Valkyrie Got me glamoured? Changing system advice

[neognathodus]

After researching a host of bikes, I've decided a Valkryie Interstate is the bike I've needed my whole life but just did not know it.  I've ridden Harleys, BMWs, and Suzukis at various stages - most of them older and decrepit to some degree.  I'm not scared of wrenching but would rather not.  Regular maintenance is fine - I even enjoy it - but now I need a motorcycle that I can take on long trips from Texas to Minnesota without fear of breaking down or having to call my wife to come pick my broke-down ass up. 

So, I found a 1999 I/S with 60k miles for $7,000 thinking it was the ticket.  I went to buy the bike from a private seller, check in hand, ready to ride it away.

Owner was a good guy.  The bike appeared well maintained and the owner told me he had started the bike earlier in the morning to warm it up.  In the course of our conversation, he mentioned the alternator had been replaced 5k ago and the battery had been replaced 3 months ago.  The bike looked great but when I tried to start it it would not crank over - nothing, not even a "click".  The guy was embarrassed but we both agreed these things happen sometimes.  Checked the fuses and connections (easy ones anyway).  Negative battery a little loose but not bad.  Everything else looked clean and tight.

We jumped it and got it going.  I took it for a nice test drive - the thing ran great.  The Valk had a volt meter and it was pulling 13-14 amps which I took top be a good sign.  When I got back, the seller took the bike to the Honda dealer to have it checked out.  Load-test on battery fine, alternator fine, starter relay fine, regulator rectifier fine.  The dealer guessed the battery may  have been low on charge from sitting in the garage.  When the owner had left it idling for 20 minutes before i got there, the RPMs may not have been high enough to kick-on the alternator.  From what I've read on this site the Rs need to be 1500 or higher?.  Lights were on but nothing else that I know of. 

The owner took it it on a shake-down cruise yesterday and said it ran flawlessly for his 240 mile trip.

So, now.  Should I buy it?  Seems like it should be OK but I admit now that I've discovered Valkyries its got my blood up and I want one (My wife thinks I've got a blind-spot for this bike).  I wanted to buy a Honda for its reliability but I understand there could be some lemons out there.  I particularly hate electrical issues.  I've checked through the posts on this web-site looking for charging/electrical problems or something to allay my fears.  Any opinions would be appreciated.  Can't be scared of what "Might" happen - but I don't want to be stupid either.

[old2soon]

First thing-welcome to the insanity. I have a 99 I/S that just recently went thru the altenator/battery deal. You might have a board member living not too far away from you. With out having seen or ridden your choice i don't want to say ya or nay. The 99s are coming up to 14 years in the wurld(don't wanna say old). Also in our classifieds there be a number of Valkyries for sale. NOT sayin yours is bad or a lemon but at the very least find someone close to you that is familiar with Valkyries and inquire as to would they be willing to help a brother out?  IF the owner did not charge that battery correctly PRIOR to putting it in the M/C that MIGHT be the issue right there. Notice i say MIGHT. And please let us know what you find out. Hope some of this information is a tad bit of help.  RIDE SAFE.

[hubcapsc]

I've never had to do it, but some people have to refurb their
starter buttons...

http://www.valkyrieriders.com/shoptalk/VSGPages/starterbutton.htm

In general, Valkyries are really good/fun/fast/etc bikes 
No one's ever had to haul mine home. I once had to get a front wheel
bearing replaced while on the road, as luck would have it, I was in
Robbinsville NC where there's a motorcycle shop with an excellent
mechanic who specialized in getting you back on the road... he had
the bearing on hand and installed in 45 minutes...

-Mike "Wheelers Performance"

[sugerbear]

these things can be kinda picky about their charging/starting. if it jumped ok and is charging at those voltages, i'd say you good to go .just some maintenance on the little things like the starter switch, cable grounds, etc.

agree since your in Texas, lots of help "nearby".
if you like the bike and it's in your price range....

" Negative battery a little loose but not bad."  that'll do it for sure.

and i think that rpm is 1000 on the I/S to start charging. that's where mine idles at. 

[valky1500]

these things can be kinda picky about their charging/starting. if it jumped ok and is charging at those voltages, i'd say you good to go .just some maintenance on the little things like the starter switch, cable grounds, etc.

agree since your in Texas, lots of help "nearby".
if you like the bike and it's in your price range....

" Negative battery a little loose but not bad."  that'll do it for sure.

and i think that rpm is 1000 on the I/S to start charging. that's where mine idles at. 

The alternator may very well be putting out a charge at that low RPM. Enough for the lights and accessories to turn on and partially work but that's not the right direction to look at a low battery.

In other words, the alternator puts out a full charge to the battery, enough to charge it plus run everything else, at 3500RPM.

So take it out on the highway and run it at those RPM's for awhile and then decide what's happening.

You might just find the battery to be fully charged by then. 

[Dr Bobs Patient]

I'd say go back to the negotiating table, say drop the price $500 just to aleviate your fears!  If you can wrench a little, these phat gurls are real easy to work on.  Just my opinion.  I bought my I/S with 55,000 miles at $5,700 plus TTL from a Honda dealer that had it listed fo $6,999.  Needed fork seals, rear tire, and front brakes.  Just finished completely rebuilding the forks, new brakes, put a CT on her and replaced the rear shocks for a hell of alot less than the difference I saved on the deal.

Oh yeah, welcome to forum.  Sounds like you've got the obsession!

DBP

[Chiefy]

Mystery.  But that kind of stuff isn't too hard to fix.  Might want to get the price down to cover your butt if you need parts.

I've never measured the Amps from my alternator.  But even at idle, the voltage is over 14 volts.  Gives you a place to start........

[fordmano]

Shortly after I got my I/S I had a couple times when you hit the start button NOTHING,,,, and 2 times I got just a clickity click sound. Hit the starter button again and she would spin then hit it again and she would fire up. I attributed it to the same issue as the higbeam switch has had for a few of us just dirty contacts. That's why I never did anything about it, has just been rock solid and working after the first 3-4K miles...
But it has NOT happened again except when working on the bike and letting the battery run too low... My bike had the factory battery still in it in 2005 and teh bike only had 232 miles on it, so after about a year and a half or so I ended up buying a new battery when the bike almost left me stranded at work one night but we jumped from a car and made it home...

I think you probably meant 13-14volts not amps, just guessing?

If I was in the market for another Valk of any year or model the things you mentioned would NOT keep me from the purchase but I would agree that maybe might want to negotiate the price down a little bit.... But that is mostly since I am a cheapo.

[Hook#3287]

Buy It!

[JaysGone]

I rebuilt my 99 from a non running bike.
Well worth it too.
I was also from the V-Twin world but had no problems with any of my bikes.

I do find though.
I have to be running about 1200 rpm to get my bikes charging system going.
Ligths on, at 900 rpm  idle for 20 minutes??
Id have long over heated by then, well before draining the battery.

Talk him down a few bucks and take it.
These are pretty darn good bikes once you get used to the way they run enginwise.
Very different from a V-Twin.

[Chrisj CMA]

I rebuilt my 99 from a non running bike.
Well worth it too.
I was also from the V-Twin world but had no problems with any of my bikes.

I do find though.
I have to be running about 1200 rpm to get my bikes charging system going.
Ligths on, at 900 rpm  idle for 20 minutes??
Id have long over heated by then, well before draining the battery.

Talk him down a few bucks and take it.
These are pretty darn good bikes once you get used to the way they run enginwise.
Very different from a V-Twin.

This is actual alternator output at a cold idle of about 800rpms.  There is a problem somewhere if the alternator wont kick in until 1200-1500 rpms


That alternator might need brushes, or else connections bad?????  Its something

[john]

 sixty thousand miles ...
new this and new that ...
 7 grand ?         
           and it won't start                      hummmm ....

[JaysGone]

I have running lights and hi beam on from the get go.
If its at 900-1000 rpm things get dim.
Kick it up 11-1200 rpm and Im fine.
I have no clue what my voltage is .
Never checked it.
I do know my battery a few year old YUSA wont hold better then a 12.4 V charge but hasnt died on me yet.
I am waiting on that some day.

[neognathodus]

Well I did it.  Pulled the trigger and did it.  Got my first Valkyrie.  Think I'm going to love it.
Thanks for the tips and advice --helped a lot.
And I feel a lot more confifdent going forward knowing there is a good forum out there for Valkyrie issues.

[valky1500]

Buy It!

+1
Then fix it
and enjoy. 

[salty1]

Congrats! Now you own a real motorcycle, 

[Chrisj CMA]

I have running lights and hi beam on from the get go.
If its at 900-1000 rpm things get dim.
Kick it up 11-1200 rpm and Im fine.
I have no clue what my voltage is .
Never checked it.
I do know my battery a few year old YUSA wont hold better then a 12.4 V charge but hasnt died on me yet.
I am waiting on that some day.

I never understood the idea to wait on a weak battery to totally fail.  You are relying on your alternator more heavily for no reason.  Your call, but I would get a new battery since its not performing up to par, put a full charge on it with a 2A charger and then I bet things are better and your alternator will be happier and last longer..........Or not.........your bike, your call

[JaysGone]

In my case its just plain admitted stupididty.
The bike will die at home or at work.
Only 2 places it goes.
This battery has been at 12.4 for over a year.
It wont even crank over my Yamaha if I switched them around.
Ive tried that.

[whitestroke]

12.4 sounds good to me . What should a good battery read?

[JaysGone]

I could be wrong, but a fully charged battery should Ive always thought and had been told is 12.8v.
12.4 is considered a 20-25% charge.
It isnt great but it aint dead yet.
Im done spending money on this particular bike.
I just got a offer accepted for a 2010 GW Trike.
Now I just have to pull the trigger.

[Chrisj CMA]

I could be wrong, but a fully charged battery should Ive always thought and had been told is 12.8v.
12.4 is considered a 20-25% charge.
It isnt great but it aint dead yet.
Im done spending money on this particular bike.
I just got a offer accepted for a 2010 GW Trike.
Now I just have to pull the trigger.

LIke I said......its your bike, your choice......your shoe leather if it leaves you walking and your wallet if it the alternator goes out...........its all part of the adventure

[JaysGone]

You are 100% correct.
But over the weekend I came to the conclusion.
Im done finnished not going to use the Valk.
No more money towards a past project I have no attachment to any longer.
If I cant sell the bike as it sits.
Ill give it away to the 1st decient offer that covers my expenses, just to make more room in my garage.

[R J]

Take the bike to your nearest Auto Parts store.   

Most of them will do a free load test to tell if it is battery or something else.

A lot of times the battery will have a surface charge in it from being on a charger.

It will start once and then give ya crap on the 2nd try, surface charge is gone then.

BUT, the 1st thing I would do is do maintenance on the starter button, it is very easy to do, the I/S is harder than a Std or Tourer, but it is still doable in the driveway.

[Willow]

Neognathodus, my bet is on the starter switch.  Do the starter switch maintenance.  Even if you don't need it it won't hurt.

Enjoy the miles.

[Flrider]

Neognathodus, my bet is on the starter switch.  Do the starter switch maintenance.  Even if you don't need it it won't hurt.

Enjoy the miles.

I second that 

[Mr.BubblesVRCCDS0008]

What part of the great state are you located in. Lots of help spead thru out the state.