Update (vultures take heed)

Message

k1w1boy · #1 Post by **k1w1boy** » Thu Feb 07, 2013 7:42 pm

... Bike has been in garage purgatory for a month: buzz-click problem and lack of time an energy to piss around any further has set me on path of least resistance and bussing to work. Having bought a 'good' second Falco that ended up causing me heartbreak and frustration due to its unreliabilty -despite spending over £600 to get to the bottom of its problems - I'm contemplating selling it this summer. Various luminaries here and elsewhere have told me it should - with a strong battery - be a ride-anytime, any distance, plugged-in or not machine. This has not been the case. I love it still and paricularly the community here, but I'm at the end of my tether given its lack of everyday utility for me. Watch this space.

blinkey501 · #2 Post by **blinkey501** » Thu Feb 07, 2013 7:55 pm

The issue with the bike has we both know kerry is the fact you have no where to plug the optimiser in with no power to the garage.
I would if i was you remove the battery when the bike is not in use and keep it on an optimiser in the flat.
I would still use the bus for the daily commute. And when you feel like a blast on the bike fit the battery and off you go.
Simples

Shetland Woody · #3 Post by **Shetland Woody** » Thu Feb 07, 2013 8:03 pm

If keeping the batt charged is the only reason to stopping you getting out an about, how's about one of those solar powered trickle chargers?.

Wouldn't work up here......no sun lol

Cathcart · #4 Post by **Cathcart** » Thu Feb 07, 2013 8:30 pm

To be fair, it should be able to be used whenever it's wanted, ie the daily commute. If mine got that way then I'd sell it too. I've nowhere to plug in in either.

This is why I'll be doing the wire mod, so that any time I do use the bike its getting a good chance of a charge.

wayno · #5 Post by **wayno** » Thu Feb 07, 2013 8:39 pm

I've got an alarm so my battery dies at an alarming rate when not in use, I have now upgraded to 2 solar chargers. Moving this year so I shall make sure I run a socket to the new garage

blinkey501 · #6 Post by **blinkey501** » Thu Feb 07, 2013 8:41 pm

Remove the alarm i did

Cathcart · #7 Post by **Cathcart** » Thu Feb 07, 2013 8:46 pm

I've no alarm fitted. No. Point having one, nobody pays attention when they hear one anyway. I was just thinking about fitting a proper heavy kill switch under the rear seat. Help keep battery power and stop it starting should someone attempt, with or without key.

D-Rider · #8 Post by **D-Rider** » Thu Feb 07, 2013 8:58 pm

Kerry I feel your pain - but there may be one or two things worth trying first.

Recently Fatboy has had some really hard to find issues with his Falco and I think he was pretty close to despair.
It took a bit of Griff-work to sort it out - along with his trusty diagnostics kit and now he seems to be as happy as Larry.

I would suggest you give Griff a call and explain the problems to him. As you probably know, Griff holds travelling workshop sessions around the country and he's bound to have one down London way before the summer. This might be the way forward to get it sorted properly once and for all.

So it'd be worth giving him a ring at very least - and maybe PM Fatboy to get his comments on where he was with his and how he feels now Griff has had a go.

#9 Post by **mangocrazy** » Thu Feb 07, 2013 9:00 pm

Cathcart wrote:I've no alarm fitted. No. Point having one, nobody pays attention when they hear one anyway. I was just thinking about fitting a proper heavy kill switch under the rear seat. Help keep battery power and stop it starting should someone attempt, with or without key.

Agree entirely. Alarms are more trouble than they're worth. Like the idea of a concealed kill switch

Cathcart · #10 Post by **Cathcart** » Thu Feb 07, 2013 9:08 pm

Only thing is, you'd either need to supply the clocks with a small live feed to preserve memory or have it reset all the time. I think. I'd assume find the live feed for them and bridge it straight to battery without going through switch. But then, isn't the power consumption what we're trying to avoid or solely for anti theft?

#11 Post by **mangocrazy** » Thu Feb 07, 2013 9:53 pm

I'd say for both reasons; anti theft and minimising power wastage, especially for anyone without access to a power point for charging.

Cathcart · #12 Post by **Cathcart** » Thu Feb 07, 2013 9:57 pm

So, do we bridge power to the clocks to keep memory or do they not have a live for memory? Once we know, there's another how2 for battery saving...

Falcopops · #13 Post by **Falcopops** » Thu Feb 07, 2013 11:11 pm

Pity mate, but fully understand, sometimes enough is enough.

I was starting to get that way with mine after over a year of never knowing if it would start on the 1st press or just click and reset. Always started though usually on the second press, so I was putting up with it.

Eventually the wiring loom under the seat and down the left side melted, still not found out why, but not had the click reset issue since I repaired the loom.

You probably don't feel like chucking more cash at a bike that really isn't worth a lot of money so might be time to move on. Might I suggest a scooter for the London commute

k1w1boy · #14 Post by **k1w1boy** » Fri Feb 08, 2013 7:05 pm

Interesting reading - thanks. I'm a boyscout when it comes to my insurance so I'm reluctant to lose the alarm. Stupidly enough, since this latest prolonged buzz-click stoppage, the tail alarm LED has STARTED working again (it disappeared soon after I bought it).

I'm contemplating changing job and possibly country this summer, which also adds to the argument for liquidating it. In 17 years of motorcycling I've only been 'stalled' for more than a month 5 times (a year in Saudi, two periods between thefts, and the 4 months it took me to save for this one). I'm duly having bikey dreams. Tough addiction.

fatboy · #15 Post by **fatboy** » Fri Feb 08, 2013 7:31 pm

Hi Kerry,
D-Rider is 100% right, Ive had a few hassles, not all of which were down to owning 'an Italian'
Before you give up,remember how much you grinned when you rode it,and you will ride it again.
DO DO DO give Griff a ring before you lose loadsa dollar selling a non runner,Griff will have many ideas on where to look, he's more than happy to give advice for free.
Griff put in context,your bike only needs 3 things to run, electricity,fuel and air. If it has those we'll see if it has those in the right quantity at the right time !
If the bike does need to go to AP, I was amazed at what Griff and the boys managed to get done in just 4 hours, Im now

01827 285500 Aprilia Performance