This Week's $64K Question

[peckhammer]

I am in the process of shooting a video about installing Hyperlites on the R1200R. I like the product, and I like the idea, but my experience so far has sucked. Most of this is not hyperlite's fault.

The Hyperlites instructions are generic, and incorrect. On top of that, the instructions are just plain inadequate, but the product does work as advertised.

So here's my problem of the week. I installed Hyperlites, closely following the wiring instructions, but locating and routing the lights and wires in a way that I think makes sense. They work now, after having to make a minor wiring correction due to their incorrect instructions. What doesn't work is my bike...

Now, it did work. After the installation, the bike started fine. And a week later it started fine, albeit labored. I do not think this has anything to do with the Hyperlites installation. I think the battery has been fading on me. The only reason I mention the Hyperlites install is because I have tapped several wires: Two tail-light wires and one alarm system wire.

This morning I started the bike and it just barely made it to running. This did not surprise me; the battery has seemed to be getting weaker. I rode to our shoot location about 2 miles away. I parked the bike for 5 minutes, then tried to restart it. It did not cooperate. I used a set of jumper cables and tried to start it that way. This is what I get: http://www.flickr.com/photos/peckhammer/3036685266/

Any ideas?

[mogu83]

Very Nice - That's exactly what I got when my battery failed, even to the little dance that the tach and speedo needles do. I had a spare AGM battery handy and just put it in the bike. Problem solved and the dealer gave (installed) a new battery, didn't even question me. It seemed like he had seen this problem before. Was this the battery that came in the bike? My original was an Exide.

[ka5ysy]

Welcome to the Instant Battery Death Brotherhood !


On the Hypelites... You are correct that the instructions supplied totally suck... I spent about 45 minutes trying to find a wire described in the instructions that apparently does not exist in the RR. I discovered a generic schematic of the setup in the package with the Hyperlites which, with a voltmeter to locate the hot wires in the RR taillight bundle, got the whole thing working in about 10 minutes, and that included soldering the wires and shrinking some heat-shrink tubing on the joints.

[tobes]

Looks like your battery. My gauges gave a similar display after mine died.

[peckhammer]

Was this the battery that came in the bike? My original was an Exide.

Yes and Yes.

Is this a known issue or is the dealer going to beat me up about my hyperlites installation?

[mtl-R12R]

It could be the sudden death battery syndrome, but you did say that the starting has become gradually more difficult.

I have to wonder if it isn't a case of the alternator not producing enough power to keep up with the additional load of the lights ???

I'd try to put a charger on it between rides and see what the starting is like before changing out the battery.

Howard

PS - If I happen to be right about this I will accept Paypal for the $64,000.00

[peckhammer]

It could be the sudden death battery syndrome, but you did say that the starting has become gradually more difficult.
I have to wonder if it isn't a case of the alternator not producing enough power to keep up with the additional load of the lights ???
I'd try to put a charger on it between rides and see what the starting is like before changing out the battery.
PS - If I happen to be right about this I will accept Paypal for the $64,000.00

The battery, for a while now, has given me the impression that if I couldn't manage a start on the first try, I'd be taking the bus. I think the drain from the hyperlites is minimal, but you may be right and it is something I will consider. I may also consider paying you 64,000 Somali Shillings, if you are right. No promises, though.

[NeilS]

The additional load imposed by a set of Hyperlites is insignificant. The alternator's output is sufficient to power auxiliary lights, electric vests, etc. It won't even know the Hyperlites are there.

That assumes, of course, that both the alternator and the Hyperlites are working properly. But my bet would be your battery is dying.

[Bill Stevenson]

When my battery failed the gauges acted identically to yours. You definitely have a bad battery. I am beginning to wonder if the spec for the battery needs to be reconsidered. It may be that this problem, which seems way too common judging by the number of failures reported here, is at root a battery that is inadequate rather than poorly made batteries.

Bill

[NeilS]

Probably so, Bill. But the question is what spec needs to be reconsidered?

I doubt it's a capacity issue. Should the choice of AGM be questioned? AGM batteries have been around a while now and are not considered especially failure-prone. Is the dark current of our electronics excessive? Maybe, but other modern BMWs use similar systems. Do they have similar battery failure rates?

I'm wondering if, due to some resonance in the RR's frame or inadequacy of its battery mount, our batteries are subject to some vibration that is beyond their ability to withstand. That would be consistent with the nature of many of the failures we've observed--everything's fine one day and dead the next.

Easy for me to say, since I haven't had the problem (yet)

[deilenberger]

Since mine is still original (knock on walnut-grain formica) - at 1.5 years (actually 2 years from manufacturing date) and 23,000 miles, I'd say some batteries are simply defective. Yuasa was known to have the same sudden failure problems on batteries a number of years ago, and since Exide is owned by Yuasa (or the other way around..) it's not a huge surprise.

[Dan-A]

I have Hyperlites on my bike. They have absolutely no effect on charging or starting. If they are connected to the correct switched power supply wire at the alarm connector indicated in the instructions, there should be no current drain when the bike is off.

I did have the sudden death battery though, and perhaps it is a coincidence that the battery is going.

If not, make sure there is no power to the unit when the bike is off.