Percy Vere-Rance
Posted: Fri Oct 06, 2017 7:41 pmAfter days of trying to get my R1 started between intermittent and sometimes very heavy showers, today turned out to be a belter! 
So good, in fact, that I decided to break out my Honda Blackbird and take myself away for a few hours to clear my head, which was
full of, and confounded by, diagnostic tables, switch resistance checks and sensor “fail-safe actions”.
I’d had enough.
So off I went. 
Three hours later I was back at home with a plan. I’d decided to strip out every switch, connector and sensor underneath the R1’s seat
and clean everything – and I mean everything – that I could get my hands on. I’d done that at the front of the bike: from spark plugs to
injectors, from cylinder sensors to fuel pump, but still the little bugger wouldn’t start. I’m far from being an expert on bikes – especially
when it comes to sensors that make no sense to me but I knew, almost instinctively, that by shifting my attention I’d be moving closer to
a solution rather than away from one. So I got stuck in – again!
Off with the rear cowl and I was thinking, “get everything back to “standard” in terms of cleanliness”, when I found myself staring at the
Power Commander - with “back to standard” rolling around in my head, over and over again. So I lifted the tank and disconnected the PC3,
turned on the ignition, pressed the starter and instantly the bike laughed its way into life; this, after more than a week of strip-downs, tests,
re-assemblies and failures. I’d had, as Jules said in “Pulp Fiction”, “a moment of clarity”!
When I reconnected the PC3 and turned on the ignition I confirmed the problem was rooted there as the unit failed to illuminate as it should.
No lights mean “no power”!
As added proof, the bike returned to “bitch-mode” and refused to start. Problem solved! 
40 minutes later I was, once more, grinning like an idiot as I made my way home after a test ride. Just to make sure, on arriving home I switched
the bike off then, immediately, switched on and pressed the starter. Instant life! An hour later when the bike had cooled I tried again – with the
same instant response. Re-sult!
I bench tested the PC3 and it was as dead as a doornail, but at least now I can appreciate how these modules do make a difference to the bike’s
performance and I’ll be on the look-out for a replacement when the piggy bank’s a bit healthier. Until then, I’ll be enjoying my R1 again – at last!
It’s been a bit of a struggle - and some lessons are hard while I’m learning them but, on the bright side – I’ve learnt a bit about diagnostics and
testing - I’ve saved myself an absolute fortune in labour costs - and I know a shit-load more about me bike than I ever could’ve dreamed of up until now!
OH-yeah… proper biker me, I am!
https://youtu.be/KKSKyCNPdtU
ROCK O-rrrrrrnnnnnn!
So good, in fact, that I decided to break out my Honda Blackbird and take myself away for a few hours to clear my head, which was
full of, and confounded by, diagnostic tables, switch resistance checks and sensor “fail-safe actions”.
I’d had enough.
So off I went. Three hours later I was back at home with a plan. I’d decided to strip out every switch, connector and sensor underneath the R1’s seat
and clean everything – and I mean everything – that I could get my hands on. I’d done that at the front of the bike: from spark plugs to
injectors, from cylinder sensors to fuel pump, but still the little bugger wouldn’t start. I’m far from being an expert on bikes – especially
when it comes to sensors that make no sense to me but I knew, almost instinctively, that by shifting my attention I’d be moving closer to
a solution rather than away from one. So I got stuck in – again!
Off with the rear cowl and I was thinking, “get everything back to “standard” in terms of cleanliness”, when I found myself staring at the
Power Commander - with “back to standard” rolling around in my head, over and over again. So I lifted the tank and disconnected the PC3,
turned on the ignition, pressed the starter and instantly the bike laughed its way into life; this, after more than a week of strip-downs, tests,
re-assemblies and failures. I’d had, as Jules said in “Pulp Fiction”, “a moment of clarity”!
When I reconnected the PC3 and turned on the ignition I confirmed the problem was rooted there as the unit failed to illuminate as it should.
No lights mean “no power”!
As added proof, the bike returned to “bitch-mode” and refused to start. Problem solved! 40 minutes later I was, once more, grinning like an idiot as I made my way home after a test ride. Just to make sure, on arriving home I switched
the bike off then, immediately, switched on and pressed the starter. Instant life! An hour later when the bike had cooled I tried again – with the
same instant response. Re-sult!
I bench tested the PC3 and it was as dead as a doornail, but at least now I can appreciate how these modules do make a difference to the bike’s
performance and I’ll be on the look-out for a replacement when the piggy bank’s a bit healthier. Until then, I’ll be enjoying my R1 again – at last!
It’s been a bit of a struggle - and some lessons are hard while I’m learning them but, on the bright side – I’ve learnt a bit about diagnostics and
testing - I’ve saved myself an absolute fortune in labour costs - and I know a shit-load more about me bike than I ever could’ve dreamed of up until now!
OH-yeah… proper biker me, I am!
https://youtu.be/KKSKyCNPdtU
ROCK O-rrrrrrnnnnnn!
Yerse. 
