New MGX-21 died while riding, will not start after

[fallguy]

I bought this bike new and got it a week ago with 4 miles on it. I have put about 100 miles in the past week on it, with no problems. Yesterday I was slowing down at a stop sign and and the bike just died. It started up fine, drove it for about a mile, and it died while I was riding it, downshifting to be precise. I did not hit the kill switch or the kick stand on accident. The bike is in neutral and when turning the key to on, no lights at all on the dash come up. The head light and tail light come on for a fraction of a second, and then go off, keeping the very last few lights on the tail lights stay on. But no dash lights whats so ever. The battery is charged, I put it on a charger overall several hours and the charger shows fully charged. The bike has gas, and fuses under the seat were checked. All looked in tact, changed for the spare fuses for those that had them. There have been zero modifications to the bike.

No matter what I do, the turning of the key to on does not turn on the dash or any of it's lights. Closest Guizzi dealership is 147 away, really dont want to have transported there. And I dont have the capability without trying to borrow a setup to take it myself. I did look around and it does seem there is a semi same problem, battery, wires, something with some Guzzi's. But not exactly the same, I apologize if this issue has been covered and I missed it. This is a 2017 that sat in the crate until the a few weeks ago. Basically brand new, worked fine, and now this. Really aggravated, just at the end of a terrible buying process from a terrible out of state dealership.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

EDIT, THE BIKE IS FIXED!!!!!

[oldbike54]

 Since the experts are remaining silent ...

 I know you said the battery showed full charge , but every indication is that the it isn't holding a charge . Take it to a parts house and have a load test done .

 Dusty

[Kiwi_Roy]

Updated
Have you checked all of the fuses?
Look at the wiring diagrams on the bottom of this list, I think the one for 1400 power for a start.
http://www.thisoldtractor.com/guzzi007/sportissimo.html
http://www.thisoldtractor.com/guzzi007/schematics/2014_California_Power_Supply.gif
Check for power on each of the fuses
The fuses at 30 should be alive at both sides even with the key Off (little piece of metal visible) in relation to a chassis bolt.
With the key On all fuses should be alive.
Note: your bike may not be the same as this diagram but the fuses should be alive when the key is On, some will be Off when the key is Off.

Actually it sounds like the battery may be disconnected, perhaps a Lead Oxide problem.
If the battery connections are put together dry sometimes the terminals get a layer of Lead Oxide on them, this can creep between the battery post and the lug and completely isolate the joint or sometimes leave just a tiny contact point that may fuse when you try to start.
Try taking the wires off and scrape the terminals then apply some grease Vaseline or anything greasy will do at a pinch
Also inspect the main ground connection and treat it the same way.

[Groover]

All I've got is.. sorry, that really sucks. Hopefully someone here can help you out and it ends up being something really simple.

[Gliderjohn]

I assume it is under warranty. If you can not solve the problem I would pressure the dealer to come pick it up at no charge.
GliderJohn

[pete roper]

I concur that the fact the failure is sudden and almost complete would seem to indicate the main power feed or earth contact as a likely problem.

Also you'll need to load test the battery as it may be problematic. It might be shorting out internally due to being put into service incorrectly. This is surprisingly common as it seems people are incapable of reading instructions and just pour the acid in and then put the battery into service. Wrong.

Pete

[fallguy]

Thanks for all of the replies. I have checked all fuses that are under the seat. I will do a better check tomorrow. The battery looks to be brand new, and the connections show no build up. I can take a picture tomorrow.

I cant take it back to the dealership, I live in TN and bought it from Vegas at Euro Cycles. They shipped it to me. The closest Guzzi dealership is 147 miles from me. There is a 2 year warranty, I was hoping it would be a quick fix, but may have to get it over to them. If fixed, I dont want this to happen again. As I said in the first post, its a 2017, sat in a crate for 2 years. Perhaps over time the battery went bad. But it literally ran fin for a solid week, 100 miles. When riding I was flipping through the switches, and I remember it saying the batter was at 14.x.

I will either take the battery and have it checked, or just buy one outright and try it. The charger that I used to charge it, showed it at 100%, but who knows. Doesnt know volts or anything like that. Thanks again for the help. I'll try to update tomorrow.

[Bulldog9]

Thanks for all of the replies. I have checked all fuses that are under the seat. I will do a better check tomorrow. The battery looks to be brand new, and the connections show no build up. I can take a picture tomorrow.

I cant take it back to the dealership, I live in TN and bought it from Vegas at Euro Cycles. They shipped it to me. The closest Guzzi dealership is 147 miles from me. There is a 2 year warranty, I was hoping it would be a quick fix, but may have to get it over to them. If fixed, I dont want this to happen again. As I said in the first post, its a 2017, sat in a crate for 2 years. Perhaps over time the battery went bad. But it literally ran fin for a solid week, 100 miles. When riding I was flipping through the switches, and I remember it saying the batter was at 14.x.

I will either take the battery and have it checked, or just buy one outright and try it. The charger that I used to charge it, showed it at 100%, but who knows. Doesnt know volts or anything like that. Thanks again for the help. I'll try to update tomorrow.

I'd double check the battery connections are tight, main grounds are tight, main fuses/relays are properly set. Pull completely out, check not blown and reinsert. It's also not unknown for a battery to just fail. I have a 2017 Toyota Tundra. Have had it a year-and-a-half with no problems. One day without warning or cause the battery completely failed. No idea how it happened but the battery fractured internally and the post became separated from the lead plates inside the battery. Create all kinds of craziness and blinking lights and clicking relays. Could be as simple as a defective battery

May also be a good idea to tip the fairing (easy to do, loosen the center bolt lower front center, and remove the two upper bolts rear top of fairing near forks.  Once tipped pull the cover over the ignition switch (two small bolts and remove gas cap) then check all the connectors are plugged in correctly.

Have you called the selling dealer? (sorry if I missed that in your post)

Hopefully it is something simple like a poor connection. Dealer prep sucks, my fairing almost fell off, left handlebar stub came loose and poorly set breather on left head leaked oil on my 250 mile ride home. Simple easy fixes that should have been caught, now 3500 happy miles later, they are just memories. Now I have to deal with the Brake recall, but I am NOT bringing the bike in until they run the vin, confirm it is a bike that needs the part, and they have it IN STOCK...... My time is too important to waste, and my patience is very thin when dealing with stealerships....... ...

[Huzo]

Geez.
I hope that forum name doesn’t end up being metaphorical..

[Kiwi_Roy]

Thanks for all of the replies. I have checked all fuses that are under the seat. I will do a better check tomorrow. The battery looks to be brand new, and the connections show no build up. I can take a picture tomorrow.

I cant take it back to the dealership, I live in TN and bought it from Vegas at Euro Cycles. They shipped it to me. The closest Guzzi dealership is 147 miles from me. There is a 2 year warranty, I was hoping it would be a quick fix, but may have to get it over to them. If fixed, I dont want this to happen again. As I said in the first post, its a 2017, sat in a crate for 2 years. Perhaps over time the battery went bad. But it literally ran fin for a solid week, 100 miles. When riding I was flipping through the switches, and I remember it saying the batter was at 14.x.

I will either take the battery and have it checked, or just buy one outright and try it. The charger that I used to charge it, showed it at 100%, but who knows. Doesnt know volts or anything like that. Thanks again for the help. I'll try to update tomorrow.

Lead Oxide is not that apparent, it's just a darker layer on the terminal and even if the terminals are dead tight it can form and isolate, just scrape the battery posts with a knife to expose shiny metal then apply the grease. The grease occludes Oxygen therefore the metal cannot Oxidize.
And if that's the problem I guarantee it won't happen again with a protective film of grease.

If you have a multimeter (or simple test light) touch the probes on the battery terminals (the battery part) you will likely see it read Zero, thats the lead Oxide. Now take the probes and jamb the sharp tips into the posts breaking through the Oxide layer.

Take your multimeter or test light, fasten one probe to a chassis bolt, poke the other to the battery lug, what does it read?
If the positive post reads zero then poke it into the negative battery terminal you might find it reads negative 12 Volts (bad ground)

[LowRyter]

This bike has a couple hundred miles on it?

Truck it to the dealer and get your money back.  Actually call the Guzzi roadside assistance and tell 'em to pick it up, they can truck it back.

[rocker59]

This bike has a couple hundred miles on it?

Truck it to the dealer and get your money back.  Actually call the Guzzi roadside assistance and tell 'em to pick it up, they can truck it back.

It's 1800 miles from Tennessee back to the dealer in Las Vegas...

[Kiwi_Roy]

Don't be so hasty, it's probably something dead simple.

[zebraranger]

Id check the battery cables, ground and main ground. I've heard of this happening before (Griso Ghetto forum) on more than one occasion.

[chuck peterson]

The battery, not the bike, sounds like..it's right in your 2nd and 3rd sentence

[kballowe]

I had a similar thing after replacing a 5 year-old battery.  The bike ran fine for a week with the new battery - and then there wasn't enough electrical power to even totally initialize the electronics.  The voltage was good, but it immediately failed a load test.  (another) new battery solved the problem.

Just an example.  Your mileage may vary.

 

[fallguy]

Again, thanks for the replies. Yes, it does sound battery related. It just seemed odd to me that it suddenly died on me while riding. From working 100% to instantly not at all. I have had alternators go out on me before, and the vehicle die on me while driving, but there was a few seconds of it chugging alone, then dying. And it would turn over, just not start. This was instant, with no dash lights at all. Yet the parking lights work, as shown in the pic below. Turning the key all the way left, puts the parking lights on. So they work, but nothing on the dash at all. Seems like if it had power for that, dash lights would at least come on for a few seconds? I thought maybe it was a short or something, because to be honest the ability of the dealer to put it together right is not great in my opinion. The plastic cover that is over the battery, has 8 screws. ONE screw was screwed in, two were loosely laying in the hole for the screw, the other five were no where to be seen. If they missed this, what else could they have missed. Before I went taking stuff apart looking for a short or connection that came off, I wanted to ask questions from people here.

That being said, the battery is probably very old. And sat in that crate for years. I took it out and visually inspected it, levels seemed, and no other obvious visual problems. Connections are clean. Yet it still could be the battery, its obviously something electrical. I dont have a way to test the voltage on the battery, old unit broke awhile back. Guess its time to get another. That would tell me a lot.

Thanks again, I will try to get a battery today if I have the time. Just to check and go from there. I submitted to Moto Guzzi the problem for roadside assistance, they refereed me to my "local" dealership, 147 miles away.

[oldbike54]

 Thanks for keeping us apprised , let us know how this works out 

 Dusty

[Zigzagguzzi]

Betcha its da battery.

[Vagrant]

take the flippen battery to autozone and have it load tested. for free no less! that will tell us where to go from there.

[Gliderjohn]

Looks like a nice Mustang keeping the MGX company. Good luck.
GliderJohn

[LowRyter]

It's 1800 miles from Tennessee back to the dealer in Las Vegas...

what a shame

yes, it does sound electrical.

[Groover]

Looks like a nice Mustang keeping the MGX company. Good luck.
GliderJohn

'68 I believe 

[lucian]

If the battery checks out on a load test, another possibility is the ignition switch. There have been known problems with some, but usually after more miles. Try pushing down firmly on the key while in the on position and holding it there.

[fallguy]

take the flippen battery to autozone and have it load tested. for free no less! that will tell us where to go from there.

I actually did that this morning, well O'Reilly. Tested fine on volts and amps. Bought a new battery anyways, $120. Doesnt fit. Pos and neg are on the opposite side, and if I turn the battery around the cables dont reach, and there is a non-removable connection on the post too, so the cable from the bike wont fit. I should have looked at it before I left, but figured it was ok since he looked it up. Taking it back, and going to an actual bike shop tomorrow for a proper battery, its just all the way across town.

Called the Guzzi dealership closest to me, after explaining he thought battery as well. Mostly because it sat in a crate for 2+ years. The recall is pretty dangerous and needs to be done too. He said it was under warranty, he just needs it. Going to try the new battery tomorrow, and then go from there.

All this headache, over what is probably a battery. But its the culmination of the bike. I ordered it May 26th, it hit my credit June 6th. Just got it last week, already made two payments on it, and third is due very soon. Sent me one key, missing screws on the battery cover, no manual, more little things, terrible response from them. Ever since they had gotten my money, they have been terrible. Its Sept, and I just want to ride the dang thing. Thanks for everyone's patience, I'll try another battery tomorrow.

Good eye on the Mustang, it is a 68. One of my babies.

[Chuck in Indiana]

Tested fine on volts and amps.

If it tests ok, it's probably ok.. <shrug>

[Daleroso]

Hi fallguy, I'm sorry for your situation. Euro Cycles Reno is the worst dealer I've experienced in 54 years since Vegas bought them from the Yull bros. 4 bikes, one an MGX21. Only had it 18 months w/o issues that I bought in lust but it wasn't a personal match.
My suggestion is to get a proper fitting battery, check ALL fuses again, closely, removed & individually & FORGET, I repeat FORGET Euro Cycles Reno. Try to find a closer reliable dealer.
Take some deep breaths & start over. Sometimes we have to endure losses to move forward.

[fallguy]

I will never, ever use them again. I really wanted an MGX-21, and got a pretty good deal on one from them. Since its a '17 and in a crate. Traded in a bike, and didn't spend a whole lot on it. Nobody around here sold them, so had to look elsewhere. The manager is supposed to call me back after "jury duty", which I dont really believe he is in. They have lied time after time to me. All I really want from them is to pay to have it sent to the shop. But since it took months (literally) to even send it to me in the first place, wary of that even.

I went ahead and got a proper battery. Brand new, added the acid to it, instructions claim that puts it at 70%. Installed and tried again, same exact thing. The front headlight and tail lights come on for a fraction of a second, then go off. Nothing on the dash. I tried pushing the key in harder, same thing. Put the battery on the charger just to put it at 100%, at this point I know its not going to work. I checked all fuses under the seat again. I feel like its something easy, a connection somewhere, short, just something. Starting up fine, rode a few minutes, then it just dying like this doesnt make much sense, unless its something like that. Over the weekend I may take more time to dig further, pull some panels off to check wires. Just dont want to go on a goose chase. But I am honestly ready to just pay to have it sent to the shop a few hours away. Let them deal with it, I am just so frustrated at this point. Had a dozen or so bikes before, first Guzzi. I bought a new carbon fiber AGV helmet the day this happened, all excited to ride. Now I have what appears to be 3 good batteries. Taking one back for sure, but I added the acid to this one and would feel bad taking it back. Spent $250 today on batteries though, yay. Really enjoyed riding it for a few days, want to get it going again before it gets too cool.

Thanks to everyone for listening to me bitch, and the advice on what I could try and do.

Edit, if it matters, it died exactly as I down shifted from 4th to 3rd. I looked around the gear shifter and clutch, looks fine.

[Daleroso]

MG is unique in many ways. Sorry again that this is your 1st. Don't give up. It's a machine. There's a fix somewhere unlike a contrary woman.

[Huzo]

Your bike quit as you were downchanging (decelerating), but would fire again on occasions and now has limited lighting and other contradictory symptoms.
Does your bike have a “tip over” switch.
I’m wondering if it is not in it’s mount properly and has started to cut the ignition and other circuits ?
Did you say whether or not it’s thrown a code ?