Breakdown Spoils Laconia Ride. Possible Vandalism Ends Ride

I took off for New Hampshire, yesterday, and was having a wonderful day if it. I gassed-up the 900 and rode out off town to the Interstate and joined the traffic heading North into New Hampshire for the 75 Mile ride to Laconia.

Once out of Massachusetts and nearing Laconia, I stopped for a break at the Welcome Center just over the State Line. I left the bike in the shade and went inside to get some water and leave some. Stepped out back to have a smoke and then decided to ride the rest of the way up to Laconia with the pack.

Not far out of the Rest area I started having trouble. The Ignition was breaking down. I pulled over and disabled the Rev-Limiter and continued onn some more until the problem started getting worse.

Not wanting to be left roadside,, I swung a U-turn and began heading Home.
That's when I had my tach fo from 5,000 to Zero and rolled to a stop.
A quick check of things all pointed to the Ignition Switch having been tampered with.
The gate on the face of the Ignition was stuck open and there was no power to all systems.
Looks like I shoulld have parked where I could have kept an eye on the old girl while taking a break from the ffast moving traffic.

A nice gentleman on a Harley stopped and rendered assistance. Uusing his Cell Phone AAA was summoned and within an hour the 900 was nested in a bike carrying frame on the back of the flat bed tow truck ... the day ending in shame for not being more vigilant about my bike when everyone was heading to the same bike event.

I ordered a new Ignition Switch but I'm sure it won't be here in time to ride the 900 up to the Lakes Region, so ... the 750 Max is going to have to substitute as the Starting Quarterback for a visit to Laconia.

I'mm disappointed about net getting up there for the weekend. I had hoped to take a test ride on the Can-Am 3 Wheeler that was scheduled for test riding as part of the festivities.

Bike week continues until Friday or so. I'm going back up there for a T-shirt and a cup of coffee. The 900 waits for its new Ignition Switch and I learned the hard way.

Don't trust leaving your bike in the shade while taking a break. Park it where you and others can see it so its there when you get back.

 

Re: Breakdown Spoils Laconia Ride. Possible Vandalism Ends

Sorry to hear that rick , hope the ole girl is ok.

 

At aleast I'm home with the bike safely in the garage up on the workstand ... rather than in the breakdown lane of a SuperHighway worrying about getting splattered by the next drunk leaving a Bike Week Party ten miles away.

I have to remove a bunch of stuff to get it at that Ignition Switch and its always better to have the bike a few feet away from the tool box with the radio playing than traffic three feet away blasting by at 80 MPH>

I was tempted to do a roadside Jury Rig to get the Ignition Switch Wiring closed ... but, I thought getting out of there in one piece was a far better idea.

 

That sucks.

I feel sorry for the guy if you would have seen him... lol

 

I pulled the Headlight and Front Fairing and metered the Ignition Switch.
It's toast!
Open across two of the leads.

Jumped the connections on the Wiring Harness side and the Bike started right up!

(I wish I had my Manual's trouble-shooting page with me, yesterday ...
it only took about two minutes to shoot the switch and jumper the wires. I could have finished-up the ride and got back under my own steam ... instead of panic-calling AAA and getting the Bike towed-in, instead!)

Hey, Chacal ... got a Ignition Switch for the 1983 Seca-900?
Pretty sure its the same one that fits just about everything on two wheels!

 

Got it. In stock! OEM or aftermarket!! Both come with two keys!!!! And the aftermarket one (which is really, I suspect, the exact same switch assembly as the OEM but not in a Yamaha wrapper) is 1/4th the price!!!!!

Let me know which one you want........

 

Hey Rick, why don't you photocopy your schematic and laminate it. Then it tucks under the seat and is ready to use when you need it? I did this with my Seca and included a list of all the important specs and torques on the back side. If your eyes are good (and mine aren't) you can reduce the size to get it into a smaller package.

 

Great idea! But, I still wouldn't want to have to try and work on the side of a New Hampshire (or Mass) Highway Breakdown Lane. Too many Scoff-Law's driving and passing in the Breakdown Lanes to not be nervous about it.

I knew what the score was right after the bike quit. I had no power to anything. It was just like the Ignition Switch was turned-off and the key felt funny in the Ignition.

Tonight, I went down and pulled-off the fairing and got to the heart of the matter. The Ignition Switch was Open on the Main Side and jumpering the Pigtail to the Harness started the bike right-quick.

At least >> I << have the Bike in the same condition it was in before it was tampered with. The fix is easy and the lesson learned I won't ever forget!

 

Re: Breakdown Spoils Laconia Ride. Possible Vandalism Ends

Rick, I've seen two of those Can-Am Spyders on the road. They look slick, and the owner I talked to loved his, but thought it was a bit pricey.

 

that really sucks that people are like that. I went to a bachelor party last night and couldn't park where I could see the bike either. You'd have thought I was waiting for a child to be born I was so anxious about it. Finally A bud who rode his bike up wanted to take it for a ride and when he got back there was a closer spot.

 

They start at 17-Grand there-abouts.
I don't know as they might be getting some play from the Big Shots that want a Gas-sipping way to work but can't see themselves without the training wheels and the automatic transmission.

There will definitely be the "Cool Factor" about having one.

I don't know where to even go to take a picture of one. I was lucky to see the one I did.
It's going to be fun to see how they get altered by new owners after they have been sold by the PO's to guys like us who can wrench, weld and do customizing.

I imagine there will be a few that take-on a whole different look than the sleek and gentlemanly look they afford when new!

I need to learn more about that Push-Button Transmission.
All you do to shift it up and down is flick a little switch with your fingers.

 

Sorry to hear about your bad luck there Rick! It is a shame that people have to be that way! But there is the thing called Karma and hopefully it will come back around and bit the A-hole(s) that messed with your bike in the butt! Hope you get it running soon and thanks again for everything you have helped me with on my bike I will let you know when I get my parts put in and try it out!

 

Re: Breakdown Spoils Laconia Ride. Possible Vandalism Ends

Rick,
I took one of those for a ride last year before the Sturgis event. I work EMS out there every year and during set up the week before anyone gets out there we have access to the vendors that one could never get during the event. Anyway I had a hard time getting away from the fact that I wasn't on a snowmobile. It's the same sensation although a much smoother ride. Top speed is quite limited but the darn thing corners like your on rails. Very fun but have a hard time taking it seriously if you know what I mean. If I remember right it's a Rotax motor. Those mills are being put in everything from BMWs to Buells now.

 

That sucks Rick. But hey, it would've been a lot worse if the potential thief had managed to get it started. Way too many a-holes in the world these days.

 

I'm having a hard time visualizing what the vandalism was here. Was the switch just bad or had it actually been popped or something? I have no idea what "the gate on the face" is. At any rate, it sucks that your bike went TU on you.

I test-rode the Spyder last year. My impression was also that it was much like a snowmobile, but hotter. ON a bend in the road, I mad the mistake of pushing right to go right and almost threw myself into oncoming traffic. Ewps. Old habits and all that. They do corner like they're on rails, though. Even on gravel. I don't recall pushbutton shifting, though. If I had a pile of F-it money, I might get one, but it's way down on the list as long as I'm physically able to ride two-wheelers.

As for the Rotax engine, the even put those things in several light airplanes these days.

 

Oblivion,

if you look at most car locks, it is the same as your ignition there is a little flap that closes when the key is removed(the gate) he is saying someone was jimming around with the ignition trying to get it to turn to on w/o the key to start it and ride off.

 

Ah, got it. Makes much more sense now.

 

The switch wasn't making contact. I think sommebody tried to break it and just got thing out of line.

I pulled the switch apart looking for damage and found a little tiny BB in there. It doesn't look like part of the switch.

Maybe the thing just went bad. But with the little sliding gate that covers the keyhole bent; it looks like someone tried to do something and failed.

 

Re: Breakdown Spoils Laconia Ride. Possible Vandalism Ends

Usually a hammer and a screw driver. They give it a wack and it turns and away goes your bike. You got lucky

 

When I pulled the Ignition and looked at how the Ignition Switch is made I could see how it wouldnt take much doing to beat the Tumbler and energize the Ignition.

I learned my lesson!
I went out and bought a brute of a U-Lock and now I lock the front wheel to the front forks. It's going to take a few minutes to defeat that lock and it came with a warning not to lose the key!