Modern Buddy

On phone excuse the typos.

I just rode to Brooklyn and right before my destination I notice the blinkers don't blink! They just turn on but don't blink . Same with hazards, and I hear a kind of buzzing noise when I turn those on,

Also I notice my headlight is dimming when I hit the left brake.

Buddy has not even 300 miles on it, wtf!

Sounds like battery symptoms.
Since it's so new, first thing is to check the battery terminal connections.
Lift up the floor mat and you will see a trap door with a phillips head screw. undo that screw and you'll see the battery. check to make sure the leads are connected tight.

Did you buy it new from a dealer 300 miles ago?

Tocsik wrote:Sounds like battery symptoms.
Since it's so new, first thing is to check the battery terminal connections.
Lift up the floor mat and you will see a trap door with a phillips head screw. undo that screw and you'll see the battery. check to make sure the leads are connected tight.

Did you buy it new from a dealer 300 miles ago?

Thanks I will check this! Yep I bought it new with 0 miles and have the warranty

Ok so turns out fuse blew .

Stupidly I tried to run without the fuse. Went a few blocks and headlight started smOking. I turned engine off immediately and pulled over, where I am now.

Is there a major issue here or do I just need a new fuse ?

If the headlight is smoking, you should take it in. Replacing the fuse will more than likely pop it again until the electrical problem is fixed.

Best of luck!

I don't really see how running without a fuse would make the headlight smoke. That actually sounds more like a short of some sort, than an open (which is what a missing fuse would cause). Either way, continuing to ride with a smoking headlight is obviously a bad idea because you might be burning up a significant portion of your electrical system.

bimbom,

Did you get the BOB adaptor, or do some other type of electrical mod? I ask not because this type of issue happens with the BOB adaptor, but I suppose if the wrong wire were tapped in to for power anything might be possible--though the instructions that come with the BOB adaptor are pretty good.

So just to elaborate on my response above, it sounds like you have an electrical short somewhere - that is, you have a wire making a connection where it should not be making a connection. Your blown fuse is a symptom of that condition, not the cause. Since it sounds like you had a rather dramatic display of that condition with your smoking headlight, I'd suggest that you should refrain from starting your scooter up at all. You need to call roadside assistance, which comes with your warranty, and have it towed to the shop. You might have already figured this out for yourself by now, but just in case....

pdxrita wrote:So just to elaborate on my response above, it sounds like you have an electrical short somewhere - that is, you have a wire making a connection where it should not be making a connection. Your blown fuse is a symptom of that condition, not the cause. Since it sounds like you had a rather dramatic display of that condition with your smoking headlight, I'd suggest that you should refrain from starting your scooter up at all. You need to call roadside assistance, which comes with your warranty, and have it towed to the shop. You might have already figured this out for yourself by now, but just in case....

Listen to pdxrita. If your headlight is smoking and you have a blown fuse. There is definitely something wrong somewhere; most likely a short.

Use that warranty and get if fixed the right way or you could potentially fry the entire electrical harness. Maybe it's not something so serious but the stock headlight shouldn't smoke under any circumstances; especially if it wasn't doing so in the past.

Very strange. Overvoltage from a bum regulator? I agree - call Roadside and don't run it.

The buzzing would most likely be the relay (mine is shot, that's why I know)... The smoking headlight, I would like to think an electrical short. Take it in, it's under warranty.

Thanks all for the responses.. so here's what happened:

I left it overnight in Brooklyn and went home. I bought a bag of fuses and came back the next day with the intention of putting in a new fuse so I could start the engine, and drive it half a mile to the service dealer (luckily it was nearby).

When I got there, the guy told me that since it was working right then and there, they couldn't technically take it in to work on it. I contemplated just leaving it there for the first service, but I only had 280 miles on it at this point.

So it stayed in Brooklyn one more night and this mornign I went and picked it up to drive it back hom to NJ. All was going well when I noticed the signal issue again. At that point I was like "f*** this" and rode it straight home (I knew if I turned it off I wouldn't be able to get it back on).

So all in all, definitely something wrong with the electrical system. I'm going to try to ride a few hundred more miles (replacing fuses along the way) and then take it in to get the electrical fixed and first service done all in one shot.

If you have a short you can get a major meltdown so if in doubt don't press your luck.

I'm replacing the main wiring harness on a bike now and it's more work than anyother undertaking could be on the bike. $$$$$

Beamster wrote:If you have a short you can get a major meltdown so if in doubt don't press your luck.

I'm replacing the main wiring harness on a bike now and it's more work than anyother undertaking could be on the bike. $$$$$

Beamster, I disconnected the accessories outlet from the circuit (just by unplugging it). Since then I've ridden about 50 miles and have had no problems. Lights aren't dimming and signals are working fine.

I don't know if this is coincidence or not, so I'm stumped. I'm going to keep riding it for now.. if no fuse blows I'm going to guess theres some short problem with the accessory outlet. If fuse blows again I'll be really stumped.

Unfortunately, this is still not solved. I thought I had solved it when I disconnected the accessory outlet and the problem stopped.

I drove almost 200 miles with no problems until last night, when the fuse blew again.


I have 470 on odometer now so I'm getting my first service soon.. I'll have them take a look at the electrical.

UPDATE: I think I found the problem. See image below (this is on the rear brake side).



It seems as though the left side may have been a little loose, and thus pushed downward a bit. In doing so the bolt underneath hit the left blinker wire, and after a lot of friction, frayed it, exposing the copper wire. Since the bolt is connected to ground (I tested it), prolonged touching of the two would most likely cause the blown fuse. To double check, I touched the two together with some metal, and got some sparks. I noticed the blinker speed slowed down (a symptom before a fuse blow that I had previously overlooked.. I remember thinking "is my blinker slow or I am hallucinating" ?)


Anyway, I'm going to wrap this up with electrical tape, adjust the left side handlebar and tighten it. I hope that fixes the issue.

Now to figure out while my Buddy is squeaking..

It still needs to be repaired properly under warranty even if you tape it for the short term. You don't know what other damage could have been done to your wires or wiring harness. Your dealer needs to replace that part (or the whole) of the wiring harness.

You also might consider re-sizing your photo.