's cranking out something. At 3000 rpm, you should see 45-55 volts AC from all of the 3 yellow wires coming from the stator, voltage should be very close between them. I think (could be wrong here) HD put in the harness with a relay to cut out one leg. Makes absolutely no sense to me, but that's just me and my opinion.

What all that tells me is, at ANYWHERE above 3k rpm, it should be charging the battery, so the claims made about needing to ride it above 5k rpm to charge are BS as well. Most likely, the break point for the charging system is even lower, ie; 2500 rpm or so where at idle, it won't charge the system, but above 3k rpm it will. 2500 rpm might be the break point where it's just maintaining what it has, but not putting enough back in to recharge the battery.



Again, take all that with a grain of salt/pepper/chili or what have you, I'm just a hack mechanic. I do NOT have a degree in anything. If it were me and I had to fix it to last, I'd rewind the stator to spec for an 08, get a high quality VR and remove the wire harness upgrade from hd if it was installed. I'd also SERIOUSLY consider getting the EBR rotor kit. Yeah, it's a bit of coin to get one, but since it looks like it's a heat related problem to me, I'd go that route anyway and I'm not made of $$ just like everyone else.

 

[poinographer]

Good summary.

Let me add, though, that any competent (or even semi-competent) machinist can do that rotor orifice mod without using an EDM. I did mine myself after paying for a EBR rotor and seeing exactly what needed to be done. I used a 1/8" endmill to make the flat, and then a 1/32" drill for the thru hole. Not a big deal.

 

[AngryGnome]

I'd like to know more about your DIY rotor hole. I am curious about why they use an EDM. We happen to have a few EDM's at work that I use to remove broken taps with. I'd definately like to try and do my own rotor hole.

 

[poinographer]

Send me a PM with your specific questions.

I have no idea why they chose to use an EDM. Maybe it's because the tiny drills can be so fragile. I doubt there is much time difference between the methods.

 

[doolay1988]

Get a race ecm or so some tuning to it, it needs more fuel than the stock programming to run right.

That's exactly your problem, no worries.