Electrical Problems - 2009 Kymco Xciting 500RI ABS

[Stig / Major Tom]

Sparking at the battery post ?
ANY chance you are attaching the scooter wires to the wrong battery posts?
What color wire are you attaching to the + battery post?

Stig

[ss10gotanks]

So I got the new battery working. The voltage is 13.53. I went and drove it around for a while. New problem though. Its no longer reading my speed. It just sits at the bottom, whether I'm driving slow or on the highway. The other meters are working.

Also, this might be a silly question, but better to ask and learn then ruin my bike. First, how do I check the oil levels? I pulled out the little stick but there is no numbers on it to tell me the level. Also when ya'll change your oil, what kind do ya'll use? Also how do I know when I need to replace the tires?

[hypophthalmus]

Most likely the speedometer cable is bad.

[Stig / Major Tom]

Check owner's  manual for oil level checking, oil type, oil amounts, change intervals, etc. Oil showing in 'hatched' area of the stick is good. Don't over-fill! Some sticks are checked after screwing in ...some pushed in but not screwed in. Important to find which your scooter requires!....screw in or just push in without screwing.

 Find these answers, or keep asking here till someone with your scooter pipes up!
When tires are worn to tread depth indicator bars - it is time to replace. Google this question and see answers on youtube or photos.
Google & youtube are your friends.
Stig

[xsel777]

I can tell you that the speedometer cable is somewhat fragile. Mine has broken 4 times, twice in the actual cable and twice right there by the sensor, i replaced the wire twice, with some twin core (there are 3 wires in this cable ) and resoldered the joints at the sensor.  Regarding the oil level, just put the plug back in but don't screw it in, then read it. I change my oil and filter every 3000 km.

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[xsel777]

As soon as tyres look smooth, DO replace them SOONEST, since any water won't have a channel to squeeze out through, so the tyre could aquaplane, NOT good for you.

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[xsel777]

The rear one will need replacing twice as often as the front.

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[xsel777]

I use full synthetic 10w40 specific for bikes.

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[hypophthalmus]

Waiting until all the tread is gone is too late.

The tires I've used have tread indications built in. They're bars in the grooves of the tread, and when the tread is level with them the tire is worn.

Cracks in the sidewall are also an indication that the tire should be replaced.

[ss10gotanks]

Thanks everyone for your advice and knowledge. I'm still having problems with the bike but it runs for the most part. I wondering if some of it correlates to the cold weather. I live in Texas so the weather is bipolar, but I had most of the bike not starting at all during the winter. and now that it's technically spring, the bike starts up alright. Now there was a cold day recently where the weather dropped to like 30-40 something and I couldn't get it to start at all.

So I've got two batteries that I keep charged to run in it. It's been starting all right as long as they seem to be charged. I've only had one instance where I rode for a long time and the bike just shut off. It did turn back on but I could tell the miles display was flickering a little. My guess is that the battery is not being charged while i'm driving and that if I leave it plugged in it drains just sitting there. So I disconnect it every time I stop using it. Also the speedometer started working again randomly.

[Stig / Major Tom]

You are correct. ....the Kymco 500 scooter is notoriously a hard start or no starter in cooler or cold temps. Mostly no start.
Please read some of the posts on this scooter, here. Some have found a solution.

Stig

[ophelia]

Is the positive battery terminal still heating up or sparking?

The battery plays a very important part in modern vehicles. It's not simply there to start the bike. It functions as a capacitor or reservoir as sorts to moderate electrical demands on the bike. Sensitive electronics like the instrument cluster may not function right if the connection to the battery or the battery itself is problematic.

You also need to figure out why the charging system isn't sufficient to run the electrical system and replenish the battery. Do you have the service manual? It can show you the expected resistances of the electrical components so you don't end up replacing them prematurely.

Are there any gauge lights (especially MET-IN) that stay on when you park the bike on the day, but before you remove the battery? Sometimes, if the seat isn't latched properly, the under seat light will stay on and steadily run the battery down if not caught in time.

To make it easier on you, is your bike parked outside near a power outlet? You can attach a quick-disconnect pigtail to your bike to charge the battery without removing it from the bike. You do need to take care to make sure the seat is latched down.

[xsel777]

The regulator and stator need to be checked. There is a thread on this forum about a Honda regulator that charges at a higher rate that the kymco one. I have had better luck with cold starts with a gel battery.

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