Potential disaster -- Fusable link / fuse harness 650SC (maybe other bikes)

[mikem1968]

Check your fusable link or fuse harness. My bike had a harness put in way before I purchased it which replaces the original link. I've had it for a year now - riding often and never had any issues. When I got it last summer I replaced all the fuses as-well. The original link is right near the battery on the right side of the bike. Yesterday my girlfriend and I decided to take a road trip to Liberty State Park here in NJ. Not very far - spur of the moment trip (about 20 miles or so).

We'd avoided the toll roads to our destination, but opted to take some highways to shorten the trip. I was hitting 65mph + easily along the way. We got to Jersey City and into the State Park.

The roads at the park are also cobblestone roads.

Suddenly (as if someone was turning thier living room light off) everything goes completely DEAD (no lights, engine, display, nothing)

Thankfully we got to our destination before the problem occurred.

Also a great reminder of why one must always carry tools on their ride (I'd been working on mine recently and put them all back into my toolbox at my apartment, not on the bike - very dumb and YES I should know better)

Thanks to some boat owners at the marina who loaned me a power driver and a biker who pulled over to help us out, we got it done.

The fusable link (in my case the harness) had come completely OFF the connection. Thus - no power. Touched the leads and everything lit up like a christmas tree again.

I'm only posting this in hopes that my experience may help someone else.

Mike

[happycommuter]

Is this the 30 amp main fuse that is dog-bone shaped?  There have been several reports of these developing hairline cracks and just plain disintegrating.  I still haven't gotten around to looking at mine...so thanks for the reminder.

[Brittles]

Is this the 30 amp main fuse that is dog-bone shaped?  There have been several reports of these just plain disintegrating. 

That main fuse was blown on the '85 700s beater I bought recently. Was all exicted to see the spare fuse sitting there under that cover. That was until I went to retrieve it............fell apart in my hand.

[Bumblebee]

+100

The one on my motorcycle failed on me many many miles (as in I'd still be walking out) on an unknown fire road. The spare was in worse condition than the failed one. Emergency procedures got me out.

That's one of the things I recommend checking on the 82 650 at least once a year. Carry a spare and check the spare as well. I found that the spare in a small ziplock bag with one of those silica jell moisture control balls packs will last much longer than leaving it exposed to the mid frame environment.
Always have a backup plan.

[tbante]

Does the 92 NH have one of these that I need to check?

[fishmeister]

Nope, you got the modern style plastic blade fuse.