My new to me Girly misbehaved - any ideas?

[tnktm]

Rode it to work about 25 miles some interstate some back road - did just fine.  Rode it home 10 hours later - made it through back roads and interstate then stalled getting off the exit ramp.  It wouldn't restart - pushed to side - retried several times - after about 7-10 minutes fired up like normal and rode home.  I tried searching but didn't see anything conclusive - anybody have any ideas?  It is an 01 with 22,700 miles - had it about 2 weeks.  A couple of things it had done on short initial rides - the very 1st ride it stalled twice with the clutch pulled in to go around a curve - restarted instantly both times.  Since it only did it that time I thought maybe trailering it home for 2 hours might have somehow cause that.  2nd thing it has done is twice when just getting going when letting off gas in a lower gear (like to turn around and check something) the 2 left lights - engine and gas - have come on together then go off after a couple of seconds (bike lurches with heavy engine braking but doesn't stall).  There is a kind of high pitched whine at start up (that I thought was the fan running at 1st but may not be) that stops after longer runs (bike always runs cool).  When the bike stalled getting off the interstate, all lights were on but the starter sounded different - more ticking, not the smooth usual starting sound - then the last time usual sound and it started. I have an appointment to get it looked at but it is a week from now.  Sorry for the long post - just wanted to get opinions on a possible cause.  Of course I wonder if I bought something I shouldn't have but I hope it isn't much because I really like the bike.

[Stretch]

I'm not sure about the whining sound, although it may just be the sound of the engine.  They do sound kind of jet-like, from whirring noises of the overhead cams and cam chain.  If it lessens or goes away once the bike warms up, it may be just the engine internals you're hearing.

The stalling sounds like it may be a fuel injection map issue.  Providing there's a dealer nearby, this may be the easiest thing it could be... all they have to do is remove the passenger seat and plug their handheld computer into the bike's ECU.  It takes about five minutes.  Ask for the Off-Road Tune.  They'll know what it means.  The bike will run better across the board, eliminating low-RPM surging.

I once had a FI program that got corrupted when I ran the bike for too long with a dead alternator (battery voltage dropped to below 9.5).  The bike just didn't run as hard, and it had a crappy idle when cold.  Reflashing the off-road tune fixed the problem.

If that's all it is, they may not even charge you for it, depending on how quiet a day it is.  But if they did charge you, it'd only be about 40 bucks.  And while they're in there, they can check for trouble codes and other computer-related goodies.

Good luck, and let us know how it turns out.

[TigerTrax]

I think you have a bike that someone did not take care of OR someone worked on and created some problems.

I think most of us would say... the bike is good... you have a some
little glitch that is giving you problems.

Spend the bucks and have a dealer run a diagnostic check... I'll bet you have several problems caused by ONE thing.  

When I buy a 'pre-owned' bike .... I spend 2 weeks with it stripped down
and replace ALL the stuff: Plugs, filters (fuel too ); Check ALL igniter
connections and grease them; check hoses... do it all so that when you pull out of the driveway you KNOW everything is up-to-snuff.

The Tiger is very reliable... there are a couple of PIA issues... but they run hard!  Have a Triumph shop look at it and tell you what's happening. Good luck....

[JetdocX]

How old is the battery?  Weak batts can play hell with FI systems.

[oxnsox]

I get a similar sounding whine on my Versys when I turn the key on, believe its the FI system, which sort of ties in with your other comments.
If that helps.
But yep I'd agree with Stretch on checking the connections and the ECU, sounds genericly electrical, but electronics,  related to me.

Jetox battery point could be valid too, but since you'd ridden (and started the bike) twice that day if it was the battery then its probably not charging...
You're new to this, lets not go there.

[Hatepylons]

the more I think it has to do with a bad battery cell or charging system fault. Do you know what the system's voltage is at idle?

This issue:
2nd thing it has done is twice when just getting going when letting off gas in a lower gear (like to turn around and check something) the 2 left lights - engine and gas - have come on together then go off after a couple of seconds (bike lurches with heavy engine braking but doesn't stall).


I think the bike was trying to stall, but leaving it in gear it is essentially compression starting the bike, forcing it to stay running. As Stretch and others have said, a bad charging system/bad battery will wreck havoc on the engine computer.

One thing I don't know - what should the minimum voltage on a bike battery be before it is considered "unwise" to use?

[tnktm]

I don't know the history of the battery - being an 01 the battery could definately be old.  It kind of felt like a stall when the yellow lights came on so that theory seems reasonable. The whining persists the whole time on a shorter ride (5 miles) but dissapeared after a while on the longer ride.  Thanks for all the responses - they made me feel better about it.

[mittens]

I too have an 01, when I start mine early in the morning, like 530am  :(  to go to work, I too get a whinning noise, have been told that its the fuel pump/choke doing its thing. when I get to work 15 minutes later, some suburbia and some motorway, its still there.
In the afternoon though, the noise is gone.
re. the stall, i have a similar issue. When I got mine 5 weeks ago, it was running fine, but the idle bounced. Had it checked and it was running a ST tune. Sorted that out and not long there after, I notice that when I blip the throttle sometimes she just stalls on the bounce pack, its like it gets to the idle point and keeps going.( Makes round-abouts interesting)
 I recon its a tuning thing. Saving my pennies and getting the thing dyno'ed and tuned properly.

[tnktm]

Rode bike about 5 miles - after a couple of miles while at steady throttle at about 3500rpm engine lurched (felt like it stalled but it didn't) and 2 left warning lights came on. I turned around and rode home.  The battery doesn't ever appear low.  The bike seems to run good until it doesn't.  It seems if the tune was bad or the battery was bad stuff would happen more often.

[Bixxer Bob]

I too have an 01, when I start mine early in the morning, like 530am  :(  to go to work, I too get a whinning noise, have been told that its the fuel pump/choke doing its thing. when I get to work 15 minutes later, some suburbia and some motorway, its still there.
In the afternoon though, the noise is gone.
re. the stall, i have a similar issue. When I got mine 5 weeks ago, it was running fine, but the idle bounced. Had it checked and it was running a ST tune. Sorted that out and not long there after, I notice that when I blip the throttle sometimes she just stalls on the bounce pack, its like it gets to the idle point and keeps going.( Makes round-abouts interesting)
 I recon its a tuning thing. Saving my pennies and getting the thing dyno'ed and tuned properly.

Bit of deja vue. I took mine to the dealer on Sat to get a re-map.  He tried twice and it failed to load both times.  He reconed it's the O2 bypass that's the problem and to take it back after removing it.  Trouble is,  it's now running like a dog, stalling everywhere and even the odd backfire through the throttle bodies.  I have to take it back 24 Jul.  Corrupt map methinks :roll:  :roll:

[oxnsox]

Technically a battery is past it's usefulness if it won't hold a charge, and is considered Flat anywhere under around 11.8volts.
Your electrical and charging system consists of 3 key parts
1 - the alternator (stator)
2 - the (rectifier) regulator
3 - the battery
As y'all know the alternator generates the energy as AC which is then 'converted' to DC by the rec/regulator and feed to the battery for safe keeping.
The battery acts as a reservoir so that as you require electrical energy of varying amounts it is able to provide a fairly consistent supply.
Although the rectifier regulator does put out DC it is not a constant or consistant supply (being both electrically noisy and messy). The reservior action of the battery smooths this so that your bike systems see a more consistant supply.
OK so back to the issue...  If the battery is bad it will appear to charge, volts will rise when the engine is running, but it won't actually be doing much smoothing (regulation) of the noisy signal from the rect/reg... and its this electrical noise which your ECU won't like, and maybe the cause of the problems you are seeing.
Soo... if you can get your battery load tested, this will tell you if its ok. If not change it for a new one, its a good place to start.

[Bixxer Bob]

Checked mine static tonight (not had any flat battery probs so far) and, off load ie nothing turned on, 12.8v so I think it's ok but I'll ask that it's checked when it goes in.

While trying to load the remap, the dealer had a backup battery hooked up to ensure good volts during the remap (volt drop causes map fail).

My neighbour -who works as an automotive electrician for BMW cars suggested tonight that until going to the dealer, I was probably running some extreme compensation figures (when the ECU tries to correct an air leak or something of that nature), the ECU had reached it's limit and couldn't compensate any more so I started to get some issues.  Then when the dealer attempted the remap he cancelled the compensation figures so it starts running really rough.  I noticed tonight after removing the O2 bypass and re-checking everything while I had the tank off, including the throttle body balance, it's ticking over again at about the right rpm so I'll take her for a short run tomorrow night if I get time.

The dealer showed me that the exhaust CO2 level was about 0.2 when it should be around 2 (at least I think that's what he said) and that it was running very rich.

Ho hum.... :roll:  right now I'm glad I also own a Honda.  You know.... you just turn the key and ride - no fuss no dramas (some would say no character either but hey a bike with character that you look at, or a bike that hasn't that you ride?).  And whilst the Blackbird  might not have the Tiger's character, opening the throttle wide at 5000rpm in 3rd (equates to 60mph) is one hell of a lot of fun 8)

[tnktm]

Got a call from the dealer (after a week) saying they had been all through it and had it narrowed down to needing either a new fuel filter or a new air filter.  Does that sound likely to anyone (it didn't to me).  I mentioned checking the battery and the tune - he said they'd done that.

[Hatepylons]

Does that sound likely to anyone (it didn't to me).

Well, assuming they did verify there was nothing wrong electronically then either of those two things being partially plugged could explain some of the symptoms. See, once the bike gets "warmed up" its dumping in less gas on its own (coming off choke so-to-speak).  When you roll off the throttle when the bike is warmed up, there is a secondary valve that controls idle. If your fuel or air filter is blocked, that valve probably doesn't have enough range to compensate for clogged filters, resulting in a stalling condition.

I hope that makes sense, I as normally don't write anything w/o a gallon of coffee in the veins.

[blacktiger]

My suggestion is simply this. At 22700 miles you're nearing a service so take it in for the 24000 miles service where they'll fit new fuel and air filters and plugs and adjust the valve clearances etc etc. If it doesn't run right after all that the dealer should sort it for free.