Triumph Quit Ignoring Your Ignition Problems

[Boog]

hi guys, new to site. also new to what i now know is the infamous R3 ignition fault.2008 rocket 111 classic 7,700 miles on clock. first failed a couple of months ago, rode to work and came back to it 9hr later and no clock lights and no start. left it there till the morning and came back with jump leads and it started. just thought the battery was down (although it lives on trickle charger). i now know it only started by sheer luck !! it has now happened 5-6 times and the temporary fix is to bang the bars hard against the stops (as per info off your site, thank-you) was just going to get it to triumph to put it on dyno for a fueling fault (only averaging 17 mpg ) so cost is going up. i am going to try to get the dealer to pay for switch thru triumph. but i dont hold out much hope reading these threads. with the bike having a car sized engine and a small bike battery, has anyone done a conversion so you can turn the headlights off for shorter journeys to give the battery a chance to keep some charge ? love the bike but dislike triumphs handling of it. has the complaints gathered on this site been sent to triumph ?if so what was the outcome ?

Hello Baldy and welcome to the forum. I have not had this issue with mine thankfully, but others have and many fixes are here in this thread and a few others. BTW, when you get a chance, please go to the "Introduce yourself" thread and let us know a little about your riding back ground. Thanks.

 

[Boog]

I was riding home from work made a left turn and the engine cutout and notice the low fuel light com on. As son as i straitened the bike out it ran fine again with an occasional sputter on along the way. It cut out again turning into the drive and the low fuel light again. when in the garage I checked the fuel. plenty of fuel but there was water pooled around the opening. I found that the over fill drain line was pinched closed. after clearing the line I proceeded to start it and nothing; no lights, gauges, nothing. After monkeying for 5 min or so I turned the handle bars and lights. I then traced the loos connection to the ignition switch. Except for some fuel mapping issues the bike has been problem free. After doing some research on line I found this forum and joined. It is a lot of valuable information, thanks to all of you. I have an Eastern Beaver kit on its way with the low beam shut off and ordered a new ignition switch from the dealer. Triumph did not offer any improved design or acknowledged a problem. Looking at the new Roadster on the showroom floor it appears to have the same switch? Anyway I should have the parts next week some time. Wish me luck.

Hello Alaskan and welcome to the forum from Virginia. I hope the EB kit is an easy fix for you.

 

[STRIPES]

Back when these bikes were new and no one knew much about them the biggest problem that seemed incurable was the high idle/no idle and there were many theories around. It was suggested that using the side stand switch or the kill switch "confused" the ECU. Of course it turned out to be the TPS and your bike should have the new style. They are still not infallible but failures are no longer common.

I just had a new one (with blue internals) to fail. It had very few miles on it.

 

[warp9.9]

How did switch repalecment go I have one on order and was trying to figure how to remove the old one. Were you able to use the original key?

Yes you can use the original key you just take the lower electronic switch out and use the upper key section. You have to add different bolts to replace the break offs but it works fine.

 

[CanberraR3]

I'm not sure if I have the same problem, but it sounds like it. Not long ago after turning on my bike and watching the gauges move, then they went off, and then on again. Now my bike is dead, and i have 12.7 Volts on my battery. So I'm wondering if it could be the switch in this case.

Sounds like it could be a burnt wire or connector in the connector block under the tank carrying the wires from the ign switch. It could be the switch but pull that connector apart and see if all is good before going to that trouble and expense. Any sign of burning or overheat could be the trouble and you can bridge the connector - either just the offending wire or all of them. If you're lucky, that will be all you need to do, although the cause of the overheating will still be there. You MUST fit headlight relays if you haven't already.

 

[CanberraR3]

hi guys, new to site. also new to what i now know is the infamous R3 ignition fault.2008 rocket 111 classic 7,700 miles on clock. first failed a couple of months ago, rode to work and came back to it 9hr later and no clock lights and no start. left it there till the morning and came back with jump leads and it started. just thought the battery was down (although it lives on trickle charger). i now know it only started by sheer luck !! it has now happened 5-6 times and the temporary fix is to bang the bars hard against the stops (as per info off your site, thank-you) was just going to get it to triumph to put it on dyno for a fueling fault (only averaging 17 mpg ) so cost is going up. i am going to try to get the dealer to pay for switch thru triumph. but i dont hold out much hope reading these threads. with the bike having a car sized engine and a small bike battery, has anyone done a conversion so you can turn the headlights off for shorter journeys to give the battery a chance to keep some charge ? love the bike but dislike triumphs handling of it. has the complaints gathered on this site been sent to triumph ?if so what was the outcome ?

If hitting the bars against the stops fixes it, albeit temporarily, the problem is most likely in the connections/connector block rather than the switch itself. It won't keep working, as I found out the hard way.

 

[STRIPES]

An update on my electric problem concerning the gauges. I unplugged the old switch without removing it and plugged in the new switch. It did not fix my problem. I have an extra ignition switch if anybody needs one.

 

[cardinal93]

Had this problem month befor last. Turning the bars left or right and the electrics disconnected and recycled. If running, would shut off and recycle. Traced everything. Eventually pulled the bottom of the key ignition cylinder out. The white ignition wire was comletely separated from its soldered contact point. Moving the bars was enough to allow temporary contact points. Re-soldered it on and put the lower column connector back in. Voila! Fixed good as new. No new screws needed. Just a lot of careful prying on the plastic clip holds. Also installed the EB kit at same time and ordered my keyless system.

 

[outriders58]

hi guys, new to site. also new to what i now know is the infamous R3 ignition fault.2008 rocket 111 classic 7,700 miles on clock. first failed a couple of months ago, rode to work and came back to it 9hr later and no clock lights and no start. left it there till the morning and came back with jump leads and it started. just thought the battery was down (although it lives on trickle charger). i now know it only started by sheer luck !! it has now happened 5-6 times and the temporary fix is to bang the bars hard against the stops (as per info off your site, thank-you) was just going to get it to triumph to put it on dyno for a fueling fault (only averaging 17 mpg ) so cost is going up. i am going to try to get the dealer to pay for switch thru triumph. but i dont hold out much hope reading these threads. with the bike having a car sized engine and a small bike battery, has anyone done a conversion so you can turn the headlights off for shorter journeys to give the battery a chance to keep some charge ? love the bike but dislike triumphs handling of it. has the complaints gathered on this site been sent to triumph ?if so what was the outcome ?

I think everyone should create a petition to triumph. they need to be told...

 

[TURBO200R4]

An update on my electric problem concerning the gauges. I unplugged the old switch without removing it and plugged in the new switch. It did not fix my problem. I have an extra ignition switch if anybody needs one.

are you talking about the key part or the electric (wires & switch) that go to the connector under the tank?