Charging issue / Parts in C.R. DL1000
 

Starting having issues w/ bike in Guatemala. Battery went dead. Charged and took volt readings of stater (68v) and Rectafier at battery of 14v. Thought all was good untill it went dead again in Honduras in Tegucigalpa (capital) while driving in circles looking for cheap accomidations.

Charging battery overnight initially did not get bike running. Not untill around 2pm after working on it since 7am ( taxi driver, Suzuki shop, ect) did I try disconnecting the Power Comander and SHAZAM, she fired.

Obviously these places do not have expertise or parts for this frickin giant MC.

I bought a 8 pound battery charger and will carry to charge overnight w/ headlamps disconnected while I ride during the day.

Subsequent readings only show 12.7v discharge at battery terminals. My bussy has a volt meter he brought.

¿¿Can I get parts (Voltage Rectifier) anywhere in C.R or Panama??

This killed 2 days. Hope the disconnected Power Comander will not affect anything w/ Hole Shot exhaust ect.

I guess all the bump starting, low power and screwing with it killed the P.C. Bike had difficulty idleing when battery was drained.

Gracias Amigos

Sounds like a simple case of a dead battery? Buy a new one! What could be easier?

I have never liked Power commanders on Vstroms. I'd toss it. It just sucks fuel. Total waste of money.

Disconnect your NEW battery and F.I. system should re-set to de-fault ECM mapping and will get better as it adjusts to your current altitude.

Running with a very low or near dead battery is a really good way to RUIN your Stator (a $450 part!) or RUIN your Rectifier/Regulator.

How old is your current battery? When it did not charge back up, this is a good indication it is finished ... for good. The P.C. just makes things worse, hurts fuel economy and confuses the ECM.

Hopefully you have not damaged any major systems. F.I. bikes must have a good battery. This is page one. :mchappy:

Any Suzuki dealer ... even if they do not sell the Vstrom .... should be able to order parts for your bike through Suzuki. If they have a computer and can get onto Suzuki's site for ordering parts, then they should be able to do it for you. Even Outboard motor places!

Hey Mickey, Thought you would help.

The battery is brand new, top of the line. 3 weeks old, bought before I left.

This is not to say it might not be a dud. I´ve suspected battery but my friend is not buying it and he may be right as I can charge it up with no problem.

Can I find parts anywhere down in this part of the world?

Thanks!

If your new batt is coming back strong, 100% then that is good news ... but creates more mystery beyond what can be diagnosed on line. A headlight switch is a good idea until you get this sorted out. That is 100 watt less draw on the system. At night you can run one headlight, works pretty good on the Vstrom, saves 50 watts.

Most larger Suzuki dealers should be able to access the Suzuki dealer network online and order for any Suzuki model. Most likely they have a central distributor somewhere down there. Vstrom parts may be on the continent, I don't know where. I believe some S. American countries are now selling Vstrom's so perhaps they have a part stocks near by? If not then parts would have to come from Japan. This is going to take time, probably a month or so unless Suzuki have a way to get parts faster. Dunno.

Should be no problem removing the PC from the system. The ECM will revert to default F.I. Map, should run OK after a some running and several off and on with the ignition. Disconnect battery when removing PC and re-plugging in OEM plugs. Then reconnect battery. Then turn on key, let sit 30 seconds without starting. Twist throttle slowly (motor off) all the way to the stop and back.

Now start. May run rough for a while but should clean up soon. Make sure your air filter is clean, they get very dirty very quickly.

Good luck!