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Good afternoon, everybody. Please help me with the problems I’m having with my Kat. I describe the problems in detail below.
I recently returned to SoCal from a 2-week long trip to Vegas. I had no MAJOR problems with my bike on the way there, but as I left to return to SoCal, my bike wouldn't start. So I asked a friend to give me a push-start and I was on my way. I stopped for gas a couple times on the way and the second time I had to ask someone for a push. (The first time, I just kept the engine on while filling up—unwise, I know.)
After I got back to SoCal, I took out the battery and it was BONE dry. I've had my '91 Kat 600 for over 14 years, since early 2000. This battery is only a few months old. I had seen this problem only once before, with a different battery, nearly 10 years ago.
Last night, I filled all the cells up to the line with distilled water and hooked up the battery to the charger. This morning, I put the battery back in the bike and it started right up. I connected a meter to the battery post bolts and it read 14.89 V at idle and 14.93 V when I twist the throttle a little. I looked in the Service Manual to see what the max voltage is supposed to be, but the Service Manual only states "above 13.5 V (DC) at 5,000" rpm. What is the max voltage supposed to be?
While visiting one of several friends in Vegas, I would park my bike outside in the sun, sometimes for days at a time. The temp in Vegas was over 100 degrees F for a few days while I was there, but I don't think that that would've affected the battery to this extent. Would it?
When I had a similar problem nearly 10 years ago, I ended up having to replace the voltage regulator-- NOT cheap. (I paid expensive New York City mechanic labor.) I quit riding my bike continuously nearly 8 years ago, due to my going away on active duty on several occasions. So the replacement voltage regulator has NOT been in a bike that's been ridden for 10 years straight since it's been replaced. What's the average life expectancy of a voltage regulator?
Could this be related to another problem?:
The high beam of the PIAA bulb that I have burnt out a while ago. I used to take a twisty highway to attend night classes at a college over 50 miles away from my house. It sucked having to slow down just because I couldn't see as far with the low beam. So I replaced it with a bright bulb designed for CARS. I searched online for a nice bright bulb and found that the Philips X-treme Vision got good reviews. I bought one and installed it a month and 20 days ago. That same night, I rode over 450 miles to attend a wedding. I arrived at my friend’s house right around sunrise. The Philips X-treme Vision bulb performed beautifully. The bright high beam (and bright low beam) allowed me to see far ahead.
Three weeks after I installed the Philips X-treme Vision bulb, I started having problems. I helped a friend get ready for his ride to Sturgis. I agreed to see him off before dawn and ride with him till he got to the main freeway. As we started our bikes, my headlight wouldn't turn on. So I unplugged the bulb to take a look at it with a flashlight. The filament was fine. I shook the bulb: no noise. As I was re-installing the bulb, I noticed that the plastic part of the harness that the bulb plugs into was SLIGHTLY MELTED on one side. My first assessment was that this Philips bulb burns hotter than a regular motorcycle bulb. I started my bike again and the headlight came on just fine. I gave a sigh of relief
and saw my friend off on his way to Sturgis.
For about 12 days, the bulb performed just fine and I thought that the problem had fixed itself. I was getting ready for my 300-mile ride to Vegas, when the bulb went out again just before I got home to finish packing. My auto mechanic friend confirmed my initial assessment: Bulbs that burn hotter than the OEM bulb can cause problems. I repeated the same procedure of taking out the bulb, inspecting, and re-installing. The bulb began to work just fine again. The plastic part of the harness looked just the same as it did before: slightly melted on one side. I noticed no fresh signs. On the way to Vegas at night, it happened again. This time I pulled over, pulled out the Philips bulb and installed the old PIAA bulb that I kept in my tank bag. Although I couldn't see as far with the low beam, I made it to Vegas safely. I didn't have any problems again until two weeks later, when the bike wouldn't start. (Go back to the beginning of this story.) Are these two problems related?
Today, I will take the bike for a long ride to see if the problem replicates and if the water in the battery disappears again. Wish me luck
Have you had these problems before? How do I fix them? I hope it isn't the voltage regulator again, as I don’t have a lot of cash to buy another one and have it installed. Thanks in advance for your help
I recently returned to SoCal from a 2-week long trip to Vegas. I had no MAJOR problems with my bike on the way there, but as I left to return to SoCal, my bike wouldn't start. So I asked a friend to give me a push-start and I was on my way. I stopped for gas a couple times on the way and the second time I had to ask someone for a push. (The first time, I just kept the engine on while filling up—unwise, I know.)
After I got back to SoCal, I took out the battery and it was BONE dry. I've had my '91 Kat 600 for over 14 years, since early 2000. This battery is only a few months old. I had seen this problem only once before, with a different battery, nearly 10 years ago.
Last night, I filled all the cells up to the line with distilled water and hooked up the battery to the charger. This morning, I put the battery back in the bike and it started right up. I connected a meter to the battery post bolts and it read 14.89 V at idle and 14.93 V when I twist the throttle a little. I looked in the Service Manual to see what the max voltage is supposed to be, but the Service Manual only states "above 13.5 V (DC) at 5,000" rpm. What is the max voltage supposed to be?
While visiting one of several friends in Vegas, I would park my bike outside in the sun, sometimes for days at a time. The temp in Vegas was over 100 degrees F for a few days while I was there, but I don't think that that would've affected the battery to this extent. Would it?
When I had a similar problem nearly 10 years ago, I ended up having to replace the voltage regulator-- NOT cheap. (I paid expensive New York City mechanic labor.) I quit riding my bike continuously nearly 8 years ago, due to my going away on active duty on several occasions. So the replacement voltage regulator has NOT been in a bike that's been ridden for 10 years straight since it's been replaced. What's the average life expectancy of a voltage regulator?
Could this be related to another problem?:
The high beam of the PIAA bulb that I have burnt out a while ago. I used to take a twisty highway to attend night classes at a college over 50 miles away from my house. It sucked having to slow down just because I couldn't see as far with the low beam. So I replaced it with a bright bulb designed for CARS. I searched online for a nice bright bulb and found that the Philips X-treme Vision got good reviews. I bought one and installed it a month and 20 days ago. That same night, I rode over 450 miles to attend a wedding. I arrived at my friend’s house right around sunrise. The Philips X-treme Vision bulb performed beautifully. The bright high beam (and bright low beam) allowed me to see far ahead.
Three weeks after I installed the Philips X-treme Vision bulb, I started having problems. I helped a friend get ready for his ride to Sturgis. I agreed to see him off before dawn and ride with him till he got to the main freeway. As we started our bikes, my headlight wouldn't turn on. So I unplugged the bulb to take a look at it with a flashlight. The filament was fine. I shook the bulb: no noise. As I was re-installing the bulb, I noticed that the plastic part of the harness that the bulb plugs into was SLIGHTLY MELTED on one side. My first assessment was that this Philips bulb burns hotter than a regular motorcycle bulb. I started my bike again and the headlight came on just fine. I gave a sigh of relief
and saw my friend off on his way to Sturgis. For about 12 days, the bulb performed just fine and I thought that the problem had fixed itself. I was getting ready for my 300-mile ride to Vegas, when the bulb went out again just before I got home to finish packing. My auto mechanic friend confirmed my initial assessment: Bulbs that burn hotter than the OEM bulb can cause problems. I repeated the same procedure of taking out the bulb, inspecting, and re-installing. The bulb began to work just fine again. The plastic part of the harness looked just the same as it did before: slightly melted on one side. I noticed no fresh signs. On the way to Vegas at night, it happened again. This time I pulled over, pulled out the Philips bulb and installed the old PIAA bulb that I kept in my tank bag. Although I couldn't see as far with the low beam, I made it to Vegas safely. I didn't have any problems again until two weeks later, when the bike wouldn't start. (Go back to the beginning of this story.) Are these two problems related?
Today, I will take the bike for a long ride to see if the problem replicates and if the water in the battery disappears again. Wish me luck
Have you had these problems before? How do I fix them? I hope it isn't the voltage regulator again, as I don’t have a lot of cash to buy another one and have it installed. Thanks in advance for your help
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