Speed Twin problems FIXED: Stalling, trouble starting, ABS/TC/engine lights, cooked battery terminal

[@VanBlamm]

It amazes me how today's bikes are so high-tech that one very simple problem manifests itself in such a wide array of confusing symptoms. Every single problem I was having was cured simply by replacing the battery. Happy 4th, enjoy your weekend!

[@suryateja933]

I got an optimate charger after seeing your previous video. My bike is doing great since then. Starts at the first crank & no more rebooting issues. Happy 4th of july.

[@SrinivasGanesh]

Have a good weekend!!!

[@michaelmclarney1994]

Thanks for the honest upload, it's useful (and committed to memory) as such problems could occur on any modern bike. The symptoms of lower idle speed and dying would of made me consider possible fuelling issues, having never had a very recent bike. Great channel and keep up the good work. 👍

[@hazcat640]

Make sure you check your charging system.

[@e.l.9589]

So would you recommend it for 15k miles per year?

[@Mindamasta]

Good to know, I too have experienced the same issue with the rider modes changing during startup, displays resetting and the bike stalling when pulling in the clutch (happened to me 2-3 times since I got the bike, I’ve got 10k on it now). I went with Oxford grips and have had zero issues as they’re wired directly to the negative and positive terminals on the battery.

[@larrymusick3366]

Gladf I found your post. I has similar problems with my 19 Speed twin. After leaving it with the dealer service department 3 times with no improvement. The factory rep came down or so I was told. They kept the bike 2 more weeks. His diagnosis was a blown fuse to the ABS ? Illogical as it was the check engine light most times. After 3 days the same problem surfaced. Got pissed and traded it on a BMW R9T Pure. Great bike by the way (the BMW). Loved the Speed Twin as well just can't stand unreliable irrational issues.

[@DonaldGreig]

I had a Thruxton 1200 and wasn’t overly impressed with the build and now also have an R Nine T classic which I love……

[@michaelmclarney1994]

Glad you got it sorted easily and back on the road. Old school thinking would suggest regulator/rectifier and would be one of the first things I would check on my bikes. My youngest bike is 20 years old and it goes to show that when you introduce modern electronics, modes and ECU's etc that faults can be harder to find without the experience to fall back on. I have this learning curve to come as I hope to get a speed twin when funds allow.

[@michaelvollmer9491]

Good morning 😃. Yesterday I discovered your KZbin Channel for the first time and was captured instantly by your videos, starting with the „no GPS Tour 2021“. After consuming excessively the Videos the whole day, I ended with this one. First I have to say that I am a examined mechanic and engineer in cars, but this problem shows me some good tricks about motorcycles and what to Look for when to buy a used car or motorcycle. By the way, you could run into the same problem when you connected a Device to the OBD-2 Port of your car. If your car starts to flip the Control lights of your Dashboard, disconnect the Device you put on the OBD-2 port. A device that starts to go bad, directly affects your Computers of the car or even Motorcycle. I don’t want boring anybody with this comment but I thing it could be helpful to you or your subscribers. But now I have to look the next video of your channel because I am on the way to buy a TRIUMPH SPEED TWIN and I get valuable information of the Bike of my Dreams. Please stay healthy and keep on editing these videos. 👍👍🇩🇪😎🙋🏻‍♂️

[@VanBlamm]

Thank you for the insight!

[@rcbirn]

VB, nice job here. Very helpful description of what went wrong while providing great footage of where I’d rather be right now.

[@SrinivasGanesh]

Love the integration of black and white footage. Lovely touch!

[@VanBlamm]

Thanks! I was trying to make it clear that the voiceover was recorded separately from the riding footage (because I had misplaced my GoPro 🤦‍♂️)

[@VVoltz]

Phew, that’s great that it was a simple fix. Pretty crazy what that caused. Good to know, thanks for posting!

[@luisribeiro4267]

All is well, that ends well. Glad to know. Have a nice weekend brother, and keep up that editing... can’t wait to see those sweet rides.... Cheers and best regards from Portugal 🇵🇹✌🏼

[@chr11sf]

Well done bud, you sorted it, that's what matters!....Happy riding!

[@daveharriman2756]

Glad you got it sorted, I have the same bike, same year, more or less the same mileage, and I can definately recommend a battery tender. Called 'optimate' here in the UK, when I park up, I just plug it in and close the garage door till the next time I ride, because I have other bikes, it might be a few weeks before I ride it, so far battery has been fine..oh, like I said before I have the OEM heated grips! ok bud, take care, Dave

[@suryateja933]

Optimate is the best way to go.

[@michaelsleigh6984]

Thanks so much for the video. Had exactly same issues with my 2021 speed twin, cutting out when coming to a stop, idle speed dropping really low and not starting unless on optimiser all the time. Gonna order new battery and hope this sorts it.

[@johnellis6383]

Thanks for your great videos! I enjoy watching your adventures…while I recover from surgery and can’t ride. While I was watching your Beartooth Pass video and the problems you were having, I thought about that battery. I had a voltage regulator fail in my Honda VFR. That left me with a dead battery in Breezewood PA on my way to no. Wisconsin. I paying a kid to drive me to a Walmart in another town. There, I bought a new battery, replaced it in the parking lot of the restaurant and was able to ride back home (Baltimore) without a functioning alternator. Weak batteries can play havoc with any sort of computer controlled system. I’m not surprised you got all those warning lights flashing.

[@seeker1432]

Modern bikes use a lot of electrical power. So i guess any drop in the battery may cause indirect problems. Like you said, There can be underlying problems causing the battery to drop. Although it can just need changing, There could also be an issue like bad wiring somewhere. Oops Van Bamm. Glad you got that soughted. Now i can keep watching your rides.

[@MattieXMoto]

Glad it was an easy fix. I too have a Yuasa battery coming now for my Monster 1100 EVO 🤙

[@shawnkislenger3024]

Thanks for sharing, now I know to replace the battery when my Speedx2 starts freaking out.

[@Timgademusicproduction]

Thank you, I have had similar issues with the trips, clock, resetting, and the riding mode changing. From what I could read on the internet it might be the plug, in the speedometer. I took that plug out and put it back in, and the machine feels like it is fine again... BUT this video makes me a little worried 😂. Maybe it is just the go-to fault if anything goes wrong with the speed twin. I have not had any trouble with it stalling, BUT sometimes it will just fire the electric starter without cranking the first time, and then start on the second. And yes sometimes it will only barely start. Even though it is only a year old.. it might be time for a new battery as well. Even though an expensive machine like that, should be able to have last more than a year on the battery 😒

[@mymotosai5036]

Good to hear it's all battery related. I just had to replace the battery last week on my 2019 ST. Didn't have all the problems you did, just had to boost after wouldn’t start a couple weeks then wouldn’t turn over after I stopped last week and luckily bike shop around the corner.

[@VanBlamm]

Nice. Yeah the time it left me stranded it randomly fired back up after I disconnected the heated grips. Not sure if that somehow helped, or if it just scraped up one last bit of juice.

[@arthur5493]

Me too! Starting issues, which was resolved after battery change. Old battery had normal voltages though. Which threw me and the dealer off for a while. I think triumph got a bad batch of Yuasa batteries

[@moondog1888]

i have a 2021 and I am having all of those issues. thanks I will buy a battery tomorrow.

[@sahinby3603]

I'm having similar problems, did buying a new battery solve the problem?

[@moondog1888]

@sahinby3603 yes it fixed it completely

[@paulbiggs9279]

Thanks for sharing and being honest, we all do dumb things every now and then, it's called being human 👍 Paul UK

[@eck0mist]

I'm having the same issue on my Thruxton RS, waiting on the delivery of the new battery, fingers crossed!

[@sunnyverghese8232]

Feel so good to say “ told you so ….😁”. Happy ridding …

[@petetxul6477]

I thought all bonnevilles had heated grips stock from factory. I found it weird I have them on T120 but speed twin as a top range bike does not. Great you sorted it out.

[@VanBlamm]

I think Triumph want to protect the T120's position as the "luxury Bonnie" by not adding those creature comforts to other models. Same reason they won't put cruise control on any other Bonnevilles.

[@petetxul6477]

Van Blamm true. I had to pay extra for cruise control. But the model that just came out has it stock now I think

[@ethereal_synapse]

This years new T120s don’t even come standard with heated grips. They ditched the heated grips and center stand for the 2022 model, which is kind of a bummer cause it’s the bike I’m planning on getting.

[@petetxul6477]

Tom Perowitz oh that sucks. Mind you never used the center stand other than for chair clean and lube

[@ethereal_synapse]

@@petetxul6477 I use the center stand on my current bike regularly so it’s a big let down for me.

Even on my 1999 w650 90% of the time is battery induced abnormalities. if you think about it... every trouble that happened in that array of different stuff only have one thing in common: they are powered by the battery.

[@FearlessRisk]

I had the same issues but on a sportster, it was a loose battery terminal, bumps would make it connect and disconnect, maybe what happened to you, that would cause the melted insulator. Love the videos

[@markjenkins905]

I had a similar problem with my speed twin 2019 battery I suspect it was faulty from new, as every so often it wouldn't start but reset the riding modes instead. I thought I was being clever and for the past 2 winters took the battery out of the bike and stored in my house and charged it once a month. But in the end I was still having the same problem when I started riding the bike in the spring. So in the end I to had to purchase a new battery and this time I place the battery on charge between rides. I think this winter when the bike is not being used I will leave the battery in the bike along with the charger constantly on trickle charge and see how long the battery lasts this time !!!

[@VanBlamm]

Interesting! I don't think I ever let it go more than two weeks without trickle charging, but most of the time I was riding at least once a week. I'll try and be more diligent about it this time and see if I can stretch this battery out longer.

[@TriumphLover]

A new battery is always good. I put a Shorai in my Thruxton RS Ton Up, the Speedy 1200RR can with a lithium battery. Just ordered a "AntiGravity" for the Street Triple RS Moto2 that arrives in a few months. Amazon had the same price the Mfg had.

[@PercyJackson93]

Anyone know why all these triumphs are stalling on the start up when cold? I've had this problem a few times but it resolved itself. It seems like it's very common on triumphs but no solutions

[@rl_31123]

How did the battery go bad in only 1 year?

[@VanBlamm]

I think it was actually 2 years old, as the bike had sat on the showroom floor for a year before I bought it. The second battery went bad in exactly two years as well.

[@davidbrann3581]

I find that the battery on my 2020 Speed Twin needs to be kept on a trickle charger if the bike’s not going to be used for a couple of weeks or more. Don’t know if this means that my OEM battery is on the way out or that there’s something causing a drain on the battery. Anyway, if not charged in the garage I get similar problems to those you experienced.

[@msrivette]

I have been having starting issues with my 2021 Speed Twin since I bought it in March! I thought the poor starting was due to the throttle bodies being out of sync (which they were) but even after the dealer addressed that issue, it's continued. I usually have to start the bike 6-10 times before it idles (poorly) for a while. The trip resets, the riding mode changes, all like you describe. Did you happen to test the battery before getting a new one? Im TOLD my battery is good... Kind of disappointing to have these issues on a bike with only a few thousand miles.

[@VanBlamm]

Hmm, no, I didn't test the old battery. That's pretty disappointing to hear you're having those issues. Some folks were suggesting that it could have been a bad regulator/rectifier that caused my battery to go bad. I think my battery just died of old age (and the new one is still going strong 6 months later), but if you think your battery should have lived longer then perhaps it's your reg/rec?

[@msrivette]

@@VanBlamm I plan on bringing the bike back in at some point before the riding season starts up. Ideally, the issue will be sorted before the warranty is up.

[@leopakva]

Have you had issues with the engine heat getting too hot on to the inside of your leg. Nothing related to the battery but it was so hot I had to get off the bike.

[@VanBlamm]

The Speed Twin is by far the hottest bike I've ever ridden. It's never overheated on me, but god damn does it feel like sitting over an open flame. It's fine if it's below 65F outside though.

[@lyndonevans8033]

Interesting watching this vid. Been having similar issues, just about started a couple of times and did notice my riding mode change. Never had a problem with stalling but recently it has stalled a couple of times.. Sound the same issues to me and maybe a new battery is required..

[@VanBlamm]

If your battery is two or three years old it's probably worth changing just to find out. I'll be keeping my new battery on a tender as much as possible to try and extend its life.

[@lyndonevans8033]

@@VanBlamm I’ve had It bog down a little when weather hot, accelerating from low ish revs with wider throttle openings, am wondering now if that could be anything to do with it.. My mates yuasa packed in in less than a year on a tiger, considering a lithium now.

[@Dansk55]

@@lyndonevans8033 was it the battery?

[@lyndonevans8033]

@@Dansk55 never changed it but always kept it on charged when at home, I’ve sold the bike now but was pretty sure it wasn’t 100%

[@sahinby3603]

I've been having similar issue for a while, I'm using street twin 2017. The TC light is on and the throttle is deactivated and starts to go into limp mode. After parking and waiting for a while, I start it again and the problem disappears, but after driving for a while, the tc light turns on and the power is cut off again. Do you think I have the same problem? Can changing the battery solve my problem?

[@VanBlamm]

Definitely worth trying a new battery. I never experienced limp mode in my case, but anything is possible given how chaotic things get when the battery is failing.

[@sahinby3603]

@@VanBlamm Thanks, I will try it as soon as possible and share the result here.

[@deinekinanton8591]

@vanblamm I had the exact same problems with my 2019 street twin. Changed the battery, that fixed it but then went for a ride and same problem. ABS, TCS lighting up then stall and could not start. New battery died. Charged the battery a bit and bike would start…. Funny thing is, with new / fully charged battery odometer would still not work. Let me know if anyone know what the problem may be.

[@juanantoniorosadobenitez9508]

An easy cheap fix, perfect.

[@JohnCunningham-sy5ug]

Have head similar problems with Harley Davidson's and Honda's over my year years of fooling with motorcycles. My first indication was too tell you to get under the seat and look at that battery. Sometimes it's the simple stupid fix sometimes not so much. Is happy days 😅

[@xorbe2]

Honestly, all bikes should have a voltage readout by default. It's almost like dealer service centers don't want you to know what's wrong with your bike even for the simplest things ...

[@xorbe2]

The battery died that fast?? My Speed Twin 1200 died at a stop light the other day, so I decided to do a quick web search ... it's only like 18 months old. It has a battery tender too.

[@cottenham]

Get an Optimate charger. Battery still going strong on my 2015 Bonnie.

[@alandmorley]

Did you know that the 900cc T100 Bonneville has a bigger battery than the 1200 speed twin. STRANGE.

[@VanBlamm]

That is strange!

[@luckyluc03]

A new battery did not clear up my '19 Speed Twin gremlins.

[@Antimortem]

Your not out of the woods yet, bro. It's just a day since you replace the battery, and you made some bad connection that cause a burn. Give it a week, see if the "meter cycling" simptom appear again then you have more than just a bad battery. Give it a week or so two weeks, cold start in the morning. See if it cycles . I Changed the battery on mine and just like you, the bike runs like a young buck. Then after a week, "meter cycling" symptoms appear, cold starts especially. I've been there and you're maybe in for a nasty surprise.

[@VanBlamm]

Damn, alright. I'll keep an eye on it.

[@jamescarrington9700]

Antimortem what was the nasty surprise or root cause of the problem you had?

[@Antimortem]

@@jamescarrington9700 root cause It'll be the short circuit battery from the factory,(nasty surprise) it further damaged 1electrical connector, so whenever a battery goes dead, check the electrical wiring systems as well. I faced the same issue after replacing the battery, then found a burned deformed connector, replaced that and still observing the bike for any "bugs" maybe. A short circuited battery is worse than a just dead one. Don't wait till it goes bad, replace in 2 years or if symptoms appear sooner than that 👍

[@ijaxon6675]

There's a lot of shitty batteries floating around. BMW, and Harley have had a fair share of complaints about batteries.

[@RonnieM]

Great this means we can't simply jump start these two wheel computers when the battery has issues, I'm not sure that's progress.)

[@wreckermerryman3217]

Only a 2 yr battery? 😕

[@VanBlamm]

Probably would have gone a bit longer if I'd been keeping it on a tender 🤷

[@johnfretz1938]

I still suspect your install of your aftermarket grips caused your troubles. Not taking the time to find a proper ground, and instead installing it to your neg battery terminal, and then doing so in sloppy fashion, most likely caused a parasitic electrical draw on your electrical system, draining your battery and causing all your issues. Remember, just because you were ok with cutting corners instead of doing a proper install (finding a proper ground, and using a solid connector to the battery/ground), doesn't mean the bike doesn't care. I've been there and done that too on other applications, so don't take this as busting your chops. You and I work on wishful thinking. Motorcycles, not so much. And in this case, I think you were your own worst enemy. Take your time. Use the right tools. Don't cut corners. Check your work. Good luck out there!

[@billk6863]

I have the same grips and yes it should have been installed via a relay, no issues on my bike. 👍

[@frankstocker5475]

90% of electrical problems are bad connections. Get your old battery tested to confirm that it was the problem, it could have been just bad connections.

[@DaveSunderland]

Freddie Dobbs would have taken the battery out for a night to reset the computer. He’s had his dramas.

[@VanBlamm]

Good point!