Hi everyone - I’m a new Fireblade owner (2018 RR) and on Friday fitted an Evotech tail tidy. The instructions are rubbish but with the help of videos and the like I managed to fit it ok. The only way I touched the electrics was to unplug the tail light, the indicators and the number plate light. Evotech supply’s new LED number plate light, along with replacement loom to connector. Everything worked fine when completed 2 days ago. This morning I went to ride it but the battery was flat. The only other thing which was touched electrically was I removed (and replaced) the earth wire for the TrakKing Tracker. This caused it to send a signal of no battery and I got a call from TrakKing (I’m impressed!) So... now I have a flat battery - I’ve taken it apart and checked for trapped wires etc but everything looks fine. Any ideas please people??? Thanks
Hi Kev, and welcome. The job seems a simple and straight forward one which I am sure you accomplished with ease. The most obvious, as you have considered by saying you've checked for trapped wires, is that something in the area you've worked on is shorted against the sub-frame. Given that it has taken 2 days for the battery to flatten, if you're confident that all your work was spot on, it would pay for you or someone to run a multimeter check on Evotech replacement loom. I'm assuming the TrakKing is back to functioning correctly.
All I can think of is that the number plate light was/is staying on but the control of that is independent of the tail tidy and a low powered LED would need a fair bit of time to drain a decent battery. Wouldn't suspect a trapped wire as a short would lead to a fuse blowing. TBH the way a lot of alarms and trackers behave I would be more suspicious of that area. Surprised the Evotech instructions weren't very good. I fitted one of their tail tidy to my GSX-S and the instructions were spot on even for a mechanic nightmare like me, but then I did watch a youtube vid before trying to fit it.
The supply to the tail lights is switched with the ignition so it shouldn't be that. I would also be suspecting the tracker. I think the tracker still draws on the battery even in standby although it's meant to be very small. Think it has it's own internal standby battery that charges off the bikes battery. I don't envy you though if you've got a tracker issue mate. Was it fitted at the dealership?
& Welcome to the forum - For my 2 penny worth I would also suspect the tracker. How long have you had the bike? Do you not have it plugged in to a trickle charger?
I've fitted a tail tidy to mine earlier in the year and I can't think of anything I did that could possibly cause the battery to drain. Got to be the tracker, be interesting to learn if it is! I've never liked alarms and trackers on bikes as they are notorious for draining battery power and the reason I refused the offer of one when I bought my new bike...... Even though it was free!
Alarm systems do have a habit of draining bats, I would say fitting an optimiser will keep the bat ok. As said previous if there was a short, the fuse would go, and that circuit would only only drain when the ignition was on. so unless the lights are not on without ignition you are very unlikely to have a short that will drain the bat and not take out any fuse
Everything else works - indicators, headlights and tail, number plate and dash - just lost a whole lot of battery - enough that it won’t start....
TrakKing is working fine - being as it’s the only thing that has really changed, I too suspect the Evotech LED number plate light - but quite how it’s draining the current, I have no idea. It’s not illuminated....
No, I don’t have it plugged into trickle charge - I’ve had it a month from new and ride it every weekend. It must be something to do with what I’ve changed
Hi @KevB - I’ll bow to anyone who has experience with a similar situation (i.e. riding weekends only, with a tracker fitted and not using a trickle charger) who doesn't have a battery issue, but my gut tells me the tail tidy fitting is only a coincidence. I’d get an optimiser or similar and see how you get on. Where are you located - I have my oxford lead acid trickle charger that, if your local, you could borrow (I upgraded to a Lithium and new charger 6 months ago)
I would unplug what you have done then put a multi metre on your battery and then start plugging it back together again and see if you see a drop
That’s really kind of you - but I’m in West Sussex. I’ll get a charger tomorrow and see what happens......
It doesn’t take much of a drop in charge for a blade not to start. Not a fan of alarms etc they just suck the life out of batteries. Have you had it fired up since? If so did it start ok after a run?
I've not read through all the posts, but the current draw from the battery when the bike is stood should be small enough to run a multimeter in series with the battery and one of it's terminals. Set the meter to read Amps and that would give you an idea of what's going on. Don't do this while on charge though, or you'll be reading what's going in.
Thanks to everybody for your help. It’s still not resolved but favourite is the Tracker. I spoke to the workshop and he suggested an Optimate charger which I bought. Unfortunately when attached to the battery it showed it as deeply discharged or duff - and would not charge. Going to take battery to dealer when I’m back from hols. Interestingly, tracker continues to operate with no bike battery attached......
