So to start, I am not very good when it comes to working on vehicles. I fix computers, not so much cars. But I'm willing to learn. I also have friends that do stuff with their own cars that will help me when I buy the parts. So I bought the bike knowing there is phantom drain on the battery. I figured it was the stator or the wiring since the guy said he had just bought a new battery for it. There is only one place in town that will work on my bike and from what I gathered they can't fix it. They replaced the stator and told me it was fixed but the bike died twice on the way home. After a couple of weeks they told me that they can't pinpoint the problem and that it was probably the wiring harness and that it would cost thousands of dollars to fix. I can't afford that, so my choices are try to sell the bike with a problem that is getting worse or try to fix it myself. It's my only transportation right now so I'd like to get it working if I can. So i'd like to pick ya'lls brains on this if I could before I buy any parts. Please bare with me if I ask any dumb questions.
So here is what the bike is doing.
So when I got the bike it was running pretty well. It started dying after riding for like 30-45 minutes mainly only on starting and when I'm at a complete stop. Like at a stop light. The more I drove it the worse it started getting. The shop said the stator wasn't all the way dead but it was on its way out. My battery tested okay for them but the shop couldn't figure out the problem they had it deep checked or something like that, and there is a bad cell in it. In order for my bike to work now I have to take out the battery and charge it in my house. That used to work okay, but now when I charge it the bike very well might still not start. Its hit or miss. W/e it would die and not turn over, the lights and the horn would still work. I have noticed that the times the bike won't start that the positive terminal heats up a lot. The cable itself doesn't seem to up as much as the screw that holds it to the battery. One time it heated up so much that a bit of the metal on the battery melted off. I've also burned myself on it. Now when the bike starts fine there is no heat at all. I thought it was just the positive but the day before yesterday it was the negative terminal. Maybe one of the screws is doing something? idk. That's all I can think of right now.
If ya'll have any probing questions, I'll answer as best I can. Do ya'll think its the wiring harness? I saw one on ebay for like 70 dollars. I haven't been able to find any youtube videos on replacing that, just a service manual which is hard to understand. If anyone has any tips on replacing it from someone who has done it before as well as tools I'll need to make sure I have would be much appreciated.
I really like this bike. It drives smoothly. Please help me get it back up and going if possible.
Thanks!