Clock/tripmeter reset itself while riding.

This just started happening recently, the clock and tripmeter resets itself while riding down the road.
It would happen more than 10 times in a short 50-60 mile ride, though I try not to stare at it while riding down teh road, but I actually caught it while riding. LCD display blanks out and clock/tripmeter resets itself, fuel guage displays full and temperature guage goes to "--" then back to running temp.
Any ideas??

 

Sounds like you have the start of a regulator/rectifier issue. Check your battery to make sure it is fully charged (and that the terminal connections are tight and clean). If it isn't, charge till it is fully charged (reading should be about 12.8). Break out the trusty digital voltmeter, place the test leads on the appropriate battery terminals, start the bike, rev to 5000 rpm. Check the meter to see if it reads between 14.8 adn 16.0 volts. If you do not get a reading in that range, then I would say it's the r/r. Another possibility is the stator, but the r/r is the easier of the two to check. You can, however, check the stator wires, where it connects outside the cases, for any burnt wires. In fact, you should check for same at the connector that plugs into the r/r too. Hope this helps.

 

I agree with Vman...textbook symptom of early R/R failure, but there'a also a chance it could be your battery or your stator. First thing I'd do is replace the battery (unless you've done so within the last year or so...) and then use the following chart from ElectroSport (formerly Electrex) to troubleshoot the problem:

http://www.electrosport.com/Images/fault_finding.pdf

You can get an (upgraded) replacement R/R for around $130 USD and installation is pretty easy.


HTH,
Jake

 

My bike is a 2000 VFR800, with little over 10,000 miles, the battery is approx. 8 months old, still hold charge.
I just rode the bike over 300 miles this past weekend, with heated jacket liner on 1/3 of the time that the bike was running. After the bike sat for more than 24 hours, it started back up no problem, but the clock/tripmeter resets happend more frequent while I was riding it another 120 miles home. I didn't have a voltmeter available to check the voltage, but I guess I'll have to check it when I get home tonight.

BTW, the link for the pdf file is not working.

 

Hmmm... I just checked it by clicking and it still works fine for me. Maybe it's some sort of browser/popup blocker issue? Perhaps if you cut and pasted the URL...?


Good luck,
Jake

 

Also worked for me.

I'll have to remember to save that one when I'm next on here from home.

 

Voltmeter give readings of 13.5-14.1 volt when engine is at idle (11-1200 rpm), between 4-6000 rpm reads 13.8-14.4 volt. One incident of clock/tripmeter reset while idle and the voltmeter still connected to the battery, the reading drops down to 1.4 volt and returns to normal 13.5 volt. I guess the regulator/rectifier is fazing in and out.

So what's next? replacement reg/rec? where to get one, which one is the best for a 2000 VFR800? OEM or aftermarcket?

 

That would be my guess. It sounds like from your most recent post that the r/r is working intermittently. It would be a good idea to replace it. You can get one from Service Honda (www.servicehonda.com) or you can get an aftermarket. Reviews and opinions of the aftermarket (electrex) are mixed. I have had good experience with them (on another bike) and others have not. The electrex is about $100 and the OEM at service Honda is about $175 I think. I believe most would suggest OEM.

 

Well, regulator/rectifier replaced and the guages are still resetting itself.. what gives?

 

Try checking for ground wire problems. I've read that the main harness ground being loose can cause this as well.

 

Mine has started doing this recently as well. its a 2001 with 30k on the clock. noticed at first that clock always seemed wrong. would set it, would seem fine for a while. but now its always wrong. I ll check for loose wires, but is that likely to happen on such a smooth bike? We also have a TL-R and that one has had some wiring issues. But its quite clunky compared to the VFR.
My boyfriend had several older VFR's( two 2nd gen, a 3rd and a 4th gen) and he got away from them due to frequent regulator/rectifier failures. We wondered if that what was going on here.

 

It could be. I just put on a Rick's Motorsports R/R. I must say it is even bigger than the OEM one. While I had my bike apart I relocted it to behind the subframe and got it away from being in between the subframe and the rear side cowl for better air flow and also to minimize the amount of heat trapeed around it.

Here are a link where I put pics in of the new r/r:

http://vfrworld.com/forums/first-second-generation-1983-1989/7494-charging-issues-not-r-r.html