[gashousegorilla]

Turn the key, flip the switch on, then move the bars from side to side.  Does it go on and off?  There is a connection or two from the key switch that can come undone and give you weird inconsistent power, ask me how I know   It's also worth double checking the battery connections to make sure they're tight.

Scott

  I had that as well.... ignition switch wires for sure.

[Ducati Scotty]

Yeah, mine came loose every time I turned the bars to the left.  The wire bundle actually pressed the release clip on the connector!  Now zip tied together and not causing any problems

Once again, my favorite phrase, "Ask me how I know." 

Scott

[jammydodger]

grumbles, well I checked the ignition switch and turned the steering left right and not fluctuations. came back half hour later and the bike started. great I thought hopped on and made my way home until the bike totally cut out about 200 meters in...so this makes me think it's deffo not the battery. I pushed it back to the office and took the train. I'll get recovery to take it home tomorrow. But what on earth caused this? alternator since the bike cut out whilst running?

[Ducati Scotty]

Not likely the alternator.  The bike would have just run off the battery until it was dead.

Did it stumble and die, or just die right on the spot?  Did the lights still work?

If it just died on the spot but lights were ok it sounds like you lost electrical power to the ignition.  Could be an intermittent short or open circuit, maybe a corroded connection.  If the lights died to then you're losing all power and you should look near the battery and voltage regulator for your problem.  If it stumbles and died it could be a fuel delivery related issue, power to the injectors?

Scott

[JVS]

In addition to the above posts, disconnect the side-stand switch as well, just in case (if you haven't done it already).

[Arizoni]

For sure!
That damn side stand "safety switch" can shut down everything important if it thinks the sidestand is down (even though the stand is up).

[jammydodger]

I just died ,mid ride (lucky I was in traffic and travelling slowly) Side stand switch has been disconnected since I had the bike.

Gave the battery terminals a once over and nothing to note there, it just seemed dead when I left it last night.

This morning the same thing as yesterday – The EFi is priming and all lights are ok, I’ve not touched the bike since it crapped out yesterday. But I put money on the fact that it’ll be intermittent through out the day as I turn the key each time, Sometimes it’ll prime sometimes it’ll appear to by low on voltage. Really scratching my head on this…

Can I rule out the battery itself since the bike died whilst running? I assume the battery isn’t used once the engine turns over?

[Roeland]

The battery is used when the engine is running - if it drops below a certain voltage the fuel pump will not work and the engine will cut out - it sounds to me that either your alternator is not charging or the battery is faulty. I had a similar problem and it turned out to be the alternator.

[JVS]

Okay, now to rule out if its the alternator or the RR unit, get the bike started, and put your multimeter leads at the battery. Rev the bike a bit and the voltage should rise. Around 3000rpm, you should see about 13-13.5 volts (With a charged or close to charged battery).

Then, you can check whether the problem is with your regulator-rectifer (RR) unit. You can conduct a test based on this video by singh5g - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scHdtXjTSlo

However, I still think it has something to with one of the connections here and there.

[gashousegorilla]

I just died ,mid ride (lucky I was in traffic and travelling slowly) Side stand switch has been disconnected since I had the bike.

Gave the battery terminals a once over and nothing to note there, it just seemed dead when I left it last night.

This morning the same thing as yesterday – The EFi is priming and all lights are ok, I’ve not touched the bike since it crapped out yesterday. But I put money on the fact that it’ll be intermittent through out the day as I turn the key each time, Sometimes it’ll prime sometimes it’ll appear to by low on voltage. Really scratching my head on this…

Can I rule out the battery itself since the bike died whilst running? I assume the battery isn’t used once the engine turns over?

  Have you charged the Battery yet ?    Can't trouble shoot accurately without starting with a fully charged Battery.

[jammydodger]

Great info guys! Well recovery are on their way to pick me up from work which means a free ride at least (have to find some positive in this scenario - No pun intended )

Then on the weekend I'll run various diagnostics, Just glad to get it home at least.

I was already on the fence about trading up for a Triumph street tripple and I'm starting to be swayed even more  I'm sure that will change once I work out the issue here.

Yep, charged it up over night and getting 12.5~v I've even contacted the seller of the battery and they were very nice and offered to send out a replacement just in case - So I'll be able to test that out next week just to rule it out.

[gashousegorilla]

12.5 seems a bit low for a fully charged battery.   Check it later today , assuming the charger is disconnected, and see where the voltage settles in.  Good deal , with the offer on the new battery... take it.

[jammydodger]

And the prize goes to Arizoni - The Recovery guy came and done various checks and diagnostics and the battery is toast! The recovery guy knew right away after I explained the various symptoms.

After a grand total of 8 weeks use it's totally failed - The bike was hitting 24v when running when the guy checked.

I'm glad I have a clear answer now but I expected more from Motobatt!

[SteveThackery]

After a grand total of 8 weeks use it's totally failed - The bike was hitting 24v when running when the guy checked.

Hey, hang on, though.  The voltage regulator ought to keep it at around 14V even when the battery is knackered our out of circuit altogether.  There's a reasonable load on the alternator when the bike is running, due to fuel pump and the ECU, which should be enough to keep the regulator in its normal operating zone.

I mention this because if there really was 24V then you are in serious danger of frying the ECU.  This was definitely 24V DC, across the battery terminals?  Not the AC coming from the alternator?

Now I'm left wondering if the battery got fried by a faulty voltage regulator.  When the new battery is fitted, I would check the voltage across it when the engine is running, just so you don't destroy that one as well.

[singhg5]

Great info guys! Well recovery are on their way to pick me up from work which means a free ride at least (have to find some positive in this scenario - No pun intended )

Then on the weekend I'll run various diagnostics, Just glad to get it home at least.

I was already on the fence about trading up for a Triumph street tripple and I'm starting to be swayed even more  I'm sure that will change once I work out the issue here.

Yep, charged it up over night and getting 12.5~v I've even contacted the seller of the battery and they were very nice and offered to send out a replacement just in case - So I'll be able to test that out next week just to rule it out.

A fully charged battery reads between 12.8 to 13.0 volts.

It may seem small difference but after an overnight charging it only reads 12.5 volts, it is NOT fully charged and indicates something wrong with battery. 

When the vendors say 'we send charged battery, just install it' means nothing more than 12.5 volts ! They did not test the voltage of the unit sent to you. That approach may work out fine for a car because a car's alternator creates 14 volts at idle which is enough to charge battery fully to 12.8 volts as you run car for next several days. 

However a Royal Enfield does NOT produce enough current at idle or even at low speeds to charge the battery that is already low. RE creates about 12.7 volts at idle with lights on - NOT enough to reverse the discharge rate. So the battery keeps on draining further, at a slower rate but discharging nonetheless, or barely maintains its level.

It takes about 14 volts to reverse the process of discharging of the battery. By charging I mean bringing UP the voltage from 12.5 to 12.8 volts.

RE can charge (stop discharge) only when it is running at HIGHER rpms.

PS - While I was typing SteveThackery was too ! I read it afterwards and agree with what he wrote. The battery may have been fried by high voltage. But your post of 24 volts does not indicate WHERE was that recorded - at battery or alternator ?   

PPS - The rectifier/regulator should be tested as JVS has posted a link for that. Very likely it is a wiring connection problem.

You may also check this video on battery voltage of RE and alternator output -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6GnwkCXPi4