I tried to started my VROD today for the first time in 2 weeks. I had the alarm on the whole time it sat in my garage. It kicked over a couple times and died on me. Bike usually starts on the 2nd or 3rd crank but today it wouldn`t. I gave it a little juice and it cranked 2 more times and Ka-BOOM!!!! It backfired. Wife thought I shot someone. Gave me a heart attack. I then put it on the charger for 20 minutes and she started right up. Let it run for 2 minutes then shut down. I washed and waxed it then tried to start again and Ka-BOOM!!!the same thing happened. Put it back on the charger for a few minutes and it started again. I rode it for about 45 minutes but was afraid to stop somewhere and shut it down. I didn`t feel like getting stranded right before dark. When I got home I shut it off, waited a minute and started it up again. No problem. I`ll see if it starts again tomorrow.:confused:

TBAG809 I have been keeping an eye on my battery, the bike has a born on date of 04/02 and I am getting close to time for a battery. My voltage after sitting overnight has dropped from 12.4 volts to 12.2 volts in the last two months. I want to find an optima or some other more powerful source when this one dies. The backfire is more then likely fuel in a cylinder and the engine spins forward then kicks backwards from low voltage and then gives a spark to a fueled cylinder with the intake valve open and KABOOM is the result. Make sure to check your air box and velocity stacks that no damage has occured.


Max

Max, And what kind of damage should I be looking for? I had the air box off the first time and didn`t notice anything.

TBAG809 remove the air filter and all you want to do is make sure that both velocity stacks are secure. I doubt it would but it could break the base of one of the plastic stacks. If the air box cover was good then your probably fine.

Max

Cool Max,

I`ll check tomorrow....

I have had the same thoughts about the battery on my 02; I was thinking if I were going to get a new one I look at the Odyssey battery. I saw something about them on Corbin Ride-on about how they made the Odyssey and how they were one of the few that meets the Government's Mil specs.

Here is their web page:

http://www.odysseydirect.com/

Also here is the summary of the TV show:

http://www.rideontv.com/episodes/2003Season/CRN8001/odyssey.html

Hope this helps,

Dave

I had a NO2 Back fire on the dyno so big flames came out from under the skin down the bike!My tuner turned it right off and WAVED BY BY!:eek: I about $hit thinking that was my motor!Checked everything out put in fresh plugs then lay'd down 180rwhp!:diablo:

I'm a new vrod owner and a fomer Roadstar owner and I've used the battery tender on both bikes and can't say enough good about this product.

I just figured that ANY bike with a security system is going to have battery drain in a relatively short period of time so why wait for it to die? I purchased a new one (for my truck) recently at batterystuff.com for 47.00.

Hope this helps.

Leo