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2004 sportster roadster died

  • TeeMay
    TeeMay
    3 months
    Howdy all,
    I have a problem hopefully someone can help me solve. I have a 1200 sporty 2004 model in which my starter motor failed. I rode it with the typical click click click until one day she didn't fire. Anyway I purchased a new starter and installed. I found one that seemed a little better in performance and was a little dearer than the oem replacement. Had the bike running after install and seemed like it was starting fine for 2 days at home. I'm trying to get the bike ready for rego so I thought I'd do a clutch adjustment also and after that the bike felt great and I was pretty chuffed cause I knew rego was next. UNTIL the next time I started it it ran than I heard what was a fuse pop or something, I shut the bike down and tried to start back up and now have nothing! I have power with key turned to acc but than loses power when I turn it to IGN . I did read about a similar thing happening to someone and it was the ignition switch but I've already tried that and have also checked, battery, both connections are tight, fuses are good and have replaced the plastic relay with a new one. Any help would be greatly appreciated. My next step is trying to find out how to get to the back of the fuse box to see if I have power there...
    Thanks guys
  • Grease Monkey
    Grease Monkey
    3 months
    Dunno if the 04 is similar to a 96 but there was a main circuit breaker on them that could go pop and not reset itself, located near the fuse panel I think, not dead certain, been awhile.
  • obisteve
    obisteve
    3 months
    What's the insulation like on the loom of wires running back along the frame backbone that then disappears down under the left side of the seat?
    Any fraying or insulation scuffs from rubbing on the frame?
    Earlier Sporties have auto resetting circuit breakers that throw out with an audible click, as GM said, dunno about 2004.
    If there is a continual short they can chatter on off on off, but can fail after a few cycles.
  • TeeMay
    TeeMay
    3 months
    Thanks for reply mate, The wires all look pretty good and tidy. The bike has been looked after by the look of it but it is hard to say what they look like inside the actual harness.. my bike the 2004 has a maxi fuse is that what you mean by main circuit breaker? 
  • T4
    T4
    3 months
    Check yer earth strap to the motor (a known problem) and the earth to the frame. Use a multimeter as it can look Ok but corrosion can build up. 2004 is a rubbermount which means the earths from the motor to the frame and to the harness are important. There are several if I recall correctly.

    Cheers, Will


    2004.JPG
    2004 earths
  • TeeMay
    TeeMay
    3 months
    Thanks for reply Will, I know my motor earth strap is good . I'm gonna have to recheck and clean all others I think. Just seems strange I had to bike running after the new starter install. The pop noise I heard before I shut it down though did sound like a wire shorting or something..
  • tussuck
    tussuck
    3 months
    Disconnect the start motor wires.  Then see what happens as it may have a short somewhere.
    Always back out the last major change and that will often locate the issue.
  • TeeMay
    TeeMay
    3 months
    Hey mate, you mean just disconnect them then connect them again and try start it?
  • obisteve
    obisteve
    3 months
    Quoting TeeMay on 28 Jan 2024 11:15 PM

    Thanks for reply mate, The wires all look pretty good and tidy. The bike has been looked after by the look of it but it is hard to say what they look like inside the actual harness.. my bike the 2004 has a maxi fuse is that what you mean by main circuit breaker? 

    This is what the circuit breakers on older models look like, little tin boxes clipped to the back mudguard behind the oil tank.
    This is my 1990 model, ones I've worked on from the mid 90's are similar. Never worked on a rubbermount.

    20240130_140122.jpg
    20240130_140203.jpg
  • beaglebasher
    beaglebasher
    3 months
    Electrical gremlins are the fuckin worst. Did you find the fuse box? Did you find any circuit breakers?  You said that you heard something pop when you were cranking it so I doubt that would be a fuse.  Circuit breakers do make a noise.
    There's heaps of experienced skirtster owners here on the forum but they are a little bit shy. 
    Cant say I blame them.




  • beaglebasher
    beaglebasher
    3 months
    Quoting TeeMay on 28 Jan 2024 11:15 PM

    Thanks for reply mate, The wires all look pretty good and tidy. The bike has been looked after by the look of it but it is hard to say what they look like inside the actual harness.. my bike the 2004 has a maxi fuse is that what you mean by main circuit breaker? 

    Quoting obisteve on 30 Jan 2024 09:15 AM

    This is what the circuit breakers on older models look like, little tin boxes clipped to the back mudguard behind the oil tank.

    This is my 1990 model, ones I've worked on from the mid 90's are similar. Never worked on a rubbermount.

    20240130_140122.jpg
    20240130_140203.jpg
    Another dodgy photographer!
    Which one is the  circuit breaker?
  • obisteve
    obisteve
    3 months
    You can be a picky bugger Beags, But I'll take another pic with more light. If you squint, can you see a couple of tin boxes on the mudguard in the first pic? A red wire goes to one of them.
    The second pic is just to give a more general location.
    But it does sound like the 2004s don't have breakers.
    OK, I have checked in the Sportsterpedia (its a great resource TeeMay), the 2004s were the first to replace the main circuit breaker with a Maxifuse, so forget all our yabber about circuitbreakers, yours doesn't have one. So sorry Beags, you don't get a clearer pic.
  • beaglebasher
    beaglebasher
    3 months
    Quoting obisteve on 31 Jan 2024 10:41 AMedited: 31 Jan 2024 11:23 AM

    You can be a picky bugger Beags, But I'll take another pic with more light. If you squint, can you see a couple of tin boxes on the mudguard in the first pic? A red wire goes to one of them.

    The second pic is just to give a more general location.
    But it does sound like the 2004s don't have breakers.
    OK, I have checked in the Sportsterpedia (its a great resource TeeMay), the 2004s were the first to replace the main circuit breaker with a Maxifuse, so forget all our yabber about circuitbreakers, yours doesn't have one. So sorry Beags, you don't get a clearer pic.

    Thanks be to fuck for that.  My head was getting sore looking at all the wires.
  • TeeMay
    TeeMay
    3 months
    Quoting obisteve on 31 Jan 2024 10:41 AMedited: 31 Jan 2024 11:23 AM

    You can be a picky bugger Beags, But I'll take another pic with more light. If you squint, can you see a couple of tin boxes on the mudguard in the first pic? A red wire goes to one of them.

    The second pic is just to give a more general location.
    But it does sound like the 2004s don't have breakers.
    OK, I have checked in the Sportsterpedia (its a great resource TeeMay), the 2004s were the first to replace the main circuit breaker with a Maxifuse, so forget all our yabber about circuitbreakers, yours doesn't have one. So sorry Beags, you don't get a clearer pic.

    That's all good mate, I seen what ya meant with the circuit breakers but yeah I didn't see any. Like ya say it's cause they are not there .. and just to clarify the maxi fuse is the Super duper big fuse connected to battery? 30amp 
    Sportsterpedia I will look this up cheers. There used to be another xl1200 forum but it seems to of disappeared?

  • Grease Monkey
    Grease Monkey
    3 months
    Try, xlforum.net
  • tussuck
    tussuck
    3 months
    Good idea... its all baggers here...lol

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